Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1914-05-08

can stop the car and summon the pO-
lice"
The chauffeur drew in his legs and
leaned toward his tempter. Monsieur,
II you are not testing, then you are a
mailman. Who are you? What do |
know about you? never saw you be-
fore. and for two seasons have driv-
en- mademoiselle In Paris. She wears
beautiful jewels tonight. How do !
know that you are not a gentlemanly
thief? Ride home with mademoisellel
You are crazy. Make yourself scarce.
monsieur; In one minute ! shall call
the police"
"Blockheadl"
English of this order the Frenchman
perfectly understood. La, la!" he
cried, rising to execute his threat.
Courtlandt was furious, but his fury
was directed at himself as much as at
the trustworthy young man getting
down from the limousine. His eager
ness had led him to mistake stupidity
for cleverness. He had gone about the
affair with all the clumsiness OF a boy
who was making his first appearance
at the stage entrance. II was nightly
disconcerting,> too, to have found an
honest man when he was in desperate
need OF a dishonest one. He had faced
with fine courage all sorts OF danger
GUS wild animals; but at this moment
he hadn't the courage to face po-
liceman and endeavor to explain, In
foreign tongue, a situation at once so
delicate and so singularly open to mis-
construction. So, for the second time
in his life he took to his heels. or
the first time, more anon. He scram-
bled back to his own car, slammed the
door and told the driver to drop him
at the Grand. However, he did not re-
turn to the hotel
Mademoiselle da Toscana's chauf-
feur scratched his chin In perplexity.
In frightening off his tempter he rec
ognized that now he would never be
able to find out who he was. He should
have played with him until mademoi-
selle came out She would have known
Instantly That would have been the
time for the police. To hide In the
car! What the devil! Only a mad.
man would have offered such propo-
sition. The man had been either an
American or an Englishman, for all
| his accuracy in the tongue. Bah! Per.
haps he had heard her sing that night,
and had come away from the Opera
moonstruck. II was not an isolated
case. The fools were always poster
ing him, but no ene had ever offered
so uncommon bribe; five hundred
! francs Mademoiselle might not be-
lleve that part Of the tale. Mademoi
selle was clever. There was stand
ing agreement between them that she
would always give him half of what
brides 1t paid. 1t was easier to sell
his loyalty to her for two hundred and
fifty francs than to betray her for five
hundred. She had yet to find him un
truthful, and tonight he would be as
frank as he had always been.
But who was this fellow In the Ba
varian hat, who patrolled the side
walk? He had been watching him
when the mailman approached. Fol
an hour or more he had walked VI
and down, never going twenty feet be
yond the limousine. He couldn't see
the face. The long DIX coat had a
military cut about the hips and shout
ders. From time to tin he saw him
glance up at the lighted windows. Eth
well; there were other women In the
world besides mademoiselle, severa
others.
He had to wait only half an hour fol
her appearance. He opened the dool
and saw to 1t that she was comfort
ably seated; then he paused by the
window. touching his cap.
What is 1t, Francois?"
"A gentleman offered me five hun
dred francs, mademoiselle, II would
permit him to hide in the car"
Five hundred francs? To hide II
the car? Why didn't you call the pc
lice?"
81 started to. mademoiselle. but hi
ran away"
oh! What was he like?" Tn,
prima donna dropped the bunch o
roses on the seat beside her.
"Oh, he looked well enough. He haC
the air of a gentleman. He was tall
with light hair and mustache. But al
had never seen him before, and a.
mademoiselle wore some fine jewels
babe him be of"
Would you know him AGAIN."
Surely mademoiselle."
THE next time anyone bothers you
call the police. You have done well
and |. shall remember 1t. Home"
The man In the Bavarian hat hur
rled back to the third car from thu
limousine, and followed at a reason
ably safe distance.
She shut on the light and closed he
eyes. She reclined against the cushion
once more. striving not TO think Once
her hands shut tightly. Never. never
never! She pressed down the burning
thoughts by recalling the brigh
scenes at the ambassadors, the rea
generous applause that had followe'
her two songs. All, how that maj