The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-13

sion he could come 10 VIZ tueS
of mystery never fails TO give oharm
10 the most commonplace adventure
ana that the idea Of Q plot betweeu
himself and the youngest baroness
whom he understood to be called Els
beth, had ticllcd his fancy.
Meanwhile tho old baron had estab-
lished himself In his armchair with
heartfelt sigh Of relief For the next
few hours at least he might relax his
vigilance. seeing that the dreaded IN
dividual was safely disposed OF.
But rude shock awaited the baron's
peace Of mind that evening when the
conversation at the supper table ac-
1uainted him with the fact that Anna
and Helene's afternoon walk had,
strangely enough, taken the same direc-
ton as Conrad Kestler's shooting excur-
sion, whether through q provoking CO.
incidence or owing to some culpabie
negligence Of Miss wilkins, who had
been Of the party, IL was difficult to as
certain Never before had the baron SO
acutely felt the Inconvenience OF being
gouty. With the free use Of his joints
half his anxieties would have been re-
lieved, for as long as he could be the
constant companion Of his dangerous
guest it was pretty certain that all seri-
GUS peril could be averted.
To add to his anxieties, the cloudless
September weather seemed bent upon
| tempting the girls to 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
passed his time In fuming at his en-
forced inactivity and counting the days
till Count Kestler's departure.
Gradually, however, he became aware,
somewhat to his own annoyance, that
tho feelings with which he was looking
forward to the 18th were not feelings
Of unmixed pleasure. Conrad might be
lady killer of the first water, whose
path was strewn with broken hearts
much as the seashore is strewn with
broken shells, but that did not prevent
his voice and his laugh and something
I'M the irresistible sparkle Of his eye
carrying back the baron very vividly In
memory to the days when bis old COM
rade had been young. Il was with a
pleasant feeling of surprise, too, that
he noted another circumstance in con-
nection with his guest Conrad evident
ly was no lie abed. On two different
occasions the old gentleman had caught
sight Of Count Kestlcr sallying forth
from the house at an hour when the
housemaids should indeed have been
astir, but were not, and he regularly
appeared late for breakfast with hair
wet by dew and not infrequently with
fragments Of grass or red or yellow
leaf clinging to his coat The baron be-
gan to admit that there must, after all,
be some good in the man. An individual
who found pleasure in such simple
country enjoyments as walk before
breakfast could not be entirely corrupt
ed by the wickedness of town life.
Miss Wilkins, ON her side was much
pleased by the discovery that point
which for long had been n rather sore
one between herself and her pupil had
shaped itself according to her wishes
"Your cheeks are twice as pink Al
usual and your eyes twice as blue, y
she said approvingly ON meeting Els
beth in the passage one morning, lader
with autumn crocusea '"That is the re
suit Of early hours"
"Or of holidays" said Elsbeti
promptly.
"Can you explain to me how It comes
about that you require SO much les
sleep during the holidays than on lessor
days? I don't know Of any bribe b,
which ! could have got you out OF BET
before 2 o'clock, so long as books an
aliases were in sight.
Elsbeth smiled happily and almost
little guiltily, but attempted no explana
ton and listened with q quite unusua
patience to the wholesome remarks ol
the subject Of early rising with whicl
Miss wilkins considered it her duty +
improve the occasion.
Neither did Anna and Helene entire
ly escape, but these two young ladie
submitted quite passively to havin
their younger sister held up to them
an example Of good conduct and 60
out Of bed no earlier next day. AS lon
as there was q guest in the house
was obviously expedient to keep one
self fresh for the evening hours by lyin
late in the morning.
1t was ON the fifth day Of Conrad
,, stay that the baron, when parting wit
him for the night remarked approving
ly:
IT see you are as faithful cultivate
Of morning hours rs your father used
be. but fear your walk tomorrow
! likely to turn into shower bath.
Conrad looked somewhat taken abacl
4 and having reached the privacy OF n
room he flung himself into chair an
began to review the situation.
THAT looks like being watched.
Thus ran the course of his reflection
"The old man is just bristling with SUI
picions Is there any way, / wonder,
, throw him on the scent?''