Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-28
CHAPTER VII.
A Mysterious Message.

himself on his elbow Apparently the apart
ment was strange to his eyes, for puzzled
look crossed his face and his glance wan
dered perplexedly to a person seated In
gilt chair near the window. The burly back
OF him addressed turned; the man arose.
and, approaching the bed, regarded his
questioner with a good-natured smile.
1.-THE Hotel Republique.''
How long have l been here?"
About twenty-four hours"
= Richard Strong studied the speaker.
Pardon me If I ask
who am? A London press correspond
ent. Went through the siege. Know Paris
In feast and famine. Can tell you that kit
tens taste like red squirrels-that angoras
rats have the flavor of meadow larks. This
was my hotel-left 1t and was unavoidably
detained. When / got back found part of
1t gone. Also found you here"
The other stirred uneasily
THE lady-who was here with me?"
WAS not injured. The porter said she
drove off to her own hotel that same morn
ing, and If she has followed the example of
other Americans she has left the city by
this time. But 1 must be going now; will
drop in again later
Richard Strong stared at the door through
which the speaker vanished and then looked
out of the window. Beyond the tiny red
flowers of vine housetop waved oddly to
and fro. He strove to sit up,whereupon the
flowers began to dance wildly, like eltish
things, and again he fell back. His eyes
closed and housetop and flowers alike faded
from his mind.
He was vaguely conscious of half-waking
several times that day, of speaking with a
doctor, or relapsing toward nightfall into a
deeper sleep. When he again looked around
him his vision was clearer; the dizziness had
left him, and, reaching from the bed, he
pulled cord hanging to the wall. The
passing minutes brought response; i'm
patiently he waited, then rising slow
ly began to dress. On little table
small bottle of wine. When he
had eaten he was able to make his way
along the hall and descend the stairway.
Deserted was the little office, but In the
corridor the porter stood directing several
workmen engaged In removing the brick
and mortar. The shattered front wall had
been propped up with heavy upright tim
bers and the task of repairing the havoc
was proceeding apace.
At the unexpected sight of his guest the
man gave an exclamation of surprise.
I'VE are housekeeping, as you see he
said, recovering himself, prep airing for the
returns from the country now that it is
all over
What is over?''
THE commune. Which reminds me Of my
errand for monsieur: The old gentleman
and his daughter-they are at Madame Fra
cards, little hotel of the first empire,
seldom frequented by foreigners - once
noted for it's cuisine
Richard Strong looked down. THE lady
you found here with me-had she quite re-
covered when she left?'
ives, monsieur"
HAS any one called or sent word?'
The man fumbled in his. blouse, drew
forth an envelope. II am reminded of this
message
Hastily the other glanced at it. The
handwriting was strange, foreign.
How do l get to the street?'' he said,
absently.
IF monsieur does not mind the back
way
Upon the avenues and boulevards Mr.
Strong founder would have observed had
he been in observant mood-evidences of
activity and zeal promising a speedy
Mobilization of the city. Those who had
been busily engaged in tearing up pave
ments only a short time before were now
no less zealously occupied in putting them
down. But no consideration of the out
ward aspect of the city the TRANSFORMED
ton that had already come to pass now
occupied Richard Strong as he walked on
The letter the porter had given him en-
crossed his attention.
'If NJ. Richard Strong will cal! at the
hospital. some one he knows who is dying
would like to see him"
Written with pencil in labored, hand on
the paper of one of the general hospitals
the message dated the day before and
signed by one of the sisters.
The missive wavered in his handsome
one he knew?'-but the porter had said
Calling a passing carriage, he showed the
address to the driver and entered the We
hicle.
At the hospital he exhibited the letter to a
man in charge in the little office at the
door. This official looked at the message;
rang bell, and shortly afterward Richard
Strong was following a black-robed sister
down the corridor. They traversed several
Railways; assembled many stairs but finally
hn Of nd S1nr if,,y Int RI
an upper ward, indicated cot.
AT the visitors entrance the patient. who
had been lying with closed eyes, turned
his head and with start Richard Strong
regarded, then recognized him. And yet
could it be-this figure, the head so bound
about with .bandages to make the fea-
lures almost NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.? Now the
eyes opened; stared around. Pain, fear, as
from the remembrance or effect of some
never-to- be-forgotten scene. or castrophe
shone in that glance.
Mr.. Strong" he whispered, and closed
his eyes once more.
Quietly the sister brought forward chair,
placed it at the bedside, and Richard Strong
seated himself.
You want to see me?"
The lids wavered.
Eyes" murmured Dalton, and paused TT
good of you-to come" In Charles
blue eyes a certain wistfuness replaced
the look of pain.
How" asked Richard Strong, did you
observation-disclosures published-list Of
strangers. The doctors gave me-but
day or two" His gaze looked beyond the
man at the bedside. 'Ill not be Sorry
when it's over"
He uttered these words In starts; his
respiration short; his breathing loud For
some moments no other sound broke the
stiffness of the room; then his glance fixed
itself again on Mr. Strong.
1T was my fault-not hers! She was but
a girl--seeking diversion-unhappy That
day you saw us-in the street, waited
for her-to learn-she had never cared for
me -
The voice became weaker; ceased: then
he lay still. Richard Strong, too, did not
stir; dark shadows fell around him; from
either side came a sigh, or moan the
travail of some spirit drawing nearer the
inevitable goal. Through an open door
way he could see priest placing vessel
of oil on a little table before the crucifix
near a bed and DULY he watched him.
Corpus Domini-"
Life and it's passions. death and it's mys-
terry vibrated in the sad, majestic cadence
of those tones.
"A poor woman-Zoldene-who was in
jured, too in the burning theater," whis-
pered the nurse ''She has confessed and
is receiving extreme junction."
AS she spoke she crossed the hall to the
door; closed it. AT the same time Dalton
stirred uneasily.