The Washington times., 1901-07-14


heavy fall.
Here's a pickle niurmured his lord
ship, he awoke to consciousness some
time later. Good He glanced
around in astoEishment at finding himself
in a whitewashed cellar This comes of
falling in love with the daughter of a man
who has to let his house TO help defray
the cost Of an expensive visit to Monte
Carlo" He laughed lightly to himself.
[ "Marshton's wine cellar, of all unholy
places! They Re a pretty set, upon
my word. but if daring will do what they
want, they'll succeed without a doubt.
l wonder what on earth they re
up tor"
He rose and examined every nook and
corner Of the cellar by the light of the
lamp hanging upon one of the walls In
one corner stood a small camp-bed and
beside it washstand.
I'm evidently invited for the night" he
said, refectively. Hang it, they might
! have given me a jug with a handle. 1
| wonder how the excellent baron got the
references old Marshton weuld of course,
| expect. Probably in the same way as he
obtained the letter 1 had from Clarice.
Beastly scoundrels 1t just shows the
risk of letting ones house in this way
| What on earth is there to prevent these
| people going off with-with that water
jug. for instance? = I've got rack
ing headache" He looked at his watch.
six o'clock 1 must have been here,
then. over two hours"
Hearing a slight sound in the direction
of the door he turned and beheid a wom-
an, who was softly closing the door, the
key of which she held in her hand. She
was tall, young. elegantly dressed. and
unquestionably beautiful.
Hush, she whispered, "dey are gone
out"
Really" thought Beausarris, who was
not prejudieed by being in love, this is
| the most interesting feature of the affair.
The Baroness Steinheiser, 1 presumed" he
said aloud.
''Ah, no." she replied. sadly. Mime.
Panier. Don't speak above a whisper. or
we may be heard. No one knows I have
| come here 1 want to help you L l can"
"Of course you can, if you will he
! said eagerly: you have the key of the
! cellar. But tel me first why your gang
has played this trick upon me-
II care nOt-dare not tell you" she
whispered. wildly. Il am running vast
| danger-dey would kill mei-in being here.
/ But I saw your beautiful face when dey
carried you, and-ohi / want TO save you
from denir'
Nothing is more easy" he replied
! Give ne he key"
''Ah, no She smiled sadly at him
"Dere IS Charles-de man who let you in.
He would not let you go, although he has
no heart in dis barbarous scheme
DO You imagine they caH keep me here
any length of timer he asked, scornfully.
BY midnight 1 shall be missed by to-
morrow half London will be looking out
for me; and then they will be caught"
She shook her head slowly.
'Dey do not make plans like dat, %. she
said You are in peril-peril such as. you
cannot imagine. On, dink of some way l
can save you while dey are awayl"
Let me out Of this; III undertake to
settle with Charles if he's the only lone
between me and the street"
You do net understand. But she
stopped, and an expression of relief lis up
her beautiful face. we might buy
Charles. He IS only in dis wickedness for
money
What would he want? 1 haven't ten
no, not i've pounds with me-
She looked disappointed.
Would he take mS watch-its worth
fifty p0unds?"
No. it might betray him. Can you no
make mcney-make check-so much?'
"Of course 1 could, if l had paper and
ink But would he accept that?'
IN dry him. and if he wilI-oh. he
must, he shall oh, my beautiful gentle
man, VIII save you"
She seized his hand and pressed it ten
derry between hers.
Women Of my race love Quickly" she
said, with flashing eyes, but ,jey love no
less weIi''
Swiftly she left the cellar. closing and
locking the door after her. Beausarris
heard the key CRATE in the lock as she
Withdrew it.
He stared at the door in silence. ponder
ing. He was trying to get some tangible
idea out Of the extraordinary affair to
conceive the object for which he had been
trlcked and trapped. He was not alto
Sether satisfied that the passion he had
inspired in Nine. Panier's heart was as
genuine as it was sudden, although he
wSs conscious that he possessed an unus-
uaIy attractive. personality.
In a few minutes Mime. Panier returned
She brought pen, ink, and a single sheet
of paper
"Oui." she exclaimed. darting into the
cellar. He is willing. Be quick, for we
may have some small time
But supDosing your husband and the
baron return before / get away, what
them
Don't waste time, she replied. With
Charles on our side we can succeed"
How much does he want2'' he asked
trying the point Of the pen upon his
thumbnaH. II was a broad nib, such as
he generally used.
Five hundred pounds only Quick,
dare not be caught here"
Beausarris sat down on the end Of the
bed and, laying the sheet of note paper
upon the washstand, carefully wrote out
a check upon his bank for $500 He sign
cd it, and wiki the utmost apparent lndif-
ference dotted the - in 'Beausarris."
Nine. Panier snatched it up the mo-
ment il WIS complete and flew out Of the
cellar. But she was met at the door by
the baron and her husband. The latter
took from her the check and went up the
stairs. laughing lightly. The b-ron,
bfaming with smiles. entered the cellar
and bowed To Beausarris, who had start
up from the bed and stood gazing after
Nine Panier
My lord. said the baron. with mock
ing chuckIe, Charles is deeply sensible
Of your generosity. Five hundred pounds
TO a man in his position is a fortune, and
with the aid Of my talented friend Pan
ier we shall be able TO make il more
than &G0G0J When you make your sig
nature so peculiar that even a man like
Pauiar dared moi affeYnUt 10 cppy IL tIEd