The Hattiesburg news., 1909-10-13

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mixed up IN some affair that isn't
over yet.
II don't know where Logo is. but II
he were near enough ! should go to
him and tell him what l think. OF
course he is not in town now-no-
body is, and I've only stayed on to
clear everything out of my house,
now that I'm giving it up. I suppose
he is with you. though you said you
did not want him at Bayreuth! Show
him this letter if you like. for I'm
quite ready to face him If he's angry
at my interference. would even
join you in Paris. II you wanted me,
for / have nothing to do and strange
to say l have little money. I've
sold almost all my furniture, you
know, SO I'm not such total pauper
as usual But in any case answer
this. please, and tell me that have
done right, or wrong, Just as you feel
about it-and then we will go on be-
ing friends, or say good-by, whichever
you decide"
Lady Maud signed this long letter
and addressed 1t to Miss Margaret
Donne, at Bayreuth, feeling sure that
it would be delivered, even without
the name of the hotel which she did
not know But the Bayreuth post
office was overworked during the linn
tied time of the performances, and it
happened that the extra assistant
through whose hands the letter passed
for distribution either did not know
that Miss Dome was the famous Cor
dova, or did not happen to remember
the hotel at which she was stopping,
or both, and it got pigeon-holed under
D, to be called for. The consequence
was that Margaret did not receive it
Until the morning after the perform
ance of "Parsifal' to which she had
taken Van Torp, though it had left
London only six hours after him: for
such things will happen even in ex-
tremely well-managed countries when
people send letters insufficiently ad-
dressed
Furthermore, it also happened that
Logotheti was cooling himself on the
deck of his yatch in the neighborhood
of Penzance, while poor Baraka was
half-stified in the police station. For
the yacht, which was a very comfor-
table one. though no longer new, and
not very fast according to modern
ideas, was at Cowes, waiting to be
wanted, and when her owner parted
from Van Torp after promising to
dine on the next day but one, it oc-
Cured to him that the smell of the
wood pavements was particularly
nasty, that it would make no real diff
ference whether he returned to Pin
ney's at once or in two days, or two
weeks. since the ruby he had left
must be cut before it was mounted
and that he might just as well take
the fast train to Southampton and get
to sea for &c hours. This he did, after
telegraphing his sailing g-maSter to
have steam as soon as possible: and
as he had only just time to reach the
Waterloo station he did not even take
the trouble to stop at his lodgings.
He needed no luggage, for he had
everything he wanted on board, and
his man was far too well used to his
wSys to be surprised at his absence.
The consequence Of this was that
when Baraka's case came up the next
morning there was no one to say a
word for her and Spiro. Mr.. Pinney
identified the ruby Ito the best of his
belief" as the one stolen from his
counter, the fact that Baraka had
been disguised in mans clothing was
treated as additional evidence, and
she and Spiro were sent to Brixton
Jail accordingly, Spiro protesting
their innocence all the while in elo-
quent but disjointed English, until he
was told to hold his tongue.
Further, Lady Maud read the po-
lice court report in an evening paper,
cut it out and sent it to Margaret as
document confirming the letter she
had posted on the previous evening;
and owing to the same insufficiency
in the address, the two missives were
delivered together
Lastly, Mr. Pinney took the big
ruby back to his shop and locked il
up in his safe with a satisfaction and
a sense of profound relief such as he
had rarely felt in long and honorable
life; and he would have been horri-
fled and distressed beyond words if he
could have even guessed that he had
been the means of sending an inno-
cent and helpless girl to prison.
One thing more which concerns this
tale happened on that same day. Two
well-dressed men drove up to the door
of quiet and very respectable hotel
in the West end and they asked for
their bill, and packed their belong
ings, which were sufficient though not
numerous; and when they had paid
what they owed and given the usual
tips, they told the porter to call two
hansoms, and each had his things put
on one of them; and they nodded to
each other and parted; and one han.
som drove to Euston and the other
TO Charing Cross; and whether they
ever met again, I do not know. and
1t does not matter; but in order to
clear Baraka's character at once and
to avoid useless and perfectly trans
narpnf ie