Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-26
tcopyright, 1916. By the Star Company.
All Foreign Rights Reservcdj
CHAPTER VIII
The Glove and the HIug.


said the Marchesc Buriu.
The one thinr life cannot give"
answered christopher Race.
They were sitting together AT Flor
lars. in Venice. ut Que OF the out-of-
doors tables. They had met for the
FIRST time that evening at .. when the
place had been crowded. and thcy had
been forced to SIT down at table
toScihc.. il they would sit at all Now
IT was in the morning uor Florians
never cioscs). aud they had talked ever
since.
chri.tophcr huew ,hai l:aria had
loved lady. the tnost beautiful on
earth according 10 her lover: that they
had been engaged. and that then he
had lost some thousands OF pounds and
had received an adverse opinion con
corning his health from an eminent
doctor. The lady admired strong men.
and threw Baria over 10 take one
whose lungs and who.c bHuk account
were both more satisfactory than his
She was now the wife of this person.
WHO happened to be price. and the
Nar"hcsc l,aria wished to forget hcr
as soon possible. The only way
in which nc felt himself able To do
was engaged ~ shortening the short
lease OF life given him by his doctor
h. taking TOO much alcohol. Tic found
this recipe iisa agreeable, AS he dislikcd
wine ana spirits HUT. unfortunately,
N" had promiscd his English mother
on her dcathbcd that never. in any cir
oimstnnccs would he follow tho eX-
;,ruric set by QUO or tTo az hiE fathers
hot-hl"odcd ancestors and commit sui
eide. NoSious microbes had refused TO
infect him. lie could not take typhoid
fcvcr or amy other disease warranted
10 carry OF delicate patient. But he
had hopes "t pneumonia. Tina, ~as
why he bad chosen Ia sit out of doors
rn an unsca-on.bly chill. cold. rainy
might. clad III ;hc iiGhtcst Of garments
us II murder TO anmihilat" person
whose one Wish 70 to die the
Marchcso asked
I'm inclined 10 ;i,ink 10" ...w would
regard T., So I,ut''--1nd chr:siorhc,
spoke slowly ~ II u,. mature dciibcra-
tion--"Tn tell sou what do.
Vow say you're trying course Of
freezing treatment 10 hurry up mat
tors. Well. this is Juno. Nut its more
Hike October weather. and can give
YOU long, strong dose Of cold air in
my motor. What ahout coming on
ith ~" until you pick ny pncu,noria,
or. n no, that. a violent attack OF
inflammation Of the lumgs. or even
ulcar'sy, YOU nay 90 If il doesn't
soon stop raining?
You are good fellow" exclaimed
I;:tria The ,uoment We exchanged our
FIRST words tcli you would lie a
friend
And like YOU" replied christopher
~. ,.It Yr,.. IL, l.,
10 he short
still. NC shall be together tin the
end sniI the Marchcs..
Its worth trying. as.en;ed Chris
iOHhcr. Scarlet Runner ard are at
Your service for The experiment. I'VE
vOt rid OF my passengers I've seen
Venice ] must take the car home In
'.ne fo! another enlargement; and !
shall be delighted 10 nave IA com.
ramon"
"!7or as long is last" said Earia
For as long as you last" echoed
Race.
they started next morning. the Mar.
chcse having wound up his more press.
ing affairs in case of !, sudden end ana
giving all necessary Instructions to the
servants who looked :.Eo: Ills palace
ua The Grand Canal.
Their way led through southern
country. where the. days should have
been summer days; but the weather
WAS abnormal. there we're cold winds
and bursts OF rain. which delighted the
Marchese Bara. lie would wear no
orcrcoa;. and insisted upon sitting in
front beside Christopher. Each uiSht
lie expected 10 be Ill: but he had in
s;ead an enormous appetite. and slep,
NO hnI SIo Si,
ot his faithlcss lady. This annoyed
ANA puzzled him. hu, I was somewhat
comforted by chr:s;npher's suggestion
THAI tho seeming Improvement might
lac Il mere flash OF life before the end.
They drove through padua and We
roma to Milan, and on TO Alessandria :;
across the plan OF I.or,bardv 10
Cunco, all by casl stages: and when
The sun shone OF Il en- again Baria no
longer couShed, except when il oc-
surrcd {" him as tno duty OF a Tilted
lover
Now Scarlet Runner was set To climb
thc mighty barrier OF the Alps which
shuts off Piedmont from the Mcditer-
rancan. and darkness had fallen for
the third time since he. start. when
she had passed through the long tunnel
u. the Col di Tenda. and had begun to
descend past san Dalmazzo. into the
valley OF the Roya.
christopher mad entered Italy with
his late passengers by wa OF Noun.
Cents. and the valley OF the Roya was
strange to him. lie knew il only
through study o; maps and guide
books. but he had no fear :. losing the
way. and hoped to reach yientone by
midnight. There, though il was out OF
season, ono o" two hotels would be
open.
Scarlet Itunnc"s lamps and search
Eight threw binding Slai ahead as
the car picked its way, round sharp
curve after shar. curve Of rock down
the slippery road. On one side rose
always wall Of mountain: on the
other was prccipice. in the trough Of
which roared the River Roya There
was no reason that any one ahead
should he surprised At sight or Scarlet