Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-05-18
CHAPTER XV-Continued.

Lady? Grace of Mary, that Is droll!
AS he turned 1t over it had bitter
taste The shadow of disillusion crept
into his bright dream and clouded It
To build SO beautiful a castle, and to
see it tumble at word The Italian
had spoken with a contempt which
was based on something more tangi
BILE than suspicion. What was she tu
him, or, rather, what had she been?
If she was innocent Of any wrong
why all this mystery? Persecution
That did not necessitate masks and
wells and sudden flights. Well, as he
was man. even as he watched this
cloud of smoke, he would watch the
dream rise and vanish into the night.
Merrihew solemnly spun his wine.
glass, but made no effort to refill 1t.
"Tm thinking hard" he said, but
can't make out Kitty"
"No more can l. But if she ran
away from me, she had definite pu"-
pose, and some day We'll find out just
what It was. | am more than half in
clined to give up the chase entirely.
You will see Kitty in New York again
and the why's and wherefores will DE
illumined But if I keep on thinking
OF this masquerading lady, shall get
into a mental trouble which will not
be at all agreeable. would to HeaV-
en- that she had sung under any w.n-
dow but mine.''
"All right. Kitty doesn't wish 20
meet us. So we'll light out for Ven
ice in the morning. I'm not going 70
be made fool of for the best woman
alive"
There is still the Campo Formosa.
II they return to Venice, ana oouo'-
less they will, for believe they came
here to rep1enish their rurses, we il
hunt up the Campo and make inquir-
les. It is not anarchism. Anafcnlsos
always need money, and they Woulon I
let me slip through their fingers, once
having taken hold of my curiosity III
this way. You may be sure IT is some
thing deeper than that. Anarchlsm
wouldn't interest ,nsible little "om-
an like Kitty" ,u
"you never can tell what Will ID
terest woman said Merrihew owl
ishly. y.4.,,
isn't romantic; she has her bump OF
caution >,
They both laughed quietly
sWeu, If nothing happens in Venice
we'll 90 to Verona, buy pair OF good
sadd,e.horses. and take the road to
Florence. That will be something
worth while. And it will clear tn's
romantic fog out of our heads
.That's the most sensible thing
you've said in long time" said Mer-
rihew Frightening considerably. "A
leg M and a couple of hundred miles
nf these great roads, You've hit I
snuarely. by George! And out OF nv
winnings we can buy ripping hunters.
The American Comic Opera company
be hanged! But I'd give half OF my
winnings if | knew what was at tne
bottom of it all Seems as II rate
were moving us round for pastlma.
We have probably passed and repass-
ed the two women dozen times.
"And but for those cigars
"Wtll you kindly forget that?
# 'If you insist upon IT.
Thanks. We came over to see
Italy. let's see it. Now, I'm for turn
ing in. A bit headachey; Internally
hot in the roulette room.
IN truth all the enthusiasm WAS
gone from Merrihew's heart. Since
Kitty evinced a desire to avoid him,
the world grew charmless; and the
fortune of Midas, cast at his feet,
would not have warmed him. On the
way over to the hotel. however. ne
whistled bravely and jingled the gold,
en- largess in his pockets. He babe
good night to Hillard and sought his
room. Here he emptied his pockets
l>,,i1f q Chalvjr %
house of gold. He sat down and be.
gan to count. Clink-clink' Clink'
clink, What pleasant sound it was,
to be sure 1t was sweeter than Wom'
ans laughter. And what symphony
/, of Beethoven's could compare with
this? Clink-clink! Three hundred
and ninety, four hundred, four hun
dred and ten; clink-clink And Hill
lard, turning restfessly on his pillow
heard this harsh Emusic away into the
small hours of the morning.
In the meantime the lamps In and
about the Casino had been extinguisn
ed, and the marble house of the whirl
igig and the terraces lay in the pale
light Of the moon. Only the cafes re
NAMED open, and none but stragglers
loitered there. The great rush of the
night was done with, and the curious
had gone away, rich or poorer. bu
never a whit the wiser. In the harbol
the yachts stood out white and spec
trail, and afar the sea ruffled hel
night-caps. The tram for Nice shrek
ed down the incline toward the prom
ontory, now a vast frowning shadow
At the foot of the road which wind
up to the palaces the car was signaleG
and two women boarded. Both were
veiled and exhibited signs of recer.
agitation. They maintained singular
silence. At Villefranche they got out
and the car went on glowingl,
through the night. The women stop
ped before the gates of villa ant
rang the porter's bell. Presently ll
came down the path and admitted
them. grumbling. One in the room
above, the silence between the tw,
women came to an end.
Safe! ! am SO tired. What
night the elder of the two womal
sighed.
what night, truly! l should lik
to know what it has all been abou
To RIM through dark streets and a