The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-01

moved Ianguidly on, but stopped after a few steps to say to me, wen eI- p1ore the castle tomorrow, A1r- Smart, if it's just the same to you.'' He spoke with a very slight accent and in a pe- culiarIy attractive manner. There was charm to the man. was bound to ad- init. teI know Schloss Rothhoefen very well. It Is an old stamping ground Of mine.''
 'EIndeedr'' said [, affecting surprise.
 VI spent very joyous season here not so many years ago. Hohendahl is a bosom friend"
 was eager to steal away to the east wing with the news, so somewhat lat CT knocked at the countess door. realized that it was a most unseemIy hour for calling on a young, beautiful and unprotected lady, but the exigen- cies of the moment lent moral support to my invasion.
 The countess' French maid peered out at me.
 ..Ten your mistress that must see her at onee..'
 Madame is not at home. m'sieur.' said the young woman.
 Not at homer gasped. tsWhsre Is she?''
 Madame has gone to bed.e
 "OhI' said blinking. Then she is at home. Present my compliments and ask her to get up. Something very ex- asperating has hap
 Madame has request me to inform m'sieur that she knows the count is here and will you be so good as to cau tomorrow morning
 'sWhat. She knows hes herea Who brought the information ?H
 teEhe bountiful Max, m'sieur He bring it with dejeuner, again with din CT and but now with the hot water, m'sieur.''
 stOh, I see.' said profoundly. In that case I-shan't disturb her"
 Very stiff1y and ceremoniously I ad- vised caution for the next twelve hours and left
 Now it may occur to you that any self respecting gentleman in possession of a castle and a grain of common sense would have set about to find out the true names of the guests beneath his roof. But it so happens that I rather enjoyed the mystery. The situ- ation was unique, the comedy most exhilarating. or course there was a tragic side to the whole matter, but. now that Twas in for 1t, why mini mize the novelty by adopting larbitrary measures? Somewhat gleefully de cided that it would be good fun Co i keep myself in the dark as long as possible
 When I reached the room where my guests were assembled I found MT PIess and the Baron Umovitch engag- ed in an acrimonious dispute over q question of bridge etiquette. The 1 former had resented sharp criticism coming from the latter, and they were 1 waging a verbal battle in what I took to be five or six different tongues. ! none of which appeared to bear the slightest relationship to the English language. Suddenly MT. Pless threw his cards down and left the table i without a word of apology to the two ladies, who looked more hurt than ap- paIIed.
 He said he was going to bed. but l noticed that he took himself or in the ! direction of the moon1it loggia. We were still discussing his defection 1n | subdued tones-with the exception of f the irate baron-when he re-entered [ the room
 .fAre there real spirits in your castle, | MT Smart, or have you flesh and | blood mediums here who roam about | in white night dresses to study the moods of the moon from the dizziest { ramparts?''
 started. What indiscrettOn had | the countess been up to?
 q don't quite understand you, Mre Pless,' I said, with a politely blank stare.
 My dear countess,'' said the next morning, .'while I am willing to ad- init that all you say is true, there stiu remains the unhappy fact that you were very near to upsetting every thing last night MT. Pless saw you quite plainly. The moon was very full, you'll remember. Fortunately he was too far away from your window to recognize you. Think how easy it night
 But I've told you twice that, I held my hand over Pfnko's nose, and be just couldn't bark, MT. Smart You are really most unreasonable about it- The dog had to have a breath of fresh air.'
 "Why not send him up to the top Of the tower and let him run around on the''-
 ooh, there's no use talking about 1t any Iongerl'' she said wearily. 'It is all over, and no real harm was done. am awfully sorry If they made 1t un- comfortable for you"
 tcontinued-l