The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-01-17
CHAPTER XIV.
A Supper at the Savoy

CHAPTER XIV.
A Supper at the Savoy.
Sir Mark Buckingham left the Pan.
dora theater with rebuff which he by
no means took to heart.
He had been about town long enough
to know that young men of wealth and
position are occasionally so far carried
away by their admiration of art as to
invite the fair opponents to sup at a
fashionable restaurant after the ardu.
GUS duties of the evening are over.
He also knew that many of the
young ladies who sang in lifting Choir
uses CT musical comedy prefer to go
home and sup, either quietly by them
selves or with the relatives who sit Up
for them
He was on the whole rather pleased
that Miss Claire Barton had treated
his invitation, coming from complete
stranger, with the 'silence" which, in
the theatrical advertisements of the
Era, applicants for engagements are
requested to consider as "a polite neg
alive"
Claire Barton, whom he had watch
ed all the evening, had fascinated him.
He thought that her portrait in The
Ladies' Field had failed to do her JUS
tice. She was not only beautiful, but
graceful, animated, and refined.
''Shes woman worth winning" the
wealthy young baronet said to himself
Claire's Indifference to the note he had
sent round to the stage door added
zest to the adventure on which he had
embarked. All his life he had been at
war with circumstances, and he owed
his trouble" to the determination
with which he set to work to make
circumstances" yield to him.
He became an almost nightly habitue
of the Pandora, but he didn't send any
more notes round. When he left the
theater he didn't even go round and
wait with the little crowd of John
MES" at the stage door.
He had so far yielded to the charms
of the much-photographed Claire Bar
ION that he would have been exceeding
/ ly unhappy and jealous to see her go
away with somebody else. He didn't
want to risk the unpleasant expert
ence.
Claire Barton noticed the continual
presence in front row of the stalls of
a good-looking man who never took
his eyes off her, and began to look for
him when she made her first entrance.
She asked some of the other girls if
they knew him. They didn't. But one
night Norah Cassidy came to Claire as
she stood at the wings waiting to go
on, and told her that she had fathom-
ed the mystery of the unknown.
Il was at the Savoy with Jack Fo--
rester," she said, the other night
and your admirer came in. 1 spotted
him at once and asked Jack who he
was. Jack didn't know, so he sent for
the head waiter and told him to find
out if he could. Hotel walters can
generally find out who a customer is,
of course, and my dear, he did. Your
silent worshipper is Sir Mark Bretting-
ham, and he has chambers in the AL
bany."
Claire laughed.
"Of course, he must have a name of
some sort, but that doesn't say any
| thing. l must look him up in the Blue
Book"
"You needn't" replied Norah. @tDi-
rectly Jack heard the name he knew
all about him. At least all there is to
know. He hasn't long succeeded to
the baronetcy, he's awfully rich, and,
unfit his father died, nobody knew
that he existed"
THAT sounds rather romantic" said
Claire. Upon my word, he's more in
teresting than thought But what do
you mean about not knowing that he
existed?"
"Jack says that everybody who
knew the Brettinghams thought that
the son who was living with his faith.
er at their place in Kent was the heir.
1t seems he was only younger son.
The old baronet had been married be.
fore, and had son Of whom nobody
had ever heard. When his father died
he came from abroad, and he is Sir
Mark Brettingham-and that's alIJack
knows. He heard the story at his
club. where lot Of men were talking
about It soon after the late baronet
died. s
Claire remembered that on the drst
night Of the new piece Sir Mark Bret,
bingham had sent her an invitation Il
80 to supper, and now that she had
i heard his story she was greatly intsf,
ssted a him, fIs va evidently 9 MAJ
Il who 49, talked about. 8 man With e
lsomant. 10 ~ ssen shout With snel
Il MN n q q allsays a good 49, ssmsh,