The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-10


! made her name III Il season and Il half
She had no friends in London. Besides The
old dame who travelled With her and tho
| manager at the opera house she knew no.
body in the English capital.
She had only arrived in London on the
18th of May, and she was to sing ten
times during the season at u fabulous fec.
That evening when she got into the cab
she felt pleased, gratificd ard hardly at
all nervous. London would, she was sure,
treat her kindly.
En- route the hanson became jarlmed
in u maze of traffic, at the far end OF which
was u policeman holding up his hand
The cabman as he sat there surveying
things in general, including the copy of
the evening paper which had told him his
horse was a loser that day, suddenly felt
his coat pulled. A smart looking man
in q blue serge suit and bowler hat was
standing just there.
"Cabby," he said, lido you want to
earn s50?"
Eyes, my Lord Rothschild," was the
reply,
"Then you can have it if you will do MS
| you are told"
"Gct off your box, hand me your num-
Der and let INC drive
but the LADY,"
Cant drive herr"
You are gammoning me:''
"No. Let me have the rcins, and here S
your money" And the stranger drew
out Il pocketbook stuffed with bank notes
Tho cabman hcsitatcd
~ was driving the lady to Covcnt Gar.
| den, he said
| well, | will drive her there 1t is only
for u wager
| But what about my cab?"
| II will meet You with it on The cr!bank.
| mcnt ut the Charing Cross in an hours
| time"
| There will he no harm Cone?'
| Not the least.
| The cabnan got down, took tho five
| "tcuncrs' which the stranger held out t.
him, while tie Elan ii the blue scr.,J suit
| mounted on the box A minute later the
traffic was released, ard the hanson III
which Mile. ID Alv;Iry SIT, dreaming about
her coming triumph, Proceeded on its
way under its new conductor.
But thn new drivers way did not lead
| him to Covert Garden, but in an entirely
| different direction. He Grove smartlv into
| the Ilaymurkct, clnt2ring his horse
| through Trafalgar square, ard then took
II
| lively free from traffic At the corner of
| Westminster bridge he stopped. Near the
| Boadicca statue two men We're standing,
| talking. The amateur cabman stopped
| by them.
| 1t was, relatively speaking, dark there,
and neither the policeman On duty opposite
St. Stephen S club nor anybody else noticed
| anything unusual happen. The cab
| man" jumped down and opened the door,
/ while one of the other two leaned forward
and passed handkerchief over the face
| of the diva whose voice was to have caused
| tears TO flow ut the opera house that night.
| The third man then leaned forward and
| lifted her out of the cab.
| A gray cloak was thrown around her
| light blue dress, and the man who had
| lifted her out of the cab carried her down
| tho steps to the river, being followed BY
| the "cabman'' and the third individual
| The cab was left unattended, but the horse
| did not evincc any tendency to run away.
The clocks ut Westminster sounded the
hour of s. At the pier, which crcaked a.
| it rose and fell, n steam yacht was moored.
| 1t was SO close that tho men could step ON
| board.
rs it done?' asked a man who came
| forward.
| -
"Good!"
An order was given and the vessel be-
| gan to move rapidly away down the
| stream.
The captive was carried into 1nagnifi-
Gently furnished saloon and handed over
| to the care of an elderly woman, who
called the unconscious girl Poor darling"
The yacht was fast goer. 1t raced on
Il NT,,+o h,il
and in half an hour had left London be-
hind, the only evidence of che city consist
| ing of lonely looking detached buildings
which stood up out of waste fiat lands in
this moonlight, which was now wonder
| fully clear.
1t had been daylight for hours when
| Mile. Refine awokc the following morning
out of IL troubled sleep. Sine tried to col
lcct her thoughts. She had started for
the opera house where she was to have
SUM-. and thcn-and then what did kna-
zen? She could remember nothing moth
ing, Try rs she might.
The door opened, and n woman entered
bearing II tray. On the tray were silver
tea service and roll and some toast. The
womnu went up to tho bed and spoke.
"Will you have tea?" she said.
"Please. But where am I?''
you aTp on board tho Mermaid"
"But am d prisoner. Give mo my
libcrty!'
The woman shook her head.
Mile. Refine took the protfcred cup Of
tea.
"Who gave you your ordersp" she asked
as she drank it,
"My master"
The woman withdrew. Refine proceed
ed leisurely with her toilet, for which
there was every requisite in that luxuri-
Gus apartment. When she had finished,
she opened the door and went out of the
room, to find herself in n still more beau
tifully furnished chamber. There were
divans and settees, and on a table lay
books and papers, while in one corner
stood piano. Out of the little circular,
eyelikc windows she could only make out
the sea, nothing more She sat down y
moment and thought, and she was still
thinking when the woman reappcarcd and
said respectfully.
Tho Duke of Vlasto wishes to know IL
you will receive him.
"Tell him ! shall he glad to SEQ him."
Tho woman again withdrew, and q few
minutes later the duke appeared.
~ am obliged to you," he began, "for
understanding to receive me-"
Rcino got up from her scat and stood
facing him.
Monsieur lie Due" she exclaimed
haughtily, what does this mean? l am
captured and taken on board ship 1t is
infamous! Where am I?''
Would you be SO good as to step up on
deck, and you will see where you are.
She followed him and sat down ON n
light deck chair, while the duke leaned
against the bulwark and lighted ciga-
rCttc.
My master, the king of Darmelia, |
wished You to sing Mt his own thcator 1t |
was urgent, ard you were engaged in
London. This was I. matter of life and |
death. can explain it in few words if !
you will be patient. The king is old; the
prince, his son and heir, is dying. Why? |
For love of you"
For love of mol" she exclaimed scorn- |
fully. But this Is an absurd and roman
"a ;IIae u