Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-05
The Runaway Bride

toward the CGllllR OUT OF MS ldNOIlIe
meerschaum Upon the table at his .
hand a letter lay. II was from his
father In England, the fourth viscount
and in IL was a scathing denunciation
OF Lord Richard for his failure TO Sc
cure a moneyed bride And If you do
not stir yourself, Richard the letter
concluded. Il shall be forced, reluc-
family. 20 stop your allowance till you
come home"
There was some ground for the
fourth viscouuts remonstrances, for,
having gone 10 America TO complete
arrangements for mis- marriage with
the daughter OF certain varnish man.
uflctureT. whose fortune was reputed
20 be in the neighborhood Of thirty
millions, Lord Richard had handed the
lady over 20 a prior claimant, a penni-
less painter. and then, breaking away
from his fashionable encourage. had
set 20 work more or less systematical-
~ 20 explore the possibilities Of ad-
venture In the New World. And now
all must come 20 an end.
Lord JoceIyn sighed and folded the
letter into its envelope. Then he IN
dutiWlly tore IL into six pieces and let
them iall into his waste paper basket.
This means home and England" he
said rcgretfully And | was begin
ming 10 love America so well. No
county fairs. no tea parties. no yes,
my lord and no. Lord Jocelyn' every
moment Of my life. And now every
thing Is over"
A long and resonating ring at his
door bell az this moment interrupted
his gloomy meditations. Instinct told
Lord JOCelyn that the ring came
from the pressure OF a feminine finger;
furthermore that his caller. whoever
. she might be. was not in a condition
. Of mind that might be called wholly
5 composed: for the long ring was sue
{ ceedcd by several shorter rings, and
: terminated in a succession OF still
! shorter and very violent tintinnabula
tons.
Lord Jocelyn laid down his pipe,
rose up and went down TO the door
which. as he laid his hand upon the
handle. flew back in his face, disclos-
Ing the form of an extremely pretty
girl. carrying suitcase. who precipi-
tated herself into his arms. calculating
some agitated phrases in a foreign
tongue which was entirely incompre-
hensible to him
+. Il beg your pardon" stammered
Jocelyu. diseugaging himself as deli
catrly as was possible under the cir
cums'0uccs Have you not come to
the wrong apartment, mademoiselle?'
Instead OF answering him the young
woman dropped her suitcase in his
private hall and slammed the door be-
hind her. she stood regarding him
with a mixture OF embarrassment and
fear. In which the latter emotion clear
" predominated And again she be-
gan beeeechlng him in this strange
language which, TO Jocelyn's ears,
sounded like Russian.
"Mademuiselle speaks English-or
French he asked.
"Ah. Out, Monsieur" she calculated
hastily I'm the latter tongue. "Sauvez
moi. je vous prize; cachez moi. Mon
ennemi-"
She broke on I'm confusion. while
Jocelyu stared at her I'm amazement
almost catching the contagion of heI
own terror. Who was this enemy
what enemy could this beautiful CIR
fear SO much that she sought refuge
from him in the apartment Of a stran
ger?
However. this was clearly not the
time 10 ask questions. Jocelyn lee
the way into his apartment; but she
looking round fran,ically. clutched a.
his arm and. still speaking in French
begged him 20 hide her where she
could 'er be found"
Jocelyn racked his brains in perplex
fv. II she did not feel safe here
where We ID she? He assured her thai
none should be permitted 10 enter. bu
even this did not modify her fears
"He will come. Monsieur" she gasped
Hide me-hide me. implcre you"
A new thought passed swiftly
through the young mans brain. Per
haps this was a lunatic whom he wa!
destined 20 entertain. Clearly II be
hooved him 20 aliay her fears, ever
by the most preposterous measures
There was large cupboard in hi
kitchen. or rather in a tiny room ad
joining Il. which had been partitionet
OF as 4 stoTeroom. II was empty
save for a few bottles OF claret. Her,
she could seclude herself; moreover
this refuge afforded an access 20 fresl
air through the medium OF an opel
top which communicated with tn
oaen china closet above. The yer
place. None would dream Of looking
for a fugitive in such a shelter. And
finally this little room, placed as II wa
90 the end Of his suite. communicate
by a door with the hall outside II
therefore, the young woman Shove
signs Of violence Il would be easy .
conduct her out and thus avert an
occurrence Of scandal in his ow
apartment
Come. Madenoiselle." said JocelyI
and, taking her by the arm. he led he
through his suite and to this place {
refuge. She hurried into the 10,
closet and crouched there, her sui
case at her side. Lord Jocelyn close
the door and went back TO his smokin
room. He strained his ears, but nc
"a sound came from the closet.
well, NY boy, you've done al 20