The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-03-18
Gid DTNA'S PLBY

New York and who sold you the stone
you gave me, is he not?"
"Oh, certainly. And that was at
the end of July, and Leven was killed
late in June"
Eyes. That only leaves month
for him to have been to Asia-that's
absurd"
Utterly, totally, and entirely impos-
sible," asseverated Mr.. Van Torp.
Zone of two things. Either this man
is your husband, and if he is, he's not
the man who found the rubies in Asia.
Or else, if he is that man, he's not
Leven. l wish that heather girl had
been here yesterday! She could have
told in a minute. Shed better have
been here anyway than cutting around
the Mediterranean with that fellow
Logotheti!"
YES" Lady Maud answered grave
ly But about myself-if Leven is
alive, what is my position-I mean-l
don't really quite know where | am,
do II"
Anybody but you would have
thought of marrying again already" OBJ
served Mr. Van Torp, looking up side
ways in her eyes, for she was taller
than he. Then you'd really be in a
bad fix, wouldn't you? But as it is. l
don't see that it makes much differ
ence The mans going under false
name, so he doesn't mean to claim
you as his wife, nor to try to get a
divorce again, as he did before. He's
just going to be somebody else for his
own good, and he'll get married that
way, maybe. That's his business, not
yours. l don't suppose you're going
to get up in church and forbid the
banns, are your"
81 would, like a shot" said Lady
Maud. $50 would you, I'm sure!
Think of the other woman!"
That's So" answered Van Torp
without enthusiasm. However, we've
got to think about you and the pres
ent, and decide what Wen do. | sup
pose the best thing is for me to put
him off with some excuse, so that you
can come on the yacht"
please do nothing of the sort!
cried Lady Maud.
But | want you to come" objected
her friend
81 mean to come. Do you think In
afraid to meet him?"
Van Torp looked at her in some sur
prise, and not without admiration.
There isn't anybody like you, any
way" he said quietly. But there:
going to be a circus on that ship Il
he's Leven," he added. "If he make:
fuss I'll read the riot act and loci
him up"
ooh, no." answered Lady Maud, wht
was used to Mr. Van Torp's familiar
vocabulary, "why need there be an!
trouble? You've not told him l an
coming, you say. Very well. If HI
sees me suddenly after he has beer
on board a little while, he'll certainl!
betray himself, and then | shall b.
sure. Leven is a man of the world
was or is'-God knows which! Blu
| if it is he, and he doesn't want to b.
recognized, he'll behave as if nothing
had happened, after the first momen
of surprise. At least | shall be Ger
tain. 1 must be positively SURF
whether Leven is alive or dead, TO
what I have got back in these las
two months is my whole life. A mer,
recognition at first sight and at tel
yards is not enough. 1t may be onl,
marvellous resemblance, for the!
say every one has double some
where in the world"
"They used to say, too, that if yol
met your double one of you woult
die" observed Van Torp. 'Thos
things are all stuff and nonsense, o
course l was just thinking. Well,
he continued, dwelling on his favorit
monosyllable, eff you decide to com
on the yacht, and if the man doesn'
blow away, we shall know the truth Il
three or four days from now, an,
that's a comfort. And even if he turn
out to be Leven, maybe we can man
age something"
Lady Maud chose not to ask wha
her friend thought he could manage;
for she had glanced at his face whel
he had spoken, and though it was hal
turned away from her, she saw hi
expression, and it would have scarce
a nervous person. She did not lik
him to be in that mood, and was sol
ry that she had brought him to it.
But Mr. Van Torp, who was stron
man, and had seen more than one al
fray in his ranching days, could no
help thinking how uncommonly cas-
it would be to pick up Count KraliI
sky and drop him overheard on a darl
night next week, when the Lancashir
Lass would be doing % knots, an
there might be little weather abou
to drown the splash.
CHAPTER XIII.