The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-09-30

What happened?" inquired Marga.
ret still not much interested.
He arrived in an automobile" an
swered Mrs. Rushmore, and she
paused. --
| What old Griggs calls q sudden
death-cart," Mr.. Van Torp put in.
What shocking name for it,"
cried Mrs. Rushmore. And you are
always in them, my dear child" She
looked at Margaret. "A sudden-death-
cart! 1t quite makes me shiver'
"Griggs says that all his friends
either kill or get killed in them," ex-
! planned the American.
my throat-doctor says motoring is
very bad for the voice, SO I've given
it up" Margaret said.
Really? Thank goodness your pro-
fession has been of some use to you
at last, my dear!"
Margaret laughed.
'Tell US about the Russian count"
she said. HAS he found lodgings, or
is he going to sleep in his motor?"
my dear, he's the most original
wanted to buy the hotel and turn us
all out, and offered any price for it,
but the director said it was owned by
a company in Munich. Then he sent
his secretary about trying to buy a
!, house, while he dined, but that didn't
succeed either. He must be very
wealthy or else quite mad"
ch Nv
Van Torp, slowly peeling a peach.
Did you happen to catch his name,
Mrs. Rushmore?"
"Oh, yes! We heard nothing else
all the afternoon. His name is Kra-
linsky-Count Kralinsky."
Mr.. Van 'Torp continued to peel his
peach scientifically and economically,
though he was aware that Margaret
was looking at him with sudden curl
osity.
'Kralinsky," he said slowly, keep
ing his eyes on the silver blade of the
knife as he finished what he was do
ing tits not an uncommon name, I
believe. I've heard it before. Sounds
Polish, doesn't it?"
He looked up suddenly and showed
Margaret the peeled peach on his
fork He smiled as he met her eyes,
and she nodded so slightly that Mrs.
Rushmore did not notice the move
ment.
did you ever see that done better?"
he asked with an air of triumph.
"Ripping!" Margaret answered.
You're a dandy dab at it,"
my dear child, what terrible
slang!"
I'm sorry" said Margaret. 'Tm
catching all sorts of American express
sions from Mr.. Van Torp, and when
they get mixed up with my English
ones the result is Babel, I supposed"
1--WE not heard Mr.. Van Torp use
any slang expressions yet, my dear"
said Mrs. Rushmore, almost severely.
"You WILL" Margaret retorted with
a laugh. What became of Count Kra-
linsky? I didn't mean to spoil your
story"
my dear, he's got the pastor to
give up his house, by offering him
hundred pounds for the poor here"
Van Torp left them soon after sup
per, and gave himself up to Stemp,
pondering over what he had accom-
plished in two days, and also about
another question which had lately pre-
sented itself. When he was ready to
send his valet to bed he sat down at
his table and wrote telegram:
IF you can find Barak, please ex-
plain that was mistaken. Kralinsky
Is not in New York, but here in Bay
reuth for some days, lodging at the
pastors house"
This message was addressed to Lo-
gotheti at his lodgings in London, and
Van Torp signed it and gave it to
Stemp to be sent at once. Logotheti
never went to bed before two o'clock,
as he knew, and might very possibly
get the telegram the same night.
When his man was gone, Van Torp
drew his chair to the open window
and sat up long time thinking about
what he had just done; for though he
held that all was fair in such a con-
test, he did not mean to do anything
which he himself thought "low down."
One proof of this odd sort of integ-
rity was that the telegram itself was
a fair warning of his presence in Bay
reuth, where Logotheti knew that
Margaret was still stopping.
AS for the rest, he was quite con-
vinced that it was Kralinsky himself,
the ruby merchant, who had suddenly
appeared at Bayreuth, and that this
man was no other than the youth he
had met long ago as a cowboy in the
west, who used to whistle "Parsifal'
with his companion in exile, and who,
having grown rich, had lost no time
in coming to Europe for the very pur-
pose of hearing the music he had al
ways loved so we'll. And that this
man had robbed the poor Tartar girl,
Mr.. Van Torp had no manner of
doubt; and he believed that he had
probably promised her marriage and
abandoned her; and if this were true,
to help her to find Kralinsky was in
itself good action.
CHAPTER VII.