The Breckenridge news., 1910-05-25

! head high. ana ner eyes burned into
Kitty's very heart Il am
stop! No. no. | forbid you" Kit
ty put her hands over her ears She
might gain the secret. but she knew
that she would lose the heart of the
woman it concerned II am wrong.
wrong. ! have promised to follow you
loyalty. without question ! will keep
that promise. | am only angry be-
cause you would not let me speak to
Mr.. Hillard He is very handsome"
Kitty added thoughtfully. He is
strong too" ss-
"Strohg and cruel as tiger How
hate him But thank you. Kitty;
thank you Sooner or later, if we stay
together. ! must tell you. The conf
dence will do me good Kitty APP
preached. and La Signorina drew her
close II have wrought harm to no
one. But on my side they will tell you
that / have been terribly wronged.
alone. 1t was cruel Of me to forbid
you to speak to Mr.. Hillard. But l
wish him to recollect me pleasantly,
as whimsical being who came into
his life one night and vanished out of
it in two hours"
But supposing the memory cuts
deeply" ventured Kitty. Men fall
in love with less excuse than this"
"Nonsensel" La \Signorina opened
the window to air the room. She lin
gered. musing. "You are very good to
me, Kitty"
Il can't help being good to you, you
strange, lovely woman, for your sake
as well as for mine. Now I am going
to write letter"
La Signorina still fingered by the
window
Merrihew was pocketing currency I'm
exchange for his gold when Hillard
passed an open letter to him:
My Dear Mr.. Hillard-Do not seek US.
| 1t will be useless If Mr.. Merrihew is
with you, tell him that some day | will
explain away the mystery But this
please make plain to him-if he insists
upon searching for me he will only double
my unhappiness.
hlII h1LLlGREW.
Merrihew soberly tucked the letter
away II knew it," he said simply.
"She is In some trouble or other. some
tangle. and fears to drag us into 1t.
Who left letter here this morning?"
he asked Of the concierge.
"a small boy from villefranche."
"Just my luck" said Merrihew. II
said that it would be of no use to
hunt in the smaller towns. Well. we
J had better take the luggage back to
the rooms. ! am going to Vile
franche."
"You will be wasting time. After
what happened last night | am certain
they Will be gone. Let us respect their
plans. hard as it may seem to you"
But your
"Oh. don't bother about me. | have
relegated my little romance to the gar
ret of no account things, at least FOR
the present" said Hillard. with an
enigmatical smile. Make up your
mind-we have only twenty minutes"
"Oh, divine afflatus And you lay
down the chase so readily as this n
Merrihew was scornfully indignant.
81 would travel the breadth of the
continent were | sure of meeting this
woman. But she has become will-o'-
the-wisp. and am too old and like
comfort too well to pursue impossible
tiles"
"But why did she leave you that
mask?" demanded Merrihcw. "She
must have meant something by that"
"True. but for the life of me I can't
figure out what"
"But don't like the idea OF leaving
Kitty this way without a final effort
to rescue her from the clutches of this
fascinating adventures"
II admit nothing. my boy, save that
the keenness of the chase is gone. As
for Kitty. she's worldly little woman
and can take good care Of herself
Her letter should be sufficient"
"But It isn't A woman's don't Of
ten means do II Kitty really expects
me to search for her and l do not she
will never believe In me again"
Perhaps your knowledge of women
is more extensive than mine," said
billiard