Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-08-22

frmatiyely.
"Yes-at the Casino. ! was Just
about ready to start on my well-knOwn
morning ride-purely." he laughed. "in
the interests of my health, Of course
when Huroki and De Lima turned up
with the changeling."
Elaine -
"Your volunteer substitute. SO I
had to wait till they were otherwise
occupied before l thought 1t wise to
| leave"
The two came out By the rivers edge
| in a little rock-bound cove with a
sandy floor. Inland, more than half
hidden among the trees, a modest
bungalow Of u:isurfaced logs was Wis
ible-,,n - veranda the ample person
of Anne, Patria's maid. placidiy rock
ing and sewing.
"Sit down" The girl sank, feet
crossed beneath her, to the beach.
"TelI me about this creature. Does
Elaine really"
'Get away with til" Parr laughed
again. 81 should say she did. The
girls a cOnsummate actress and mimic.
Only a close observer can detect in
| Elaine's manner the inevitable, occa-
sional gaucherie, when she's at loss
how TO behave out of her element,
momentarily without Fanny Adair at
her elbow to prompt her. AS dip
lomat, however, she cOnspicuously
lacks finesse-either that, or she's vile
ly ilI-advised."
SLOW do you mean?"
'T mean she goes about Kidding her.
self of dangerous encumbrances in the
crudest fashion imaginable. Well, you
know how she quarreled with Anne on
the flimsiest pretext, and sent her pack
ing; and how she couldn't resist the
temptation to slap my face with the
confidential announcement of her en-
gagement, as Patria Claiming, to Juan
de Lima. And today, desiring to get rid
of N, :. Wrenn and Rodney, she has
caused this announcement to be pub
lished, without saying word to them.
The newspaper gave the first hint Mrs.
Wrenn got OF the affair"
Parr drew from his pocket folded
paper, and displayed to Patria one of
Ler own photographs. wretchedly re
produced in half-tone. above story
headlined somewhat in this fashion:
MISS PATRIA CLAIMING
MuItimillionaire Heiress Stirs Newport
Society by Announcing Her Engage
H. I
Wealthy Mexican NJ me Owner.
With a little exclamation of exas-
peration Patria read the article
through. then angrily crumpled the pa
per in her two hands.
'And what came Of ir?" size asked.
ooh. Mrs. Wrenn prOte sted, Of
eourse-lnsisted that 'Patria' retraet
the announcement. And the row
Elaine had been spelling for was on,
ending with her informing Mrs. Wrenn
that, il she disapproved so strongly,
Fanny Adair would relieve her of re-
sponsibility as 'Patria's' chaperon. So
Rodney and his mother are leaving"
'WhenT'
To-day. presumed"
"Oh :" the girl declared in deepest
Indignation, this is intolerable! l
can't stand it, l won't, another min
ute! Don, you must let me come out
of hiding and expose these lmpOsters"
"Please, dear :" Donald begged.
"Glve me another thirty-six hours; I'm
watching them more closely than they
suspect; they do nothing don't know
all about, either through personal OBJ
seryation or through my agents. /
only want to spare S@u publicity and
annoyance. Give these fools rope
enough and they'll hang themselves as
high as Hannah. and spare us the trou-
BILE. But let them once suspect you
live, and your life's worth-well, hard
ly that!"
THAT" was a snap of PARIS fingers.
Don't let me alarm you with my ex-
aggeration," he added. with reassur-
! ing smile. "But Huroki can move as
/ swifting as a rattlesnake, when he
wants to, and strike with as deadly eff
/ feet. I'm confident of my ability to
protect you. And you don't want to die
just yet, with your work undc :"
| Her hand stole into his Il don't
want to lose lifetlae of being in love
/ with YOU" she corrected SOIL do
as you say"
! Less t,ian an hour later Parr left,
/ TO return to Newport, and resume his
/ task of espionage.
EscAPADE BY MOONLIGHT.
What little wind there was went
/ down with the sun.
Around about the little bungalow on
I the Sakonnet shore the hush was abso-
/ lutte
/ Only Patria was restless and ill-at-
ease. Impatience and dissatisfaction
with the lot imposed upon her by Dom
( aid PARIS arguments, prayers, Will and
wishes. ragged in her bosom.
Alone upon the little veranda, she
fought temptation as long as she could
till suspense in inaction CALLED her in.
tolerably. then rose and stole irto the
house as noiselcssly as any cat, TO re-
appear after a lapse of time incredibly
brief clothed in dark bathing suit and
sandals, light siIken beach wrap GOV
ering her shoulders.
Like some shadow of the night sht
~O~~~~-~~~~-~~N~-~ S~~~~s~-~~-~~~~
until the laughing "cabby' drove him
up and down the embankment.
One lovely morning in June I was