The Washington herald., 1913-12-28

into tneir heads that that was not the
most desirable way of making what
ought to have been a discreet approach.
Each was willing that some one else
should stay behind, but was bent on
going him or her self. So they all of
them went together. Some one, / do
not know who, had lent me an aborig-
inal sort of wrap which / believe was
called burnous;, that covered the
worst of me, but there was still enough
of me visible to make me one of the
most striking figures in that singular
procession.
From the outside the Villa Hortense
seemed to be quite a good-sized house.
While people were wondering how we
were going to get in / turned the han
die and opened the door. The door led
directly into a room. AS l entered I
saw a feminine figure passing through
door which was on the other side.
Although she looked quite different, l
knew that she was Miss Marianne
Tracy. As l made a dash at her she
shut the door with a bang, heard
key turn in the lock, and bolts shot
home. As the door was a solid con-
struction, apparently six inches thick,
my desire to get through it had to be
postponed. Others had come in after
me, and they were cycling with surprise
the contents of the room-which were
rather amazing. There were articles
of clothing which had undoubtedly be-
longed to Miss Tracy, and what is
known as a Transformation" which
had probably belonged to her, too, to
say nothing of some odds and ends of
an extremely intimate kind. The great
discovery was made by Mrs. Stebbings
and her two daughters; they dashed
forward with a chorused cry: Faith
er's bagP
There, on a sort of stool, was the
bag which Mr.. Stebbings had kept in
his locker, and which had contained
the most valuable possessions of the
feminine part of the family. There
were some of them left still-what the
family seemed to regard as unconsid-
cred triAes; the articles really worth
having were there no more. They
had probably gone with the lady who
had locked and bolted-on the other
side-that extremely solid door. While
We were assiniilating this interesting
fact a person garbed as a sailor ap-
peared in the doorway and informed
US, at the top of his voice, that if we
wanted to continue our yachting cruise
we had better get on board at once, as
the boat was on the point of starting.
There was a nice to-do. As no one
wished to be left behind, a common in
clination was shown to rush to the
shore. As nobody was more eager to
get on board than I was, for divers
reasons, I kept well to the front We
reached the quay just as the ships |
boat was about to put off, and l was
the first one in. They all came tumb-
ling after me. As the ship had stayed |
there already much longer than she |
ought to have done. the captain made |
1t quite clear that his first duty was to |
the owners, and that if the Stebbings
family had wished to remain they
might have done so and come on by
another ship. But as their remaining |
property was on board and they had !
only few pounds on their persons,
IT was not strange that they had not
seen their way to act on the captains /
suggestion. l believe efforts were
made by wireless to ascertain the wom-
ans whereabouts and to regain the
Stebbings' gems, and that directions
were given to leave no stone unturned
which should bring these things about.
But, so far as l know, nothing ever
came of what was done.
The yachting cruise went on, under
a sort of blight. The truth was that
had had enough of yachting, and the
have done with this pleasure trip and
get back home. I did get back home
We all got back home-and l think that
most of US parted from each other in
the hope that we might never meet
again.
About a year afterward I was in
Bond street, when a beautifully-attired
ady came out of a shop, and stopped
% stare at me. could not believe my
.yes-it was Marianne Tracy, though
into quite another being.
Her GOODNESS was almost supernatural
ut is Miss Lee, isn't it? / thought
I was. I'm so glad to have met you"
That was all she said, in the sweetest
one of voice. Then she got into a
motorcar, which l had been I
conscious had been standing at the ;
urb, and as she pulled the door to she I
eaued over and said:
BY the way, how did you enjoy
hat little trip to sea ?" |:
Before l could answer the car was 1
,ff. What was / to do? l could not [
un after il: it was lost in the traffic {
'efore had got my wits about me. I
ould not give description of the car {
Il had scarcely noticed it; was not ;
ure either of the shape or color. That ,
woman had slipped through my fingers,
merely because her presence of mind
vas greater than mine. If | had only {
.ept my head enough to take her by 1
he throat in the middle of Bond street
A few days later l was standing in {
me of the Tube stations, when a
ecently-dressed young man came up
0 me and took his cap off. II
Excuse me, but aren't you Miss I
,ee2 L dor1't stfpoose Won Lrnonv xvho 7