New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-05-24
"Ill lust take a neap under her

things as it ought to be before W.
get Off" he said and then, with Fftz
gerald safely in his seat, and the bon
net as a screen, he cOntrived to slide
out of his sleeve, a Smith and Yves
son revolver. A folded bit of white
paper was kept in place on the bar
rel by means of M innocent little ret
rubber band. AS he slipped the re
vOlver from his hand into a deer
pocket Of his mOtOr-cOat Christopher
pulled off and unfolded the paper. On
side a few words were written
which he absorbed in a secoLd in the
eye of Scarlet Runners blazing lamp
"TO use instead OF your unlOaded
one, in case anything should go wrong
were the Instructions stlashed into his
mind before he crumpled up the paper
into a ball and dropped it into his
pocket after the revolver.
"In case anything should go wrong
What could she mean?
st. Romans MOunt-a mount" only
in name-lies near the Thames and
not far from Clivenden, now, as Scar
let Runner brought them swiftly near
the place, Fitzgerald repeated each
detail of the program.
Having passed through the en-
trance gates, the car was to bear to
the right instead of to the left, in the
direction of the front door. 1t vas
to be driven along an avenue which
circled round beneath the ballroom
windows and stopped under a big
| glass door at the end of the room.
This door would be curtained and, no
doubt, fastened, but the key would
be in the lock and after the trick
had been played, the four highway
men," accompanied by the fair abbess,
were to escape through this door, run
down a short flight of stone steps and
find themselves close to their waiting
mOtOrcar.
The young o had gone to sleep
long ago when Scarlet Runner
wheeled through the open gates at
st. Romans Mount, past the smiling
lodge-keeper.
WIZ ltIc at tAuClly lHc AiShI
time" said Fitzgerald. EVERY soul
but ourselves has come and is in the
ballroom. We shall make our ensa-
ton! Now, Mr.. Race, can you turn
your car round, ready to get AVA on
the instant? That's it. There's our
door"
Ten minutes later Il procession of
five dark figures was fitting on foot
round a short cut to the front door.
They were admitted by foOtmen, and
in the oak-lined vestibule a civil
gentleman in evening dress asked to
see their invitation cards.
Il have n for myself and party of
four friends" said Miss Dauvray, lift
ing for an instant, a required, her
abbess' veil, and also showing an
illuminated square of pasteboard.
The last guests were ushered into
a fine hall, where the two hOstesses
had stood to receive their friends
earlier in the evening. Now they had
a empty.
"There's the door" said Fitzgerald.
"There's only that one, and the glass
door at the far end, through which
we go when all's ready. Mcclellan,
you must keep this door. l want
Race at the other, rs he's chauffeur
and should be out first to start the
car for us. You all three remember
the signal for throwing off u robes?
when l say PAX vobiscum" to Miss
van Bouten. who'll be Undine. in pale
green, with showers of diamonds and
pearls as we know for certain,
thanks to Miss Dauvray."
A moment after they were inside
the ballroom in a blaze Of light, Chris
topher's eyes were dazzled by a scene
of enchantment.
One monk fingered by the door. The
other three and the abbess wound
through the brilliant crowd towards
the gold curtains at the far end Of
the room. Christopher went on, an
swering jests that were tossed to him
as he passed; and he reached the glass
door and turned just in time to see
Fitzgerald accOst UEdine. She, a
charming girlish figure, shook her
head and pointed to a Louis XIV,
gorgeous as q Sun-gOd.
"Pax vObiscum !" cried the discard
ed monk raising aloft his rosary. And
with that there were suddenly four
highwaymen-masked, belted, and
Observation-Disclosures four reverend
friars had stood.
Now was Fitzgerald's great chance,
and with all that was in him Of dra-
matte talent he made the most of 1t.
He had but one assistant in the blithe
game Of holding up the company, for
Mcclellan kept one door and Race the
other; but Jack Sheppard himself
could not have cut q Drawer dash than
gay Fitzgerald.
"In case anything should 60
wrong!" If Miss Dauvray had meant
this-meant him to guess, meant to
give him something by which. if his
wits were quick and his courage high,
he could stop the game!
Suddenly his head was clear as q
bell. If he did the thing which had
sprang into his brain he would not
spoil Fitzgerald's chance of the prize,
in case the play were a genuine frOlic
after all. But If it were earnest he
might save the situation for Miss van
Bouten, save the jewels, and-unless
Fitzgerald were a foOl-no one need
ever know the truth.
He decided to act, and the Iaoment
had come.
Fitzgerald had finished. He and his