The Washington herald., 1914-10-25

I
know how obstinate he is. He had
made up his mind.
VERY well, / said no more But
since then the Cafe Lugano has seen
little of me. / have lunched in that
gloomy room downstairs at the Hol-
lande nearly every day. Sometimes
have dined there as well They keep
on charging me more and more. They
bring me Indifferent things to eat They
keep me waiting an unconscionable
time. / say to myself, Never again
will ! set foot inside this placer and
in a few hours am back again"
Tins isn't like you, he remarked,
wonderingly.
Not a bit" she admitted. at have
never believed in presentiments. /
haven't cared about anything but direct
methods. Yet l am going to tell you
something. know perfectly well that
there are things connected with the
Cafe Hollande which have never been
discovered. Do you know what l call
it to myself-the Spiders Parlor |
Things go on there which no one has
any idea of"
She glanced at the clock, which was
just striking 4
Today" she went on" "as came
out, l stopped to give something to the
musicians. The man who plays the
piano was the only one there The 9TH
er two had turned away for a minute.
! wonder whether you remember him?
He was strange, dark-looking creature,
with queer eyes"
Brooke nodded.
Il remember him perfectiy"
He seemed to have a sudden idea
when spoke to him." she went on.
There was no one within hearing. He
asked me in an undertone for my ad-
dress.
THE internal cheek" Brooke be-
gan.
. Constance shook her head.
Don't be absurd" she said quietly.
''He did not ask in that sort of way.
The only other two words he said
were -Four o'clock Now suppose you
go to the door and open it"
There was a sound of knocking out
side. Brooke obeyed II was indeed
a long black overcoat, notwithstanding
the heat Of the day, and he carried a
soft black hat in his hand. He stared
hard at Brooke with one eye, and
blinked rapidly with the other.
Miss Robinson?" he asked.
"She is here" Brooke replied. Come
in"
The man came into the room. Con-.
stance rose to her feet
This gentleman" she said, indicst-
ing Brooke, is a friend of mine. You
need not hesitate to speak before him
What is it you wish to say?"
The man laid his hat upon the table.
Young lady," he began, Il do not
quite know why spoke to you. was
beside myself this morning They have
dismissed me, those people at that rat
hole. sat there thinking when you
passed. You, too, have been in that
place often, and ! wondered, as the 9TH
ers wonder, for what purpose. / said to
myself that we would speak with one
another. Who can tell what may come
of it?" |
Il have nothing whatever to conceal"
she told him. Il have been so often
into that wretched little room at the
Cafe Hollande because the place seems
to me so mysterious, and because | am
interested in unraveling queer things
and visiting strange places. have al
ways a fancy that there are secrets al
most within the reach of ones hands
there"
The man leaned forward He was
English enough, and yet there was a
strain of some foreign blood in him.
His gestures were theatrical, but natu-
raj.
at is the truth I" he exclaimed.
There are things going on there which
no one knows of. There are certain
visitors who are brought with much
ceremony to the little room downstairs,
early. What happens? Who knows?
But that visitor never comes another
time. He is never seen again.
you" he went on, pointing to
Brooke, were brought down there one
day, and the young lady. Nothing hap |
pened. The young lady has been often
since Yet believe me or not, as you
choose, never do remember any one
else escorted down those stairs by Jean
whose face l have ever seen againF
But there are always few custo-
mers there Constance objected.
'Dummiesp the musician declared.
They are creatures of the restaurant
There is barely single genuine Gus
toner. Why should they come? The
place is nearly empty. Only one or two
tahles are set there; it is cold and
irafty, the service is slow. Mademoi-
selle is the only one from the outside
world who has been there often, and /
have seen them watch her-watch her
from upstairs, watch her from the other
places. Sometimes have had il in my
mind to speak to her"
Tell me-" Brooke asked, you seem
70 have been suspicious OF this place
for some time. Have you discovered
"A triie which may not be a trihe,"
he musician answered. at was only
There was a wine merchant
who called. Jean complained bitterly
IF some wine We could hear them
1pon the stairs.
at was arranged that Jean should go
nto the cellar and bring up several
,ottles at hazard. Jean passed Us, went
,ehind the bar, opened the trapdoor and
stepped down / saw him disappear
with my own eyes. In moment or
-wo the wine merchant came down the
;tairs. He inquired for Monsieur Jean.
pointed to the open trapdoor.
"'AhP he exclaimed, he has gone to
;etch the wine. / will help him. He
hurried across the room and began to
descend the steps. Presently he re-
urned There is no one there, he de-
Jared.
at was in the intervals of playing. I
myself descended with him The cell