Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-12-19
DECEMBER 10, 1909.

things more quietly; but then. poor
DEAR he Is foreigner, and foreigners
always do get more excited than En-
glishmen, don't they? OF course, he
was quite nice to me.
Well, just about five minutes before
our train was due another train, go
ing in the opposite direction, drew up,
and who should step out of it but
Godfrey Wallace, brother of my friend
Greta. He used sometimes to come
down to play golf, and this was the
station at which he always alighted.
He had all his golf clubs with him
now, and he saw me from the other
platform, though l tried to hide my
self, and he came across the line to
speak to me- There was no getting
away from him. but, then, he is just
the sort of man you can't easily avoid
"a great big broad shouldered fellow.
quite young, and good looking, typ
zeal Englishman, just one of those who
wouldn't understand my Manuel bit.
"Hullo, Mouse"-thats the silly
name they call me by-"what on earth
are you doing here?"
So he cried as he came up to me.
and his eyes fell suspiciously upon
Manuel almost at once.
Well, II was no use telling fibs or
beating about the bush. Godfrey
knew the count by sight and it was
plain that l had no right to be going
nothing for it but to make an appeal
to Geoffrey's generosity not to betray
u.s.
SO took him by the arm and walked
him little down the platform. I'm
eloplng" | said. and l think there
must have been a touch of pride in my
voice. Its quite all right, / assure
you. I'm to be married in London at
once, and l shall be the Countess Man
uel de Siguenza y
1.-THE Countess Flddlesticks!" he ex-
claimed rudely, and gave a low
whistle Then he turned to me very
seriously just as the train came in.
Look here, Mouse I've no right to
interfere, but for heavens sake don't
commit this folly. The mans a hum
bug, a fraud-Fd stake my life upon
I'll"
Naturally, 1 bridled up at that-the
thing was so palpably absurd. Luck
lily, Mr.. Wallace could not prevent me
from getting into the train. But l was
afraid there was going to be ire
mendous row between the two men,
for Godfrey spoke very rudely to Man.
uel, and l don't know what the latter
might not have done if it had not been
necessary for him to take his place in
the carriage. He looked awfully
flushed, and was trembling all over
when he sank down by my side. OF
course, he wasn't afraid, but for mo-
ment he almost looked like it.
This would never have happened If
you hadn't missed the train" he said
to me. And l don't think that was
quite fair, though he was so Hurried
he hardly knew what he said.
The journey to town, which only
lasted about an hour was not as pleas
ant as l had expected it to be, all be-
cause of this fuss at the station. l
assured Manuel that Godfrey would
not betray Us, but he did not seem so
certain on the subject and said we
must change our plans a bit for fear
that we should be followed. He was
awfully absent-minded all the way up,
far more nervous than l was; and 1t
was at his suggestion that We left the
train before we had actually reached
the terminus and completed the jour-
ney by motor bus and cab. He asked
me on the way If had brought with
me what money 1 had, and he looked
quite cross when 1 said no. But what
did my little money matter, after all,
when he is so rich?
Well, we drove to a hotel where, he
told me, he always stayed when in
town; and then, leaving me there in
the care of the landlady. he went out
by himself, saying that he would be
away half an hour, for there was some
business he had to see before we were
married. 1t was then nearly one, and
we were to be married at half past
two.
And now l come to the tragic part of
the whole story. Manuel went out
but he never came back You can i'm