*The Lure i
of the
\ Mask;
By j
I HAROLD |
/ MAC GRATH j
e? i
Copyright. 1908. by the Bobbs- 4
Merrill Co. ]
>??444 A4444AAAAAAA1AAAA
I What humans are chiefly hunt
ing for nowadays is inspiration
in one form or another. This
story cannot fail to give its
reader inspiration, and therefore
its value can hardly be overes
timated. The magic of the love
of man for woman, that, aroused
simply by the sound of a voice,
causes a young millionaire to
cross oceans and traverse
foreign lands to find his fate
was never better pictured. The
story is intensely romantic and
alluringly mysterious. The in
sidious evils of unwise marriage
with foreign "noblemen" are
cleverly shown, and the familiar
Italian brand of intrigue is laid
bare. The author shows that the
reward of patience and purity is
happiness and that the wages
of sin is death. He makes you
laugh when he pictures the ad
ventures of an American comic
opera troupe stranded in foreign
lands. He makes you thrill with
the wanderlust when he describes
La Bella Napoli and the vine
covered slopes that rim the
Mediterranean.
CHAPTER I.
the voice w the foo.
OUT of the ouromantic eight
out of the somber blurring
January fog. came a voice
lifted In song, a soprano,
rich, full and round, young, yet ma
tured, sweet and mysterious as a
night bird's, haunting and elusive as
the murmur of the sea in a sheli?a
Ult from "La Fille de Mme. Angot" a
light opera long since forgotten in
?New York. Hillard, genuinely aston
ished, lowered bis pipe and listened.
The voice rose and sank and soared
again, drawing nearer and nearer. It
was joyous and unrestrained, and
there was youth in it, the touch of
spring aud the breath of flowers. The
music was Lecocq's?that is to say,
French?but the tongue was of a conn
try which,HiJlard knew to be the gar- J
den of the world. Presently he ob
served a shadow emerge from the yel
low mist, to come within the circle of
light, which, faint as it was. limned lr
against the nothingness beyond the
form of a woman. She walked direct
ly under his window.
As the invisible comes suddenly out
of the future to assume distinct pro
portions which either make or mar us.
bo did this unknown cantatrice come
out of the fog that night and enter Into
Hlllard's life, to readjust its ambi
tions, to divert its aimless course, to
give Impetus to it and a directness
which hitherto it had not known.
"Ah!"
tie leaned over the sin at a perilous
angle, the bright coal of his pipe spill
ing comet-wise to the areaway below.
He was only subconscious of having
spoken, but this syllable was sufficient
to spoil the enchantment. The voice
ceased abruptly, with an odd break.
The singer looked up. Possibly her
astonishment surpassed even that of
her audience. For a few minutes she
had forgotten that she was in New
Xork; she had forgotten the pain in
her heart: there had been oniy an ir
resistible longing to sing.
Though she raised her face, he could
distinguish no feature, for the light
was behind. However, he was a man
who made up his mind quickly. Bro- I
nette or blond, beautiful or otherwise.
It needed but a moment to find out.
Even as this decision was made he
was In the upper hall, taking the stairs
two at a bound. He ran out into th<
night bareheaded. Up the street he
saw a flying shadow. Plainly she had
anticipated his Impulse. She w??
gone. He cupped his ear with his '
hand in vain. There was nothing but
fog and silence.
?'?Well. If this doesn't beat the
Dutchr he murmured.
He laughed disappointedly. It did
not matter that be was three and thlr ;
ty. He still retained youth enough to
feel chagrined at such a trivial defeat
Here had been something like a gen
* nine adventure, and it had slipped like
water through his clumsy fingers.
"Deuce take the fog! But for that
I'd have caught her."
But reason promptly asked hln
?what he should have done had he
caught the singer. Tes, supposing ho
h?d. what excuse would he have bud
to offer? Who could she be? What
peculiar whimsical freak had sent hei
singing past his window at 1 o'clock
of the morning? A grand opera singet
returning home from a late supper "t
But he dismissed this opinion even as
he advanced It. He knew something
about grand opera singers. They at
tend late suppers. It Is true, but they
ride home in luxurious carriages and
never risk their golden voices In this
careless If romantic fashion. As for
being a comic opera star, he refused
to admit the possibility, and he rele
gated this well satisfied constellation
to the darks of limbo. He had heard
a voice.
A policeman came lumbering over to
add or subtract his quota of Interest
in the affair Hillard wisely stopped
and waited for him.
"I heard a woman singln'," the guard
Ian of the law said roughly.
"So did 1 "
"Hub! See her?"
"For a moment," Hillard admitted.
"Well, we can't have none o' this tr
the streets. It's disorderly."
"My friend," said Hillard. rather an
noyed at the policeman's tone, "you
don't think for an Instant that I was
directing this operetta?"
"Think? Where's your hat?"
Hillard ran his hand over bis bead.
The policeman bad him here. "I did
not bring it out"
"Too warm and summery, huh? It
don't look good. I've been watchln'
these parts fer a leddy. They call her
Leddy I.lgbtfinger. an' she has some
o' the gents done to a pulp when it
comes to liftin' Jools an' trinkets.
Somebody ferglts to lock the front
door, an' she finds It out Why did
you come out without yer lid?"
"Just forgot It that's all."
"Which way'd she go?"
"You'll need a map and a search
light I started to run after her my
self. 1 heard a voice from my win
dow; 1 saw a woman; I made for the
street; niente!"
"Hub?"
"Niente, nothing!"
"Oh, I see?dago. Seems to me now
that this woman was singln' 1-taly-an
too." Tbey were nearing the light, and
the policeman gazed Intently at the
batless young man. "Why, it's Mr
Hillard! I'm surprised. Well, well!
Some day I'll run in a bunch o' these
chorus leddies, jes' fer a lesson. They
git lively at the restaurants over or
Broadway, an' thin they raise the
dead with their singln'. which often as^
not Is anything bin singln'. An' here it
is after 1."
"But this was not a chorus lady,"
replied Hillard. thoughtfully reaching
r. mill urn Minn
Out of Ui? mimber frxj came a voice lifted
in long.
Into his vest for a cigar. "The lady
had a singing voice."
"Huh! They all think alike about
that. But mebbe she wasn't bad at
the business. Annyhow"?
"It was rather out of time and place,
eh?" helpfully.
"That's about the size of it This
Leddy I.lghtfinger is a case. She has
us all tblnkin' on pur nights off Clev
er an' edjicnted an' Jabbers in half a
tJoien tongues. It's a thousan' to the
man who Jugs her But she don't
Mng: at least they ain't any report to
f:at effert Perhaps your leddy was
jes' larkin' a bit But it's got to be
?topped."
Ilillard pissed over the cigar, and
the p. nil:;. 'Mt off the eud. nodding
with approval at -noli foresight.
"1'idn't get a peep at her fltfJ"
"Not ii -.in e feature flu- light was
, behind her."
"An' bow vat she dressed?"
"lu feu. for all I could see."
??(.?u the level now. didu't you know
who she The |iolioeuian gav?
IIiliart) a sly dig In the ribs with bis
I club
j "till uiy w >rd!"
; "Some swell inebbe."
I "I'udoubtediy a lady. That's why It
looks odd why It brought me Into the
street. She sang lu classic Italian.
And. what's more, for the privilege of
hearing that voice again I should not
mind sitting on this cold curb till the
milkman comes around in the morn
ing."
"That wouldn't be fer long," laughed
the |loliceman.? taking out his watch
and holding it close to the end of bis
cigar. "Twenty minutes after 1. Well.
1 must be glttin' back to me beat
Been to Italy?"
"I was born there." patiently.
"No: Why. you're no dago!"
"Not so much as an eyelash. The
stork happened to drop the basket
there, that's all."
"Ha. 1 seel Well, Amerlky Is frood
enough fer me an' mine," complacent
ly
"I dare say!"
"An' if this stogy continues to be
have we'll say no more about the van
Ishin' leddy " The policeman strolled
off, hla suspicions In nowise removed
He knew many rich young bachelors !
like Hillard. If it wasn't a chorus
lady It was a prima donna, which was j
not far from being the same thing.
Hillard regained hla room and leaned
with his back to the radiator. He had
an idea. It was rather green and
salad, but es soon as his hands were
warm he determined to put this Idea
into immediate use. The voice bad
stirred him deeply, stirred him with
the longing to bear It again, to learn
what extraordinary Impulse had loosed
the song.
Never the winter came with its
weary round of rain and fog and anow
that his heart and mind did not fly
over the tldeless southern sea to the
land of his birth if not of his blood
Sorrento. that Jewel of the aun bathed
cliffs!
With a quick gesture of both hands
?Latin, always Latin?he crossed the
room to a small writing desk, turned
on the lights and sat down. After
several attempts be realized that the
letter be bad in mind was not the aim
plest to compose. There were a docen
futile efforts before he produced any
thing like satisfaction. Then be filled
out a small check. A little later be I
stole downstairs, around the corner to
the local branch of tbe (xwttotfice anil
returned. It was only a blind throw,
?ucb as dicers sometimes make in the
dark. But chance loves her true game
ster. and to blm she makes a faithful
servant.
He picked up a novel. "I should be
sorely tempted to call any other mac
a silly a??. Leddy Lightfinger?it
would be a fiDe Joke If my singer
turned out to be that Irregular per
son."
He fell to reading, but soon yawned
He shied the book into a corner, drew
off his boot* and cast them into the
hall. A moment after his valet ap
peared, gathered up the boots and
waited.
"1 want nothing. Giovanni. 1 have
only been a sound to the postofflee."
"1 heard the door open and close
four times, 6ignor."
"It was I. If this fog does not
change 1 shall want my riding
breeches to morrow morning."
"It always rains here," Giovanni re
marked.
"Not always. There are pleasant
days In tbe spring and summer. It is
because this is not Italy. The Hol
lander wonders bow any reasonable
being can dwell in a country where
they do not drink gin It's home. Gio
vanni. Rain pelts you from a differ
ent angle here There is nothing
more. You may go. it is 2 o'clock, and
you are dead for sleep."
But Giovanni only bowed. He did
not stir.
"It is seven years now, signor."
"So it is?seven this coming April."
"I am now aa American citizen nnc?
may return to my good Italia without
danger."
"That depends. If you do not run
across any official who recognizes
you."
Giovanni Reread his bands. "Official
memory seldom lasts so long as sevez
years. The signor has crossed four
times in this period."
"I would gladly have taken you each
time, as you know."
"Oh, yes: But in two or three years
the police do not forget. In seven it Is
different."
"Ah."' nillard was beginning to un
derstand tbe trend of this conven
tion. "So. then, you wish to return?"
"Yes. signor. I have saved a little
money," modestly.
"A little?" Ilillard laughed. "For
seven years you have received fifty
American dollars every month, and
out of It you do not spend as many
copper centesimi. i am certain that
you have ?o,<)00 lire tucked away In
your stocking?a fortune!"
"I bny the blacking for the signor's
boots." gravely.
Hlllard saw the twinkle In the black
eyes. "1 have never." he said truth
fully, "asked you to black my boots."
"Penance, signor, penance for mv
sins, and I am not without gratitude
There was a time when I had rather
cut off a hand than black a boot. But
all that Is changed We of the Sabine
hills are proud, as the signor know*.
We *re Romans out there. We despise
the cities, and we do not hold out our
palms for the traveler's pennies. I am
a peasant, nut always rememlier the
blood of the Caesars. Who can say?
Besides, 1 have held i\ iw<>rd for th?
rhurch. 1 owe no allegiance to tht
puny bouse of Savoy!" There was ni
t? inkle Id the black eyes now. Then
was a ferocious gleam. "Pardon, si
iruor I grow boastful I aui old am
should know better. Rut ?L>es the si
gnor return to Italy iu the spring?"
"I don't know, Giovanni; 1 don'i
know. Rut what's on your mind?"
"Nothing new, signor," with eyes
east down to hide the returning lights
"You are a bloodthirsty ruffian!'
said llillard shortly.
"I am as the good God made me
Resides, the holy father will some
thing for one who fought for the
cause."
"He will certainly not countenanc?
bloodshed. Giovanni."
"He can absolve It"
"1 was in hopes you had forgotten."
"Forgotten: The signor will nevei
understand. She was so pretty and
youthful aud innocent! She san?
like the nightingale. Cp with the
dawn, to sleep with the stars. Wf
I ? 1
I ? )
"Seven yearal It it a long time to wait.'
were alone, she and I. The sheep sup
ported me. and she sold her roses and
dried lavender. It was all so beau
tiful?till he came. Ah, had he loved
her! But a plaything, a pastime! The
slgnor never had a daughter. What
1b she now? A nameless thing Id the
streets!" Giovanni raised his arms
tragically. The boots clattered to tbe
floor. "Seven years! It Is a long time
for one of my blood to wait"
"Enough!" cried Hillard. but there
was a hardness In his throat at the
sight of the old man's tears. Where
was tbe proud and stately man, tbe
black l>earded shepherd In faded blue
linen. In picturesque garters, with hit
reedlike pipe, that be. Hillard. had
known In his boyhood days? "1 can
give you only my sympathy for your
loss," said Hillard. "but 1 abhor the
spirit of revenge which cannot find
satisfaction in anything save murder.'
Giovanni bowed gravely and made
off with his boots. Hillard remained
staring thoughtfully at the many co'
ored squares in the rug under his feet.
It would be lonesome with Giovanni
gone. The old man had evidently
made up his mind. But the woman
with the voice, would she see the no
tice in the paper? And if she did
would she reply to it? What a foun
dation for a romance! Bab! He pre
pared for bod.
10 tnose who reckon cart my treas
ures as the only thin* worth having
John Hillard was a fortunate young
man. That he was without kith or kin
was considered by many as an addi
tional piece of good fortune. Born in
Sorrento. Id one of the charming villas
which sweep down to the very brow
of the cliffs, educated in Rome up to
his fifteenth year, taken at that age
from the dreamy, drifting land and
thrust into the noisy, bustling life
which was his inheritance: fatherless
and motherless at twenty, a college
youth who was forever mixing his
Italian with his English and being
laughed at. hating tumult and loving
quiet, warm hearted and impulsive,
yet meeting only habitual reserve from
his compatriots whichever way he
turned, it is not to be wondered at
that he preferred the land of his birth
to that of his blood.
The old house in which he lived was
not In the 'ashlonable quarter of the
town, but that did not matter. Nor
did It vary externally from any of Its
unpretentious neighbors. A cook, a
butler and s valet were his retinue.
Giovanni sought his own room at the
end of the hall, squatted on a low
stool and solemn'y began the business
of blacklnc his master's boots. He
was still nr. lean and tall as a Lom
bard y poplrr. this handsome old Ro
man. Ills hair was white; there was
now no black beard on his face, which
was as brown and creased as Spanish
levant, and some of the fullness was
gone from his chest and arms, but for
all that he carried his fifty odd years
lightly. He worked swiftly tonight
but his mind was far away from his
task.
There was a pitiful story, common
place enough?a daughter, a loose 11 v
lng officer, a knife flung from a dark
alley, the sudden flight to the south
Hillard bnd found him wandering
through the streets of Naples, hiding
from the carnblnlerl as best he cou'd
Hillard contrived to smuggle him on
the private yacht of a friend. He
found a peasant who was reconsider
lng the advisability of dl?<rt:ig sewers
and laying railroad ties In the Eldo
rado of the west A few pieces of sil
ver and the t'a??port chanced hinds
With this Gluvauul blandly Jed his
1 way Into (he rnlted States. After due
' | time be applied for citizenship. aud
' through Hlllurd's Influence It was ac
' | corded him. He solemnly voted when
1 elections came round aud boarded bU
1 wages, like tbe thrifty man be was.
Some day be would return to Borne or
Naples or Venice or Florence, as the
t case might lie, and then!
When the boots shone flawlessly he
>' carried them to Ulllard's door and
softly tiptoed hack He put his face
against tbe cold window. He, too, had
heard the voice. How his heart hurt
him with its wild hope! But only for
? a moment. It was not tbe voice he
? hungered for. The words were Italian,
but be knew that tbe woman who
, sang them was not
(To be continued.)
I
.
Mr. Mitchell for Temperance.
Organized labor never dlscusst-d a
wore vital question llian that in
volved in the recent convention at
Toronto whi re John Mit< 1 ll mace
a stirring appeal for temperance.?
Kansas City Journal.
CASTOR IA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
CLAYTON MARDWARECO.
, Dealers in
General Hardware,
Mill and Gin Supplies
Majestic Ranges, Pure Pig Iron Cook Moves, Guaranteed,
Devoe'n Best Paint Sold, Lead and Oil, Mechanic's Tools,
Sash, Doors, Blinds ami all Kinds of Building Hardware,
Fruit Jars, Tobacco Twine and Linterns, Harrows, Wheat
Drills, etc Galvanized and Graveled Rjofing. Johnson
Mowers and Rakes. Guns and Shells Blue Flame Oil
Cook Stoves Stiekney Gasoline Engines In fact
HEADQUARTERS FOR HARDWARE OF ALL KINDS.
Tax paid to sell Pistols and Cartridges
Clayton Hardware Co.
1 ?
I Smithfield Roller |
EM 1 L L
\K *
X g
jfjj Highest market prices paid for Wheat. j*
Jjj Will Mill your Wheat on Toll. Will g
JR exchange any Product desired for W
*j WHEAT. .... |
J Fine Flour, Feed, Corn Meal |j|
JS or any other product exchanged 8
*j on a cash basis for Wheat. The j*
5j mi// is open for business every X
gj a;ee& c/ay. A// orders promptly S
| fi//e</ |
it************;*************
{Blacksmith and Wood Shops
I sell Bicycles and Racycles and
Sundries for them. My place i&
headquarters for Bicycle Re
k pairing. Remember that 1 do
I horseshoeing and repair carts,
< wagons and buggies. You can
b get chtap prices on goods or
r work by coming to me.
JAMES A. JOHNSON, Benson, N. C.
2 # 8
g Commencing Now g
8 ???? g
W And continuing until January 1st.,*l!>09,<we will offer our ^
^ stock of general merchandise, 1.about {#4,000] worth, at ^
y Greatly Reduced Prices S
^ in order to close out our present stock to make room lor a ^
^ larger and better stock forjourjnew store which we expect ^
to move into about that date. ?
^ This is a good stock, consisting of about $1,500 of shoes,
^ and other desirable general merchandise amounting to
^ 12,500, or more. There some choice bargains to be had ^
^ here. Come in and inspect this stock, then you will surely
g Farming & Mercantile Co. g
^ Clayton N. C. r f. d. No. i. 8