Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-25
CHAPTER III
StAl l Eit III.
HOW l LODGE MY STRANGE VISITOR
AND WONDER AT MYSELF.

AND WONDER AT MYSELF.
I'm Venice?"
Eyes. Venice" said She there in the hall
OF the house in the most garlsh of the
modern world capitals.
AT Florlans."
An. remember, two years ago-in May"
"Ah, yes"
And"
"And--?"
stop" said the lady when remembered
We still were Standing in the nall.
III you viii come in said l. entering the
room and turning on the gas 81 am sIrc
you are not MAJ. But this is very peculiar"
Monsieur. youl have done me signal
service. No. / I'm not mad"
But what does this mean, If you will
permit me?"
II cannot tell you. / wish"
But Thatiiurther do you wish me to do?"
| asked. trying to summon common sense
against her attrRctiyensss.
''fcu have done ne great favor. If to-
morrow you lrdake or send letter to the
Italian conguig"
II will gladgB
But you wish to know nor, about me.
and II fceltI cannot tell you under the
circumstances, N
Pm curioss. iii confess"
But Il you wish-you run danger,
"'" on laughed. = did not know what danger
was in light of modern Law and order, and
was not pQweripl? Did she mean she was
dangerously attractive?
Il don't sare7,'s. ....... ..... ...
'"Ah. | know no. one here"
You know no one in New York;"
Positively no one"
II you only could find me a place to stay
until tomorrow, when you can communicate
with the Italian consul"
You are an ltalian?"
NO" said she.
began to be even more perplexed than
at first. Was she simply madwoman? How
was IL all to be explained? And yet there
was thdt about her personality leaving all
explanations of no particular account | could
be sure that she was some person out of the
ordinary. for there was a certain distinction
that indehnsble something which was
breeding, and looking at her standing there
in my house was equally sure that madness
was but a phrase We are all mad, more
or less; | could not be wrong In that. | sup
pose, indeed my logic was founded on folly.
There are reasons. see, why you should
not wish to tell mo about yourself"
Good ones. monsieur
And equally good why you should be hid
den."
You understand, monsieur"
But tomorrow"
81 may be able to communicate with my
friends"
"And no one must know you are here?" !
began.
at is safer" said she
Il think l can arrange 1t, mademoiselle
For, fortunately, this Is my house | am
alone and | think my servants can be in
duced to be discreet"
1 went into the hall. summoning Lartins.
II she were mad had fallen to humorlng
her fancies
Tho lady next door!"
Yes, sir said he, his eyes bullying.
'she is here"
Here, slr?" He started as if had
MI ha1 oh
But she is not crazy. She Is pursued by
enemies. / choose to help her"
He probably thought l had been drink
ing--llthough rarely did too much-or that
this was a chapter out of novel, sur
prsing sequence of the improbable in the
possible.
You are to know nothing about it."
Eyes, sir"
IF yon do you lose your place"
Yes, sir "
IF you do not, YOU have your wages in,
creased"
81 don't understand"
Its just-silence."
II understand" But doubted him.
Send Mrs. Pierce"
Mrs. Pierce was the housekeeper, and with
her. good New England woman that she
was. ! anticipated rather more trouble. But
explained had, a friend who needed chap
eronins; that she must for certain reasons
speak no Enslhshr
"A lady you met in furrin' parts?" said
Mrs. Pierce. IA AZ
Exactly )" said v. renewing my explana-
tion, and thend proceeded further. explain
ing imaginatlyoiy che case until Mrs. Pierce
was won, when J returned to my strange
protege tola aier while Mrs Pierce re-
garded her MTfitlngly, that this was my
ing. t'S
THANK yO1s2 much" said she, giving
Mrs. Pierce smile. 81 hope, monsieur,
you may notisuker from your Kindness"
II am verge glad 10 be OF any service"
said !. and really wondering at myself, But
why the dickehS Jdid she use that word
suffer-"
She extended, q warm. soft little hand,
and then waS ,gpne with the housekeeper,
leaving the, Seom strangely deserted. and
by myself questioning why / had done
as | had But who could expect such an
occurrence In this ordinary town? Who
can say how hei would act under similar
circumstances? I. And / went up to my
room, but not to sleep.
Fer II is not without a shock that one
suddenly finds routine disturbed by the un-
expected.