The Winslow mail., 1922-10-27
ilress ?' he pursued.

| troubled look. Il tIl1liia, lHLeIpOScu
| Boyce. '.it would be better to take the
the fowl home tonight. Perhaps you
| would be good enough to deliver it to
! our carriage. 1t is ordered for one
o'clock-Number 297." E".ing with
] pelican grace, Shottle departed. but
/ he delayed some ten minutes in dark
| thought before he sought Drace again.
| For Shottle wanted the hundred dol
! lars, and if he We're to tell Drace that
| her name was La Vitte! Could it be
possible that she was Stepho's daugh-
| ter?
He presented himself before Drace
| at length. Master" he announced,
cher name is Nadine Brown and her
address is Carriage Number 297.''
Carriage Number Two But thai
| is no address. And"
Listen. Master" went on Shottle
hurriedly. "I have scheme-a magni-
ficent scheme. Not only shall you be
introduced to this lady, but you shall
be presented to her in the role of a
protector and rescuer."
'How in the world will you manage
tbat?'
every simple. At ten minutes past
one, you are to be standing on Blank
street Just beyond the lamp at the
corner of x street. Carriage c97 will
drive past. From out the shadow of
garden wall two men will spring out
and stop the age-attempt to rob
this Boyce fellow and that girl. You
will rush up with q cane--a cane, Vir-
gil, no pistol-and drive off the rob.
bers! You are hero-the lady thanks
you. Tableau!'
"But-but-"
Leave it all TO me--but give me
that twenty-five dollars. | know fell
lows who'd hold up the devil himself
for five
At ten minutes past one o'clock Vir.
gil Drace was standing in the shadow
of tree near the street-crossing de
cided upon, cursing himself for hair
Drained fool and Shottle for an addle-
pated rogue. A rattle of wheels came
to his ears, and cab approached him.
AS it came under the lamp at the
corner, Virgil was sure he recognized
the famingo neck of Liberty ,Shottle
rising from the turned-up collar Of the
cabby on the box.
''Good Lord!'' gasped Drace. "He's
done it. Pray heaven Boyce carries
no pistol
The cab passed him. And then from
IL. Il I,,1I
or SO distant two dark figures darted
out. There came a hoarse command
q stifled scream, cry for help. Drace
ran forward and found Boyce, Nadine
and the supposed cabman standing
with uplifted hands beside the vehicles
while a masked desperado threatened
them with pistol and second robber
demanded their valuables.
Now Drace played his part right
gallantly, rushing upon the robbers
with uplifted cane The fellow with
the pistol fired Once-then a blow on
the wrist from Braces stick sent the
weapon flying. The pain Of the blow
enraged the fellow, however. and as
Drace made at the second robber, the
first one struck him heavily, momen-
tarily daZing him. The two supposed
robbers now took to their heels, pur-
sued half-heartedly by Cabman Shottle
and energetically by Boyce who had
been robbed in good earnest And
to complete the melee, the poor cab
horse, frightened by the pistol-shot,
lc
hicle iurching behind it.
Nadine turned to Drace, her face
lighted with gratitude. She held forth
her hand With grace that would
not have mocked Highlander who,
schooled in France, had followed home
the Queen of Scots, he bent over 1t
and reverently touched ii with his
lips Wild was her nature. this half
barbaric maid. and she snatched her
hand away, but fepenting instantly,
smiled and spoke
II thank you much. You are Brave
You are like one on the stage, the
hero
Her words came freely, and with
Just enough of accent to convince that
they were sweeter than If there were
none. Drace asked her if she remem-
bered him, and her black velvet eye
flashed dark in astonishment
How could l when lever have
seen you? You must mistake me.
No"
Il saw you on the boat at the ball
at the st. Louis,"' Drace said. "But
come to think of it, l know that it
would be vanity on my part to believe
that you have seen me-
No, it would not be vanity" pleas
antly she contradicted him, shaking
her head, her cloud of hair. "The
brave do not be vain but | did not see
you. l am so sorry. You sorry, too,
ha?"
She laughed, and Drace thought that
never till that moment had he heard