Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-17

| ,
! he saw in the look a feminine desire
to throw the others off the track as
| to the sentiment expressed in his
whispered words.
The hour passed tolerably well.
| Herr Rosen then observed the time,
rose and excused himself He took the
/ steps leading abruptly down the ter
race to the carriage road. He had
come by the other way, the rambling
stone stairs which began at the por-
+ ter's lodge, back of the villa
Padre" whispered Courtlandt, 81
am going. Do not follow. I shall ex-
plain to you when we meet again"
The padre signified that he under
stood Harrigan protested vigorous
ly, but smiling and shaking his head,
Courtlandt went away.
Nora ran to the window She could
see Herr Rosen striding along, down
the winding road, his head in the air.
Presently from behind a cluster OF
mulberries, the figure of another man
came into view. He was going at a
dog-trot, his hat settled at an angle
that permitted the rain to beat
squarely into his face The next turn
in the road shut them both from
sight. But Nora did not stir.
Herr Rosen stopped and turned.
you called?'
Yes" Courtlandt had caught up
with him just as Herr Rosen was
about to open the gates Just q mo-
ment, Herr Rosen," with a hand upon
the bars. Il shall not detain you
long"
There was studied insolence in the
tones and the gestures which accom-
panied them.
BE brief. if you please"
My name is Edward Courtlandt,
as doubtless you have heard
In large room it is difficult to
remember all the introductions"
Precisely That is why l take the
liberty of recalling it to you. so that
you will not forget it." urbanely.
\ pause. Dark patches of water
We're spreading across their shoulders.
little rivulets ran down Courtlandt's
arm, raised as it was against the
bars.
II do not see how it concerns me-"
replied Herr Rosen finally with an
insolence more marked than Court
landt's.
"In Paris we met one night, at the
stage entrance of the Opera, / pushed
you aside, not knowing who you were.
You had offered your services; the
door of Miss Harrigan's limousine"
1T was you?" scowling.
II apologize for that. Tomorrow
morning you will leave Bellaggio for
Varenna. Somewhere between nine
and ten the fast train leaves for
Milan"
"Varenna Milan!"
Exactly. You speak English as
naturally and fluently as if you were
born n the tongue. Thus, you will
leave Tor Milan. What becomes of
you after that is of no consequence
to me. Am l making myself clear?"
''Verdampti Do 1 believe my ears?'
furiously. "Are you telling me to
leave Bellaggio tomorrow morning."
AS directly as I can"
Herr Rosen's face became as red as
his name. He was a brave young
man. but there was danger of an
active kind in the blue eyes boring
into his own. If it came to a physical
contest, he realized that he would get
the worst of 1t. He put his hand to
his throat; his very impotence was
choking him.
"Your highness 80
"Highness!" Herr Rosen stepped
back.
Yes. Your highness will readily
see the wisdom of my concern for
your hasty departure when I add that
know all about the little house in
Versailles, that my knowledge is
police and the minister of war If
you annoy Miss Harrigan with your
equivocal attentions ~
'Gott!" This is too much"
wait! I am stronger than you are
Do not make me force you to hear me
to the end. You have gone about this
intrigue like BLACKBOARD and that
know your highness not be. The mat
ter is you are young, you have always
had your way, you have not learnt
restraint. Your presence here is an
insult TO Miss Harrigan, and if she
was pleasant to you this afternoon it
was for my benefit. If you do not go,
shall expose you" Courtlandt
opened the gate.
And if I refuse?"
"Why, in that case being the
American that I am, without any par
ticular reverence for royalty or
nobility, as it is known, promise to
thrash you soundly tomorrow morn
ing at 10 o'clock in the dining room,
in the bureau the drawing room,
wherever l may happen to find you"
Courtlandt turned on his heel and
hurried back to the villa. He did
not look over his shoulder If he had
he might have felt pity for the young
man who leaned heavily against the
gate his burning face pressed upon
his rain-soaked sleeve.
When Courtlandt knocked at the
coor and was admittd, he apologized.
1T came back for my umbrella"
Umbrella" exclaimed the padre.
"Why, we had no umbrellas. We came
up in a carriage which is probably
waiting for us this very minute by
the porter's lodge"
well, I am certainly absent
minded"
"Absent-minded." scoffed Abbott
you never forgot anything in ali
your life, unless it was to go to bed
You wanted an excuse to come back"
ANY excuse would be a good one
In that case. I think we'd better be
going padre. And by the way, Herr
Rosen begged me to present his re-
grets. He is leaving Bellaggio in the
morning"
Nora turned her face once more to
the window.
ITO BE Continued TOmorrow.)