The Washington herald., 1912-06-02

/ ana disappear. refer Kun pulled tns
check string and descended. For sew
efal moments he stood and observed
the house into which the lady whom
he had been following had disappeared
Then he turned to the driver.
Il want you to watch that house" ht
said, never to take your eyes off il
When reappear from II, il do at all
/ shall probably be in a hurry. Directly
you see me be on your box ready to
start. A good deal may depend upon
our getting away quickly"
Very good, sir" the man answered
How long am / to wait here for your
Peter Ruff's lips twisted into a Curl
Gus little smile
Until o'clock" he answered. 'Ti
am not out by then, you needn't
bother any more about me You can
return and tell your mistress exactly
what has happened"
The motor car had turned round and
disappeared now, and in a few mo-
ments Peter Ruff stood before the door
of the house into which the little lady
had disappeared The problem of en-
trance was already solved for him The
door had been left Unmatched ;only a
footstool had been placed against 1t
inside. Peter Ruff, without hesitation,
pushed the door softly open and en-
tered, replaced the footstool in its for
mer position, and stood with his back
to the wall, in the darkest corner of the
hall, looking around him-listening in
tently. Nearly opposite, the door of a
room stood ajar. II was apparently lit
up, but there was no sound of any one
moving inside. Upstairs, in one of the
rooms on the first floor, he could hear
light footsteps woman's voice hum
ming song. He listened to the first
few bars, and understanding became
easier. Those first few bars were the
opening ones of the Servian national
antheml
With an effort, Peter Ruff concen-
trsted his thoughts upon the immedi-
ate present The little lady was up
stairs. The servants had apparently
retired for the night He crept up to
the half-open door and peered in. The
room, as he had hoped to find il, was
empty, but madame's easy chair was
drawn up to the FIRE, and some coffee
stood upon the table. Stealthily Peter
Ruff crept in and glanced around,
seeking for a hiding place. A move
ment upstairs FASTENED his decision.
He pushed aside the massive curtains
which separated this from a connecting
room. He had scarcely done so when
light footsteps were heard descending
the stairs
Peter Ruff found his hiding place all
that could have been desired, his sec
ondary room itself was almost in dark
ness, but he was Just able to appreci-
ate the comforting fact that it pos
sessed a separate exit into the hall.
Through the folds of the curtain he
had a complete view of the farther
apartment The little lady had chang
ed her gown Of stiff white satin for
one Of fimsier material, and, seated
in the easy chair, she was busy pouring
herself out some coffee. She took a
cigarette from a silver box and, light
ing II, eurled herself up in the chair
and composed herself as though to
listen. To her as we'll as to Peter Ruff,
as he erouched in his hiding place, the
moments seemed TO pass slowly enough.
Yet, as he realized afterward, it could
not have been ten minutes before she
sat upright in a listening attitude.
There was some one coming Peter
Ruff, too, heard a mans firm footsteps
come up the tagged stones.
The little lady sprang OF her feet
Paul !" she exclaimed.
Paul Jermyn came slowly to meet
her He seemed a little out Of breath
His tie was all diSarranged and his
collar unfastened. The little lady, how
ever, noticed none of these things. She
looked only into his face.
Have you got it," she asked, eager
ly
He thrust his hand into his breast
coat pocket, and held an envelope out
toward her.
Sure he answered. 'I promised :"
She gave a little sob, and with the
packet in her hand, came running
straight toward the spot where Peter
Ruff was hiding. He shrank back as
far as possible. She stopped just
short OF the curtain, opened the drawer
of table which stood there, and slip
ped the packet in Then she came back
once more to where Paul Jermyn was
standing.
my friend!" she cried, holding out
her hands-"My dear, dear friend |
Shall I ever be able to thank you
enough!"
She laid her hand upon his arm-a
little caressing. foreign gesture
Tell me" she said, "how did you
it,"
I'VE left the dance together" Jermyn
said. 81 could see that he wanted to |