Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-10-27

a glimpse"
He searched eagerly for the sigma.
ture.
Don't bother" she said. '"The name
is only a nickname we gave her at
school,"
School? Do you mean to tell me
that you went to school with her?
Where?"
"In Pennsylvania first. then in Milan
Read
o Cara Mia-If only you knew how
sorry 1 am to miss you! Why must you
sail at once? Why not come to my beau
tiful Venice? l have so much to say that
cannot be written. You ask about the ad-
venture. Pouf goes my little dream Of
greatness. 1t was a blank failure. The
officials put unheard Of obstacles in our
path. The contracts were utterly disre-
garded. In the first place, we had not
Italy.
Costumes and scenery" Hillard
sought the signature again.
The base of all the trouble was a clerk
in the consulate at Naples. He wrote US
that there would be no duties on costumes
and scenery. Alas, the manager and his
hacker are on the way to America. sad
der and wiser men! We surrendered our
return tickets to the chorus and sent
them home. The rest of us are stranded
lis not that the word?-here in Venice,
waiting for money from home. If I were
alone. it would be highly amusing, but
these poor people with me! There is only
one way I can help them, but that-never!
You recollect hat my personal income is
quarterly, and it will be two months be-
fore; I shall have funds. There are per-
sons moving heaven and earth to find me.
My companions haven't the least idea
who I am. So here we all are. wandering
about the Piazza San Marco, calling at
Cooks every day in hopes Of money. |
am staying with my maid in the Campo
Santa Maria Formosa, near our beloved
Santa Barbara. 1 have guaranteed the
credit of my companions, and they believe
that Venetians are generous people. Cen
erOus! Perhaps you will wonder how l
dared appear on the stage in Italy. A
black wig and a theatrical makeup-these
were sufficient. A duke sent me an invi-
tation to take supper with him, as if l
were a ballerina! I sent one Of the Amer
lean chorus girls, a little mink for mis-
chief. She ate his supper and then ram
away. I understand that he was furious.
Only a few months more, Nell, and then
I may come and go as I please. Come to
Venice. CAPRICCIOSA.
billiard did not stir. Another laby-
rinth to this mystery! Capricciosa-
Kitty Killigrew's unknown prima don
ma, and all he had to do was to take
the morning train for Venice, and
twenty-four hours later he would be
prowling through the Campo Santa
Maria Formosa.
Mrs. Sanford observed him curl
ously, even sadly. Why couldn't his
fancy have been charmed by an every.
day, sensible girl and not by this
whimsical, extraordinary woman who
fooled diplomats, Haunted dukes and
kept a king at arms length as a pas
time? And yet,
"C~apricciosa," he mused aloud.
THAT is not her name"
"And l shall not tell it you.'
But her given name? Just a straw,
something to hold on. I'm a drowning
man."
ut is Hilda."
'"That is German"
"She prefers it to Sonia"
"Sonia Hilda. 1t begins we'll. May I
keep this letter."
Certainly not. With that cara mia ?
Give it to me-"
He did so. "Shall I seek her?'
"This is my advice-don't think Of
her after tonight. If you ever see or
recognize her, avoid her. 1t may sound
theatrical, but she is the innocent
cause of two deaths. These men
sought her penly too.'
what has she done?
"She mad" a great though common
mistake"
"Political?"
Don't be foolish. I am sorry I let
you see the letter. I forgot that she
told me her hiding place"
"Her hiding placer
"Mr. Hillard, she is as Far removed
from your orbit as Mars is from Jupi-
ter's. Forget her."
my orbit Is not limited. I shall
seek her. When I find her I shall
marry her"
IT like you too much, Mr.. billiard, to
stand by and see you break your. heart
against a stone wall"
Don't you see, the deeper the mys.