Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-04-14
CHAPTER xxl.-Continued.

Their mothers were much alike,
but they were distinguishable. II you
are proposing a substitution of Rosa
lind for Helen, l should say to have
care of it, You may deceive casual
acquaintance, but hardly lover"
Il have carried through worse ad-
ventures. Those documents must not
get nto-into-unfriendly hands!
have pledged myself that Miss Patricia
shall be kept free from further trouble,
and much trouble lies in those forged
notes il your brother gets them. But
/ hope to do little more than protect
your sister; / want to get you all out
of your difficulties. There is no rea-
son for your remaining in exile. You
owe it to your daughter to go back to
civilization. And your sister needs
you. You saved your brother once;
you will pardon me for saying that
you owe him no further mercy"
He thrust his hands into his pockets
and paced the floor a moment, before
he said:
You are quite right. But am sure
you will be very careful Of my little
girl; she is all I have-quite all
have"
He went to the hall and called her
and bowed with a graceful, old-fash
toned courtesy that reminded me oil
Miss Pat as Rosalind came into the
room.
will I do, gentlemen, all?" she
asked, gayly. do l look the fraud
feel?"
She threw off a long scarlet CLOAK
that fell to her heels and stood before
us in white-H was as though she hat
stepped out of flame. She turned
slowly round, with head bent, submit
ting herself for our inspection.
81 think l read doubt in your mind,
she laughed. You must not tell me
now that you have backed out; l shall
try 1t myself, if you are weakening.
am anxious for the curtain to rise"
There is only one thing: sugges
that you omit that locket. l dineC
with her tonight, so my memory Ii
fresh"
She unclasped the tiny locket tina
hung from a slight band of velvet a
her throat and threw it aside; and he
father, who was not, l saw, who'll!
reconciled to my undertaking. held tn,
cloak for her and led the way with
lantern through the garden and dowl
to the waterside and along the creel
to the launch where lima was il
readiness.
was taking steering direction!
from lima, but as we neared Port An
Mandate l glanced over my shoulder t,
mark the casino pier lights whel
Rosalind sang out:
Hard aport-hard!"
/ obeyed, and we passed within oar
length of a sailboat. which, showing
no light, but with mainsail set, wa
loafing leisurely before the light ives
wind. AS we veered away l saw
mans figure at the wheel; another fig
ure showed darkly against the cuddy
Hang out your lights" l shouted
angrily. But there was no reply.
THE Stiletto," muttered lima, star
ing the engine again.
| we must look out Tor ner SOin
back" said, as we watched the sloo
merge into shadow.
The lights of the casino blaze
cheerily as we drew up to the pie
and Rosalind stepped out in goo
spirits, catching up and humming tn
waltz that rang down upon us fror
the clubhouse.
Lady" l said, 'Iet US see wha
lands we shall discover"
Il ought to feel terribly wicked, bu
really never felt cheerfuller in m
life," she averred. But / have on
embarrassment"
"Well|-and we paused, while sh
| dropped the hood upon her shoulder
What shall I call this gentleman
what does she call him? I'm bles
II know! ! call him Buttons usually
| knight of the Rueful Countenanc
might serve; but very likely she call
, him Reggie"
; Il will try them ALL" she said.
think we used to call him Reggie O
: Strawberry Hill. Very likely he wi