The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-15

turned very pale, quite green, in
fact. | was astonished at this loss
of color on his part, especially as
Mr.. Dabney was extremely polite
and gentle with him in his demure
way, and stroIled beside him into
the bookroom, chatting in the most
friendly fashion and reminding me
of his manner to me on the first
afternoon of our acquaintance.
The Baron stood in the middle Of
the bookroom, peeling of his
gloves as though his hands were
wet. His forehead certainly was,
and he stayed green and kept those
astonished eyes fixed upon me so
that / felt like screaming at him to
remove them. Paul Dabney sat on
the window seat and took up a
book.
81 shall be perfectly quiet,
Baron" he said, land shall not dis
turb your investigations"
He was admirably quiet, but l
could not help but see that he did
very little reading. He did not turn
a page, but sat with one hand in
his pocket. l remembered that he
had held his hand Just that way on
the night of Robbie's death. One
of the outdoors men came across
the lawn and began to trim the
vine beside one of the open win
dows.
This is the Russian library" l
said. and led the Baron to the
shelves.
Thank you so much" he said.
He took out a volume and rustled
the pages. At last, 81 wonder II
might be allowed to pursue my
studies with no other assistance
than yours, Miss Gale?" he asked,
irritably. He wiped HIS forehead.
81 am a student, a recluse. It is a
folly, but these precautions" he
pointed toward Mr.. Dabney and the
man at the window, disturb me-"
l glanced at Paul Dabney, who
smiled and came down from his
window seat, moving toward the
door, the book under his arm, his
hand still in his pocket. He did
not say anything, but went out
quietly and nearly closed the door.
/ shut it quite. A second later /
heard him speaking to the man out
side, and he, too, removed himself.
The Baron gave a great whist
ling sigh of relief, ran to each Of
the windows in turn, then came
back to me and spoke in a low,
muttering voice.
you are Incompatible, madame
he said.
/ was perfectly astonished, both
at the speech and the manner. But
this was my first specimen of the
Russian nobility, and supposed it,
was the aristocratic Russian meth
cd of compliment. / bowed and
was going to follow Mr.. Dabney
out, when the Baron, kneeling by
the bookcase, clutched my skirt in
his hand.
"You will not leave me?"
/ withdrew my skirt from his
grasp. mot IL / can be Of any help
e. to you, Baron" / said, and could
not restrain a smile, he was so
absurd.
DUG LuOCs Ia
He turned from me and began
rapidly to remove all the books
from the bookcase. l thought this
a peculiar way to pursue studies,
especially as he was so frightfully
quick about it; / have never seen
anyone so marvelously quick with
his hands, tumbling the books down
one after the other. When the case
was entirely empty. and / knew
that ] should have the work Of I'LL.
ing it again, he very calmly. re-
moved a shelf and began feeling
with his fingers along the back Of
the case.
l stared at him, silent and fas.
cinated. l thought him harmlessly
insane. He was evidently very
much excited He tapped with his |
fingers. Precipitation streamed
down his face. He glanced at me
over his shoulder.
You see," he said, at is back
there. Don't you hear?"
heard that his tapping produced
a hollow sound.
What are you about?" / asked
him, sternly.
At that he began tumbling the
books back in their places as fever
ishly as he had taken them out. In
an incredibly short time they were
arranged
Eyes, yes, you are quite right"
he said, as though my bewildered
question had been a piece Of ad-
vice. Now you see for yourself"
He got up and busted his knees. |
1T is much safer for you, but | did
not dare to trust it to writing. You
have however, much better Oppor-
tunities than ] knew It will be in
Russian, of course, but that, too,
will give you no trouble. l meant
to contrive meeting with MAZDA,
but this is much better"
stared at him, open-mouthed:
the jargon made no sense at all.
He took my hand and raised it
to his lips.
"You are extraordinary, astonish-
ing! Such youth! Such inno-
cence! Boje moe! How is it
done?" He put his mouth close to
my ear and muttered something in
Russian, the splitting, purring
tongue which l detest. What he
said, for | was able to translate it,