The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-01-18


him, feeling more completely alone and
helpless than he ever remembered to have
felt before.
Il am afraid / made mistake in COM
ing myself" he said to the market clock.
as he stood in front of it. You see
man of ffty-seven is not so quick and
apt In adapting himself to circumstances
as younger man would be-"
For two or three minutes Mallett stood
listening TO the distant rumbling of the
coach wheels, and, great as had been his
suffering during the drive, he almost
wished himself back again Oh the awful
machine, instead of here in this DEATH
like place.
He shook off the dreamy feeling of I'M
reality that possessed him, and crossed
TO deserted looking house on the shady
side of the square, where a sign board
from which all vestige of paint had long
since passed away hung over the door,
seeming to denote a house of entertain
ment.
He pushed open the door and ii swung
10 behind him without noise. He was
in a large stone-hagged room which Oc-
cupied the whole depth of the house, the
opposite end opening on to a crazy veran-
da crumbling under the weight of luxuri-
ant creepers, through which there We're
glimpseS of a weed-grOwn inclOSure be-
yond. He stamped up and down the
stone floor, and shouted until the stones
echoed his voice. At the end OF ten
minutes sallow face, surrounded by
turbulent masses of frizzy black hair.
leaned over the hand rail of the stairs
that led up to the next floor. In about
five minutes the sallow face and frizzy
hair reappeared, and the woman began
TO apologize profusely.
Mr.. Mallett stood politely silent, hat in
hand. until she seemed to have ended her
speech. when he presented the envelope
given him by Babette, with the name
and address Of the photographer of the
gravestone.
The talkative lady took it over to the
light and spelled it out laboriously, and
then turned again TO Mr.. Mallett, and
ratified off another little incomprehensi-
bic speech, interspersed with numberless
CALCULATIONS of establishment. Seeing at
last that he did not understand a word
of what she was saying. she pointed 10
the address in her hand, and said slowly
in Spanish:
My father"
Mr.. Mallett understood that. for point
ing in his turn to the envelope, he asked:
''Wherer
She smiled pleasantly, motioned to him
to reseat himself, and went upstairs look
ing once or twice over her shoulder TO
nod and smile at him reassuringly. Could
il be that the man he was in search Of
was here in this house? He could hear
an animated conversation going on some
where in the rooms above, and be recog-
nized the voice of the woman and the
tones of a man.
Presently there came to him an elderly
Spaniard, with something of the dandy
still clinging to him in the shape of
waxed mustaches and perfumed hair.
Still, the signs of decay that abounded
throughout the place showed themselves
even here in the ancient fop's frayed
jacket and well-worn shoes To Mr..
Mallett's surprise and relief he at once
opened the conversation in passable
French.
Monsieur wishes TO see me? He has
evidently come q long way for that pur-
pose. am charmed. fiattered and abash-
ed all at one time-charmed and fiat
tered TO receive any one who comes a
distance to pay homage to art"
He put his hand on his heart and bow
ed with the ar of a prince. His belief
that Mr.. Mallett had come to visit and
compliment art in his person was so evil
IDENTIFY genuine that the sensitive gentle
man felt almost unhappy to have to un-
deceive him; but time was pressing. He
had none for the observance of unneces-
graph from his pocketbook and held it
toward CASTELAR,.
i believe you took that picture. Now,
| want you TO tell me where the grave
of which this is a picture is to be found,
how you came to take the photograph,
whom you took it for, and any other cir
cumstances you can remember in connec-
ton with it."
The Spaniard leaned forward with his
hands on his knees to look at the pho-
tograph, but he did not attempt to touch
it. He stared at it earnestly while Mr..
Mallett was speaking, and, when he had
finished, be looked up with a scared face
as he answered.:
Il said something was wrong about
that affair at the time. and now my
| words are coming to pass. 1 did not like
the job, / can assure you; l have an
antipathy to graves and collins and all
that reminds one of death, and l would
not have taken that picture for untold
gold, but that ] was enslaved by the
beauty of the lady who asked me to do
1t. Monsieur has not seen such another
tall, shapely, with eyes, hair and skin
perfect, and her voice soft and sweet like
a silver bell -.ne coaxed me to do il
against my will. and / crept into the viii
lage graveyard one morning at O'Clock
with my camera, before even the busy
sisters were out of their cells, and took
the picture for her. You may see how
imperfect the picture is, how many
tlemishes it has, and you must not Judge
of my usual work by it, for my hand
shook with fear" The soul of the
tocrat.
Never mind the blemishes. Senior Cas-
tellan," interrupted Mr.. Mallett. THE
photograph Is good enough for my pur-
pose. l want you now to tell me the
name of the lady who gave you the or
der. the name of the convent where the
grave is, with directions for getting
there"
Castellan's hands went up in dismay.
You cannot get there! 1t would Be
sacrilege. No man is permitted to en-
ter the gates but on two days in the
week, for a couple of hours at visiting
time, you understand. when the holy
sisters are all shut in their cells at pray
ers"
Still / must get to see that grave
before sunset tonight, and l will give
two hundred francs to any one who will
help me-"
Two hundred francs! 1t is a large
sum here in Villa Silentio. There is a
servant woman who does the errands
for the convent ladies, with whom l am
acquainted. who might be induced
He paused thoughtfully.
THAT is settled then. And now how
far is it. and how are we to get there?'
Mr.. Mallett asked, rising briskly from
his chair.
CASTELAR, motioned him back to his
seat.
You must leave this to me entirely,
monsieur. One ili-considered step might
balk your plan, and rob the servant and