Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-02-02
CHAPTER XVIII.

CAUGHT.
 sKarloff came around to music. The dramatists wife should play Tosti's Ave Maria. Miss Annesley should play the obligatO on the violin and the prima- donna should sing; but just at present the dramatist should tell them ! all about his new military play which was to be produced in December.
 ''Count, I beg to decline" laughed the dramatist. II should hardly dare to tell my plot before two such military experts as we have here. I should be told to write the play all over again, and now it is too late
 Whenever Bettys glances fell on her Afather's face. the gladness in her own was somewhat dimmed What was . making that loved face so care-worn, the mind so listless, the attitude so weary? But she was young: the spirits of youth never flow long in one < direction. The repartee, brilliant and { at the same time every sting with drawn flashed up and down the table ilhC So uldHs III Oll q w.t. io ." n iiA July. and drew her irresstiby.
 As the courses came and passed. so the conversation became less and less {. general; and by the time the ices < were served the colonel had engaged his host, and the others divided into , twos. Then coffee, lqueurs and cigars, when the ladies rose and trailed into the little Turkish room. where the { ''distinguished-loo butler" sup piled them with the amber juice. A dinner is a function where every , body talks and nobody eats. Some have eaten before they come. some wish they had, and others dare not eat , for fear of losing some of the gossip. After the liaueurs my butler con cluded that his labor was done and he offered short prayer of thankful ness and relief. Heavens, what mad, Fantastic impulses ..had seized him while he was passing the soup. Sup posing he had spilled the hot liquid down Karloffs back, or poured out glass of burgundy for himself and drained it before them all. or slapped his late colonel on the back and asked him the state of his liver? It was maddening and he marvelled at his es- cape There hadn't been real mis- hap. The colonel had only scowled at him: he was safe. He passed secretly from the house and hung around the bow-window which let out on the low balcony. The window was open, and occasionally he could hear voice from beyond the room. which was dark.
 It was one of those nights, those mild November nights. to which the novel, ists of the old regime used to devote a whole page: the silyery pallor on the landscape. the moon-mists. the round. white, inevitable moon. the stir ring breezes, the murmur of the few remaining leaves, and all that. But these busy days we have not the time to read nor the inclination to describe. A Suddenly upon the stiffness of the Knight the splendor of human voice broke forth; the prima-donna was trying her voice. A violin walled note. A hand ran up and down the keys of the piano. Warburton held his breath and waited He had heard sTosti's Ave Maria many times. but he never will forget the manner in which it was sung that night. The songstress was care-free and among persons she knew and liked. and she put her soul into that magnificent and mysterious throat of hers. And throb- ping all through the song was the vibrant, loving voice of the violin. And when the human tones died away and the instrument ceased to speak. warburton felt himself swallowing rapidly. Then came Schumann's Frau merei on the strings. Handel's Largo, Grieg's Papillen. and a ballade ny Chaminade. Then again sang tho prima-donna: old foiksy songs. sketches from the operas. grand and light. Faust. The Barber of Seville La File de Madame Angot. In all his days warburton had never heard such music. Doubtless he bad-even better; only at this period he was in love. The imagination Of loves young dream is the most stretchable thing I know of. Seriously. however. he was very good judge of music. and I am convinced that what he heard Vss out of the ordinary.
 But I must guide my story into the channel proper
 During the music Karlof and Col onel AnnesIey drifted into the latter's study. What passed between them [ gather from bits recently dropped by wsrburton.
 Good God. Karlor. what ne; YOU have sprung about mel" said the colonel. dsspairinEiy
 My dear Colonel you have only 'o step ont of F. f is the eleventh hour 4 Is not too late But karioH watched the colonel eagerly.
 How in Gods name csu step out of it7~
 ~SimpIy reinbrrse ne for Ina; .3a. .1st [ advance to ~os iu rood faith and nothing r.ore g=ad ta said The counts slsvCnic e-ss were hsIf-iiidsE-
 TO give TOT bsck hat ar1oIHt wiIl leave nc trzzar. an shzs5ats besEs-- wifhuus ? rrr7f tn shslser Es an -oo nss for szrvi-s. and ss<i3=s [ am