The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-01

/
ton is really very simple. You see,
and here the childish face settled into
an expression of preternatural serious
ness, 'as long as you are here | AN
sure Of my holidays. Therefore il
stands To reason that want you L
stay as long as you possibly can"
As long a. am herew Conrad smil
ed a smile Of puzzled amusement
This is really very interesting. wa
not aware / had reached the stage O
holidays being given in my honor. ,
This is ripening into a conspiracy,
said Conrad in increasing amusement
II had no idea what | was letting my
self i'm for when l turned out of beC
this morning. But for fear you should
indulge in empty dreams of holiday,
To come, perhaps had better tell you
at once that my father expects me hom,
on the 10th"
She heaved sigh of disappointment,
but added at once philOsophicilly:
''Well, all | can do Is to make the
most of the 10 days have got befor,
me, though know quite well that
shall never be able 10 get through ali
the bramble and bilberry hunts | have
planned, nor to collect half the mush-
rooms have got my eye upon This
is the very best season for holidays, you
see"
''If you consider me worthy of the
post" said Conrad, slipping as he
spoke almost unconseiously into the
tone of gsllantry he generally adopted
toward women, II should be most hap
py to act As adjutant. OF course, only
under the supposition," and here his
eyes twinkled mischievOusly, that
you have no objections to the company
of lady killer"
"Why should have any objection
/ suppose lady killer can only become
dangerous for full grown lady, and |
am not that yet, as papa Is never tired
of telling me-"
Once more Conrad felt almost foolish.
The straight gaze of these cloudless
blue eyes was enough to make the prae-
tieed man of the world feel as though
he had been attempting a sacrilege.
1t was just after they had parted on
the shore of the lake that Count Kest-
Ter heard his name very earnestly pro-
nOunced and became aware that the
young b0atwOman was hurryiug after
him.
''Do think of it again." she said
rather breathlessly. Z" mean about
the 10th, and if 1t is possible please,
please stay little longer"
With the last words she had turned
again and i'm the same moment disap-
peared among the bushes. Conrad
could hear the twigs swapping to the
right and to the left after he had lost
sight of her.
1t was not until he had got back to
the house that he suddenly remember
ed the wild ducks, and, very much to
his astonishment, realized that, a. far
a knowing whether there were any to
be hoped for on the lake, he had come
back exactly as wise as he had started.
Breakfast was scarcely over when
the battered green hat of the old game
keeper was seen To pass the window,
whereupon Conrad became a sportsman
again, and leaving his second cup Of
coffee untouched, hurried away for his
gun.
A. for the second time that day he
made his way down the lime avenue
he could not help wondering why he
had not mentioned his matutinal eX-
cursion in the boat, and the only con-
clusiOn he could come To was that a
touch of mystery never fails To give u
charm 10 the most commonplace adj
venture, and that the idea of plot
between himself and the youngest bar
Oness, whom he understood 10 lie called
Elsbeth, had tickled his fancy.
lished himself in his armchair with a
heartfelt sigh of relief For the next
few hours at least he might relax his
vigilance, seeing that the dreaded indi-
vidual was safely disposed of.
But "A rude shock awaited the harOn's :
peace of mind that evening when the
conversation at the supper table ac-
/ quainted him with the fact that Anna
and Helene's afternoon walk had,
strangely enough, taken the same di-
rectiOn a. Conrad Kestler's shooting
excursion, whether through a provOk-
ing coincidence or owing to some eulp-
able negligence of Miss Wilkins. who
had been Of the party, it was difficult
to ascertain. Never before had the
baron 50 acutely felt the inconvenience
of being gOuty. With the free use Of
his joints half his anxieties would have
been relieved, for as long as he could he
the constant companion Of his danger
ous guest il was pretty certain that all
serious peril could be averted.
To add To his anxieties, the elOudless
September weather seemed bent upon
tempting the girls 10 extend their daily
promenades far beyond their normal
| length. From breakfast to dinner and
from dinner To supper the baron was
generally alone at home-for Elsbeth
made the most of her holidays by run
ming wild in her own company, and he
passed his time fuming at his own in
activity, and counting the days till
Count Kestler's departure.
Gradually, however, he became
aware, somewhat TO his own annoy
anee, that the feelings with which he
was looking forward to the 18th were
not feelings of unmixed pleasure. Con
rad might be lady killer Of the first
water, whose path was strewn with
broken hearts, much a. the seashOre j,
strewn with broken shells, but that did
not prevent his voice and his laugh
and something in the irresistible spar
kle of his eye carrying back the baron
very vividly in memory TO the days
when his old cOmrade had been young
1t was with pleasant feeling of sur
prise, too, that he noted another cir
cumstance in connection with hi:
guest. Conrad was evidently no lie
abed. On two different occasions tins
| nld .r..nfIeInan had s..lIIrhf sight 81