The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-11

L
net. 1t must be so, although as l have
| left my key at my rooms in st. James
| street / can't satisfy myself on the point.
The duke, now perfectly convinced OF
| the character of his visitor, waited oniy
| to see him lay his hands on the cabinet.
| Such an action would be the signal for
! his instant arrest. But before the young
man had time either to speak again o.
| TO put out his hand toward the cablne;,
| there came the sound of wheels quickly
| approaching the villa. A moment later
| a neat brougham rolled up to the door.
! The young man darted to the window,
| tore open the shutter and looked out. The
! duke, suspecting the arrival of confeder-
| ates, turned toward the cabinet and TOOK
! his stand in front of it.
Go and open the door," ordered the
! young man, turning around Don't keep
| the lady waiting outside at this time or
night"
Curiosity conquered prudence; the duke
| set more value on a nights amusemen,
| than on the Queen Bess tagon. He went
! obediently and opened the door of the
| villa. On the step stood a young and very
| handsome girl. Great agitation was eVI-
dent in her manner.
Isis the duke hereY' she asked
YES madame If l lead you to the sit-
ting-room you will find him there am
swered the duke gravely; and with bow
| he preceded her along the passage.
When they reached the room, the lady,
| passing by him. darted forward and flung
! herself affectionnately into the young
mans arms He greeted her with equal
warmth. while the duke stood in the door
way in some natural embarrassment
| 81 escaped so successfully" cried the
| lady. My aunt went to bed at Il; so did
l. At IL ] got up and dressed. Not som
heard me come downstairs, and the
brougham was waiting at the door just
as you said
My darling!' murmured the young
man, fondly. Now, indeed, is our happi-
| ness certain. BY tomorrow morning we
| shall be safe from all pursuit" Then ne
| turned to the duke. Il need not tell you,'
said he, that you must observe silence
| on this natter Oblige me now by go
ing to my room and packing a bag you'll
| know what l shall want for two or three
days; l can give you quarter of an
| hour"
The duke stood in momentary hesita
ton. He was bewildered at the sudden
| change in the position caused by the APP
| pearance of this girl. Was he assisting,
| then, not at a refined and ingenious burg
larry, but at another kind of trick? Inc
disguise assumed by the young man might
have for its object the deception of a
| trustful girl, and not an abduction of the
| Queen Bess fagon.
Nell, why don't you obey?" asked the
young man, sharply; and stepping up to
the duke, he thrust ten-pound note into
| his hand, whispering, play your part
and earn your money, you fool
The duke fingered no longer. Leaving
| the room he walked straight, rapidly and
| with firm tread upstairs. When ne
| reached the top he paused to listen. All
| was still! Stay! A moment later he heard
| a slight notes.-the noise of some meal in
strument turning, proceeding from the
room which he had just left The duke
sat down in the landing, and took off his
boots. Then with silent feet he crept
cautiously downstairs again. He paused
to listen for an instant outside the sitting
room door. Voices are audible, but he
could not hear the words. The occupants
of the room were moving about He
| heard a low amused laugh. Then he
| pushed his way to the hall door. He had
not completely closed it after admitting
the lady and he now slipped out with
out a sound. The brougham stood in front
of the door. The duke lodged behind 1t,
and the driver, who was leaning forward,
on his seat did not see him. The next
moment he was crouching down by the
side of his friend the policeman, waiting
for the next development of the plot of
this comedy, or crime. or whatever it
might turn out to be. He put out his
hand and touched his ally. To his amuse-
| ment the man, sitting there on the ground
| had fallen fast asleep
Another proof" unused the duke, in
| whimsical despair, that it is impossible
| to make any mode of life permanently in
teresting How this fellow would despise
| the state of excitment which I for the
moment, am so fortunate as to enjoy wen,
| | won't wake him unless need arises"
| For some little while nothing happened.
The policeman slept on, and the driver of
the brougham seemed sunk in meditation,
| unless indeed he also were drowsy. The
shutters of the sitting room were again
LII CHI nd OO sound from
hind them. The duke crouched notion
less but keenly observant.
Then the hall door creaked. The police
man snored quietly, but the duke leant
| eagerly forward, and the driver of the
| brougham suddenly sat up quite straight,
| and grasped his reins more firmly. The
door was cautiously opened; the lady and
Young man appeared on the threshold.
| The Young man glanced up and down the
! lane; then he walked quickly towards the
| brougham, and opened the door. The
! lady followed him. AS she went she
passed within four or five feet of where
| the duke lay hidden. And, as she went
by. the duke saw-what he half-expected,
yet what he could but half-believe-the
| CLEAN of the gold of the Queen Bess
| hagon. which she held in her gloved hands.
AS has been limited, the duke attached
no superstitlous value to this article. The
mad fever of the collector had left him
/
emotions and more reconcile preJudices
there survives in the heart Of man the
primitive dislike of being done" 1t sur
! vived in the mind of the Duke of Belle
Vile. and sprang to strong and sudden
activity when he observed his Queen Bess
Flagon in the hand Of the pretty unknown
| lady.
| with a sudden and vigorous spring he
was upon her. with a roughness which
| the duke trusted that the occasion to
some extent excused he seized her arm
| with one hand, and with the other vio-
| Iently twisted the queen Bess fiagon out
| of her grasp. A loud cry rang from her
Inns. The driver threw down the reins
| and lept from his seat. The young man
turned with an oath and made for the
duke The Duke Of Belleville, ignoring
the mere prejudice which forbids timely
retreat. took to his heels, hugging the
| Queen Bess hagon to his breast, and head
| ing. in his silk socks as hard and as
straight as he could for Hampstead
| Heath. After him pell-mell came the
Young man, the driver, and the lady,
amazed doubtless at the turn OF events,
| but resolved on the recapture of the
| Hafrs