Arizona republican., 1909-05-26
THE LURE OF THE MASK
By Copyright 1908
HAROL d NaGRATH o.
Continued FIR ON yesterday

He flicked the ash from his
cigarette. What was the use of try
ing to trap a woman into saying
what she did not propose to say?
Have you those letters?"
zone of them I'll show you"
"Why not the other:
at would be wasting time. 1t
merely relates to your adventure. She
sailed the day after you dined with
her..
That accounts for the shutters.
The police and the caretaker were
bribed."
IF / were a vain man, and you
know l am not, 1 might ask you if
she spoke well of me in this let
ter. Understand, l am not inquiripg."
But you put the question Vas
adroitly as a woman. We are sure
of vanity always. Yes, she spoke
of you. She found you to be an
agreeable gentleman. But" with
gentle malice, "she did not say that
she wished she had met you years
ago, under more favorable circum-
stances, or that she liked your eyes,
which are really fine ones"
He had to join in her laughter.
Come, give me the death stroke
and have done with it. Tell me what
you dare, and I'll be content with it."
She opened her handkerchief purse
and delved among the various articles
therein.
81 expected that you would be ask
ing questions, so l came prepared. l
did not tell my husband for that
very reason. He would have insist
ed upon knowing everything. Here,
read this. 1t is only a glimpse"
He searched eagerly for the sig
nature.
Don't bother" she said. THE name
school"
school? Do you mean to tell me
that you went to school with her?
Where?"
In Pennsylvania first; then in
Milan. Read"
o Cara Mali only you knew
how sorry l am to miss youi Why
must you sail at once? Why not
come to my beautiful Venice? True,
1 could not entertain you as in the
days of my good father. But l have
so much to say to you that can not
be written. You ask about the ad-
venture. Pouf! goes my little dream
of greatness. 1t was blank failure.
Much as l knew about Italy l could
not know everything The officials
put unheard-of obstacles in our path.
The contracts were utterly disre-
garded. In the first place, we had
scenery in Italy.
Costumes and scenery" Hillard
sought the signature again. Mrs.
Sanford was staring at the moonlit
bay.
That poor manager! And that poor
man that advanced the money! They
forgot that the booking is as moth
ing, the incidentals everything. The
base of all the trouble was a clerk in
the consulate at Naples. He wrote
us that there would be no duties on
costumes and scenery. Alasl the
manager and his hacker are on the
way to America, sadder and wiser
men. We surrendered our return
tickets to the chorus and sent them
home. The rest of us are stranded
is not that the word ?-here in
Venice, waiting for money from
home. If l were alone, it would be
highly amusing; but these poor peo-
pie with me! There is only one way
can help them, but that, never. You
recollect that my personal income
is quarterly, and it will be two
months before 1 shall have funds. l
could get it advanced, but l dare
not. There are persons moving heaven
and earth to find me. My companions
haven't the least idea who / am; to
them l am one of the profession. So
Here we all are, wandering about the
Piazza San Marco, calling at Cooks
every day in hopes of money, and
occasionally risking a penny in corn
for the doves. l am staying with my
nurse, my mothers maid, in the
Campo Santa Maria Formosa, near
our beloved Santa Barbara. Very
quietly l have guaranteed the credit
of my unfortunate companions, and
they believe that Vcnetians are very
generous hearted people. Generous!
Think of it, Come to Venice, dear;
1t is all nonsense that you must re-
turn to America. Perhaps you will
wonder how / dared appear on the
stage in Italy. A black wig and "a
theatrical makeup; there were suf-
ficient. A duke sent me an invita-
ton to take supper with him, as if
1 were a ballerina, 1 sent one of
the American chorus girls, a little
mink for mischief. She ate his sup
per, and then ran away. l under
stand that he was furious. Only a
few months more, Nell, and then l
may come and go as l please. Come
to Venice. CAPRICCIOSA.
Hillard did not stir. Another laby-
rinth to this mystery, Capricciosa;
Kitty Killigrew's unknown prhna
donna; and all he had to do was to
take the morning train for Venice,
and twenty-four hours later he would
be prowling through the Campo Santa
Maria Formosa. Though his mind
was busy with a hundred thoughts,
his head was still bent and his eyes
riveted upon the page.
Mrs. Sanford observed him curious
ly, even sadly. Why couldn't his
fancy have been charmed by an every,
day, sensible girl, and not by this
whimsical, extraordinary woman who