The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-02
CHAPTER TX.
The Gold Cigarette Case.

A scrawIed in pencil on q
common envelope; yet
The postofice had sent II to him with,
out delay.
In the envelope was q half.sheet OF
paper with a monogram In pale blue
and silver, but SO intricate as to be
almost impossible for an uninitieted
person to decipher. On this half
sheet, written In a hand which might
De that OF man or a woman, were
two sentences and part OF another.
Dear Sir-I have heard of you and
your car, and saw photographs Of
both: I know that you are a gentle.
mand and can be trusted. I hope
very much that you are free and can
como here by Thursday. II possible
early in the morning. as IL 10 a matter
OF life and death to me. to get
Here the letter broke OF, giving no
clue to the nature OF the errand, or
writer. But Christopher was able to
yelope had been sent out from stoke
d'Estcourt, in Warwickshire.
Christopher found himself con-
ing with Scarlet Runner. really had
been a matter OF life and death to the
writer. He studied the monogram,
fancying that II must mean v. l.. H.:
and though the handwriting was
strong, the monogram was essentially
feminine.
christopher conceived the some
what wild idea that, by going to Stoke
dEstoourt and making inauirios, he
sent him the unfinished letter.
II was still early In the murky eve-
ming when the blazing rays OF his
lamps illuminated the quaint front OF
the old inn. He drove his car into a
garage, and engaged a bed room,
The first thing he did while his din
ner was being prepared was To call
for the local directory, and pore over
one with With the Initials i w I. X" But
no was disappointed. This was n
check for which he had been quite
prepared.
driven Scarlet Runner through the
whole length of the village High
street. thus advertising his advent. He
sat up late In the hope OF receiving |
a letter or word OF some sort from his
nameless correspondent. BY 7 o'clock |
he was dressed. The frst thing he |
did was to teuf-teuf conspicuousiy TO
tho postoffice.
DO you. ever get letters here for
any one with the initials v. l. H.
No. so far as the young woman
could rsmspbsr, none % her .regu.
the transient folk. she could not pre-
Christopher had only ono card left !.
g. play; He determined to drive Scar
every street OF the village.
He sounded his siren unnecessarily
often; but no one beckoned. no one
He drove out Of the village and
topk tho road which. he had been
Isntiemeh's houses and outlying
Here and there he caused his siren
70 discourse snatches from the opera
pf ia Trayiata-" but when he came
In sight OF the castle he forgot 20
r sl 9w wa. "seS ssrs i,ns and strik
Ing ruin. Christopher drove .ery
slowly 20 take In Its full mAgnincence.
and finally stopped Scarlet Runner In
The shadow Of the dark towering
Looking up from his seat In the
fently .purring car, the huge Norman
keep doomed above him. Christo-
sSisx y sar. m"st aasSt ees,amss
md cleaning armor. and suddenly
here was framed In a small. ivy.
iraped window q face as lovely as
my for which q knight OF old ever
A girl was gazing down at him--a
yiri whose yellow-brown hair was
,right gold-against a background OF
darkness. christopher had Just time
,ome other emotion strange for a
English morning. The large
yes met his In appeal; the lips open
a without speaking, hand and arm
small that glittered as IL
ell was thrown 20 him.
Instantly Christopher was out OF