Lady Larkspur

sed at nine o'clock by Flynn, who appeared at th

ade coffee and toast. Sorry to waken you,

and rubbe

to the city

e ready with the new machine. Orders was to take my bag; it looks lik

night that could have alarmed the women at the residence and prompted this abrupt departure. There was no reason why Alice shouldn't run to town if it pleased her to do so, and yet it was

appeared, pale from the sti

raightening the coffee-pot on the tray

eave to-day?" I shouted with a flourish of the razo

e was a night letter, sir, read by the agent at Barton to the

ssed; was there anything to ind

l I know it may be a death in the family; you'd never tell it from their actions. You will pardon me for r

the intelligence to note whet

rack of the machine. Louise thought t

ped away and left me with a prisoner that I didn't know what to do with; with an inquiry by the American Department of State hanging ove

ty, and by taking it I would at least have the satisfaction of being somewhere in New York when the runaways arrived. Antoine packed my suitcase; I am not sure that he didn't shed te

hing, and said he would be obliged for cigarettes and reading-matter. He volunteered nothing as to his identity, and the guards said that a thorough search of the captive's clothing had disclosed nothing incriminating. He had three hundred

y unlikely to find the two women, and even if I should stumble upon them, in what way could I explain my conduct in f

orrence was in Albany attending the trial of a will case and might not be in town for a couple of days. His secretary said he had instructions to wire my daily report to Albany. I told him there had been no developments at Barton, and went out and walked the Avenue. Inquiries at hotels large and small occupied me until seven o'clock. No one had heard of a Mrs. Bashford or a Mrs. Farnsworth. My inspection of the occupants of several thousand automobiles proved equally fruitless. I ate a lonely dinner at the club and resumed my search. Hanging about theatre doors, staring at the crowd,

rows of heads with awakened interest. "Who Killed Cock Robin?" had been praised with such unanimity that

at the moment, he was drawing his handkerchief across his forehead. I judged that he too had come late, for he now removed his topcoat and thrust his hat under the sea

ropinquity. I satisfied myself that he was alone and as he continued to mop his face I judged that he had arrived in some haste. The house now took note of a stirring in one of the boxes. There was an excited buzz as the tall form and unmistakable features

companions were Alice and Mrs. Farnsworth. As they fell into animated talk I saw that Alice was in

one of my neighbors remarked. "They open

to face the stage. Once more Montani scanned the party with his glass. As the lights faded Alice, with the pretty languorous gesture I so wel

its swift-moving course, I reasoned that there was nothing extraordinary in their knowing the eminent actor. He had long been a personage in England and had lately been knighted. Their appearance with him at the theatre really dispose

scious of mortals, was, I knew, utterly unaware of the curious gaze of the house; whatever she was saying with an occasional gesture of her gloved hands or a shrug of her shoulders possessed her completely. I thought she might be telling Arrowsmith of her adventures at Barton; but the length of her narrative was

as she left the theatre was still an undetermined question when the play ended. With Montani hanging about I felt a certain obligation to warn her t

to worry about this piece; everybody who sees it sends his friends the nex

" I answered. "I must write him that Sir Cecil Arrowsmith enj

ce, and in my uncertainty I stuck t

, or hung back to stare. At his left were Alice and Mrs. Farnsworth, and they must pass quite close to me. "Who Killed Cock Robin?"

ing flash of recognition in her eyes, and then she turned toward Arrowsmith. She drew nearer; her gaze met mine squarely, but

te him," I heard Forsythe saying. I clut

ose women?"

ou have a good eye. That gi

ing their machines until a policeman pushed me aside. Alice I saw for a bewilde

by Alice Bashford-a girl with whom, until a moment before, I had believed myself on terms of cordial comradeship. She had cut me; Alic

chief resource in trouble. Affairs at Barton might go to the devil. If Alice and her companion wanted to get rid of me, I would not be sorry to be relieved of the responsibility I had

one cal

h in a rage that any one shoul

Oh! This is Al

ice imaginable. My anger passed, but my amazement at Alice and all her ways blinded me.

uge in town, so I thought I'd try it. Are you

, I doubted my senses-wondering indeed whether Alice hadn't a double-

couldn't very well without introducing you to Sir Cecil, and

s anxious to know what they were; but her voice was so gentle, so

are you speaking fr

I wish you were here, but that can't be arranged. No; really it can't! We shall be motoring b

hat I call for the

we mustn't spoil everything when

tions I should have to make sooner or later to the unimaginative Torr

n the theatre,

n a taxi! We had a great time throwing him off in the park. I'm not sure

ni jumped right out of his seat w

sely, she said. She wasn't in the least afraid of him. Returni

d's old home and the place all our veteran ret

minute. As I had spent the morning on a bench in the park, an

rew off her gloves. "How can any one be anything but happy after

greeable facts. There was Montani right in front of me, jumping like a jack-in-the-box

re thinking that he was beginning to see things our way, the only true way, the

through a severe trial. We precipitated ourselves upon him without warning, and immedia

bout that lunatic Montani or the gentleman immured in the tool-house? I couldn't introduce you to Sir Cecil without anticipating the end of our story; and

ordered the best luncheon I knew how to compose, and they were doin

ly at my plate. "But you really are not making yours

he Tyringham a cheery tone, and all about us were people apparently conversing sanely and happily. The appearance of Uncle Bash's ghost in the familiar dining-room woul

longer-three days, shall we say, Alice?-if you knew that the

sworth. When she dropped the make-believe foolishness in which she indulged quite as amusingly as Alice, she appeared t

not at all the troubles you're th

ave been the hat or only Mrs. Farnsworth's pleading tone that brought me to a friendlier attitude toward the

I suppose when you begin a story you just have to keep it going or it will die on your hands. That's the w

s a mere character in a tale whose awkward beginning aroused only the graves

's incredible! And so I have to pretend I'm in a story all the time. It's the only way I can keep happy. And so many people are in my story no

imed, sitting up very straight at the bare thought of such

nd damages are so frightfully sordid and generally dis

haracters," I suggested. "Is my part an

o! You have been the hero from the hour the story bega

n her own key, "I shall begin

urbed by my declaration, n

story like this one, that runs right on from day to day, we m

he side of fa

ed she hadn't that characteristic littl

rive, I can't recall it. Our talk, chiefly of knights and ladies, and wild flights

rit!" cried Alice exultin

sed the car to swerve and graze a t

suggested, "but some village constable

Alice. "And we'd telegraph dear Mr

ened to Antoine's solemn reports as I walked to the garage. The priso

hreatens to leave, sir. And I look at it this way, that nobody understanding what the spying and bribes offered and taking prisoners is all about, is most peculiar. We got to know where we stand, that'

it was true. Alice had converted me to the notion that I was a character in a st

es this property will be brought ba

was an exemplary prisoner, the guards reported, and he had maintained the strictest silence in my absence. He ate, smoked, and read, courteously thanking the men for their attenti

e guards snore outrageously. The po

arded, why don't you e

a lot if I should disappea

ll me the meaning of your visits here, we may agree upon terms. As it stands, you're a trespasser; you tried to bribe a servant to rob the house. If you're a

you hand me over to the authori

k of all this. Tell me just why your confederate Monta

to detain me unlawfully is the same that enjoins

ssion. In a match of wits he was fully my equal, and in

he replied. "I repeat that we are impelled by the same motives,

r your idea of my motiv

ng the light of publicity to beat upon her very charming head. You wish to save her annoyance, and possibly something much graver. I can see that you are impressed; but it ought to pleas

s. Bashford," I went on hurriedly. "It is inconceivable that any one should wish to injure her or that she could have committed any a

wn. "It's deplorable for a pretty woman to

d lied about the snoring of the guards-Antoine satisfie