The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-05

Madam, SAID i, there is an an
swer needed ! am to take back that
answer. know that this message is
to the Baroness Won Ritz guess it
to be important; and / know you are
the Baroness Won Ritz"
well, then" said she, pulling
abogt her half-clad shoulders the
light wrap she wore; "let me be as
free with you. II have missed one
shoe, ! have not lost ii wholly. lost
the slipper in way not quite planned
on the program. 1t hurt my foot. l
sought to adjust II behind a curtain.
My gentleman of Mexico was in wine.
fled, leaving my escort, and he fol-
lowed called to you. You Know the
rest. am glad you are less in wine,
and are more gentleman
Il do not yet know my answer,
madam"
Come" she said; and at once
knocked upon the door.
shall not soon forget the surprise
which awaited me when at last the
door swung open suddenly at the hand
of wrinkled and brown old serving
woman-not one of our colored wom-
en-, but Of some dark foreign race.
The faintest trace of surprise showed
on the old womans face, but she
stepped back and swung the door
wide, standing submissively, waiting
for orders.
We stood now facing what ought TO
have been narrow and dingy little
room in low row of dingy buildings,
each OF two stories and SO shallow in
extent as perhaps not to offer space
to more than half dozen rooms. In
stead Of what should have been, how
ever, there was a wide hall-wide as
each building would have been from
front to back, but longer than a half
dozen of them would have been! |
did not know then, what learned
later, that the partitions throughout
this entire row had been removed, the
material serving to fill up one of the
houses at the farthest extremity of
the row. There was thus offered
long and narrow room, or series of
rooms, which now | saw beyond pos
sibility Of doubt constituted the resi-
dence Of this strange woman whom
chance had sent me to address; and
whom still stranger chance had thrown
in contact with me even before my er-
rand was begun!
She stood looking at me, smile
fitting over her features, her stock
inged foot extended, toe down, serving
to balance her on her high-heeled sim
gle shoe.
Pardon, sir" she said, hesltating,
as she held the sealed epistle in her
hand you know me-perhaps you
follow mel do not know Tell me.
are you spy of that man Paken-
ham?'
Her words and her tone startled
me. had supposed her bound to Sir
Richard by ties OF a certain sort Her
bluntness and independence puzzled
! me as much as her splendid beauty
enraptured me. | tried to forget both.
Madam, am spy of no man, unless
I am such at order Of my chief, John
Calhoun Of the United States senate
perhaps. if madam pleases, soon OF
Mr. Tyler's cabinet"
In answer she turned. hobbled to q
tiny marquetry table, and tossed the
note down upon It. unopened. ! waited
patiently, looking about me meantime
| discovered that the windows were
barred with narrow Stats of iron with
in, although covered with heavy dra
peries of amber silk. There was dou
BILE sheet of iron covering the door b.
which we had entered.
"Your cage, madam" | inquired
II do not blame England for makins
it so secret and strong II SO loyel!
a prisoner were mine, should double
the bars"
The swift answer to my presumption
came in the flush Of her cheek and he
bitten lip. She caught up the key iron
the table, and half motioned me to tn
door. But now smiled in turn, ant
pointed to the unopened note on tn
table you will pardon me- madam,
went on. Surely it is no disgrac
to represent either England or Amer
lea. They are not at war. VIII
should we be?" We gazed steadily a
each other.
The old servant had disappeare
when at length her mistress chose I
pick up my unregarded document. ID
liberately she broke the seal and rea'
An instant later, her anger gone, sh
was laughing gaily.
! "See" said she. bubblng over wit
: her mirth; Il pick up stranger, VIII
should say good-by at my curb m
J apartments are forced; and this
what this stranger asks: that | sha
go with him, tonight, alone, and othe
wise unattended. to see man, pc
: haps high in your government, but
stranger to me, at HIS own rooms
2 alone Oh. la! la. Surely thei
4 Americans hold me Hight
"Assuredly we do. madam" a
: swered. "Will 1t please you to go
d your own carriage, or shall retul
e with one for your
Il She put her hands behind her bac
0 holding In them the opened messaI
from my chief. Il am tired. a
9 bored. Your impudence amuses m