Newspapers / Henderson Gold Leaf (Henderson, … / May 27, 1909, edition 1 / Page 4
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THE HENDERSON GOLD LiEAF THUllSDAYMAY 27, 1909. The f rom A Novelization of the Play of the Same N2me Copyright. I9C9. by American Pre is Association This romance deals with a curious admixture of American plainness and European high life; with a young Indiana girl dazzled by a title and in the clutches of a quartet of sharp ers headed by an impecunious British peer; with the girl's An gtomaniac brother, a Russian noble in disguise, an escaped Russian convict and a faithless wife, and, most important of alt, with the girl's shrewd, witty, courageous, resourceful guard ian, Daniel Voorhecs Pike of Kokomo. Daniel loves the In diana girl and is determined to save her from the sharpers even against her own will. Read and you will learn how Daniel, with but a single friend to aid him, faced a most difficult dilemma and why he figured so promi nently in an international ro mance in which heraldry was more important than hearts and cupidity fur more conspicuous than Cupid. ciiaptei: I. "it's a ciul!" IS foot on the dsk of the ollice in the Central Bank building. the auiit youn;: man with tlie fcteni features and the kindly gray eyes that always seemed a perpet ual rebuke to the la" in which they were set ruminated o -r tiie letter he held In his hand. His ! -ick was to the door a half lass door inch was also the main and only en ranee to the room and whieh bore upon Its trans lucent surface in rapped letters, worn by the polishing the glass had under gone, the words. "Daniel Voorhees Pike. Attorney at Ijiw." Pike himself had a queer twist of feature, a sort of whimsicality that pervaded the very atmosphere about him, and the smile with whieh he re garded the letter he held had a world of reminiscence and sadness in it. As he gazed at It the letter seemed to fade into nothingness, and in Its place there rose the picture of a day years before, a day that caused the dingy walls of the office to become tenuous and gauzy, and through the gauze lie seemed to see another office a ramshackle sort of place, with a tin sign showing through the window Which informed the passerby that real estate was the commodity dispensed within. To Pike the picture grew yet more distinct, and in the broken bot tom cane chair he saw the figure of a heavy faced man In his shirt sleeves fiigagcd In smoking a corncob pipe. In another corner of the room ho could see a red headed boy poring over a pine table, laboriously copying in a round hand some title deeds. Then, through the reaches of the past, he Beemed to hear the heavy faced man remove the pipe from his mouth and heard 1dm speak. "Dan." he said. "It's a girl!" And lie heard the gasp the loy gave forth as he turned about on his stool i S3 "Show htr to Dan.7' and looked with startled eyes into the kindly blue ones that glimmered Into his own. "A girl!" he seemed to hear the boy say. "A JitUc girl. Mr. Simpson?" In his fancy he saw the big man nod, saw him place the pipe back in his teeth and extend his two palms until they were a foot or so apart. "A girl. Dan," he heard, "'bout so long. Dan, and purtier than all get out. An she's goin' to be a big re snonsibillty. my boy. We'll hare to sell n heap of lots to pay what she's noin' to cost, Dan a whole heap of Jts." And gradually the picture seemed to fade away, ami. like a dissolving view. Its place was taken by another the picture of a half timbered houo that stood back among some trees v.t the corner of Main and Center streets. He could see the worn steps leading up to the veranda and himself apnroachlne half fearfully along the gravel walk that led in from the rusty gate. On the veranda sat the big man with the heavy features and the corncob pipe, and he heard the voice again bid ding him come up. And then there was a call to some one within, aud a woman emerged with a white buudle in her arms. "Show her to Dan." he heard the man's voice say, and then, when the woman had removed a bit of the flan nel covering from the little face and ho had looked upon it, startled, abashed and marvelously choking as to the throat, the big Voice went on again: "She's going to be Ethel, Dan. that bundle of Infancy- And maybe some of these days she'll be getting herself In a tight place, and it's going to be up to you, Dan, to ticlp her out, and you're going to promise me that you'll do It, boy. Horace, thd other kid, he'll grow up maybe to lucre sense, and he'll look out for himsVlf, but ifs a tough place for girls. Ijan a mighty tougn piace. He could almost hearVthe hushed Tolce In which the boy luM. given the i By BOOTH TARKINGTON and HARRY LEON WILSON required promise and the awe with whi li he beard that the newest atom of humanity to arrive was already motherless, and then the picture faded again. Then came a succession of sim ilar views. lie saw the dingy real estate ofBce grow Into a respectable brick building, and then Into a handsome stone edifice, and the heavy featured man turn grayer and grayer and more somber and more hardworking, and he could remember the day when the tiny Ethel was brought to the office for the first time and of the manner In which she began to grow up. He recalled the day when she reached the mature age of twelve and of how he had presented to her h Bible for a gift and of the manner in which he had blushed for all his twenty-five years. And then he recalled the day when John Simpson had confided to him that the "kids" were to be given ad vantages and were to be sent abroad to school. There came a blank after that, but he recalled as if it had been but yesterday the feeling wilh which he had gone off into a corner and wrestled with the t,:i; f that had beset him. He could even see the fluttering hand that waved to him from the car window as the train took her and her brother away. Suddenly the door behind him opened and shut quickly, and quick steps caused him to drop his feet to the roor. He turned and found a visitor tit his elbow "Dan." said the newcomer, "it's all yours Jenkins just got a telegram that the K. and G. has decided to offer you the representation for this end of the state." "That so?" responded Pike aim lessly. "Of course It's so, man!" replied the other, shaking him vigorously by the shoulder. "Wake up, can't you? It's worth tifteen thousand a year to you!" Pike turned quizzical eyes upou his friend and folded the letter he held in hs hand. "Much obliged to you, Tom," he said. "I guess I'm kind of upset today. Got a letter here that jolted me a little. I'm thinking of going away for a spell." "Going away!" ejaculated his friend with wide eyes. "Going away! Where?" "I guess I'll take a trip across the water." replied Pike dreamily. "Al ways wanted to see those foreign parts, those Venices and Itomes and Londons. Must be a queer tribe over there, Tom. Not much like us plain folks here, eh? Lots of- high and mighty duke3 and earls and things and coats of arms and crowns and coaches with white horses, eh?" Tom Perkins sat down in a chair with a gasp of astonishment. He stared at his friend with frauk amaze ment written on his face and opened his mouth twice before his lips formed the words. "Europe!" he said at last. "Europe." he replied. "Say, Tom, you remember Jim Cooley? They sent Jim over there, didn't they? Made him vice consul or something over in London? I'd maybe get a chance to see Jim and talk to him about about old times." His voice died down, and he regarded the wall again. "Never happened to hear of folks over there of the name of of Haw castle, did you. Tom?" he went on. "I don't know what sort of business they are in. but I guess they're well to do. Never happened to hear of them, eh?" Ferkins shook his head, and Pike went on: "Maybe I'll write to Jim Cooley and ask him about these people. Jim 'd be likely to know 'em, 1 guess. Vice con sul must be a pretty big bug over there." "Law case?" asked Perkins suddenly. "Sort of," answered Pike quietly. "I don't know that I'd call it Just that. I'ertiaps the trip would be a change anyway. And I'd like to see this man Hawcastle." "Where does this Hawcastle live?' asked Perkins. "England. Got a house he calls Hawcastle Hall." "What about the K. and G.?" asked Perkins suddenly. "I guess the K. and G. will have to wait awhile." Perkins stood up resolutely and faced his friend. "There's something wrong with you. Dan." he said emphatically. "There a something mighty wrong. it ain't like you to go running off this way un less there's something behiud it." He stopped, for Pike was whistling softly to himself, whistling like the man who is striving to recall some tune that is only half forgotten. Then he turned to Perkins. "Remember that old tune. Tom." he asked" 'Sweet Genevieve-;' " "Get out!" snapped Perkins "That's u unuiuij jfars oiu. ny uon t you keep up to date If you're going hi for music? What do you care about 'Sweet Genevieve." anyway?" "I used to know some!ody t!i:H ang it once long ago.'" said Pike qn'i-tly "I used to hear John Simpson whistle It years before he died and left all that money to me for those two kids Tom" he turned suddenly and trans fixed hr- friend with an ao-usatory finger "what would yon think of n guardian that doesn't guard?" Perkins regarded him rel.el!lous!y "Depends on whose guardian he is and whether the guardees want htm to attend to business or not. If you're talking about those kids of John Simp son's, I'd say you've done about all you could be expected to. You've kept the money together, haven't you? You've made it grow. You've sent it along regular over there. What more could any one want?" "Maybe that isn't enough." "When are those two coming home?" went on Perkins. "Why don't they come back and spend John's money where It was made at home? "I don't believe they're coming back right-soon." replied Pike. "Thing . av m 4; m 4k k Ethel In a big garden hat. ort of seem to attract 'em over there. It must be a mighty fine place." "Huh!" replied Perkins disgustedly. What's the matter with Kokomo? Why don't that girl come back home and marry and settle down? Tell me that" Pike smiled queerly. and his head seemed to shrink into bis shoulders a trifle as he thrust hl3 hands into his pockets. "I guess she's going to marry and settle down. Tom. all right." he said slowly. "From what I hear she's go ing to marry one of those dukes or earls I was mentioning." "Marry a foreigner!" cried Perkins, Jumping to his feet. "Why. I thought she"- "Never mind what you thought, Tom." returned Pike. "I'm telling you she's going to be married That's why I guess she won't be likely to come back to Kokomo. I guess Kokomo's a pretty poor looking place after some of those other places she's been see ing." "How do you know?" asked Perkins, drawing his chair forward. Pike lifted the letter he had folded up. "SHE'S GOING TO MARRY TIIE "I got this from her," he said sim ply. "Want to know what's in it?" "Yes," answered Perkins. "I can't let you read it, but it's from a place in Italy Sorrento." he went on slowly, mouthing the unfamiliar word. "She says she's going to marry the Hon. Almeric St. Aubyn. heir to the ancient house of Hawcastle. And Bhe wants to make a settlement on him. She can't marry without my con sent, you know, Tom. If she does the money goes to the Kokomo Orphan asylum." "Going to give your consent?" In quired Perkins. "Don't know," answered Pike. "I've got to look the young man over first I promised John Simpson I'd always look after her. That was when she was born. He said girls sometimes got into a tight place and they'd need some one to pull them out. Sounds j good, doesn't it Tom? non. Almeric ; St Aubyn. Must be a member of con- j gress or something over there. Maybe he'll be a senator some day. I can't object. Tom. if he's got a show to make a good living for her. can I? Say, what is a settlement, anyway? You don't suppose I've been keeping her short of money, do you. and she's had to borrow?" Perkins shook his head gloomily. "Don't ask me." he said. "I don't know anything about women. Why, Dan. I thought you'd mapped it out to marry" "That'll do for that." said Pike quickly. "We'll not talk about that now. Tom. Suppose you go down to Archie Toombs and ask him about Sor rento and how to get there nnd when a fellow gets there after he starts. I'm going to write a letter to Jim Cooley and get him to hunt up this Haw castle." When Perkins bad gone Pike pulled open the letter and read it once again. It was the most formal of notes, be ginning -Dear Mr. Pike" and ending "Yours sincerely." It contained a brief notice of the writer's intentions, or. rather, intentions in the event of a certain contretemps that to her seemed Inevitable, and trusted that the end would meet with bis approval. He sighed as be folded it and re turned It to its envelope. "And that ends the guardianship. he muttered. "Wonder what I'm go tag to do with the old house nowf From a drawer in bis desk he pulled a framed picture that showed a deli cately featured girl, with big. frank eyes and a wealth of light curling hair that was half hidden Toy a big garden hat. Thw was a smile about the lips thr !--e?!d very en ga gin, and the nte'Mn drs she wore had been acfenr !- ! Im its simplicity bv the art f t . i.oi!1'n photographer. Pikf had preserved the picture, which had been ;.'vc!i f(i ):nn by old John Simpsoyi day bo fore he died, and he Fighed MS he I'-oW-d t it. Then he hi id it "T;: t down upon tb desk and dropped his chin Into his hand. It may have been an hour that he sat there, awl in that time never a thought of bis legal business crossed his mind. He was busy with a fanci ful picture of an unknown city that In spite of his desire seemed to take on the aspects of a larger Kokomo, and in his fancy he could see a big, well knit young fellow bending eagerly over to look Into the face of a girl, and he beard her call him Almeric. "Must be -a" mighty fine man," ha mused "a fine big man to capture her." Theu Perkins came in to ask if Pike wished to sail from New York for Havre in two days' tifce, stating that it would be necessary to leave that night if Pike wished to take passage on her. "I'll go, Tom," he said. "Maybe you'll drop In here once In awhile and tell folks that ask for me that IU be back in a month or so." Then he sat down and wrote to Jim Cooley at Loudon. At 8 that night he stepped aboard an eastbound train and the . next after noon was in New York. Sorrento seemed a long way off, and It was with a heavy heart that he walked up the gangplank of La Provence. CHAPTER II. ' THE EXILES. SIX years of life abroad, and these during the most impressionable period of their young lives, had left an indelible imprint upon the two young people. Horace Simpson had taken to him self the manners of the Harrow and Oxford youth. lie had eschewed the society of what he had learned, with parrot-like aptness, to call those "vul gar Americans" and had confned his social intercourse solely to such of the European "haut ton" as he could man age to scrape acquaintance with. And this last was a somewhat uphill task. for. whatever else one may say about the English, they are inclined to view with very little favor the ros- UON. ALMERIC ST. AUBYN." sessor of no other attribute than money. True, there are exceptions, and these but prove the rule, i Ethel, who had grown into a really i beautiful young woman, had followed I suit, so far as in her modest powers lay. Such of her school friends as j would permit the half formed ac quaintance to ripen she had retained. , Such others of her own modest begin ; nings she hr.d quietly but emphatically dropped. From plain democracy she had sought the antithesis, and the leap was ail the more an earnest one be cause of its breadth. The Simpsons and they had added their mother's maiden name and linked It to the paternal nomenclature with a hyphen had been deeply bitten with the aristocratic virus and after a long and arduous struggle had managed to meet Lady Creech. This titled mondaine had the misfor tune to be viciously short of patrimony and inordinately long of lineage, and, while her life of self denial had doubt less imbittered her. she had a most Inordinate value of birth and a distinct appreciation of cash: hence when It came her way to pick the Granger Simpsons out of the slough of com monplace acquaintance she did it with a royal favor and for a stipulated con sideration. "Keally. my dear Hawcastle" she pronounced it as old sailors pronounce j "fo'c's tie" she was wont to say, i "really, of course, they are quite im possible, but the girl is an adaptable little thing, and I may be able to make something of her in time, while the boy ah, I fear I shall have to leave him to you and St. Aubyn." ; "Do as you like." replied the Earl of Hawcastle. with some choler. "but keep them out of my way as much as possible. I positively will not be badg ered by these unbaked colonists." "One might stand a quantity of badgering. Hawcastle, for 300000." at which the genial earl would squirm nervously. Af any rate, the Simpson children began to be seen In the second stratum of London society and met endless numbers of the shopworn nobility, but sad to relate, never one of the truly respectable. To those who know their London there are several layers of no bility, and the layer the ordinary in dividual meets, who has no social pres tige to begin with. Is composed of that peculiar class that lends its name to doubtful directorates, to queer pros pectuses, to struggling milliners with J an eye on the main chance and who cladly extend unlimited credit to their patrons in return for modest and well put advertisement. Strangely enough, the Hawoastle Creech combination did not drag the willing Simpsons Into the glittering presence of the real set On the contrary, with a somewhat dog in the manger policy, they awak ened both the earl and his sister-in-law to the fact that they wished no sharers in those American dollars that John Simpson had sweated his brow for. and as a consequence they pro posed a little trip a quiet ante-season trip to Sorrento, where not a guest would disturb them and where mat ters might be given a chance to right themselves. And there, strangely enough, the Simpsons met the Comtesse de Cbam pigny and were quite delighted to find the gifted and brilliant Frenchwoman an intimate of the earl's. The second morning of their arrival the gay com tesse put in an appearance and with a promptitude .that was astonishing took young Horace under the widowly wing and marked him for her own. And that same morning the noble earl took his equally noble son Into the shrub bery and spoke to him. "You've ge to do It St Aubyn." he Bald. "The family honor Is at stake. For heaven's sake, marry the little fool! WThat if her scurrilous name Is Bimpson? You can make her forget it We are stony broke, my good boy, and she has a hundred and fifty thou. That will keep us going for another year or two. and If -Helene can capture the young ass, Horace, I'll force her to divide with me." "But it's such a beastly bore, gov ernor," drawled Almeric St Aubyn, and he flicked idly at the rhododen dron bushes with his stick. He was a pale, washed out youth, with an inimitable drawl and a shim mering of intellect that might, if it had been given an opportunity, have resolved Itself into a good working- im itation of a brain. To his friends he was "that hopeless ass" and to his -enemies and debtors of the latter not a few "that beastly bounder, St Au byn." "You see, governor," the honorable Almeric went on, "it Isn't as if I cared for the little gal. I'm a queer beggar, you know, and it's fearfully rough on a chap to pretend interest in such a little vulgarian. Of course I know we're awfully hard up and all that sort of thing, but" His noble father seized him roughly by the-arm. "You don't have to live with her, you know." he said savagely. "It will be easy enough to make it so unpleasant for the minx that she'll be glad to go back to the States, and she can't get back a penny. We'll have that tight enough." The Hon. Almeric laughed. "Oh, all right, old chap!" he drawled. "I'll lift her to the Infernal seventh heaven, or whatever you call it Don't expect me to moon over her, though." And that compact being settled, the earl went off for his morning walk along the cliff and Almeric to keep his engagement for a morning ride with Ethel Granger-Simpson. CHAPTER III. IN DISGUISE. N hour later Mariano, the maitre d'hotel of the Hegina Marghe rita. stepped out upon the ter race and began to lay a cloth upou! one of the small round tables that stood close to the white marble balus trade. On the other side of the wall could be heard the mandolins and gui tars of the fishermen, and Mariano glanced up crossly as the- song arose upou the morning air. "Siienzio!" he cried, and for a mo ment the music died down. 4 Mariano weut at once to the table upon which he had spread the cloth and placed silverware and delicate china upon it. and he was thus en gaged when Michele, the commission caire, appeared at the top of a flight of marble steps that led Into the eastern wing of the hotel, fronting on the ter race. "Here is M. Itibiere to see you, sir," he said softly, with a backward glance over his shoulder, and Mariano straightened up instantly, with a smile of welcome, for Itibiere was an old and valued accomplice in the gentle art of soft Italian legal stealing. A tall, alert young Frenchman, clad in an English walking suit of gray and carrying a portfolio beneath his arm, ran lightly down the steps and approached the maitre d'hoteL , "Ah, Mariano!" he cried as he ap proached. The genial Mariano bowed graceful ly and rubbed his flexible hands to gether. ( "M. Ribiere'" he chattered gayly. "This is one of the days of days" The music burst forth again, and he whirled about angrily In the direction of the lemon grove. "Siienzio!" he cried, with waving hands. "Siienzio!" and turned again to Ribiere. Michele, with a glance at them, went back within the hotel. Ribiere turned a warning glance to ward the hotel and whispered in Ital ian: "Let us speak Engleesh. Fewer un derstand." Mariano again bowed and spread out his hands in assent "I hope ni'sieu still occupy the ex alt' position of secretar to monseigneur the gran' duke." Kim fowl "The tamiiy honor U t stake. The Frenchman walked quickly to one of the little wicker tea tables that were scattered about sat down-and opened his portfolio. "We will not mention either the name or the rank of my employer, Im said gravely. "There are : reasons of state. You understand?" The maitre d'hotel threw ud his hands in despair, and -his round eyes rolled heavenward. "Again incognito! Every year he come to thees hotel for two, three or lour day, but always Incognito!" Ribiere paid little attention to him, but opened a notebook and removed a fountain pen from bis pocket Mariano shrugged ' his shoulders and went on setting the table, then stopped and looked up. "Each time we lose- the honor to have it known," he, went on. "In "Na ples, everywhere, are reech Ameri can - peoples that would give large pourbolre to mingle with his hlgh-ness"- The secretary lifted a 'warning fin ger. "Have I not said it Is to be incog nito, and yet you prate of highness in the first breath. Would you wish he shall withdraw his patronage?" He looked staringly at the man opposite him, "See that you do not offend again." He consulted his watch. "He comes in his machine from Na ples. As on former visits, all Is- to be as before. No one must guess. To all he must be Herr Grollerhagen "Herr Grollerhagen!" ejaculated Ma riano quickly and with astonishment in his round features. "Herr Groller hagen!" "He wishes to be known as a Ger man." went on M. Ribiere. "It pleases him to be- so thought" Mariano stood lost in contemplative astonishment "What a ' man," he sighed "of ca price, eccentrique, so wonderful! Ha!" The secretary smiled in a superior manner. "You hare said it. Last night he talked by chance to a strange North American in the hotel at NapolL Ap parently he Is much Interested. Today he has that stranger for companion in his automobile. I remonstrate. What use? He laugh for one-half the hour. Again the maitre d'hotel remained lost in astonishment For some mo ments he stood with the napkin in his hands gazing out over the wonderful bay that lay before the hotel. "He is not like those cousin of his in Petersburg and Moscowa," he said at last, with a touch of awe In his tones. "And yet. though monseigneur is so good and generoso, will not the an archist. strike against the name of even royalty himself? You have not that fear?" The secretary shivered in the soft warm air and seized his companion by the wrist "I have!" he said quickly. "He has not I take what precautions I can secretly from him. But of what use? You have few patrons?" A smile crossed Mariano's face, and he shrugged his shoulders expressive ly. "It Is yet so early in the season. "Those poor musician" he pointed off beyond the ..gates "they wait always at every gate to play when they shall see any one coming, but of late they are disappoint Within, with us In the hotel, are but seex people, all of one party!" An expression of relief crossed the Frenchman's face, and he opened his notebook quickly. "Good!" he murmured. "Who are theyr Mariano scratched his head with one ruminative finger and bent his brows upon the table in thought. "There is inllor', an English excel lencythe Earl of Hawcastle; there Is also his son, the excellency bonorabile Almeric St Aubyn: there is Miladi Creeshe. an English miladi, who is sister-in-law to Milor' Hawcastle." Quickly Ribiere Jotted down the names in his book and then looked up. "Three English," he said. "Good so far. Those English are safe." Mariano went on: "There is an American signori na, Mees Granger-Seempsone. Miladi Creeshe travel with her to be chap eron." Here he became enthusiastic as the memory of sundry pieces of gold and silver wakened his keen thoughts. "She is young, generoso; she give money to every one; she is multa bella, so pretty, weeth charm" "You mean this Lady Creeshe?" in terrupted the Frenchman, with a puz zled frown. "No, no, no!" cried Mariano in horri fied amazement "Miladi Creeshe Is ole lady and does not hear so well; quite deaf; no pourboires; nothing. I speak of the young American lady, Meer Granger-Seempsone, who the English honorabile son of Milor Hawcastle wishes to espouse, I think." Ribiere wrote rapidly in his note book and without looking tip said: "Who else is there?" "There is the brother of Mees Granger-Seempsone, a young gentleman from also North America. He make "Alwayt incognito F the eyes all the day at another lady, who is of the party, a French lady, Comtesse de Champlgny. Ha, eet amuse me!" And he burst into a re spectful titter. Ribiere looked at him with grave astonishment-and bent once more to his notebook, over which the pen flew with a practiced hand. "Why?" he said shortly. Mariano smothered his mirth with the napkin he carried and. with an ef fort controlled himself. "Becoss, he answered "becoss I have thought that madame the com tesse is so good a friend of the or Eng lish Milor Hawcastle. A' maitre d'ho tel see many things, eh. and I think Milor Hawcastle and madame, hare known each other from long perhaps. This deieuner Is for them: also I think from what I hear that both bar been In ' Russia one time. They spik tcgezzer in Russ." "Pouf! They will not recognize my employer," said Ribiere, "no mora than this North American who travels with him and who is as Innocent as a babe. Set dejeuner on the table in stantly, when be shall arrive, for two a perch, petit pols, iced flgs. tea. I will send his own caviare and vodka from what I carry." "Va bene, signorP answered Mari ano and vanished Into the hotel. CHAPTER IV. ST&AXGE XZWS. TT1 HE Earl of Hawcastle was near. j I ly at the end of his rope. And yet to look at Mm as he entered upon the terrace from the lemon grove no one would 1 have thought that a care la the wcOA Postered him. Added to the natural calm demeanor of the Englishman of station 'was -a certain self possession gained by years of standing on the brink of events, and, while this brilliant morning his cares had hung even a little more heavily upon him than was his desire, yet he gave no outward hint of any troubles that beset him. ; He was a well preserved man of fifty-six. with close cropped Iron gray hair aud a straight cut military mus tache that hid certain cruel lines la his mouth and softened the severe lineaments He carried himself with an erectness that bespoke pride in race, if not in deeds of his own. He was distinguished with that curious individuality that causes those In the street to nudg oue auother and ask In whispers who another may be. and he was unmistakably high bred. True, bis sene of honor that would balk at cheating in a card game or the larceny of a traveling bag was not sufficient to debar him from con niving at the attachment of a young and helpless girl's uicuey with the foreknowledge of a lifelong misery for her as the consequence. This morning he was clad in un Im maculate suit of lightly striped white flannel, with carefully pipeclayed shoes, and the pale rose necktie that be wore was a living monument to the fact that the. well groomed English man knows no peer on earth, while the jaunty exactness of his snowy pan ama hat was a revelation in proper headgear. As he entered the terrace his alert glance-swept It from end to end, and he noted that there was no one about He moved at once to the table that Mariano bad set for him. and at the Instant he sat down Michele ran down the, steps of the hotel with a folded newspaper In his hand which he pre sented to miloid with a low bow. Mariano entered bearing a coffee tray, and the earl greeted him with a cheer ful good morning which Mariano ac knowledged as one would a favor from a king. "Milor is serve." he announced with soft accents and took the hat and light walking stick, bestowing them with reverential care upon a side table. As the earl unfolded 11 M a ttino he glanced up. "No English papers?" he said. "Milor. the mail Is late," answered Michele and bowed himself up the stairs. "Also Mme. de Champlgny," growled the earl as he glanced down the unfa, miliar pages. Xg J "A RUSSIAN?" As he spoke the countess, clad in the very latest Parisian creation, swept down the steps and approached the Table. She hv'.:cd well, and Rhe knew it Apparently about thirty-two. she would probably have confessed to five years more under pressure, but her dark beauty was well set off by the light colors she affected, and the tilt of her Darasol revealed more to the capable eye of an observer than a ream of self description or admission. She was of that type that causes the elderly dowager of any race to regard her with suspicion and to gather her male entourage beneath' the protecting wings. Mme. de Champlgny, raising her hand with a little gesture of greet ing, paused an Instant as she stood at the top of the steps and cried softly: "Me void!" The earl jumped to his feet and bowed, inquiring at the same time: "My esteemed relative Is still asleep?" The countess swept forward to- her chair, which Hawcastle pulled out for her. and murmured: "I trust your beautiful son has found much better employment as our hearts would wish him, eh?" Hawcastle laughed shortly and mirth lessly. He has. He's off on a canter with the little American. Whereat the demure countess clapped her daintily gloved bands together and cried softly: "Brava!" That they were old friends, these two, was to be seen at a glance. There was no Inquiring as to each other's tastes and dislikes. It was evident that long association had ingrained an Intimate knowledge of the other into the mind of each, and they met as good comrades without more than per functory courtesy. The ear! went on as he reseated h'neif, "I didn't mean Almeric, however, Helene, but my august sister-in-law. Without further comment be turned to the paper again and read. The amia ble countess smiled at him enigmatic ally and broke a roll with the gesture of an empress . ."The amiable Lady Hermione Tre velyan Creech has dejeuner In her apartments. What do you find to read, men chert Hawcastle threw the paper dwn npoa the doth with aa exclamation. . "Pm such a duffer 'at Italian," he said, "but apparently the people along the coast are having a scare over an escaped convict, a uussian. The hovering Mariano, who was flit ting about the table like a wounded sparrow, started slightly aud ue:U; ted with a silver cover In his hand, then stepped forward. "If niilor will pardou ine"' i'iu countess also started and put dow:. her fork with a slight rattle. "A Russian Y" she ejaculated. "Yes." grumbled the earl. "Au es caped Russia u bandit has been liuceJ to Castellamaie " He paused to in sert the choicest bit of melon iu in mouth, aud Mariano's jaw droppev! with the excitement. "Castella mare not twelve klloaieicri from here!" he whispered iu awestruck tones, and the earl continued when In had masticated the fruit: "And a confidential ageut secret service man. I dare say has requested his arrest from the Italian authorities. But to quote from our grandiose 11 Mattlno, 'the brigand tore himself from the hands of the carabiuieri. or some thing like that. I can't be sure, but it read to me" Mariano broke In excitedly. He had picked up the paper and was devour ing it with avidity. "If milor' permit, and madame" he bowed like an automaton"! shall translate." "Quite right. Mariano." said the earl, and the matre d'hotel went on avidly. "The brigan' tore himself." he read excitedly, "from the hand of the enra blnierl, and without the doubts he con ceal himself In some of these grotto near Sorrento, aud searchuient is being execute. The agent of the Russian embassy have Inform the bureau that this escape one is a mos lu-fray-mose robber and danger brigan.'" "What name does the paper say he has?" interrupted Mme. de Champlgny. with a catch of her breath, and Mari ano bowed again jerkily in her direc tion. "It has not to say, madame." he re plied. "That Is all. And will milor and Mme. la Comtesse excuse me? And may I take the Journal? There Is one who should see It" Hawcastle smiled slightly at his ex citement and nodded. "Very well, Mariano," he said, and Mariano, with another jerk that was supposed to Include both of the Illus trious ones, disappeared with a speed In ess that was alarming. For an in stant there was silence, and then the countess, with a quick upward glance of Jherdark eyes, said tremblingly: SHE EJACULATED. "I should like much to know hl name." The earl smiled and went on with his breakfast ,"You may be sure it Isn't Ivanoff," he said, but the assurance did not seem to carry weight with madame, for she leaned her chin In her hand and looked off over the bay, and there waa a troubled look In her eyes. TO BE CONTINUE! NEXT WEEK Old Clothes Made New Bj tbe Henderson Pressing Club. We g-narantee to tak your oM ltli- and make them new no far un rf moving"'1 and dirt in concerned, anl if we fail jour money in cheerfully r-f uridyl. II yn waot your work done perfectly nend to iih, hut if yon don't care how they are done m-tui nom weere elae. We do everything in the cleaning and premiing line. We don't have to exwrirrn-tt on your clothe to learn how toltti-ni. A ervfee of four year apprenerhip t I-nrn how and fourteen years practical wnrkii irat the trade qualifier u to know !mw ' everything in thin line in trictly u j.-to i.i? fashion. We also make a epecialty tf work for iadie, surh aa nkirt", ehirt wniM. krl glovea, etc. 8end everything to un or yh"!" and we will call for Maine in any part town. dm IT. PRATT. Nmxt door to Oorumy'u Drug Store. PHONE 3BO-B. notice of Administration. HAVING QUALIFIED IlEFOhK THE Clerk of tbe Superior Court ! n:-r County aa admioUtratrix with tb w ii! "'' nexed of the ettate of tbe hit- i:-tti-Blacknall, deceased, notice in hr-ry tf,T' to all tiereotiS holding claim acain eetate to preaent thetn to me on or U for' the latday of May, 1910. or tbia noti i! be pleaded In bar of their recovery. Tbia tbe 27tb dav of April, 1909. GUt&IE BLACKS A IX. Administratrix with will ann'-X'-'1 ii WELDON. N. C Manufacturers of BRICK OF ALL KIN: FIRE tXnCK A SPCIALTYm t i. . a . : n rr run OTT 5. tfrrompi; aixeuuu" J. J. BETSCI rr.r.AMAn v C Local A
Henderson Gold Leaf (Henderson, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 27, 1909, edition 1
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