The Washington herald., 1921-05-08
THE HEARTS PASSION

out hesitation he knocked on the soii
tsry door at the end Of his passage.
What was his surprise when the door
softly opened. of Its own will. and he
entered a truly remarkable room. Void
of human tenantry. It was crowded in
stead with handsome old furniture. Old
rugs, whose pattern stiil stood forth
under years OF wear, made a ruddy map
of the floor. Almost as thlckIy the walls
were covered with dusty old prints and
paintings. with old shields and weapons.
and musical instruments of q bygone
day. An iron stove in front of an un-
used fireplace lighted the room with a
fiery smile from Its open door. Two Jars
of faded flowers stood on the mattel
above 1t. From the ceiling a dozen or
more fddles in paper bags hung down
on wires. like the wives of some elfin
Bluebeard.
There was moment OF. silence. Then
grufr voice said from some hidden re-
gion: is that your" -,.......
While Earieigh was debating what to
answer. the voice said again: 20. it is
you. Is 1t? Well. you fool set 1t down.
I'll pay you next week. Or I'll be out
when get good and ready"
Earleigh was further amused as this
its own volition. His next astonishment
came when an unnoticed door at the end
OF the room swung open and framed the
unforgettable figure of JacqueIine's faith
er, in an apron that covered all but his
Quixotic face. This was the place.
AT sight OF his unremembered visitor
the white haired apparition whipped of
his enveloping habit and came forward
smiling and bowling. -.
'"Ah! Excuse me. monjour!" he said
suddenly affecting the extreme of accents
Il thought monjour was the expressman.
Mile pardons! What will monjour COM
mand OF meT'
To gain time. Earleigh spoke the hrst
thing that came to mind. Are you the
Chevalier de Savarac of whom / have
heard so much?"
'Je suisale Chevalier de Savarac oui."
Your cleverness begins at your very
door, 1 see"
"A device of my own. monjour-to save
my time" the old fellow said senten-
tiously. Then he added as Earleigh's
face fell. But 1t is not to save me from
those who have reason to be here"
Earleigh laughed he answered, Il
hope have reason to be here. monsieur"
What can do for monjour:"
"Well"-Earleigh's eyes sought the
ceiling for thought. and seeing the fddles
there. he said-"do you think you could
Mt me out with a good violin?"
"Ah. monjour! Sit here. IL you please-
At last the chevalier had a clew to his
visitor. A nuisance. but a customer. ut
will be a miracle IL 1 cannot MAX to
please monjour."
The old man busted a chair for his
storm stainsd caller and fetched a short
stepladder kumming as he mounted It to
sort among the iddles, while Earleigh
kept his eye on the miraculous door,
hoping to see an apparition of fairer
mien. One after the other Savarac hand
ed them down. to EarleiSh's rising in
terest he peeped at the labels within
them. Storioni, Ruggieri Stainer-ex-
cellent names. provided the instruments
were genuine. 1t might do to run a risk
and buy one, II 1t would serve to pro-
long his call. One after the other the
chevalier handed them down, presently
descending himself with a violin which
he lovingly wiped with a silk handker-
chief snatched from his pocket.
There, monjour. there" He handed
the instrument to Earleigh. 81 must ask
monjour to use care wiz Eat violin One
does not every day see a violin such as
Eat"
In some curiosity Earleigh peered with
in. "A da Salo. as / live. l might have
known from the model" And accepting
the bow which Savarac handed him. he
d<ew it across the strings with no badly
practiced hand. prolonging the farce as
long as he dared.
Rather good" he pronounced as he
handed it back. But come, now: is it a
genuine da Salo? Or one OF your own
manufacturer"
ri
were a bullet. With a withering glance
up and down the wet and soiled clothing
of his visitor he drew himself up stiffly
and said. forgetting his accent Mon
sieur may not believe me. but 1 make
far better violins than that"
Gomez Earleigh held out his hand
Forgive an impertinence And show me
the best you've got I'm truly interest
ed"
Sayarac took the extended hand, with
some caution, however. Perhaps we had
better first indulre who you are. NOM
sieur." he said. sit down"-he found a
chair for himself-"and permit a shrewd
guess. Monsieur's hand, it struck me.
was hot. His eye is overnight his
cheeks are fevered. His breath comes
quickly. I fancy monsieur is hungry"
Just that" Earleigh agreed. Hun
, cry"
Savarac laughed gaily at his own cIev-
erness. And I fancy the experience is
not a new one to monsieur. The question
is, more than ever.i who you are. Out of
work. no doubt, and yet wanting to be
somebody. 1 recognize the symptoms"
Monsieur, you look right through a
person!"
Savarac laughed on in rising friendli-
ness. You were desperate today. and
you are taking it out me. Come!
Let us have guess at your errand
You are an artist-great. but still un-
known. You need better fiddle to dazzle
the public. And you played badly lest
take you for a great player and charge
you enormously. There is old Sayarac'