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CHAPTER VII
?14?
The festival held that evening ir
Tracery's Medici Room was one ol
such intimate sp'endor of matter
and mind that, though 1 subscribed
to it, when first I awoke the next
morning. I wondered if it was not a
dream.
I sat between two Old Masters?
on the left the Duchess of Whelp
and the right of the Countess of
Brief. Each glowed with the sterling
quality of a forgotten age. Lost
aits made up their being. Sheer
beauty lived with kindness: sheer
brilliance beamed with good will.
And each admiring the other was
thus exalted. Their natural royalty
was duly served. Powdered footmen
in scarlet livery stood behind
? every chair: gold plate winked upon
the table: the choicest fare was
perfectly presented.
And there I will leave an event
which neither Derrick nor I will
ever forget, for that evening we two
hobnobbed with the stuff that queens
were made of in olden days.
That Herrick found instant favor,
1 need not say. Indeed, Old Harry
and he were as good as a play, for,
__ T 1 --j_. -
?jd a nave ^aia ueiore, nis address
was beyond compare, and I think
that each of them whetted the other's
wit.
When dinner was done, Herrick
and I were left with orders to "join
the ladies" in ten minutes' time:
and when that had gone, we were
led to a glorious salon, whose Sixteenth-century
tapestries filled the
Though the evening was warm, a
fire of logs had been lighted upon
the hearth: before this the Duchess
was resting upon a mighty chaise
longuc, and Elizabeth was standing
beside a jamb of the fireplace,
one of her beautiful hands on the
chiseled stone, regarding the leisurely
flicker that hovered above a
hillock of rose-gray ash.
As the door closed behind us?
"I have ordered your car," said
Old Harry, "for half past ten. That
gives us just half an hour, which
should be enough. I've one or two
things to say, and I'll say them
first.
"1 think we all know where we
are and where we shall be next
Tuesday at five o'clock. On no account
try to conceal that we have
already met. That way madness
lies. W'e have all met here tonight
?for the very first time. Let no one
ill ? ? n * - - " -
Ut ill HI caac. lur mCnarU
Exon, I don't think anyone will."
"Oh, madam," protested Ilerrick.
"Don't interrupt," said Old Harry.
"Besides, you'd be at ease with a
gaggle of Elders discussing the
wrath to come."
I very near laughed and Elizabeth
covered her mouth.
"If you feel uneasy, Richard, always
remember at once that though
Brief is doing the honors, you are
Elizabeth's guest. And that, I think,
should bring vour confidence back.
You will take your man. Winter,
with you, and I shall take three
servants to look after me. One will
be Parish?that excellent English
page whom you have already seen.
Should need arise, we can communicate
through them, with all convenience.
Tell the police that you
have been invited to Brief, as yot
understand, to meet me. That will
set you above all suspicion, such is
this snobbish world.
"One thing more.
"As luck will have it, Elizabeth's
mother's jewels were held by the
firm of goldsmiths whom I have always
employed. Bauble and Levity
?you probably know the name. Sht
has, therefore, written to them tc
say that by my advice she will have
the gems reset and desiring their,
to be ready with new designs
against her coming to London in sis
weeks' time. That letter will send
the ball flying, and since she gave
this address, the reply will come tc
this house and will go on to Brief by
hand, in my private bag.
"And now can anyone think ol
anything else? Because, if they can
ucsve 11?tor Deuer or worse
We shan't see each other again until
we strut on to the stage."
There was a little silence.
"Very good," said Old Harry
"And now I want to see Mr. Her
rick alone. Take your leave of me
Richard, and then make the best o
the terrace, until Mr. Herrick ap
pears. Elizabeth will go with you.'
I stepped to her side
"Madam," I said, "I have mucl
to thank you for."
"I don't know about that. Neve:
mind. I've much enjoyed your visi
The Cherokee Sco
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Painte
We and LnUiyue .
O Domfotd Yatw
?and that's a thing I can say to
very few guests."
i "Thank you. madam." I put her
! hand to my lips. "X hope you're
not very tired."
"Tired be damned," said Old
Harry. "I never felt so fit in my
life."
"Till Tuesday madam."
The Duchess smiled and nodded,
and 1 followed Elizabeth out of the
handsome chamber and, presently.
into ine air.
Elizabeth led the way to the head
of the steps.
"It's all your doing," she said.
"Which is absurd," said I. "She's
mad about you."
"My dear, you gave her the lead.
1 had a claim upon her. How could
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p"??^
j [ffil if
1
1 '*m
"What D'yoc IV
she fail me, when you, upon whom .
I had none, had done so much?"
I shook my head.
"You must thank yourself," I
said. "1 saw you?and that was j
enough. And as with me, so with
her. The king's ring got you inside:
but, once you were in?well,
supposing you'd asked for the moon,
she might have told you off, but
when she was through, she'd have
sent for a pair of steps."
Elizabeth laughed. Then she slid
her arm through mine.
"I wish I was going with you.
I've been so happy at Raven: and
if this morning I'd dreamed that I
shouldn't come back, I?I wouldn't
1 have gone. It may have been out
of order, but I know I'd jump at
the chance to do it again. I've . . .
much enjoyed . . . my 'week-end
j with a couple of men.' "
"They'll miss you terribly, Elizabeth."
"Sit in the meadow tomorrow?
I'll think of you there. Close to
i the stream?by yourself: between
I lunch and tea. And, if I can, I'll
I sit here?at the head of the steps.
i Oh, and please be very careful and
always go armed. Remember, he
knows where you are, and the woods
i about Raven are thick."
"I promise," I said. "And on
Tuesday ..."
r "On Tuesday I'll see you again.
And on Wednesday we'll ride bei
fore breakfast ? that's natural
i enough. Besides, it'll be my job
i to entertain you as a guest."
: "I'll never be easy," I said,
: "when you're out of my sight. Here I
, ? ?..un mi cxu y*JU. X ?2 Sdie: DUl
Brief ..." I drew in my breath,
v "Can you trust your maid? I think
> she should sleep in your suite."
"Perhaps you're right. I'll see
f what Old Harry says."
, "I'd be easier, Elizabeth. You
see, by day I can always be within
. cali. But by night I can't. And if
you want me to sleep?well, you'll
do as I ask."
, My lady lifted her head to the
. lambent sky.
"You don't look back," she said,
f "do you?when you've put your
- hand to the plow? You're not going
' to rest till?till you've carried me
out of the wood?"
1 "Men don't lay down their honors
(before their time."
"And then?"
"They lay them down," I said
ut, Murphy, N. C., Thursd;
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<V DORNFOI
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slowly: "and go their way."
There was a little silence.
"What way shall you go, Richard?"
j
1 drew myself up.
"I don't know. Perhaps John Herrick
will help me. We might do ,
something together, until Lord
| Wascby dies. But I'll always be
! at your service. You'll only have j
to call me. I'll always come."
"Why do you say that, Richard?"
"Because you have made me your j
servant?for as long as I live." (
"I don't want you to be my serv- j
ant."
I laughed at that.
"Then you shouldn't have your 1
eyes, or your mouth, or your beautiful
ways. You shouldn't move as '
IiWa nf Thic1)" Ha Cn<itk? E>:.. ji??
.IV uaiu. 1UC M." HC'rti 111
you do, or throw a smile over your \
shoulder, or push back your hair c
from your temples with one of your
lovely hands. And you shouldn't I
have your nature?which makes a
man want to pay tribute with all his ?
heart."
"And what does he get?in return?"
1
"He's paid in advance," said I. ^
"That very question shows that you s
don't understand. To have to do *
with you is to run into debt?your
debt. And at once one's instinct is r
to do what little one can to pay you
back." a
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows.
"I'm afraid you're an idealist, 3
Richard. And that's a mistake, my
dear. Red Lead Lane should have ?
shown you . . . But then the complete
idealist never learns. If it j
makes you happy to set me up in a
niche, why then you must have your
way. I'll smile upon you from there.
And sometimes, when you're not
looking, I might climb down and be
a good-looking girl, with the usual
human passions, a weakness for animals
and a definite love of dress."
She plucked at her frock. "Can there
any good thing come out of Salzburg?
My dear, you wait. If you
like the look of me now, you'll get
up and walk at Brief."
"There spoke Old Harry," said I:
"but not Elizabeth."
She whipped her arm out of mine
and started ceide. I
<un?* ?J> - - *
mtat ever a you mean/" J
I set my hands on her shoulders 1
and turned her round.
"That you are a work of nature
and she is a work of art. And you
cannot play on her piano, and she ?
cannot play on your pipe. I think
you only did it to?to make me 5
alter my focus and see that you're J
not the nonsuch I think you are.
But it only upsets me, my lady, ,
and doesn't do any good. I know
you've got failings?you must have, 1
because you're of flesh and blood:
but you're rather exceptional?'The
heaven such grace did lend her,
That she might admired be.' Well,
you must let me admire you in my
own way." J
"All right," said Elizabeth, meekly.
"But don't bring me garlands, ,
Richard. I couldn't bear that." ^
"You wicked girl. You?" c
"That's better. And there's John j
coming. Say good-by nicely. Quick." o
She had put up her beautiful r
ay, January 26, 1939
i |
wa
t ace
ED YATES
t
t
mouth, and I had stooped and kissed
it before I knew where I was.
It was half-past one in the morn- '
ing before we once more approached *
Raven, and, remembering Old Har
ry's words. I found myself thanking
3od that Eluabeth was not with us t
and would not have to run such a
gauntlet again. Thus thinking upon
the matter, I presently grew quite
sure that we were to be attacked,
rnd, since 1 was driving, I made
derrick take my pistol, because, for
>nce in a way, he had left his belind,
on the bed, he said.
Our alarms were without foundation.
We were not fired upon, and Ra/en
was fast asleep. And since we
10 jjfjj < I
i Has Gone."
vere very tired, we shared a bottle
if beer and stumbled upstairs.
I had put on my pajamas, when
lerrick opened my door.
"What d'you make of this?" he
;aid. "The fire-arm has gone."
"Gone?" said I, staring.
"Gone," said Herrick. "As I toia
ou just now, I left it out on the
led. Well, the bed's been made:
o, of course, it had to be moved.
Jut it's not in the room."
"It must be," said I. "You've
nissed it."
"Come and see," said Hemes,
ind led the way.
For full five minutes we sought it.
ind sought it in vain.
At length?
"Brenda must have it," said I.
'The thing's not here."
"I don't think that's likely," said
lerrick, "in view of what Winter
aid. And yet I can hardly believe
hat Percy Elbert the Good would
teal it away. And tell me another
hing. Why do these crises arise. "
vhen one is so drunk with sleep that
me can hardly stand up?"
With that, he sank heavily down e
in the foot of his bed. 1;
As he did so, a deafening explo- V
lion made me jump out of my skin, ind,
in one most frantic convulsion, I
lerrick leapt upward and outward
is though propelled by some sDrine. I
"My Uod," said I, and ripped the
juilt from the bed.
Twelve inches from the foot of the
jedstend. a broad-arrow ruck in the
jlanket declared that below the
jlanket something had moved.
I turned to Herrick.
"Are you all right?"
His hands clapped fast to hla
;eat?
"Well, I'm still the same shape,"
;aid Herrick, "if that's what you
nean: but you can't sit down on a
and-mine and be as good as you
vere."
Someone was running on the landnS
(TO BE CONTINUED)
No-Latitude. No-Longitude Point
The no-latitude, no-longitude point
in the earth is the point where the
irime meridian of Greenwich
:rosses the equator. It is in the Gulf
if Guinea off the western coast of
tfrica and many miles from land.
The British Gold Coast colony is the
:losest land, and its capital, Accra,
n 5 degrees, 31 minutes north and
i degrees, 12 minutes west, is the
tearest town.
smiles
The Answer
Bjones?Speed? Why that old
;ar of mine can't be stopped on
:he hills.
Skjold?Yes, I know; mine was
hat way before I had the brakes
Clever Chap
Harefoot?Alford has a scheme
or making one-cent stamps do as
veil as three-cent ones.
Pshaw?How's that?
Harefoot?Why, he uses three of
hem.
POUTING
"Bill considers you a well of inormation."
"He ought to?I've been well
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