, 1912-03-14

q gay little man that MIR. Ferfaud *.
Lively as a cricket. Your father. |
understand. is to take Jiim n~ FAR rs
Marseilles. After tonight everything
will be quite formal. | suppose. Hon
estly. | feel ill nj ease in accepting
your splendid hospitality. I'm IN iLier-
loper. | haven't even the claim ot M
ordinary introduction. 1t has been very.
very kind of you"
"You know Mrs. Coldfcld. will. IL
you wish it. ask her to present you to
me-
81 am really serious"
$50 am l."
"They will be here tomorrow
"Yes. And In -four days we sail. oh,
1t is all 80 beautiful! A real treasure
hunt"
1T does not seem possible that I
have been here q week. 1t has been
a long time since l enjoyed myself so
thoroughly. Have you ever wondered
what has become of the other man?'
THE other manT'
Yes; the other one in or outside the
chimney. I've been thinking about
him this long while. Hasn't it occurred
to o that he may have other de-
vices?'
IF he a he will find that he has
waited too long. But | would ike to
know how he found out. You see.
triumphantly, "he believed that there
is one" She shook the rein. for the
sleek mare was nozzling her shoulder
and paving slightly. Let us be of.
She put her small booted foot on his
palm and vaulted INTO the saddle. and
he swung on to his mount. He stuff
ed his cap into a pocket. for he was
no fair weather horseman. but loved
the Jingle of the wind rushing through
his hair, and the two cantered down
the clear sandy road.
Fitzgerald was light hearted and
boyish. Breitmann was grave and dig
nited. but in the eyes of each there
was a force the girl had encountered
so seldom as to forget its being. Brett
mann, in his capacity rs secretary
was not so often in her company as
Fitzgerald; nevertheless she was
subtly attracted toward him. When
he was of the mind he could invent
a happy compliment with a felicity
no less facile than Fitzgerald. And
the pulling thing of ii all was. both
men she knew from their histories
had never been ornament at garden
parties where compliments are current
coin. She liked Fitzgerald. but she
admired Bee mann, n differentiation
which she mad no inclination to re
solve into first principles. That Brett
mann was a secretary for hire drew
no barrier in her mind. She had
known many gentlemen of fine
families who had served in like situa-
tons. There were no social distinc-
tons. On the other hand, she never
felt wholly comfortable with Brett
mann. There was not the least mis-
trust in this feeling. 1t was rather
because h instinctively felt hat he
was above his occupation. To sum II
up briefly, Breitmann was difficult to
understand and Fitzgerald wasn't.
Fitzgerald had an idea: boldly put.
1t was a grave suspicion. Not once
had he forgotten the man in the chin
ney. Once the finger had pointed at
Breltmann or some one with whom
he was in understanding. This had
proved to be groundless. But he kept
turning over the incident and inspect
Ing II from all sides. There were
others a-treasure hunting; persons un
known: and a man might easily be
come desperate in the pursuit of 1000
600 francs, almost half a million OF
American money. more. for some OF
fhnpn ,AfnC tryntrII hA rnra Ha bod
thoroughly searched the ground out
side the cellar window. but the sea
gravel held its secret with a tenacity
as battling as the mother sea herself.
There was a new under groom. or
rather there had been. He had left.
and where he had gone nj one knew.
Fitzgerald dismissed the thought OF
him; at the most he could Il been
out an accomplish. one TO unlock the
cellar window.
While Breitmann fingered near
Laura, offering what signs of admira
ton he dared. and. while the admiral
chatted to his country neighbors who
were gathered round the tea table.
Fitzgerald and NJ. Ferraud were brac-
ed against the terrace wall. a few
yards farther on. and exchanged views
on various peoples.
america is a wonderful country"
said NJ. Ferraud, when they mad ex-
hausted han a dozen topics. He spread
out his hands, Frenchman wise.
$50 1t is" Fitzgerald threw away
mis- cigarette and quietly caught the
other by the wrist and turned the