Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1920-02-18
CHAPTER xv-continued.

| her part In the affair And In that
was right; Billy looked at II differ
emily. "Concelted cuss" he later con
fded. Wanted TO take the whole
credit to himself"
"oui. madame" monsieur went on.
and all the while felt him searching
my face for sign of what | had nc.
cOlnpllshed with Mrs. Delario. "Nos-
sing can be safer-I argue-zan a
fancy slipper. 1t is not worn on re
steamer In re cold Of winter, and mad
anne have so assure me Eat her bag
gage, because OF her so good cousin.
is pass wisout difficulty. And who
would accuse madame of'--he gave
me knowing look and finished ambig-
uousiy-"of to smuggle zoze valuable
papers Eat do not concern her? All,
not would be Incredible wlsout TO
see zem-and we have take care zat
zey are not scent And to accomplish
zis we have put zem where zey are al
most but not quite seen. have ex-
plain all zis TO Claire and she have
understand parfaltement. Out"
The smugness with which he deliv-
cred himself Of this was really anus
ing. and couldn't help smile. which
encouraged him to add-at the same
time looking piercingly at me-with o
deprecating shrug:
And just at re moment of beautiful
completion madame carries Off one of
zoze slippers-we know not which,"
All of us laughed and the tension
that had been quite plainly felt In our
little company broke.
Claire went on 10 tell us how, In
Antwerp, she had occupied room
communicating with Mrs Delario's the
day before they sailed. and how papa
had taken Mrs. Delario out to see the
great Rubens In the cathedral and
she--Clalre-pleadlng a headache, had
remained behind and had gone through
Mrs. DelariO's things so she could tell
her father what there was they could
use; had discovered the slippers and
Lad taken them TO her room and shown
them TO her father that night and he
said they would do admirably" and
she had got them back while Mrs. Del
ario was asleep.
But II wasn't easy to put the box
into the slipper when Il came TO the
point. Mrs. Delario keenly felt the
obligations OF her charge and proved
a far too devoted chaperon. At last
the chance arrived and the box was
slowed. What. then. was the poor
oh 81
ting Mrs, Delario into wearing the
slippers
"She nearly had me then !" Claire
conflded with noticeable glee at her
own ability to cope with the situation.
al got the box out just one minute be-
fore she came into our stateroom.
But this fright made me so III /
couldn't stay at table that night"
II should think So said Billy, and
gave sly glance In my direction that
said. Il take back all | said about her
last night-she wasn't really in II nj
all. II was all the old scoundrel Of a
| 'mossOo.'"
Claire seemed ready TO end here. hut
| ! wasn't ready TO have her. What was
I 10 tell monsieur2 My turn was com
ing in minute. and what was | TO
sayf kept on with Claire. "Then so
far as you know. the box came through
the customs house IN one of those slip
pers7 And what We're you to do after
that?"
The words were hardly out of my
mouth when the front bell rang and
George handed in telegram addressed
| TO monsieur
Monsieur tore open the yellow enve,
lop and rapidly scanned the message
frowned; hesiiated; started to speak
! and stopped; looked at me inquir.
| lngly; asked II there was telegraph
office near and when / told him where
Il was excused himself from our com.
pany TO "send an immediate and ur,
gent reply" and instructed Claire 70
answer every question | might care 10
| put and with That he hurried Off with
! the curt ceremony of one who expects
| to be back on the quarter-hour stroke
There was, however. bus little more
I needed to discover from Claire still
there was one thing and / asked her
biuntly, Your father came over ahead
of us on faster steamer? He was or
the wharf In disguise when we ar
| rived3"
She blushed furlouSly and STAN
| mered. "Y-yes--he was there" anC
added hastily: But didn't know hs
was there. He told ME there would be-
someone--to take charge-when gave
the signal that everything was all
| right"
"Oh. there was siunall"
"of course. l had 10 let the other
one know who had the box"
you mean you had to let your IA
| tier know"
1T was papa-but didn't see him.
"What did you have to let him
known"
whether IT was you or Mrs. Della
rio"
How did you manage thatT"
Il set my little handbag on top OF
the suitcase-that said the box was
there. Then drew of my glove
that said. In slipper 1t wasn't
very hard TO remember"
'And you had given the signal when
] picked up the slipperT"
'Yes-and was so frightened. /
didn't know but papa would be
killed"