Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-10-07
By
HAROLD
MAC GRATH
Copyright. 1908. by the Bobbs.
Merrill Co.

- ...", ABOUT 70 tarnlst
distinguished name. to outrage thu
Oldest aristocracy In Europe. the
court Of Italy. But she had her owr
opinion: what she proposed to do was
In itself harmless and innocent Blu,
this gentleman who leaned out Of the
window? She had seen the match
flare In the young mans face Was
1t the face she had seen in that fash
Of light that interested her sufficiently
to risk the note? Against the dark OF
the night it had appeared for an in.
stant clean. crisp. rudy as cameo
The face warranted confidence.
She had sung because she had been
happy. happy with that transient hap.
piness which at times was her portion
Could she ever judge another man by
his looks? She believed not. How
she had run! The man. bareheaded,
giving chase and the burly policeman
across the street!
| She stepped down from the aicove.
wound the gray veil round the riding
crop and tossed them into q corner
Somehow In the daylight the magic
was gone from his face. for she had
recognized him that first day in the
park. He rode we'll She touched a
bell. A maid appeared.
"Bettina. you will go to the office of
this newspaper and inquire for letter
addressed to Nine. Angot And be
quick. for ! may change my mind"
The maid was back In a half hour
There was letter. then?" The
points were dancing again In the blue
eyes.
you may CO. Perhaps" and BETH
! mas mistress smiled-"perhaps may
let you read 1t and answer it after |
am done with it. That would be
rather neat"
The slight nod was a dismissal. and
the maid went about her duties which
were not many In this house.
Meanwhile the lady with the vene-
| tan hair toyed with the letter Club
paper. Evidently he was not afraid to
trust her. But would he amuse her?
The contents gave her a genuine sur
prise. She ran to the window Ital
ian! 1t was written In Italian. with
all the flourishes of an Italian born
She turned to the signature Hillard
So he had signed his name in full:
She ruminated. How came such a
name to belong to a man who wrote
Italian SO beautifully? She looked at
the signature again. Giovanni
She would call him Giovanni She
had been rather clever To have
had the wit to look in the library
for the blue book and the club
list-not every woman would have
thought of that. Then a new inspira-
ton came to her. She sent Bettina
for the card basket She scattered the
contents upon the floor and sat down
Turkish wise. She sorted the cards
carefully. and. 10. she was presently re-
warded. She held up the card in tri-
umph. He had called at this house on
Thanksgiving day. He was known.
then. to the master and mistress. Very
good. She now gave her full attention
to the letter, which she had not yet
perused:
To the Lady In the Fog:
To begin with. let me say that l, too
have laughed. But there was some degree
OF chagrin in my laughter. On my word
or honor. 1t was distinct shock to my
sense of dignity when saw that idiotic
personal of mine in the paper. Ii is my
first offense of the kind. and l am really
ashamed But the situation was not ordi-
nary. Ordinary women do not sing In
the streets after midnight. As you could
not possibly be ordinary my ofyense has
greater magnitude. To indite a personal
to gentlewoman! A thousand pardons.
doubted that 1t would come under your
notice. and. even II 1t did. l was sure that
you would ignore 1t. To find a woman
rare. To find one who couples this with
Initiation Is rarer still. How you found
out my mare eonfuses me.
"Indeed.~ murmured the lady.
Doubtless you have the club list in your
house. Do you know. when the letter was
brought me ! saw nothing unusual about
the address. 1t was only when l began
this letter that l comprehended how clev-
er you were. There are half a dozen
J. HIS at the club. l tell you truthfully
over my own name that your voice star
tied me.
were far away. l was dreaming of Italy.
where | was born. though there Is no
more italian blood In my veins than there
IL In yours.
what made him think that. I won
dery
therefore write this In q language IA
miiiar to us both. certain you could not
sing LecocQ's songs In Italian II you did
not speak and understand 1t thoroughly
Signora or signorina. whichever 1t may
be. have We no mutual friends? Are you
not known to some one who knows me-
some one who will speak for me, my
character. my habits?
ut is rather dull letter so far"
said the lady.
You say you sang because at that mo-
ment you were happy. This implies that
you are not always so. Surely with a
voice like yours one cannot possihly he