Arizona republican., 1911-02-11
THE ADVENTURES OF
MR.. PETER RUFF
BY z. Phillips Oppenheim-Mrs. Bog
nor's Star Boarder.
BY {. Phillips oppenheim-The Per-
fidy of Miss Brown.


tie absently, and seated himself at his
| desk.
Violet" he asked, have you ever
been to PARISH"
She looked at him compassionately
More times than you, l think.
Peter" she answered.
He nodded.
THAT" he exclaimed, I" Is very pos
sible, Could you get ready to leave
by the two-twenty this afternoon?
What, alone?" she exclaimed.
No-with me-" he answered.
She shut down her desk with a
bang.
"Of course | cant" she exclaimed.
What a spree! ="
Then she caught sight of a certain
expression on Peter Rufus face, and
she looked at him wonderingly.
Is anything wrong, Peterf" she
asked.
No." he answered, 81 cannot say
that anything is wrong. | have had
an invitation to present myself before
certain society In Paris of which you
have some indirect knowledge. What
the summons means l cannot say"
yet you go?" she exclaimed.
CO." he answered. 81 have no
choice. IL I waited here twenty-four
hours, should hear of It,"
They can have nothing against
you." she said. "On the contrary, the
only time they have appealed for your
aid, you gave livery valuable aid it
must have been, too"
Dotor DreP
cannot see," he admitted, what
they can have against me. And yet,
somehow, the wording of my invita-
tion seemed to me a little ominous.
Perhaps" he added, walking to the
window and standing looking out for
q moment, " / have a liver this morn
ing. / am depressed. Violet. what
does IL mean when you are de-
pressed?"
Shall you wear your gray clothes
for traveling?" she asked, little ir-
relevantly.
al have not made up my mind"
Peter Ruff answered. 81 thought of
wearing my brown, with brown over
coat. What do you suggest?
al like you in brown" she answered,
simply. 81 should change, If | were
you"
He smiled family.
81 believe" he said, that you have
a sort of superstition that as | change
my clothes / change my humors."
Should | be so very far wrong?"
she asked. Don't think that | am
laughing at you, Peter. The greatest
men in the world have had their
foibles."
Peter Ruff frowned.
We shall be away for several days."
he said. +" Be sure that you take some
wraps. 1t will be cold, crossing"
Are you going to close the Office
altogether?2shea asked.
Peter Ruff nodded.
Put up a notice." he said Back
on Friday. Pack up your books and
take them round to the Bank before
you leave. The lift man will call you
a taxicab."
He watched her preparations with a
sort of gloomy calm.
al wish you'd tell me what is the
matter with your" she asked, as she
turned to follow her belongings.
Il do not know" Peter Ruff said.
at suppose | am suffering from what
you would call presentiments. Be at
Clearinghouse punctually."
Why do you go at all?" she asked.
These people are of no further use
to you. Only the other day, you were
saying that you should not accept any
more outside cases"
al must CO." Peter Ruff answered.
at am not afraid of many things, but
I should be afraid of disobeying this
letter."
They had a comfortable journey
down, cool, bright crossing, and
found their places duly reserved for
them in the French train. Miss
Brown. in her neat travelling clothes
and furs, was conscious of looking
her best, and she did all that was
possible to entertain her travelling
companion. But Peter Ruff seemed
like a man who labors under some
sense OF apprehension. He had faced
death more than once, during the last
few years-faced It without fiinching,
and with a certain cool disregard
which can only come from the highest
sort of courage. Yet he knew. when
he read over again in the train that
brief summons which he was on his
way 10 obey, ludL he udu pdSStu uuueI
the shadow of some new and indie
Enable fear He was perfectly well
aware, too, that both on the steamer
and on the French train he was care
fully Swallowed. This fact, however,
did not surprise him. He even went
out of his way to enter into CONVEX
sation with enc of the two men whose
furtive glances into their compartment
and whose constant proximity had first
attracted his attention. The man was
civil but vague. Nevertheless, when
they took their places in the dining
car, they found the two men at the
next table. Peter Ruiz pointed them
out to his companion.
a. Double-Fours y he whispered.
Don't you feel like a criminal?
She laughed. and they took no more
notice of the men. But as the train
drew near Paris. he felt some return
of the depression which had troubled
him during the earlier part of the
day. He felt a sense of comfort in his
companions presence which was a
thing utterly strange to him. On the
other hand, he was conscious of GER
tain regret that he had brought her
with him into an adventure OF which
he could not foresee the end.
The lights of Paris flashed around
them-the train was gradually slack
ening speed Peter Ruff, with sigh,
began to collect their belongings.