The Lure of
ihe Mask
By HAROLD MACGRATH
Copyright. 1906. by th? Bobbs
Merrill C?.
CHAPTER II.
OBJECT. MATRIMONY.
WINTER flips in New York are
never quite so Intolerable as
their counterparts In Lon
don. and while their fre
quency is a matter of complaint, their
duration is seldom of any length. So
by the morrow a strong wind from
the west had winnowed the skies and
Cleared the sun. There were an ex
hilarating tingle of frost in the air and
a visible rime on the windows. Hil
lard, having breakfasted lightly, was
standing with his back to the grate In
the cozy breakfast room. He was in
boots and breeches and otherwise
warmly clad and freshly shaven. He
rocked on his heels aud toes and ran
his palm over his blue white chin in
search of a possible slip of the razor.
Giovanni came in to announce that
he had telephoned and that the si
gner's brown mare would be at the
park entran'e precisely at half after
8 Giovanni still marveled over this
wonderful voice which came out of
nowhere, but he was no longer afraid
of it The curiosity wjych is innate
and childlikc In all LaTms soon over
came bis dark superstitions. He was
an ardent Catholic and believed that
a few miracles should be left in the
hands of God. The telephone had now
become a kind of plaything, and Hil
lard often found blm in front of It pa
tiently waiting for the bell to ring.
The facility with which Giovanni
had mastered English amazed bis
teacher and master. But now he need
ed no more lessons. The two when
alone together spoke Giovanni's
tongue, Hillard because he loved It
and Giovanni because the cook spoke
It badly and the English butler not at
all.
"You have made up your mind to go,
then, amico?" said Hillard.
"Yes, signor."
"Well, 1 shall miss you. To whom
shall I talk the tongue I lore so well
when Giovanni Is gone?" with a light
nass which he did not feel. Hillard
had grown very fond of the old Ro
man in these seven years.
"Whenever the signor goes to Italia
he shall find me. It needs but a word
to bring me to him. The signor will
pardon me, but he is like?like a son."
"Thanks. Giovanni. By the way, did
you hear n woman singing in the
street last night?"
"Yes. At first"? Giovanni hesitated.
"Ah. but that could not be, Giovan
ni; that could not be."
"No; it could not be. But she sang
well," the old servant ventured.
"So thought I. I even ran out into
the street to find out who she was, but
she vanished like the lady in the con
jurer's trick. But it seemed to me
that, while she sang in Italian, she her
self was not wholly of that race."
"Buonissima!" Giovanni struck ?
noiseless brava with his hands. "Have
I not always said that the signor's
ears are as sharp as my own? No; the
voice was very beautiful, but it was
not truly Roman. It was more like
they talk in Venice. And yet the sound
of the voice decided me. The hills have
always been calling to me, and I must
answer."
"And the unforgettlng carablnieri?"
"Oh. I must take my chance," with
the air of a fatalist.
"What shall you do?"
"I harp my two hands, signor. Be
sides, the signor has said it?I am
rich." Giovanni perm'tted a smile to
stir his thin lips. "Yes, I must go
back. Your people hare been good to
me and hare legally made me one of
them, but my heart Is never here. It is
always so cold, and every one moves
so quickly. You cannot lie down in
the sun. Your police, bah! They beat
you on the 'eet. You remember when
I fell asleep on the steps of the cathe
dral? Thev thought 1 was drunk and
would hare arrested me!"
"Everybody must keep moving here.
It is the penalty of being rich."
"And I am lonesome for my kind. I
have nothing in common with these
herds of Sicilians and Neapolitans who
pour into the streets from the
wharfs." Giovanni spoke scornfully.
"Yet in wartime the Neapolitans
sheltered your pope."
"Vanity! They wished to make an
Impression on the rest of the world.
It is dull bore besides. There is no
Joy Id the shops. 1 am lost In these
great palaces The festa is lacking.
Nobody bargains: nobody sees the pro
prietor You find your way to the
streets alone. The butcher says that
his meat is so and so. and you pay
The grocer marks his tins such and
such, and you do not question, and
the baker says that, and you pay. pay.
pay! What? I need a collar: it is
qulndlci?fifteen you say! I offer quat
tordicl. I would give interest to the
sale. But. no! The collar goes back
Into the box 1 pay quindicl or I go
without. It is the same everywhere
Very dull, dead, lifeless."
Hillard was moved to laughter lie
?ery well understood the old man's
lament. In Italy if there is one thing
more than another that pleases the na
tive It is to make believe to himself
that he has got the better of a bar
rain. A st rewd ptirt-ha?e enlivens the
whole day. It I- t:?'I:<*?1 slwut. minded
over u.iil Hit* , of the
H'llard presently left the bouse and
baited a Fifth aveuue multibus. lie
looked with negative Itilrrcut at the
advertisement*. at t!ie people In the
streets. at Ills fellow tr f, ers Due of
these was bidden liehlnd Ins morning
paper. IVrsouaU! Hliiard nquirmed a
little. The world never holds very
much romance lu the sober morning
What a stupid piece of folly! The
idea of bis sending that personal In
quiry to the paper! Tomorrow he
would see it sandwlcbed lu between
samples of shopgirl romance, que* j
tionable intrigues and divers search j
warrants. Ye gods! "Will the blond
who smiled at gentleman in blue serge,
elevated train. Tuesday, meet same in
park? Object, matrimony." llillard
fidgeted. "Young man knowu as Ado
nis would adore stout elderly lady in
dependectly situated. Object, matri
mony." Pish! "Girlie. Can't keep ap
pointment tonight Willie." Tush! "A
French widow of eij0tteen, unlncum
1 bered." and so forth and so on. Rot,
bally rot, and here be was on the way
to Join them! "Will the lady who sang
from Mme. Angot' communicate with
gentleman wbo leaned out of the
window? J. H., Burgomaster Club."
Positively asinine!
There tvas scarce one chance in a
thousand of the mysterious singer's
seeing the Inquiry, not one in ten thou
sand of her answering it. And the
folly of giving his club address! That
would look very dignified in yonder
j agony column. Ue would cancel the
thing.
i lie dropped from the omnibus at the
park entrance, where he found his
restive mare. He (rave her a lump of
sugar and climbed into the saddle. He
directed the groom to return for the
horse at 10 o'clock, then beaded for the
bridle path. It was heavy, but the air
was so keen and bracing that neither
the man nor the horse worried about
the going Only one party attracted
i him. a riding master and a trio of
brokers who were verging on embon
point and were desperate and looked 1
it. Hillard went on. The park was
not lovely; the trees were barren, the '
grass yellow and sodden. 1
"She is so innocent, so youthful!" 1
He found himself humming the re- !
frain over and over. She had sung it 1
i with abandon, tenderness, lightness. 1
For one glimpse of her face! He took 1
the rise and dip that followed. Yards
ahead a solitary woman cantered easi
ly along Hillard had not seen her be
fore. He spurred forward, faintly cu- 1
rious. There was nothing familiar to
bis eye in her charming figure. She 1
rode well. As he drew nearer he saw 1
that she wore a heavy gray veil. And
Xhls veil hid everything but the single
flash of a pair of eyes the color of 1
which defied him. Then be looked at
her mount. Ha! There was only one
rangy black with a white throat?from
the Sandford stables, be was positive.
But the Sandfords were at this mo
ment in Cairo, so it signified nothing.
There is always some one ready to ex
ercise your horses. He looked again
at the rider. The flash of the eyes was
not repeated, so bis interest vanished,
and be urged the mare Into a sharp
run.
So he went back to bis tentative ro
mance. She had passed his window
and disappeared into the fog, and
there was n reasonable doubt of her
ever returning from it The singer in
the fog?thus he would write it down
in his book of memories and sensibly
turn the page. At length he came
back to the entrance and surrendered
i
I I Y\ 1
The H4ij>h o< >i (Mir ut eyes.
the mare. He was about to cross the
square when be was hailed.
Hillard wheeled and saw Merrihew.
He. too, was in riding breeches.
"Why. Dan, glad to see you. Were
you in the park?"
"Riverside Beastly cold too. Cotne
Join me in a cup of good coffee."
The two entered the cafe.
"How are you behaving yourself
these days''" asked Mernbew.
"My habits are always exemplary,"
answered Hillard. "But yours?"
Merrihew gulped his coffee.
"Kitty Killlgrew leaves in two
weeks for Europe "
"And who the deuce is Kitty Kllli
grew?" demanded Hillard.
"What!" reproachfully. "You haven't
heard of Kitty Kllligrew In The M"d
eiD Maid?" Where have you been?
I Pippin! Prettiest soubrette that's hit
1 the town 1n a dog's age."
"I say. Pan. don't you ev?r tire of
that sort? I can't recall when therf
wasn't a K'tty Kllligrew What's the
? ttractlon?" Hillard waved asld* the
hlg black cigar. "What's the attrac
tion ?'
"The truth Is. Ja< k. I'm a Ja.-kass
half the tic*. I can't get away from
the glaui<>ur of the footlights. I'm do
dilMMiiaiMMMMi
? round *w_t* entrances una buying
i\In** miiO diamonds I might lie reck
?w enough to buy a bunch of roses
* ben I'm not broke. Hut I like eui?
lie bright ones They keep a fellow
unused Moot of 'eui speak good Eng
ish hik) come from better families
hau you would suppose Just good
fellowship. you kuow. Maybe a rab
bit and a bottle of beer after the per
formance or a little quarter limit at
he apartment, singing and good sto
?ies What you've In mind la the
?horns lady Nyt for tulue!"
I 111 In rd laughed, recalling his conver
latlon with i he policeman.
"Go on." he said. "Get It all out of
rour system now that you're started."
"And then It tickles a fellow's vanl
:y to be seen with them at the restau
rants. That's the way It begins, you
mow. I'll be perfectly frank with
rou. If It wasn't for what the other
fellows say most of the chorus ladies
would go hungry. And the girls that j
rou and I know think I'm a devil of a
Fellow?wicked, but Interesting, and
ill that."
Millard's laughter broke forth again. '
lud be leaned back. Merrthew would
ilways be twenty-six; he would al
ways be youthful.
"And this Kitty Kllllgrew? I be
leve I've seen posters of her in the
windows now that you speak of it."
"Weil, Jack. I've got It bad this trip
I offered to marry her last night and
was refused."
"It seems to me that your Kitty Is
not half bad. What would you have
ione had she accepted you?"
"Married her within twenty-four
Sours."
"Come. Dan; be sensible* Yon are
not such an ass as all that."
"Yes. 1 am." moodily. "I told yon
that 1 was a jackass half the time,
rills Is the half."
"But she won't have you?"
"Not for love or money."
"Are you sure about the money?"
isked Hillard shrewdly.
"Seven hundred or seven thousand,
,t wouldn't matter to Kitty If she made
up her mind to marry a fellow. What's
the matter with me anyhow? I'm not
so badly set up. I can whip any man
In the club at my weight. I can tell a
story well, and I'm not afraid of any
thing "
"Not even of the future!" added^HU
lard.
"Do you really think ltfa my mon
ey?" pathetically.
"Well, seven thousand doesn't go far.
and that's all you have. If It were
seventy, now. I'm sure Kitty wouldn't
reconsider. What's she like?" asked
Hlllard. with more sympathy than
curiosity.
Merribew drew out his watch and
opened the case. It was a pretty face
More than that, It was a refined prettl
ness. The eyes were merry; the brow
was Intelligent; the nose and chin
were good Altogether It was the face
of a merry, kindly little soul, one such
as would be most likely to trap the
wandering fancy of a young man like
Merribew.
"And she won't have you?" Hlllard
repeated, this time with more curiosity
than sympathy.
"Oh. she's no fool. I suppose. And
now she's going to Europe! Some
manager has the Idea In his head that
there Is money to be made in Italy
and Germany during the spring and
summer. American comic opera In
tbose countries?can you Imagine it';
He has an angel, and 1 suppose money
Is no object."
"This angel, then, has cut out a fine
time for his bank account, and he'll
never get ba< k to heaven once he gets
tangled up In foreign red tape. Every
large city In Italy and Germany has
practically its own opera troupe. Poor
% ^
"f Urruj to yet my hands around her
throat I"
angel: Tell your Kitty to strike for a
return ticket to America before she
leaves."
"You think It's as bad as that?"
"Look on iue as a prophet of evil. If |
you like, but truthful."
"I'll see that Kitty pets her ticket"
Merrihew snapped the ease of his
watch and drew his legs from under
the table. "I lost a hundred last Dight |
too."
"After that 1 suppose nothing worse
can happen," said Hlllard cheerily
"You will play, for all my advice."
"It's better to give than receive
that." replied Merrihew philosophical
ly. "I've ? good mind to follow the
company. I've always had a hanker
ing to l?eat it up at Monte Carlo. A
last throw, eb? Win or lose and quit.
I might win."
"And then again .you mightn't Rnt
the next time I go to Italy I want you
to go with me You're pood company
and for the pleasure of listening rn
yonr Joke* I II gladly foot the bl I- a"d
you may ramble your letter of credit
to your heart's content I muft be off
Who Is riding the Sandfords' black*"
"Haven't Ducked. What do yuu
think of lilttj V
"AliU ilit- phi to Isn't u marker."
"Fuulbl) uot."
"Lord. If I could only hibernate for
three months like a bear! My capital
uilght then readjust Itself If left alone
that length "f time "
"See you ?t the club tonight," laugh
ed H11 la rd
They nodded pleasantly and took
their separate ways. Merrihew stood
very high in Hillard's regard He was
a lovable fellow, and there was some
thing kindred In his soul and Hillard's.
possibly the spirit of romance. What
drew them together perhaps more than
anything else was their mutual love
of outdoor pleasures Take two men
and put them on good horses, send
them forth Into the wilds to face all
Inconveniences, and If they are not
fast friends at the end of the Journey
they never will be.
For all his aversion to cards there
was a bit of the gamester In Htliard,
as once in his office he decided on the
fall of a coin uot to withdraw his per
sonal from the paper He was quite
positive I hat he would uever hear that
voice again; but, having thrown his
dice, he would let them lie.
Now, at 11 o'clock that same morn
ing two distinguished Italians sat
down to breakfast In one of the fash
ionable hotels. The one nor the other
had ever be.ird of Ilillard. They did
not even know that such a person ex
isted. and yet serenely unconscious
one was casting his life line, as the
palmist world say. across Hillard's
The knots and tangles were to come
later.
"The coffee In this country Is abom
lnable!" growled one
The waiter smiled covertly behind
his band. These Italians and these
Germans! Why. there is only one
place in the world where both the aro
ma and the flavor of coffee are pre
served, and It is not. decidedly not. in
Italy or Germany. And if his tip ex
ceeded 10 cents he would be vastly
surprised. The Italian never wastes
on necessities a penny which can be
applied to the gaming tables. And
these two were talking about Monte J
Carlo and Ostend.
The younger of the two was a very J
handsome man, tall, slender and nerv
ous, the Venetian type, his black eyes,
keen and roving, suggesting a hasty
temper. The mouth, partly hidden un
der a graceful military mustache, was
thin lipped, the mouth of a mail who
was always master of his vices. From
his right cheek bone to the corner of
his mouth ran a scar, very well heal
ed. And the American Imagination
might readily have pictured villas,
maids In durance vile and sword
thrusts under the moonlight. But the
waiter, who had served his time in a
foreign army, knew no foil or rapier
could have made such a scar; more
probably the saber.
His companion was equally pictur
esque. With white head and Iron gray
beard, he were in his buttonhole a tiny
bow of ribbon, the badge of foreign
service.
"I'm afraid. Enrico, that you have
brought me to America on a useless
adventure." said the diplomat.
"She Is tere in New York. and I
shall find her. I must have money
must' I owe you the Incredible amount
of 100.(100 lire. There are millions un
der my haad. and ! cannot touch a
penny."
"Do not let your debt to me worry
you."
"You are ?o very good. Giuseppe!"
"Have we not grown up together?
Sometimes I think I am partly to
blame for your extravagance. But a
friend is a friend or he is not."
"But he who borrows from his friend
loses him. Observe how I am placed.
It Is maddenitig. I have had a dozen
opportunities to marry riches. This
millstone is eternally round my neck
I have gone through my part of the
fortune which was left us Independ
ently. She has all of hers, and that is
why she Is so strong. I am absolutely
helpless."
"Poor friend! These American wo
men! They all believe that a man
must have no peccadillos once he ha*
signed the marriage contract. Body
of Bacchus! The sacrament does noi
make a man less human than he was
before But this one is clever. She
might he Italian born."
"Her mother was Italian. It Is the
schooling in this country that has made
her so clever. The only thing Italian
about her is her hatred. She is my
countryworian there. Without her
consent 1 can touch nothing, and if 1
divorce her?pou fit!?all goes to the
state. Sometimes 1 long to get my two
hands round her white throat. One
mistake, one little mistake! 1 am will
ing to swear that she loved me In the
beginning. And I was a fool not to
profit by this sentiment Give me pa
tience. patience If I say to her, 'So
much and yu may have your freedom,
there Is always that cursed will. The j
crown of Italy will never withdraw
Its hand. No With his wife's family'
on his bauds especially her brother.!
the king will uever waive his rights."
"And. remember, we have but ten
days."
"We shaP not find time heavy. 1
know a few rich butchers and grocers
who call themselves the aristocracy ,
And some of them play bridge and
ecarte."
The diplomat smiled In anticipation.
"I have followed her step by step to
the boat at Naples. She Is here. She
will not be hard to find. She has
wealthy fri? ads."
"You say she Is beautiful?"
"Yes. and a beautiful woman cannot
hide Think of it! Chateaux and vil
las and splendid rents, all waiting to
be gormanlzed by the state! Let us
get out Into the air before I btcome
excited and forget where I aaa."
The waiter stepped forw&rd with
the coats snd hats.
(To be continued.)
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