Middletown transcript., 1914-06-20

Really, / could be angry no longer.
Sitting a hysterical peal of laughter,
/ ran up to my deck and flung myself
breathlessly into my chair.
I had escaped from the frying pan
into the fire, however. For out of the
dark another shadow arose-an un-
steady shadow that quickly merged in
to more substantial but still unsteady
form. Magniff sat down beside me.
you cruel little girl" he began in-
anely, "why have you fed from me all
this time? Was it because you read
my secret, in my eyes? Miss Mary"
He tried to seize my hand. The re-
ception which gave him seemed to
sober him.
Don't go. Miss Howard" he begged
in maudlin tones. Forgive me. l guess
I'm bad egg after all, as the old
asinine party characterized me. I've
knocked about the world and never
found a friend but you Stay with me,
Miss Howard, and III tell you secret.
There's millions in it if we can To-
cate the party"
"Well?" said coldly, my curiosity
getting the better of my judgment.
TITS a girl" he babbled. "And she's
got some Panama bonds and don't
know the value Of them. If we can
trace her"
Eyes, Mr.. Magniff?" I answered art
lessly.
why, we can hold club over the
asinine party and extract cool half
million. You see, if she were to meet
the old comte and he adopted her and
took the bonds-what am l saying
about the comte? l mean a certain
elderly party" he explained craftily
why, he could pay off the mortgage
that the asinire party holds over him.
That would mean an end to the asinine
party's schemes of revenge. Now,
Miss Mary, if we can locate this girl
and get the bonds from her at a trifing
cost, pretending that they are worth
less, we can threaten the asinine party
that we'll deliver them to the other old
party unless he pays US what we de-
mand. See the point? Two birds in
the hand; fortune for you and me,
and club for the asinine person"
"And why do you make this propo-
sition to me?" 1 asked.
Because I love you, Mary" he cried,
seizing my hand. That's nothing to
the next trick Zeuxis and l have up
our sleeves. There's millions for all
of us. l think you're an angel. What
do you think Of me?"
II think you are a miserable scoun-
drel," l answered furiously, rising out
Of my chair.
To my astonishment he received my
outburst with peal of laughter.
That's what 1 like" he cried, try
ing to seize my hand again. "Give me
girl with some spirit in her. Miss
Mary! You can't imagine how much
I've been thinking of you since we met
aboard this old boat. Let's make a
date in London. Want to see the coro-
nation? Maybe I can get you a seat
and show you round. Let's CO.
1 turned on him, my eyes flashing,
my anger so furious that for a few
moments 1 could hardly find my
tongue. think I must have overawed
him, for he seemed to wilt away under
the blast of my rage, and waited
dumbly.
Listen to me, Mr. Magniff," 1 cried,
shaking my finger at him. Some of
my friends have been good enough to
tell me that am mascot and bring
people good luck. I've brought good
luck to you, better than you deserve,
at any rate, because am the woman
whom you and your servant have been
looking for. My name is not Miss
Howard I am Anne Ives, and my
father was Jules DIVES, born at Gil
chy, in Normandy"
1 saw him stagger at that; the blow
went home.
Here" l cried, snatching it from
my purse and holding it up to him,
This is the key to the box which con-
tains my bonds, and l am going to
Paris to redeem my property. 1t is
mine, and l shall dispose of 1t to suit
my inclinations."
he started toward me 1ncredulouSly.
He made a desperate clutch at the
key. But, with hysterical laugh,
withdrew it from his outstretched hand
and fed along the deck, down the
stairs and locked myself in my state
room.
I did not leave it until we docked at
Plymouth. But once, lying upon my
bunk, saw a shadow fall upon the
wall, and looking out, saw him pacing
the lower deck beside his hawk-eyed,
servitor, and an involun-
tary shudder came over me.
He was waiting to accost me at Ply
mouth, but eluded him in the crowd.
l ran the length of the station plat
form, dashed into the train and out
the opposite side, and had the pleasure
of seeing him start for London with
out me, under the firm conviction that
l was in the train.