Evening star., 1934-02-27

CT Rocoue was certainly having a
great Summer; and If certain OF those
residing in and about 1t were not
anpreciating it to the full the fault
was theirs, not that of the weather.
The sun shone bravely down. Ana
it cannot but assist the readers OF thls
chronicle if. in pursuance of his tested
policy of pausing from time to time to
offer a bird's-eye view of affairs to MS
patrons, the historian gives here
brief list of the more interesting oo-
jects on which it shone.
We may omit the Vicomte de Bis
sac. that modern hermit. still Ian
gushing in his cell. We need not
mention Mr.. Soup Slattery. confined
to his room with slight cold in the
head. But the movements of the rest
of our little group deserve each their
brief notice.
In a clearing of the shrubbery down
bv the lake, Gum-Shoe Gertie (allas
Medway) was listening with consider
able pleasure to the compliments OF
Blair Eggleston-complime which
never fell below certain high level
because the speaker was uncomfort-
ably aware that his employer, Senator
Ambrose Opal, was hiding in a brush
close by, drinking in every word. 1t
had always been the Senator's belief
that subordinates worked better un-
der careful personal supervision.
Gordon Carlisle had gone for a
country walk This was not because
he was fond of exercise. but because
he hoped that the wearying of the
body might a little ease the torment
of the spirit. Jealousy was gnaWing
grievouSly at Mr.. Carlisle'S soul.
Jane Opal was in her room. writ
Ing letters. Packy had argued against
this course but it seemed that there
had arrived in James life that mo-
ment, which comes to all women,
when her correspondence could wait
no longer.
Packv, accordingly, had wandered
off to the terrace, and was employing
this period of solitude in An effort
to work out some plan by means of
which Mrs. Gedge, when she arrived,
could be induced to vacate the Vene-
tian suite and hand it over to Mr..
Gedge On this. he perceived, turned
the whole success of his venture.
The cook was in the kitchen. bak-
ing a pie for her betrothed, a likable
young man of the name of Octave,
one of that agile corps of gendarmerie
who had chased Soup Slattery on the
night of the festival. He was waiting
for it in the bushes outside the
kitchen door
Mr.. Gedge was down at the dock.
m AGrc
Gedge.
deck of the steam packet Antelope,
was chatting with a fellow passenger
whose acquaintance she had made on
the voyage
The steam packet Antelope slid
cautiously toward its moorings. Mr.,
Gedee, making himself as inconspicu-
GUS as possible. found it intolerably
slow Every minute spent out in the
open like this was anguish to Mr.
Gedge. Already he had seen two
gendarmes and there were probably
dozens more lurking round the cor
ner. At any moment he expected to
hear cries of "Scelerat!" and As
sassin" and to find the whole
strength of the force piling themselves
on his neck.
He mused bitterly on this jam into
which Fate had thrust him. Simply
because he had taken a few drinks.
just as any red-blooded man would
have done on an occasion like that
of the Festival of the Saint, here he
was with murder on his soul, cover
ing from the police. Why should this
have had to happen to him of all
people? There had been scores Of
revelers at the festival every whit as
picked as he, but they had not gone
about destroying vicomtes.
The rattle of the descending gang
plank came to him like music. Pres
emily Mrs Gedge appeared. She was
talking over her shoulder to a girl,
and so remarkab BILE was this girls
loveliness that Mr.. Gedge momentarily
forgot his troubles and unconsciously
Strengthened his tie Mrs. Gedge
kissed Mr.. Gedge composedly and in
troduced him to her companion
Lady Beatrice Bracken. My hus-
band"
Now that the girl had come closer,
Mr. Gedge was able to see that,
though beautiful, there was that
about her which would have rendered
any male uneasy. In her lustrous
eyes he observed a look which he
had sometimes detected in those of
his wife-the look that spells trouble.
Lady Beatrice has been so kind
to me, Wellington. She lent me her
smelling salts and they made all the
difference"
Mr.. Gedge murmured appreciatively
with one eye on a gendarme who had
strolled up and was twisting his mus
tache in what seemed to him a sim
lister way
Ing, ''if you could tell me which are
the principal hotels in this place."
Mrs. Gedge said that the Hotel des
Etrangers was where every one went.
They will make you very comforta-
bic. We stayed there for a few days
while the chateau was being got
ready. We have rented the Chateau
Blissac for the Summer. 1t is a
large house up the hill, belonging to
tha Vicomtesse de Blissac. Perhaps
s-u have met her?"
mo, ! know her son. Slightly"
Really? He is visiting us now
Wont you come and lunch tomorrow?
I'm sure he would be delighted to
meet you again. Whatever Is the
matter Wellington" His sudden gasp
had startled her a good deal.
I'm all right" mumbled Mr.. Gedge.
Touch of cramp."
He stood awaiting the doom. Next
moment this girl would be accepting
the invitation. Next day she would
come to the chateau. And immedi-
ately on her arrival she would meet
Packy and fail to recognize in him
the Vicomte de Blissac.
Then her voice came to his ears,
uttering life-restoring refusal. Its
awfully kind of you. but I expect to
be catching the night boat back to
England"
You are returning tonight?' 1t
was Mrs Gedge's turn to be taken
aback. so soon?"
Yes, simply came over to
There is friend of mine staying in