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

lady Of the Taverne Royale. It was
necessary to fnd her The where
abouts Of Flora Desimone was OF vital
Importance II she had not yet ar
rived, the presence Of her friend pre-
saged her ultimate arrival
He rose and proceeded on his quest.
Before the photographers shop he
saw a dachel wrathfully challenging
a cat on the balcony Of the adjoining
building. The cat knew, and so did
the puppy, that it was all buncombe
on the puppy's part; the usual Euro
pean war scare, in which one Of the
belligerent parties refused to come
down because it wouldn't have been
worth while, there being the usual
powers ready to intervene. Courtlandt
did not bother about the cat; the
puppy, claimed his attention. He was
very fond Of dogs. So he reached
down suddenly and put an end to the
sharp challenge. The dacheI struggled
valiantly. for this breed Of dog does
not make friends easily.
Il say, you little Dutchman, what's
the row? I'm not going to hurt you.
Funny little codger! To whom do you
belong% He turned the collar around,
read the inscription, and gently put
the puppy on the ground.
Nora Harrigan!
His immediate impulse was to walk
on, but somehow this impulse refused
to act on his sense of locomotion He
waited, duly wondering what was go
ing to happen when she came out. He
had left her room that night in Paris,
yoWing that he would never intrude
on her again. With the recollection
of that bullet whizzing past his ear,
he had been convinced that the play
was done. True, she had testified
that 1t had been accidental, but never
would he forget the look in her eyes.
It was not pleasant to remember. And
still, as the needle is drawn by the
magnet, here he was, in Bellaggio. He
cursed his weakness.
IS. All. voices! He stepped aside
quickly.
Fritz. Fritz; where are your"
And moment later she came out,
followed by her mother . and the
little lady of the Taverne Royale. Did
Nora see him? It was impossible to
tell. She simply stopped and gathered
up the puppy, who struggled deter
minedly to lick her face. Courtlandt
lifted his hat. 1t was in nowise Of
fered as an act Of recognition; it was
merely the mechanical courtesy that
a man generally pays to any woman
in whose path he chances to be for the
breath Of second. The three women
in immaculate white. hatless, but with
sunshades, passed on down the street.
Nora, who was that?" asked Mrs.
Harrigan.
Who was who?" countered Nora,
smuggling the wriggling dachel under
her arm and throwing the sunshade
across her shoulder.
That fne-looking young man who
stood by the door as we passed out.
He raised his hat"
"Oh, bother! was looking at
Fritz"
Celeste searched her face keenly,
but Nora looked on ahead serenely;
not a CULVER Of an eyelid, not the
slightest change in color or expression.
She did not see him!" thought the
musician, curiously stirred. She knew
her friend tolerably well 1t would
have been impossible for her to have
seen that man and not to have given
evidence of the fact.
Mrs. Harrigan took the omnibus up
to the villa 1t was generally too
much of a climb for her. Nora and
Celeste preferred to walk.
What am going to do, Celeste?
He is here, and over at Cadenabbia
last night had terrible scene with
him. In heavens name. why can't
they let me be-"
Herr Rosen?"
Yes"
why not speak to your father?"
sAnd have a fisticuff which would
appear in every newspaper in the
world? No, thank you. There is
enough scandalous stuff being printed
as it is, and l am helpless to prevent
it,"
AS the climb starts off stiffiy, there
wasn't much inclination in either to
talk. Celeste had come to one de-
cision, and that was that Nora should
find out Courtlandt's presence here in
Bellaggio herself. When they arrived
at the villa gates, Celeste offered a
suggestion.
You could easily stop all this rumor
and annoyance"
And, pray, how?"
Marry
Il prefer the rumor and annoyance.
hate men. Most Of them are beasts
~You are prejudiced"
If Celeste expected Nora to reply
that she had reason, she was disap-