The Sauk Centre herald., 1912-09-19

"Fortune Did Not Re.urn to Her Room
Last Night"
smoounress or ner forehead.
The two began to pack. That is to
say, Celeste began; Mrs Chedsoye
| generally took charge of these maneu-
vers from the heights, as became the
officer in command. Bending was
likely to enlarge the vein in the neck;
and all those beautiful gowns would
not be worth soldi without the added
perfection Of her lineless throat and
neck. Size was getting along in years,
too, fact which was assuming the
proportions Of cross; and more and
! more she must husband these linger-
ing (nct to say beguiling) evidences Of
youthfulness
I'VE might as well get Fortunes
things out of the way, too, Celeste."I
Yes, Madame" s
"And bring my chocolate at halt
after eight in the morning It is quite
| possible that We shall sail tomorrow
| night from Port Said. If not from
| there, from Alexandria. 1t all depends
upon the booking, which can not be
very heavy going west this time Of
year.
"As madame knows" came from the |
| depth of the cavernous trunk Celeste |
was no longer surprised; at least she /
never evinced this emotion. For |
twelve years now she had gone from |
one end Of the globe to the other, upon !
! the shortest notice. While surprise
was lost to her or under such con-
troll as to render it negligible, she still |
shivered with pleasurable excitement !
at the thought of entering a port |
Madame was so clever, so transcen-
IDENTIFY clever! If she, Celeste, had |
not been loyal, she might have retired !
| long ago, and owned a shop of her !
own in the busy Rue de Rivoli But |
| that would have rleant humdrum ex-
| 1stence; and besides, she would have
grown fat, which, of the seven hor-
rors confronting woman, SO madame !
said, was first in number.
] BE very careful how you handle
that blue ball-gown."
ooh, Madame!" reproachfully.
"It is the silver braid Do not
press the rosettes too harshly"
Celeste looked up. Mrs Chedsoye
answered her inquiring gaze with
thin smile.
"You are wonderful, Madame"
"And so are you, Celeste, in your
way"
At ten o'clock Mrs. Chedsoye was
ready for her pillow. She slept fit
f,,11Cs aWOEo of oil
twelve. After that she knew nothing
mere till the maid reused her with
the cup of chocolate. She sat up and
slipped slowly. Celeste waited at the
bedside with the tray. Her admira-
| ticn for her mistress never waned
Mrs. Chedsoye was just as beautiful
in dishabille as in a ball-gown. She
drained the cup, and as she turned
to replace it upon the tray, dropped
1t with clatter, a startled cry coming
from her lips.
"Madame?"
fortunes bed!"
1t had not been slept In. The
! steGmer-cloak ley across the counter
Pane exactly where Celeste herself
had laid it the night before. Mrs.
Chedsoye sprang cut of her bed and
ran barefoot to the other. Fortune
had not been in the room since dinner
time.
Celeste, dress me as quickly as
possible. Hurry! Something has
happened to Fortune"
Never, in all her years of service,
could she recollect such a toilet as
madame made that morning. And
never before had she shown such con-
Germ over her daughter. 1t was amaz-
ing!
"The ,ittle fooll The little fooll"
Mrs. Chedsoye repeatedly murmured
as tie nimble fingers of the maid few
over her. "The silly little fool; and
at a time like this!" Not that re
morse of any kind stirred Mrs. Ched
soye's conscience; she was simply eX.
tremely annoyed.
She hastened out into the corridor
and knocked at the door of her broth.
er's room. No answer. She flew
downstairs, and there she saw him
coming in from the street. He greet.
ed her cheerily.
tits all right, Kate; plenty of room
on the Ludwig. We shall take the aft
ernoon train for Port Said. She sails
at dawn tomorrow instead of to-
night What's up?" suddenly
noticing his sisters face.
Fortune did not return to her room
last night"
what? Where do you suppose the
little fool went, then?"
| They both seemed to look upon For.
| tune as little fool.
Yesterday she threatened to run
away"
| Run away? Kate, be sensible.
How the deuce could she run awayf
She hasn't penny. 1t takes money
to go anywhere over here. She has
probably found some girl friend, and
haa enent .ks n.~ht With h<a- rS~n
| ITO be continued.)