Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-31

you to work on Your face"
That's out of the question, sir. Gentle
mems boards that have shaved al! their lives,
as l suppose you have, sir do grow faster:
but | should consider year short time for
such fine one as the Counts
do YOU suppose YOU could stick it on fresh
every day. the way they do for the stage9'
Not SO that it wouldn't show in broad day
light. sir
A little later. Van Torp was looking out for
a chance to speak alone with Lady Maud. and
as soon as he found his opportunity he told her
what Stemp had said Strangely enough. it
had never occurred to him that such re-
markable beard as kralinsky's must have
taken long time to grow. and that Leven.
who had none had not left London more than
three months ago. He watched the effect of
this statement on his friends face but to his
surprise she remained grave and sad.
" cannot help it, she said IN tone OF con-
viction. He must be Leven, whatever Stemp
tells you about his beard"
Well then its a false beard and will come
off," observed Van Torp with at least equal
gravity. Stemp says that's impossible; but
he must be wrong, unless you are.
It's real" Lady Maud said. and he is my
husband have talked to him all day, and
he knows things about my life that no one
else could, and if there Others about which
he is vague. that must be because he IS pre-
tending, and does not wish to show that he
knows everything
Van Torp shook his head: but remained un-
IL
mind either and was already debating with
herself as to whether it would not be really
wiser to speak out and tell kralinsky that she
recognized him under his transparent disguise.
She felt that she must know the worst, II she
ever to rest again.
WHEN the sun went down that evening
'" the yacht had passed Otranto and the
cape, and her course had been changed, to
head her for Cape Spartivento and the Straits
-fSN,,r hos
as much as the little Italian mail steamers do
in forty-eight. and half much again as the
Erinna could have done at her highest speed
After dinner kralinsky and Mrs. Rushmore
walked little, and Lady Maud sat with Mar
garet and Van Torp. But before the two
walkers went off to sit down in the quiet cor
ner they had found the day before Lady Maud
rose, went half way aft. and deliberately
placed herself where they were obliged to pass
close to her at each turn, standing and leaning
against the bright white side of the engine
skylight. which as high as the wheelhouse
itself and broke in aft where the big ventllat-
ing fans were situated, making square corner
inward.
She stood there, and as it was not very dark
in the clear starlight. kralinsky saw in passing
that she followed his face with her eyes. turn
ing her head to look at him when he was COM
ing toward her. and turning it very slowly back
again as he came near and went by 1t was
impossible to convey more clearly an invita-
ton to get rid of his companion and join her
and he was the last man in the world to mis-
understand it.
But Mrs. Rushmore saw it too. and as she
considered him a lion. and therefore entitled
to have his own way, she made it easy for him.
MY dear Count" she said blandly. after
passing Lady Maud twice, have really had
enough now and if you will promise to finish
your walk alone. l think l shall go and sit
with the Others
He left her with Margaret and Van Torp
and went back to Lady Maud. who moved as
he came up to her. made two steps beside him.
and then suddenly slipped into the recess
where the fan house joined the engine skylight
She stood still and he instantly ranged himself
beside her. They were quite out of sight OF
the others, and of the bridge, and even if it
had been daylight they could not have been
seen except by some one coming from aft.
7 WANT to speak to you." she said. in low
steady voice. please listen quite quietly:
for some of them may begin to walk again.
kralinsky bent his head twice and then in
clined it toward her. to hear better what she
going to say.
=" It has pleased you to keep up this comedy
for twenty-four hours" she began.
He made slight movement, which was
natural under the circumstances. - do not
understand" he said in his oily voice. What
comedy. l really have no
Don't go on" she answered. interrupting
him sharply Listen to what | am going to
toll fbap Ja,,,Ja hat will dol I