The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-04-14
CHAPTER vI-Continued


gently, twas my mothers greatest
friend"
you're not staying with his
mother" snapped Old Harry. by
conserving to do as you did, you
were playing straight into the hands
of father and son. Supposing you'd
been discovered Brief would
have seen his chance and have fiat
tened you out. He'd have trumpet
ed the scandal, played the outraged
father and ordered his erring daugh-
ter out of his sight. Never darken
my doors again. And you would
have had to go-your cousin would
have seen to that. Father fooled,
police fooled, Austria fooled. And,
ring or no ring, I couldn't have
helped you at all. I used to be able
to drop soul-shaking hint, but I've
never mastered the art of raising
the dead"
There was a little silence, only
disturbed by the sleeveless fret of
bee on window-pane.
At length
"You must blame me, madam"
said. "That Elizabeth should stay
at Raven was my idea."
care you proud of it, Richard Ex-
on?"
''No, I'm not" said I. "I'm great
1y ashamed"
"Good," said Old Harry. ''In fu-
ture stick to your last. Take ac-
tion-that's your forte. But never
reflect. From what I hear, you
have instinct-a precious faculty.
Well, be content with that-and
drown your ideas at birth. And
now take a seat" She touched a
chair by her side. AS did her
bidding, she turned to Elizabeth.
''What were you going to tell me
about your mothers jewels?"
Elizabeth recited the facts.
When she had done, Old Harry
wrinkled her brows.
"I'm not surprised that your cous-
in found you de trop. That he's
drawn and sold the gems, there can
be no doubt. And that by forgery.
Now the English are a tolerant lot.
They'll overlook treason and fight
for a murderer's life, while a
healthy theft in England is nearly
always worth while. But they've al
ways loathed forgery--proba ably. be-
cause they feel that it isn't playing
the game. Witness, your poor IA
Their Now Cousin Percy has
committed that 'loathsome' crime.
But yours is the only voice that can
send him down. Without you, he
can't be arrested, much less ar
raigned. With you, he is-doomed
:. And so you had to CO."
She glanced at clock.
LUNCH" she said, "will be
served in a quarter of an hour. For
you two: in the Medici room. After
that, you may sit on the terrace I'M
til send. I must think this matter
over. don't want to let you down,
but I can't make bricks without
straw"
We could not talk freely at table,
for never less than three men were
constantly in the room. The meal
was royalty served, and the dishes
set before us were fit for a king. All
the appointments were fawless,
and, ruled by the major-domo, the
footmen moved and waited as
though their duty had been tirelessly
rehearsed.
At these things I shall always
wonder, for Elizabeth told me later
that months had passed since the
Duchess had left her room, while no
guests had been entertained for
nearly two years. Indeed, can only
submit that they showed forth Old
Harry's dominion as nothing else
could have done. The palace was
out of commission, its mistress was
out Of sight: and yet, at nod from
her, the machinery sprang to life,
to move with all the precision of
practiced vigilance.
Coffee was served upon the ter
race, above an Italian garden, run
to seed. And there we were left
to ourselves-and the lizards that
stared and darted over the molder-
ing stone.
''She deserves her fame" said
Elizabeth. 81 know no more than
you what line she's going to take:
but whatever she does, haven't
wasted my time, because I have
seen and talked with Harriet the
Great
(Here let me say that that sur
name does her justice as can no
periods. A few men and women
have borne it, since Time was
young. If she had had as fair fields,
] haye no doubt that she would have
borne it, too.)
IT wish" said I, ''she was not
confined to her bed"
ssShe isn't" said Elizabeth, swift
1y. "She stays there because she
likes it. She told me so. She said
she had crowded so much into fifty
years that she never had time to
digest the brilliant burden they
Il = IL. A