Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-02-04

same time that he. of all people.
might reasonably expect to be kept
fully posted as to Vineyards move
ments.
On ths fifteenth morning the tardy
letter arrived at last, having been
forwarded by Mrs. Mistley from
Paris. The colonel read 1t slowly.
for 1t was written in pencil on the
torn-out page of sketchbook. Then
he turned the paper over again and
read it aloud:
"Dear Colonel-I leave Moscow
this afternoon, walking to the first
station on the Mini Line. am fair.
ly Off now-right in the heart Of the
country. and no one the wiser. Give
me twelve months before you think
of getting anxious. eighteen before
you show your anxiety, and twenty
one before you send Wilson and
Bates. Let them come unknown to
the newspapers. II either Of them be
unable to GOMEZ do not anticipate
unwillingness-some one else must.
Do not on any account send one man
alone. If I should not get back. and
Wilson fails to hear of me; shed a
friendly tear, but shed 1t in private:
our whits-coated friends must not
hear of 1t. BY the bye. on second
thoughts, please tel. your ladies and
the mater all about Marie Bakovltch.
1t will be safer. Do not lose sight Of
the mater. and take care of the re-
spectacle Adonis. Yours,
"W. M"
The colonel's voice quivered a lit
tie as he finished reading.
Lena, slowly slipping her coffee.
looked over her cup toward her fa-
ther, with an interested but some-
what critical expression on her face.
ut is to be hoped" she said, that
the respectable Adonis will appreci-
ate the interest shown in his well
fare"
"Ye-es," said the colonel. vaguely.
as he slowly folded the letter.
'"There!" he continued more ener-
getically, as he placed 1t in his poch-
ct, you know as much as do"
Mrs. Wright slowly raised her eyes
from her plate. and looked across the
table toward her husband.
Except" she said, suggestively.
I'm the matter OF Understanding
or other"
Marie Bako>itch--yes, must tell
you about her. 1t would interest
you. think"
Lena was still slipping Ler coffee
lndifferently.
Marie Bakovitch." continued the
colonel, sis young lady, beautiful
and accomplished. Two years ago
she undertook to remove me from
the face of the earth. She is what
Is called in some countries a patriot.
and that is the form taken by her
patriotism. OF course she belongs to
several crack-brained societies. and
one OF these was kind enough to in
form me by letter that ] was con-
demned. at the same time warning
Mistley. He had the effrontery to
reply to their formal communication.
but | did not see the letter. Since
then have heard nothing about it.
Some time later Mistley received
threatening letter, and since then this
girl has followed him like a shadow"
Lena slowly set her cup down upon
the table. With one white finger she
began polishing the top " the silver
coffee pot with peculiar attention.
like child who is being gently
scolded.
by some MEANS" continued the
colonel, "he turned the wrath OF
these mistaken patriots from my
head. and called 1t down upon his
own. Marie Bakovitch followed him
to Walso, and actually attempted to
shoot him, down at the Broomwater
one day when he was fishing. She
missed him, and then tainted into
his arms-in the most confiding man
ner. VINEYARD said. The fellow man.
aged to make even that into funny
story. He generously kept the whole
affair quiet. and succeeded in getting
the girl away from Walso. She even
promised to leave England. but
whether she will keep her promise OF
not, l cannot say. He was afraid
that they might have been seen to.
gether. and that gossip would get
about, SO he asked me to tell you the
truth about it."
The two ladies were silent. Lena
bent her head over the coffee pot as
If she were short-sighted and wished
to see. the result of her prolonged
polishing. 1t was only when he
looked across the table and met his
wife's eyes that Colonel Wright fully
realized what Winyard Mistley had
done in taking this danger upon him
self.
"And you knew this all along?"
said Mrs. Wright, presently, with
gentle severity. She was recalling.
with the unerring memory OF wo-
man for such details, the thousand
passing incidents in which VINEYARD
Mistley and his chief might have be-
trayed their anxiety concerning Marie
Bakovitch and her presence in Walso.
Women usually consider that they
have the monopoly of the minute dip
lomacy Of avesy=ieY life. They love
10 comment on the clumsiness and
want os tact with which they are
pleased to endow their husbands,
brothers and sons; and when a rev.
elation comes to them, as 1t had nov
come to Mrs. Wright, the result Is a
trifle humiliating. Most women learn
sooner or later In their lives that the
men whom they pride themselves up
ON blindly leading, allow themselves
to be led just as far as suits them,
and not an inch beyond.
Lena must have been thinking OF