Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-11-26
(Corvright. lol4I
Copyright 1914
SsHOW was Spainf" Anna asked.
Spain" replied Mr.. Cap
- - fnin nenlu returned from

tic"
The beautiful young woman in one of
her white gowns, sitting upon her green
divan in the Emperor's Gate fiat, re-
garded him questioningly. The young
man, fresh from holiday travel bronzed,
said further:
There is just trihe of business
which,
She leaned forward, sparkling, and
crying, Business For you and me?"
Certainly" said he May l have
cigarette?" She assented and he rolled
one THE state dinner service Of Spain
is not all it should he at the moment, l
am afraid"
Explain, Charlie" said Anna Stuart.
Il mean, lady, that part OF the state
dinner service has, quite unknown to the
chief butler, been replaced by very
clever, but comparatively worthless, itni-
tation"
She nodded, and asked for more.
He continued: Il was looking over a
certain factory in Madrid when the fact
first dawned upon me. My guide-a sub
manager or some such person--was ex-
tremely courteous, and quite pleased to
show me round. We arrived, however,
before door which was boted, though
from behind it came the sound of men
at work | asked to see the rootn-my
guide was evasive > il was an order
given by wealthy nobleman, and was
to be kept secret. But at that mo-
rent, lady, the door was unbolted and
one of the work1nen came out. Your
servant brushed past him in an instant
and glanced inside. Imagine the fury
Of the sub-manager! He and the work.
nan pulled me back, chattering like apes.
! apologized; implied my rudeness was
merely due to the ordinary high spirits
of a tourist Finally, I emptied my pock-
cts for the workman and asked the man
ger out to dinner. But, lady, your SER
amt had seen one piece OF complete
acsimle of the state dinner service
Anna thought seriously.
On the same boat by which return
cd,' said Mr.. Captain, was a gentleman
OF the Spanish court, PredeIa by name,
on a secret diplomatic mission to Eng
land"
'Well,' replied Anna in her manner
OF one expecting more.
Il made acquaintance with Predella
on the boat
"Well?"
And on arriving in London, fol-
lowed him up."
"And2"
He has been twice to the Office Of
Israel"
The biggest money lender in Lon
don,' Anna murmured.
Exactly" said Mr.. Captain. "On the
I'd occasion he drove Up in a taxi
cap with a packing case After he had
gone Israel came out followed by a cou-
pie Of clerks carrying what was presum-
ably the same packing case wrapped in
oilcloth, and drove away. Your servant
followed him TO the safe deposit in
Chancery Lane, where he left the pack
age, suppose, since he came away with
out it."
The thread is thin" said Anna after a
pause.
But v folding carefully" Mr..
~aptain repn,u
Then he looked at her, and his eve
'D"ltcd and his lips curled into a smile
md he said, Come oft to dinner LADY,"
-" Tie soft and wheedlng tone of
Ing man very far gone in love.
" hat shall 7 put on7" unused Anna.
lrI looked in the glass.
Kindly don't dress, lady" said he,
u will, with your permission, combine
business with pleasure, and take you to
La Rose, the little French place in New
Oxford street" Mr.. Captain added
thoughtfully Israel dimes there on
most evenings when work keeps him
late at his office, and on most evenings
work keeps Israel late
u was then 3 80. Anna Stuart dis
appeared and the young man sat looking
after her, and dreaming He forgot. a,
this moment, the state dinner service of
Spain, the money lender, the safe deposit
IN Chanccry Lane, pleasantly intricated
as he was in the new web into which he
was drawing the white girl and himself
until she came back, in white hat
and white fox furs, drawing on white
kid gloves, and shining obviously upon
him. Then he reused himself and said
"Ah, yes am to have the privilege
OF taking you out to dinner
In the taxicab he added: I'VE shall
stop at 1sraels office in the Strand. You
do not mnd2 1t would I think, be help
full to make his acquaintance"
Have you made a plan?"
None yet But ] think our first move
would be to get Israel out of the field
'ltowl"