The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-04-19
CHAPTER XIV.

He opened his eyes again, alone on
the cool, damp, earthen floor, but as
sured that the feminine element in his
adventure had been no hallucination,
after all; for he could see the girl
standing a little to one side and look
ing down upon him, her face so deep
in shadow that he could gather moth
ing from its expression, whether 1t
were of displeasure or of perplexity
From this and that, however, he de-
duced that she, discovering herself
laVishing endearments on the wrong
man, was not utterly delighted with
the situation. The circumstances tax
en- into consideration, such a state Of
mind he thought not unreasonable;
and being now to some extent recov-
cred, he saw no profit in making her
suffer more. So with a show of
faintness not wholly assumed. he
rolled his head to one side, opening
wide his eyes and looked the woman
in the face, inquiring with his faint,
thin brogue: What's this, now. me
dear?"
The girls face darkened. She shook
her head impatiently. 81 have no Eng
lish," she told him in excellent French.
who are you? Why do you come
here? You are not Danny!"
"Oho!" commented O'Rourke know
ingly, "and that's the explanation, is
it?" He sat up, embracing his knees
and drawing a rueful face. Faith, me
DEAR" he admitted, "I concede ye the
best of the argument, thus far. am
not Danny-'tis true as Gospel"
She frowned. Then what are you
doing here, monsieur? How did you
learn-who told you-the signal?"
Faith, from no less a person than
Danny Malone himself. He showed
me the way and bade me knockout
niver word said he of yourself, me
dear"
Monsieur does not recall that ad-
mitted him?" she persisted, but with
tightening face, nor anything that
happened thereafter"
mot the least in the world What
did happen, now?"
But sine flanked that embarrassing
question adroitly, evidently much re-
lieved by O'Rourke's reinsurance.
Which was just what he wished her
frame of mind to be. Nothing that
matters" she replied, continuing to
employ the French tongue, and that
very prettily, with fetching little ac-
cent. 81 think you tainted Then-but
you know my Danny?
your Danny!" said O'Rourke, his
mood quizzicaI None better, me dear.
I've known him since he was so high.
or thereabouts." And he held a palm
some six inches or SO above the floor
"And he--he brought you here?"
who else? How else would | be
knowing the signal? Ye see, there was
bit of shindig down the street and
me in the middle thereof and getting
all the worst of tiff ye must know
when along comes Danny and lends
me a hand and whips me off here and
says he'll be back in moment. He'll
tell ye the details himself; but p
he eyed her quizzically-"would now
ASK We to overlook the unceremonious
manner of me entrance and a certain
lack of dignity as to me attire, which
]. beg ye to believe is not me ordinary
evening dress, and-and faith! me
throat is baked entirely, If me clothes
are not. May l ask for a drink at
mademoiselle's fair hands?"
He was on his feet now and en-
ioying the situation hugely. "And It's
the Irish eye for beauty Danny has!"
he told himself. 81 commend his taste,
the roguel"
For the girl was exceedingly fair to
see; slender and straight and girlish
and sweet; a Greek, If he we're to
judge of her features and her dress,
and in that odd light, with perturba-
ton In her pose, q smile half-perplexed
trembling on her lips (beoause Of
O'Rourke's conceit) and the shadow Of
anxiety clouding her eyes, she made
charming picture indeed,