Gilpin observer., 1917-09-20
'You promise thatr

He tightened an arm round her, low
cred his head. She seized the pistol,
planted an elbow against his chest
with wicked force. fought wildly to
break away and disarm him.
What followed was SO blurred with
fear, desperation, panic-stricken strug-
glings that she retained no clear un-
derstanding of the affair.
She knew only that it eliminated in
the explosion of the pistol. She saw
Edouard reel back, catching wildly at
ously at her hands that held the weap-
on. Instinctively she fed that place
like hunted thing.
BAL MAsoUE.
Parr, alarmed by the pistol shot, ran
back toward the glade to meet midway
demented girl.
1t was many minutes before he sue
ceeded In gaining a disconnected &C.
count Of what had come of Patria's in
fatuated attempt to sacrifice herself.
"And then," she walled, 1.-THE pistol
went of in my hands, and he fell
dead, dead! I murdered himI"
On the echo Of that cry both heard
the sound Of drumming hoofs dead
ened by the forest mould.
| Dead" Donald doubted. "Oh, I
fancy not. Either Edouard has already
recovered sufficiently to steal my horse,
or he had confederate to do me that
service. Come and see."
The glade, when they again entered
it, was empty. Both Elaine's manager
and Donald's cob had vanished. There
remained only the echo of flying hoofs
to testify that either had been there.
"How he managed to trail me here
without my knowledge is what mysti-
fies me-" Parr complained when, some
time later, the two sat together be-
fore the little bungalow. 'He could
hardly have done it unassisted. I see
Huroki's hand in this; the man is
shrewder than credited him with be-
ing-ard that's saying lot.'
"And what can we do?"
"There's only one thing to do now.
Every hours delay now means added
danger-for If Huroki doesn't know it
already, he'll learn quickly enough now
from Edouard that you still live; and
he won't waste much time before he
tries to rectify that fatal flaw in his
calculations. We've simply got to beat
him to It,"
"And how"
"Tonight there's to be bal masque
at the Claiming cottage. If we lie low
till nightfall-I won't leave you again
we can take advantage of this
masquerade, fancy, quite effectively"
Rapidly and clearly he outlined
plan of operations.
Publicity we must avoid If posi-
BILE, both for your sake and for the
sake Of the work you have yet to do as
executrix Of the Charming Defense
Fund.-" he concluded. "If we can qui-
etly put the fear of God into the heart
of Elaine and send her back to town,
and at the same time persuade Huroki
and Company it's far more comfortable
to leave the country than stay to face
charges of criminal conspiracy
think we may call it a good days work
and let 1t go at that, without banker
ing for more spectacular revenge"
1t was nearly eleven when Parr
brought the canoe to the beach where
on Patria had landed. the previous
night. The girl, again in bathing suit
and beach clOak-the only things Pa
tria had been able to muster from her
bungalow wardrobe in the way of cos
tume-jumped out lightly and lent
Donald a hand he didn't need to carry
the canoe well up out Of reach Of the
tide.
At the top of the cliff they paused
only to adjust their masks; there was
no need for further discussion of plans
already definitely formulated.
Viewed from little distance, the
scene on the lawns was distractingly
interesting. AS Parr had foretold, so
1t had fallen out, all Newport-all that
social colony which makes Newport
what 1t stands for in the comprehen-
sion Of the world-had foregathered
on the lawn Of the Claiming cottage
in brilliant costumes and gayest spir-
its.
But Patria and Captain Parr did not
linger. Their time was too precious.
Entering the house by a side door
little used, they separated Immediate
ly, Parr strolling nonchalantly to pre-
| arranged point of assignation with his
assistants, Patria slipping quietly up
| stairs to her dressing room.
| She threw open the door and en-
tered without ceremony, courageously
prepared to do what she had come to
do, but at once disappointed and
bit relieved to find the room tenanted
only by an astonished maid.
II wish to see Miss Channing," Pa
tria demanded.
| MADAM will find her on the lawn"
the maid replied, cycling this strange
masCuerader with considerable suspi-