The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-15
The Girl and the Walter,
CHAPTER u.

having devised dinner suita BILE to
the palate Of one who had followed the
lure Of Epicurus in Vienna, Paris, and
London, he turned from the card and
lfhting cigarette ard slipping cock.
tail, he gazed about the room.
At one table he saw the French am.
bassador and company of his Gallo
friends. Near by young Pembroke, Of
the british embassy. was dining a girl
Holton had met To his left sat a
dark-skinned, sleek-appearing man
with close-cropped vandyke beard. He
had been pointed out to Holton in
Paris as a man who had plans Of Ger.
man forts at Kiel for sale. The young
officer wondered what he was doug
here.
Altogether the atmosphere. Holton
: decided, was just as 1t should be. just
% the capital Of country should act
when the government stands on the
brink Of international war.
! Holton had just dispatched his first
oyster when his attention was attract.
ed by musical little laugh to a table
about twenty feet away from him. A
girl, slightly above the medium height.
with slender resilient figure, was stand
ing with her back to him, talking to
her escort, wellbult man Of fifty
odd, with iron-gray hair and beard,
and the dark features of the Latin.
She was beauty. Holton, connois.
seur Of femininity though he was, ad.
mitted that without hesitation. Her
hair was not the coal black hair Of her
race, but shining, golden deep
brown, which lay upon her head in
, thick, waving convolutions. Her eyes
were blue-gray, set off by long, dark
lashes, and fine brows, which ran with
delicate arches to the straight, finely
modelled nose. Her lips were colored
by nature. pure coral, and her teeth
flashed as she spoke.
IT'S absurd, father, for you to mind.
I can wait here as well as anywhere
else-although shan't promise not
to occupy myself by dining"
The father shrugged.
WELL" he said at length, 1T IN
quite necessary. Rance. and I shan't
be gone long. but II you mind I'll take
you back to the hotel"
mot at all. not ALL" she protested.
"It's SO bright and interesting here,
and you'll return soon. anyway. No,
60 on, father. and I'll eat"-she smiled
radiantly-"very slowly until you re.
turn"
Her cheeks had flushed with AMI
nation. and the purity Of her coloring.
as well as the whiteness OF her skin,
convinced Holton that II her father
were Spanish. or Cuban, or something
Latin. the girl unquestionably was the
daughter Of an Anglo.Saxon mother.
With gesture that amounted al.
most to carelessness, she had tossed
q gold mesh handbag on the table.
and now as she glanced over the card
It was quite concealed from her view.
Holton returned to his oysters, not,
however. neglecting occasional glances
at the radiant creature who had been
left, as he inwardly phrased It. high
and dry by her father.
II should think" he murmured, that
he'd be afraid someone would steal
her. IL, by George! I'd like to, you
know"
Which thought thrilled him out of
all proportion to the amount of good
sense It contained. It was at about
this point that Holton's gaze fell upon
the waiter attending the young woman.
He was one Of those interesting per.
sons to be seen occasionally in great
restaurants who seem to be above
their calling. There was a hidden
something, passing phases Of facial ex.
preston. certain movement Of the
shoulders, and above all. flrm.footed
but light tread, all Of which seemed to
Holton to indicate man misplaced.
He felt certain of this a moment
later, when the girl again lifted the
menu and the waiter stepped to the
corner Of the table, upon which the
gold bag lay. With quick snakelike
movement his hand shot out and seized
the bag. Then. hardly lifting his fin.
gers from the table, he snapped his
wrist upward and the bag flew under
the lapel Of his jacket. which had been
held open to receive 1t by the other
hand. Another instant and he was in
front Of the girl receiving her order
with the utmost sang froid.
Holton wasted no time In thought.
Quickly sprlnging up he approached
the young woman's table. and noddiny
to her as to an old acquaintance. he
placed his hand lightly upon the wait
er's arm.
wait moment" said Holton pleas
antly.
The girl in the meantime had been
staring at the young officer In wide.
eyed wonderment
"What-what does this mean" she
asked finally.
Your Bag" said Holton quietly.
was on this table. was it not?"
The girl leaned forward with a gasp.
Why-why, yes" she said Why
It's gone" She looked up at Hol,on
with startled eyes: ITS sone." che re-