Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-12-31
CHAPTER XIV.
Continued

"I, too, have a favor to ask OF
you," she almost pleaded. Il am in
your power, wholly and inevitably;
but as an English gentleman, beg
of you to keep--this .latter-a pro-
found secret from Ivan Meyer. l
am strong again now. will 60"
With a grave inclination OF the
head she passed him, stepping flrmly
on the dry turf. He watched her as
she made her way along the edge OF
the stream by the little path that
led to Walso.
When Winyard reached Broom
haugh with rather poor basket OF
fish upon his back, he was told that
Colonel Wright had also returned,
and was changing his fishing clothes.
When he came down stairs a few
minutes later, he found his chief
waiting for him at the door OF lit
tie smoking room which was speclai-
ly set apart for the gentlemen. The
old fellow looked grave, and, ignor-
ing Vineyards inquiry as to what
sport he had had, he motioned him
to enter the room, and followed
closely. Then the colonel closed the
door, and held out a telegram.
Winyard took the pink paper. and
read aloud:
"Would suggest Mistley engaging
valet whom | can recommend.
;fob &c in, ENGLAND ~
The message bore only the In
itials IN. L." and had been dis
patched from the Westminster
Branch Post Office. VINEYARD read 1t
over once for his own edification'
and turned toward his chief with
smile. The colonel was standing
with his broad shoulders against the
mantle-piece, his eyes fixed on the
carpet. His hands were thrust deep
ly into his jacket pockets, and ne
moved restlessly from one foot to the
other.
"As usual. said Mistley, still smil.
ing, as he TEX seat on the edge OF
the table, arl carefully tore the tele.
gram into srall pieces-"as usual
with news FEN headquarters, this
comes just toe ate
How" ask, tho colonel, looking
up rapidly.
'I had the ! ,easure OF meeting
Miss Marie Bako Itch this morning"
you? Here?
Eyes. She had = shot at me with
q very nice little r"volyer at dis.
tance of about five Yards, and missed
mel"
"Whew-w!" remarked the colonel
Words usually failed him at a criti'
cal juncture. Mistley laughed as
he dropped the remains of the tele'
gram into the waste-paper basket
his usual laugh, which had little nj.
larity in it, serving, nevertheless
very we'll as a stop-gap.
"She was in the train by which
we came. remember seeing her al
Kings Cross. No doubt she is stay
ing at Walso. Privately, think she
is little vague in the upper regionsi
she did not appear to know exactly
what she was about, and-and it was
desperately poor shooting!"
The colonel tugged pensively a
his gray mustache, while his kindl!
eyes rested with an expression O
wonder on his companions face.
"Now that I come to think of 1t,
he said, slowly, when l drove .oul
mother and Mrs. Wright into Walst
TIM other day l saw foreign-look
fellow who looked like a Scandina
Wan. The ladies were in a shop ant
was waiting outside"
'The foreign-looking girl wa.
Marie Bakovitch," said VINEYARD
partly to himself. He was slowly
stroking Adonis with a soft pressure
of his slim brown hand on the shag
gy head. "If," he continued, after {
long pause-"If it had only been {
man, the whole affair would have
been intensely funny; but, somehow
since l have seen the girl, the humol
of the thing has vanished"
Lena and Charlie, passing the oper
window at that moment, heard Win
yards remark. There was no mis-
taking the neat enunciation, no mis-
conception Of the meaning, and a.
they passed on, each wondered a lit
tie over those words caught on the
wing.
Presently the colonel walked tc
the window, still ponlering over the
event just related to him. Then
without looking arounl, he asked:
"Will you have this valet?'
mo, thank you. do not believe
In that system, for one reason; ant
l require no one to protect me from
a girl, for another
Then the colonel turned sharply
round and faced his companion.
Who was the man I saw with
herr"
Il was wondering" replied Win
yard, adroitly.
II think" continued the colonel
while his kindly eyes acquired a new
keenness, Il think-I will go and
see-Marie Bakovitch."
moi" exclaimed Winyard, incau.
tiously; "you must not do that"
Then there followed rather an
awkward silence between these two
men who knew each other so well