The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-07-05
CHAPTER xi.-Contlnued.

DO you know the Due d'Aubigny.
-our Grace?" asked.
He looked at the picture again be-
ore he answered. felt rather shaky
fter the question was out.
"Ah, mademoiselle." he replied. the
mark he bears is not the claw of a
lon such as you see in the picture.
ut saber cut most ignominious. one
candal. He is my friend. am
shamed for him" And when I tried
D look surprised: "Mademoiselle. you
ave not heard? He IL a thief"
"A thief" echoed. to gather my
enses and wonder what l would say
ext: felt rather foolish having said
nything about the Due d'Aubigny at
er he answered SO readily. He 10
|oble. Your Grace. l can not COM
|rehend"
"Noblemen may be thisves, madem-
|iselle" He smiled. a quick. flashing
mile then. characteristically French.
4e wa. isad again. ut makes my heart
che He was never trustworthy. but
u, he was most lovable. II 1t not,
AladenNi seller"
"I do not know" replied. II do
OF know him"
kDd gained nothing except the
now{ lge that he knew the Due
'Aubi sny. and had saddened the
oor little duke by the mention Of an
FIRING friend. I hastily spoke Of 9th
n things. the pictures, places We both
. Aand loved in his beloved France.
gS were there an hour, much to my
.. &azement. long. most interesting
our, and l wondered that I'd ever
Aeen guilty of suspecting him Of any
ahing but being a splendid little
French duke who couldn't help 1t II
he had an ancient title. and all the
heiresses wanted to marry him.
hated to think that Natalie-but then
that wasn't any Of my business.
There was an end to my happiness
when l was back downstairs again.
Il Lydia Abercrombie was deserting her
bridge game. and as the others, Mrs.
Higginson. Jane Bliss. and especially
Natalie. wanted to keep on playing.
Natalie beckoned to me and I. per-
force, must come.
Perhaps we won't be SO unfortu-
nate this time" she drawled as
dropped down into the chair opposite
her. We've had splendid cards. Lydia
and l."
But at the end of an hour. when
Mrs. Higginson and Jane Bliss cried
quits, Natalie totaled up her score and
found she was two hundred dollars
ioser<. I'm sure she didn't care about
the mohey; she cared about losing.
qhe looked at me sweetly In her
roopy way.
"Win you allow me to give you
sbme points," she cooed. mot that
4 am an authority, but perhaps then
e can better understand each 9th
r."
I'll be most grateful" l murmured.
Aishing that she and her silly bridge
sre at the bottom Of the sea. or some
AVh}e thought.
come to my room. say. in
1 bur" she drawled. I'll be
now you my queer way Of
u y bridge"
Mled sweetly. getting control Of
" land ignoring the accented slam
Fast of her speech. l was BE-
RK to hate her. positively hate
Egand was highly pleased with my
over the discovery; never.
(ught I was capable of hating any
4 K tn end of half an hour. always
81 observation-disclosures. to JOS pounding It
eAto mel was about to knock on
II atalie's door when Mrs. Hazard ap-
eared and asked me to come with
er. Hap had come home with
Opposition for = crowd Of '09's over
zAs holiday-the next day was . holi-
7hy-And there was no room for them.
ut he would 90 in with John Grown
Sshield. and II would share LAura's
bite. We could bunk them all easily
hd It would b awfully Jolly.
"Why. Of course" agreed.
In two minutes Mrs. Hasard's mas
kr mind was behind he arrange
tbsAeD. I VaS - kooD NJ sitting
III