The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-05-12

with alacri!y.
Ia Signorina WAS as daintily fires!
in Lcr link :rmi. as spring tulip.
Her eyes were shining. but her color
was thin
III have been looking for you. Mr..
O'MaIly." she said. Il have just re-
ceived telegram from her highnrss."
O'Mally accepted the yellow sheet.
Il can make out a word or two" lie
said. Its in Italian"
II forgot" alphabetically.
briefly. La i'rimcippssa Ill Monte
Blanca gave Sonia Hilda GruSvcn"r
full authority to act as her proxy IN
giving the ball. AS for the invit;Nis,n.
She knew absolutely nothing nlnu, il.
This last statement rather staggered
the crstwhile concierge. II the prin-
| cess indn't issued the invitation. who
the deuce had!
The dreamy. r!easurable days at tn"
| Villa .trisdne were no more. The
| spirit of SUSPICION now st:.lked
| abroad And there were a-cOminy an.
! going Of the many needed extra S-rv-
| ants. Il to and frning Of extra garden
| ers ard carpenters and the sound Of
many hammers. The hallruom a.ld the
| dining room were opened and aired
and the beautiful nocrs polished.
In Floreii"e there was Il deaf of OK
element ever the coming affair." for
| the Villa .sri::Gne had once been The
| srcrr Of E.aay IL splendid entertain.
mcnt. There had always been Il ulys-
| f,r. Il Dat. e., y:
! Monte Eianci. Many doubted her ar-
tCaI existence. But the prince was
known all over Europe as a handsome
| spenGthrift. And the fact that ut this
| precise moment he was Uuartrrtd
with the Eighth corps in Florence add.
cd largely to the zest Of speculation.
AS for billiard. we'll indeed he I'M
derStood now why Mrs. Slndford had
warned him. He understood now
what the great mistake was.
He was always ut her heels now.
but speaking no more of his love. She
understood and was grateful Once
she plucked a young rose and gave it
to him. and he was sure that her ha nd
touched his with pity. though she
would not meet his eyes
At O'Clock on the afternoon of the
day before the ball. now that the
noise had subsidized and the servants
were in their quarters. La Signorina
went into the gardens alone. An hour
earlier she had seen Hillard mount
and ride away. the last time but once.
There seemed to bear down upon het
that oppression which one experiences
in nightmare Of being able to fly sc
high. to run madly and yet to move
slowly. always pursued by terror
Even now there was single avenue
of escape. but she knew that she could
not profit by it and leave these unfor.
tunate derelicts to shift for them
selves. Love: She laughed brokenly
and struck her hands in suppressed
fury. A fitting climax this! All the
world was mad. and she was the mad
dest in it,
Some one was coming along the
path. She wheeled impatientIy. She
wanted to be alone. And of all mer
Worth was not the one she cared tc
see. But the sight of his pale face
and set jaws stayed her words. She
waited restlessly.
IL have something to say to you
he said. upon which your future wei
fare largely depends"
II am listening" She showed sur
prise.
There has been tremendous won.
DER as | understand. about this ball
IN regard to the strange manner in
which the invitations were issued"
'Have you found out who did it ~
she demanded.
Yes" The light in his eyes was
feverish.
"Who was it," fiercely.
~ issued those Invitations"
"Ycu" Her lips parted.
Eyes. am the guilty man. The
list was the main obstacle. l repre-.
sented myself as secretary to her high.
ness"
''And you have the efrrontery to con.
TESS your crime to me-' her fury bl:,z.
ing forth.
Call It what you please"
what purpose had you in mind
when you did this cowardly thiug?"
II had definite purpose. An i'm.
posture like yours is a prison offense
You have seen that love you. yet al
ways ignore me. You must marry
me-"
"You are hiding a threat"
II shall hide it no longer. Marry
me or ] shall disclose the imposture t.
the police"
"Oh" Then she laughed the laugh.
ter Of one in deadly anger. mir.
Worth. do you suppose. even had en-.
tertained some sentiment toward you.
that 1t would survive q circumstance
like this:''