The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-06-19
CHAPTER vII-confinued.


THE moth and the candle" mused
Courtlandt. THAT will be Nora Harri-
gan. How long has this infatuation
been going on?''
Year and half"
And the other slider"
There isn't any other side," ex
ploded the artist. shes worried to
death. Not a day passes but some
scurrilous penny-a-liner springs some
yarn. some beastly innuendo. She's
been lodging the fellow for months.
In Paris last year she couldn't move
without running into him. This year
she changed her apartment, and gave
orders at the Opera to refuse her ad-
dress to all who asked for it. Conse-
Quently she had some peace don't
know why it is, but woman in public
life seems to be a target
1.-THE penalty of beauty, Abby. Home
ly women seldom are annoyed, unless
they become suffragists" The colonel
poured forth dense cloud OF smoke.
What brand is that, Colonel?"
asked Courtlandt, liking.
The colonel generously produced his
pouch
mo. no! was about to observe
that 1t isn't ambrosia."
''Rotter!" The soldier dug the Of
fender in the ribs. Il am going to
have the Harrigans over for tea this
afternoon. Come over! You'll like
the family. The girl is charming; and
the father is a sportsman to the back
bone. Some silly fools laugh behind
his back, but never before his face.
And my word, know RATS of gentle
men who are not fit to stand in his
shoes"
i should like to meet Mr. Harri-
gam" Courtlandt returned his gaze to
the window once more.
And his daughter?" said Abbott.
curiously.
"Oh, surely!"
Il may count on you, them" The
colonel slowed away the Offending
brier. "And you can stay to dinner"
I'll take the dinner end of the in
vitation," was the reply. Eve got
to go over to Menaggio to see about
some papers to be signed. If 1 can
make the three o'clock boat in re-
turning, you'Il see me at tea. Dinner
at all events. I'm off,"
Courtlandt walked up the street
leisurely. idly pausing now and then
before the shop windows. Apparently
he had neither object nor destination;
yet his mind was busy, so busy in
fact that he looked at the various
curios without truly seeing them at
all. A delicate situation, which need
ed the lightest handling, confronted
him. He must wait for an overt act,
then he might proceed as he pleased.
How really helpless he was! He could
not force her hand because she held
all the cards and he none. Yet he
was determined this time to play the
game to the end, even if the task was
equal to all those of Hercules rolled
into one. and none of the gods on his
side.
At the hotel he asked for his mail,
and was given a formidable packet
which, with sigh of discomfort, he
slipped into pocket. strolled out into
the garden by the water, and sat down
to read. To his surprise there was q
note. without stamp or postmark. He
opened it, mildly curious to learn who
1t was that had discovered his pres
, ence In Bellaggio SO quickly. The en-
velope contained nothing more than q
neatly folded bank note for one hun
dred francs. He eyed It stupidity. What
might this mean? He unfolded it and
smoothed it out across his knee, and
the haze OF puzzlement drifted away.
Three bars from La Boheme. He
laughed So the little lady OF the
Taverne Royale was in Bellaggio!