Mexico Missouri message., 1910-04-21


Van Torp during the last few days,
for she sincerely wished to help him,
now that she had made up her mind
as to Logotheti's real character.
Nevertheless, her love OF fair play
made her feel that the Greek ought
to be allowed a chance of retrieving
himself.
Yes" she said at last, "lll go, on
one condition. At least, it's not a.
condition, my dear; it's only a sug-
gestion, though / hate to make one.
Don't think me too awfully cheeky,
will you?"
Margaret shook her head, but looked
very grave.
Il feel as II ] we're getting into a
bad scrape,' she said, land / shall be
only too glad Of any good advice. Tell
me what | had better do"
Il must tell you something else first
as a continuation OF my letter, for all
sorts of things happened after wrote
It,"
She told Margaret all that has been
already narrated, concerning the news
that Baraka had been set at large on
Logotheti's sworn statement that the
ruby was not his, and that he had
seen 1t in her possession in Paris;
and she told how she had tried to find
him at his lodgings, and had failed,
and how strangely the leather-faced
secretarys answers had struck her,
and how she had seen Baraka's gloves
and stick in Logotheti's hall; and
finally she said she had taken it into
her head that Logothei had spirited
away the Tartar girl on his yacht,
which, as every one in town had
known through the papers, was at
Cowes and in commission. For Logo
theft, in his evidence, had explained
his absence from the police court by
the fact that he had been off in the
Erinna for two days, out of reach of
news.
Margaret's face grew darker as she
listened, for she knew Lady Maud too
we'll to doubt but that every word was
more than scrupulously true; and the
deduction was at least probable one.
She bit her lip as she felt her anger
rising again.
What do you advise me to do?"
she asked, in a sullen tone.
Telegraph to Logo and prepay an
answer of 20 words. Telegraph to his
rooms in st. James place and at the
same time to his house in Paris. Tele-
graph anything you like that really
needs an immediate reply. That's
the important thing. If he does not
answer within 81 hours-say SO at the
most-he is either on his yacht or
hiding. Excuse the ugly word, dear
l don't think Of any other. If you are
afraid of the servants, Ill take the
message to the telegraph office and
send it for you. suppose you have
some way of signing which the clerks
don't recognize-if you sign at all"
Margaret leaned back in her chair
in silence. After a few seconds she
turned towards the glass, rested her
chin on her folded knuckles, and
seemed to be consulting her own re-
flexion. 1t is a way some women
have. Lady Maud glanced at her
from time to time, but said nothing.
At last the prima donna rose with a
sweep that upset the light chair be-
hind her, one of those magnificent
sweeps that look so we'll on the stage
and are little too large for a room.
She got her blotter and pen from a
shelf, brought it back to the toilet
table, picked up the chair in a very
quiet and sensible way, as if she had
never been on the stage in her life,
and sat down to write.
II shall take your advice, DEAR" she
said opening the blotter and placing
large sheet Of paper in the right po-
| sition.
Lady Maud rose and went to the
window, where she stood looking out
while Margaret wrote her message.
you needn't write 1t out twice, "
she said, without turning round. Just
put duplicate message and both ad.
| dresses"
Eyes. Thank you"
Margaret was already writing. Her
message said it was absolutely neces.
sary that she should see Logotheti
directly, and babe him answer at
once, If he could come to Bayreuth
If important financial affairs hindered
him, she herself would return i'm,
mediately to Paris to see him.
She was careful to write financial
affairs, for she would not admit that
any other consideration could delay
his obedience. While she was busy
she heard, but scarcely noticed, an
unearthly boot from a big motor car
that was passing before the hotel
There must have been something in
the way, for the thing hooted again
almost at once, and then several
times in quick succession, as If a 81
gantic brazen ass were beginning tC
bray just under the window. The
noises ended in a sort of wild, tri
umphant howl, with furious putting
and the motor took itself off, just az
Margaret finished.