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Show THE BINGHAM NEWS 1 1 V;ir ;THEJOYOFUVING j By Sidney gowing coOTriWabIsMJc1M Illustrations by Ellsworth Young - "tfgy . her, and It Is to be feared that Almee's predicament faded into a secondary place. Allowances must be made for those swayed by the grand passion. Suddenly de Jussac halted among the suits of mall. "Tiens! the armor," he said, bright-- , enlng, "the same of which Diana should have told me the history, but declined. She shall come to it yet I She approves armor she adores the days of chivalry long dead. "Lived we in those days," cried Bertrand with rising fervor, "I would hack my way to her favor though a hundred spears barred the path." lie struck the nearest breastplate with his fist. "You Sir Knight I If you "She must huve felt confident I sup IHise, of Whim's ol heart!" faltered Georglim. "Are you pleased about the engagement? I do hope you are. I was ufrald " Alexander, pnused. "I am not displeased," he said. "De Jussac Is a good fellow. I did not al-ways think so. Hut I have come to see that he Is a very good fellow In-deed. The love of a good wouiau Is just what he needs." "I hope they will be very happy." said Georglna softly. Alexander was looking at her with an expression that made her heart beat. "Isn't It splendid." she said quickly, "that Almee won't be suddenly be-trayed! She'll have a chance now. She" "Aimee!" Mr. Lambe almost explod-ed. "It Is nothing but Almee! It Is you I am concerned about, Georglna not Almee! It wrings my heart, the position you are placed lu through no fault whatever of your own. It cannot go on It is bound to be known very soon now. And when that happens ' "Yes," said Georglna, forlornly. "It will he dreadful. I shall have to face It. They won't defend me." Alexander took her hands quickly In his. "dive me the right!" he said. Gi'orglna caught her breath. She looked up at him. There was a won-derful tenderness In his eyes ; his face was the face of a man Inspired. "Georglna, you have known me only a little while. But I love you. You are the only woman In the world for me. I love you! Do you think you could care for me Just a little?" Georglna tried to free herself. "It Is Impossible!" she said, turning ber face away. "Why? Do you not care for me?" "Oh it is cruel!" gasped Georglna, brokenly. "I am not Almee, I am here under false pretenses, llow can you? I am" "You are the woman I love I" "Oh, let me go!" she said wildly. "You are not yourself you have no right to say this to me," sobbed Oeor- - uounced Alexander. And he kissed atot again. . ,, CHAPTER XXI A New Partnership. "It rains all the time In this coun-try," said Billy, discontentedly, "except when you want It to." He addressed the remark to the dry and unresponsive soil, Billy's attitude at the moment was unusual, lie was close to the footpath along which he had wheeled the Sphinx, ufter the en-counter with the motorcycle thieves on the night of the burglary. That event was now many days old, yet no rain had fallen In the meantime and here and there the track of the Sphinx's tires was fuiutly visible In the dried mud to anyone who had un-usually good eyes. "If they've got a Scotland Yard sharp dow n here now," reflected Billy, "and he goes over the ground, It's Just possible he might see what that fool luspector at Stanhoe never tumbled to. , That there were two motorcycles, and not one, at the place where Jack the Climber got ditched. If they were to track up the Sphinx now It would be mighty awkward. They'd soon con-nect her with Almee and me. But I guess It's an outside chance." The slight Impression of a tire mark, a little to the right of the path, caught his eye. It had passed over a soft mole hllk and was clearly defined. Billy paused, and Inspected It with a new Interest. The fashion of hi countenance chunged; he went down on bands and knees, and looked very closely Indeed. "Snakes 1" exclaimed Billy. He rose, and quartered the ground carefully for a considerable distance In either di-rection. The ground was too hard to show any continuous track. But mole , hills were plentiful, and some way far-ther on he found another one, also showing the print of a tire. "It's the same. And not the Sphinx's tire, by a mile!" said Billy, knitting hit brow. "This one was steel-studded- ." With growing perplexity he made a close examination of the soli, and pres. DE JUSSAC SYNOPSIS.-Dlnllkl- ng the pros-pect of a month's visit to her aus-tere aunt. Lady Erythea Lambe, at Jervaulx abbey, and her cousin, Alexander Lambe, Aimee, vivacious daughter ot the Very Reverend Viscount Scroope, meets a young man who laughingly Introduces himself as "Billy," American. The two ride on his motorcycle, the "Flying Sphinx," and part With Oeorgina Uerners, her cousin, Almee sets out for Jervaulx. She forces Oeorglna to Impersonate her at Jervaulx. and she goes on a holl- -i day. Aimee again meets billy. He tells her his name Is Spencer, and she gives hers as Amy Snookes, at present "out ot a job." Billy oilers to take her Into partnership in selli-ng- the Sphinx. In a spirit o( mad-cap adventure, she accepts. The two proceed to the town of Stan-hoe, taking separate lodgings In Ivy cottage. While Aimee Is se-cretly visiting Oeorglna at Jer-vaulx, the place is burglarized, and the famous Lambe emeralds are stolen. Almee escapes. Police de--i clde the thieves are "Jack the Climber" and "Calamity Kate," who travel on a motorcycle. Billy, who has shadowed Almee to Jer-vaulx, follows the thieves. He Is knocked out, but emerges from the fight with the Lambe emeralds. Me meets Almee, with the police Id pursuit. In a secure hiding place, a cave among the crag pits, Almee tells him the whole story He urges her that she make a frank confes-sion to her father, but on reflec-tion both realize Almee's good name has been compromised. As-suring Aimee he has a plan to save I "But I did not! I thought you were pretending to be one ! Let me bear the blame. I love you I was In despair and put on this mall that for one mo-ment I might Imagine myself ap-proved. Dear lady of Romance, I am no ghost I own it !" He proved it with a kiss that was by no means ghostly. "Oh !" said Dliina faintly. The mailed arms encircled her tightly. "Sweetest of all earth's treasures!" exclaimed Bertrand. "You love me? You tremble your heart beats. Say It ! You love me !" Suddenly she hid her face against his breastplate. "I-I-I- do," she whispered, hardly audible, "and I should never have dared to let you tell me so." "Thrice blessed accident ! To my un-happy ancestor I owe my happiness! Ah, day of days! Diana, you will marry me, beloved?" "I suppose so. I can't help it, now. Oh Bertrand I" "I said that armor was of no avail. But It has conquered!" She glanced up at him shyly. "I shall wear It for evermore!" said De Jussac rapturously. "It shall never be doffed, save at your orders. Diana "But my aunt!" exclaimed Diana suddenly, her blushes changing to pal-to- r. "If" "She will give us her blessing. In the morning " , "My angel ! In the morning, our love scene all over aguln. I have your promise!" "Yes 1" she said, wildly. "Oh, let me go !" Lady Diana fled from the room and scuttled upstairs like an agitated rab-bit The VIcomte, following, blew her an Impassioned kiss as she passed out of sight. Returning to the hall, he tore off his armor hi a delirium of joy, and replaced It on the stand. CHAPTER, XX Two Pair. Lady Erythea beamed. It seems an Impossible term to apply to that aus-tere countenance. But It was so. When Georglna entered the drawing room at noon after nearly twenty-fou- r hours exile In her bedroom she found her alleged aunt as near to beaming as her features permitted. "I am glad you have recovered from your temporary Indisposition, my dear Almee," Bhe said amiably. "During your absence an event has occurred, both romantic and desirable. How sel-dom the two things go together!" "Indeed! What Is it?" "Your cousin Diana and Monsieur de Jussac are about to contract an alli-ance. They became engaged this morn-ing." "How perfectly delightful !" brealhed Georglna, after a pause of dramatic as-tonishment. "I am sure you are pleased Aunt?" , her, Billy leaves her In the cave and, proceeding to Jervaulx, re-stores the emeralds to the astound-ed Lady Erythea. Billy tells a story that satlsfles the police, re-fuses a reward and accepts a chauffeur's job from Lady Erythea. Almee gets the place of parlor maid at Jervaulx. Alexander thinks he recognizes Aimee as "Calamity Kate." Oeorglna divulges Almee's identity. Hearing her story, Alex-ander consents to keep the secret Alexander finds himself very much In love with Ueorgina. Alexander's slater, Lady Diana, arrives. An-other visitor Is the VIcomte do Jussac, her suitor. Diana recog-nizes Aimee and threatens to de-nounce her. Almee confides in De Jusbsc. uut li sne round out now it Hap-pened !" said Diana in a panic. "And the time you do not know how terrl-- ' ble Aunt can be " "She will not know ! I will put my-self In order I will propose to you again In the morning. We will an-nounce It with all formalities." Ber-trand was alarmed to find her almost collapsing; he led her to the table and raised a goblet to her Hps. "A little wine, my angel! It will revive you!" "No, no!" "But yes! You are agitated. Just one sip!" It was impossible to deny anything to the conquering Bertrand. Lady Di-ana permitted herself to Imbibe a little of the wine; it restored the color to her cheeks. "And now," said the VIcomte ten-derly, "light of my soul- r- A piercing shriek frdm Diana Jarred painfully on bis nerves. Bertrand started and spun around. In the doorway stood the unspeak-able parlor maid, capless, her bronze hnlr flowing over her shoulders. Wick-ed loughter convulsed her, her eyes shone with triumph. "Bless you, ray children 1" said Almee. "You've made enough row about It !" De Jussac started hastily towards her. Almee sprang back and closed the door In Ms fuce; the key turned with a click. T ar1 riliinii finA ailnlr Inart InfA a inueea 1 am. i nuve not coucv-uie-from you my desire that this very thing should come about It Is the more satisfactory, because only last night I quite despnlred of It, and came to regard It as hopeless. But Monsieur de Jussac's suit has prospered amaz-ingly; It appears thnt Diana, as I sus-pected, has for some time since been far from Indifferent to him. I am de-lighted that I gave tliem the oppor-tunity. Only two hours after break-fast the VIcomte, with his customary Iinpetuousness, brought Diana to me and begged for my consent. I need not sny that I gave It gladly." Oeorglna escaped Into the garden. It Is possible ,that AJmce was right when she said that all women are natural actresses In time of need. Ceorglna's assumption of astonishment at hearing Lady Erythea's news was wholly assumed, and not assumed badly. The announcement was, In fact, no news at all to her. Having on excellent seuso of direc-tion, Georglna soon discovered Mr. A-lexander Lambe walking on the shel-tered paths of the old yew garden be-yond the chapel-at-eas- He looked quite as relieved as Georglna. And his eyes lit up wonderfully when he saw her. He hurried forward to meet her. "Mr. Lambe 1" exclaimed Oeorglna. Mr. Lambe halted, and looked deeply pained. "Have I offended your he said al-most wistfully. "I thought you gave glna, "you believe that a priest In or-ders may not marry!" "I never held any such belief! Of my order, there are some who hold the view. I am not with them. I am celi-bate, only because I have never loved till now. Look at me, Georglna!" he said almost sternly. "Do you believe that any human posslon would cause me to do what was against my futth?" Georglna looked at him through her tears. "No," she whispered, "I know that you would not" "Come to me, then, Oeorglna," he said, gently. "What good there Is for us to do In the world, let us do it hand In hand. I will make the years won-derful for you. Just tell me that you care." He took her masterfully In his arms. "I do love you!" sobbed Georglna. "I love you." Alexander raised her face and kissed her. "I never hoped to hear you say It," he said. She felt his heart beating strongly. "You love me!" "I have loved you," said Georglna, her voice stifled In his coat, ''from the first day I saw you." There was a long pause. "It Is greater happiness than I dreamed of," said Alexander, humbly. "I have not deserved It" Suddenly he released her and held her at arm's length. iff Ttp? v He Kissed Her Again. "What Does This Mean?" He Said Sternly. did not pay swift homoge to my lady," said Bertrand, grinding his teeth, "my lance should crash Into your mldrlft! Scrognon-non-non-non-no- n !" He turned to Inspect the pectoral of another suit, benutlfully engraved and chased with gold. "Of French workmanship, surely never of this country. The English are a great nation, but severe severe." He passed his hands over the breastplate. It detached quite easily from the stand. With a sud-den impulse Bertrand fitted It to his broad chest, passing his arm through the thongs that had held It to the stand. He laughed as he caught sight of his reflection In a mirror. "It becomes me a mervellle! Name of a name! Let me envisage myself the conqueror of my Diana!" He strapped on the greaves and mituana nvpr his dress trousers, donned CHAPTER XIX Continued. 9 "What does this mean?" he said sternly. "Diana's found me out, and she's going to tell Aunt, first thing In the morning," said Almee, with the calm of despair. "And I've told Monsieur de Jussac. I simply had to tell some-body. And everybody will know to-morrow." "Rather a delicate position, Mon-sieur le Cure eh?" said Bertrand dryly, and not without satisfaction. Alexander flushed to the ears and hung his head. He looked so ashamed and wretched that Almee felt a pang of remorse. "For mvself " he said unsteadily. ently discovered other traces. There were a few footprints and, faint though they were, they bore some very marked characteristics. Billy stood up straight and gave a liquid whistle. The furrows In his brow deepened. He carried his inves-tigations still farther afield, but to-ward the healthy common the soil was light, wind-blow- sand that shifted with every fresh breeze. There were no tracks left The seeker was at a loss. Billy stopped and reflected rapidly. "It came this way, whatever it was," he said. "But why on earth did It and how? Let's start from the begin- -, nlng." He struck across country and, break-ing through a hedge, came out Into the, blind lone where Jack the Climber's machine had crashed on the fateful night ; the spot where he had recov. ered the emeralds, and made acquaint-ance with Calamity Kate's resource-fulness. The muddy lane still showed slight traces, very much mixed up and tram-- . pled, of the place where the thieves machine had fallen ; the ruts were now dried and hard. Billy also recognized whnt were evidently the hoof marks of the Stanhoe police. "A herd of steers wouldn't have made more mess," said Billy. "And I'anke found nothing after all, or he'd have Well, I can't blow much, either. I've been here twice since, but never got wise to It till now." He turned back down the lane to-ward the highway, his eyes noting the smallest details of the ground. "Here's my truck; pretty near washed out. And here's the other's. That cycle was a big Indian, by what little I saw of It. And likely It was half crippled when It got away. And here It got on the high road, and head-ed straight on past Jervaulx again. That's mighty queer. I always nvfc. oned they'd have gone the other wuf. Something must have turned thetn." "I can't let you go!" tdid Billy, wildly. ' You're the dar-ling of the world!" (TO lifcS CONTINUED. "I will face the exposure and the pen-alty for I have deserved It. It Is you, Almee, that I should have wished to save. I would sacrifice myself to do It now, If there were any way, but I see none. You and Georglna. That la all that matters." "Tiens! The true ring!" cried de Jussac enthusiastically. He seized A-lexander's hand and shook it with heartfelt warmth. "Never reproach yourself, mon ami. From first to last you have acted en galant homme!" "You've been a brick, Alexander. And you'd better go, and not hear any more I'll keep you out of it If I can," said Almee quickly. Alexander looked at his cousin. "I will go, then," he said, "on con-dition that you return to your room Immediately, Almee." "All right I will." "Assuredly Bhe shall go at once! Till the morning then, Monsieur 1' Abbe, and have nq fear. The danger eliall dissipate Itself," said Bertrand, and almost forcibly he shepherded the bewildered Alexander out of the room, liertrand darted back, and caught Almee by the hands. "He is bon enfant, the parson!" he cried, "all shall yet be well. But It is Impossible to require deceit from lilm. Leave that to me! Mademoi-selle, I am a magnificent liar!" He smote himself proudly on the breast. "You shall see how my talent " "Hut!" "Not a word ! I shall consider It an honor a privilege. It Is the one situation In which prevarication be-comes a virtue! Retire, then, made-moiselle, and sleep soundly. A way shall be found out of this Impasse, I pledge myself to It fol de chevalier! The morning shall bring, not disaster, but happiness!" Almee whs whirled out of the room, hardly less bewildered than Alexander. When she had gone upstairs. Monsieur IV Jussac returned to the dining room. He paced the room with long strides, developing a series of plans that flashed through his brain. Some caused him to laugh aloud, others evoked a siph. "In this country of Puritans, schemes thnt elsewhere would glow like a golden mist, become. Impos-sible!" he mused regretfully. Since the coldness of Lndy Pinna was the main dlltlculty, liertrand's .thoufihts concentrated naturally upon the gorget and, lifting down the big helmet, placed It over his head, abrad-ing bis nose in the process. The suit It was the same which had fallen during the night of the burglary-h-ad certainly been made for a knight of great stature It fitted de Jussac very well. "Magnlflque !" said Bertrand. "And, who knows It may be the very suit of my ancestor! The " He turned slowly, aware of someone approaching. A tall, spectral figure, white and ethereal, stood In the door-way. It was Lady Diana, In a long girdled wTnp trimmed with white fur. In her hand was a rolled up paper that might have been a piece of music; It trem-bled visibly. Her face, as she gazed at the armored figure, was as white as her garments. She controlled her nerves with n mighty effort. If It was a spirit, it was Indeed a splendid one. To her, of all people, this manifestation of the Infinite was vouchsafed. For some moments she gazed, In a thrilled silence. . Then she actually advanced a few steps, faltering. "Speak!" she said, In a voice that quavered slightly. "Are you he? Speak to me. I am of the elect. I am afraid." De Jussac grasped the sltuntlon. He searched his mind swlfty for the mot Juste the speech of the Fourteenth century. "Moult pulssante dame " he began, dropping reverently on one knee. Diana, the moment the unmistak-able voice smote upon her ear, gave a piercing shriek, and clasped her hands to her head. She swayed as if about to fall. Bertrand rushed forward, and caught her Just in time. !" she gasped fulnt- - iy. The name, wrung from her by stress, was such music in the Vlcomte's ears that he tore off his helmet and kissed her rapturously. "Angel!" ho. cried. "Adored Dlunn! Say It again!" He made It somewhat difficult for her to say anything. "Say it whisper It "Bertrand !' All, hap-piest of men !" Diana struggled. "How dare you!" she said wildly. "How dare you pretend to be a ghost !" chair. "Stop her make her be quiet!" panted Diana trembling. "Bertrand If my aunt " "Open!" hissed Bertrand, rattling the handle. "Leave the door alone !" said Almee's voice, muffled through the panel. "You can't get out either of you. Can you hear me?" "Yes, yes! Mademoiselle' "Listen 1 Within three feet of me to a burglar alarm," said the voice, dia-bolically. "I'm going to start It. Be-fore you can turn yourselves round, the whole household will be down on you from Aunt Erythea to the pageboy. Especially Aunt I'm going to count three. When" "MIserlcorde !" gasped - Bertrand. "Mademoiselle, I Implore you! This Is to return evil for good How hove we deserved" "I huve no quarrel with you, VI-comte. You're all right But I've got you both. You'll accept my tonus" "Anything!" panted Bertrand dis-tractedly. "Anything" "Stand away from the door, then. Get right back." "Yes, yes !" Almee applied her eye to the key-hole to Insure that her orders were obeyed. She opened the door cau-tiously, and regarded the distressed pair with Intense satisfaction. "Let me be the first to congratulate you!" she sold. "VIcomte, I don't grudge my cousin to you. You are welcome. Dl !" continued Almee. fixing Diana with a glittering eye, "I don't ant your explanation you can ex-plain the masquerade to Aunt. But I shall hold my tongue about you nnd you'll hold yours about me I I require your word of honor. For you duren't break It!" "Yest" gasped Diana feebly. "Don't don't speak so loud, Almee " Almee looked at her, and exploded with laughter. "Every happiness, dear people!" she said, and vanished. "Bertrand !" panted Dlnnn. rising unsteadily. "Did you know anything of this? Do you understand? She Is not the parlor maid she Is my cousin. ? cannot explain ; you must say nothing about It. Neither will she! Oh let me go!" He caught her In his anns before she could Kcaye. me permission " "Alexander," murmured Georglna, flushing very attractively. "That la better," said Mr. Lambe, regarding her with grateful eyes. "Have you seen your cousin?" "Yes," said Georglna pathetically. "Almee came into my room very early Wicked Laughter Convulsed Her. this morning; she told mo the dreadful thing that hud hopiH-nc- that your sister had discovered her and was going to tell Lady Erythea and then, when I was nearly frantic with terror, Almee explained that It was all right, and Lady Diana wouldn't say a word about It. Oh, what a relief It was!" "She told you that!" cried Alexan-der, amazed. "How could she have known? It was not till an hour br two ago Diana Informed me that De Jussac had Just proposed to hor, and she was so happy she felt she could not get Almee Into trouble!" Oeorglna stammered In contusion. She had nearly made a serious blun-de- r Almee had told no one but her-self about Urn encounter with the ghost dure. No subterfuge no secrecy about this. It Is too sacred. We shall make It known at once. It Is yon I am think-ing of. Our betrothal must be an-nounced," said Alexander decisively, "and then" Before there was any time for re-flection, Fate was upon him In the shape of Lady Erythea, walking ma-jestically along the path with her lit-tle Highland terrier at her heels. Al-exander halted. "Aunt!" he exclaimed. "Oeorglna Iwe " He stopped short "Whut on earth is the matter with you?" said Lady Erythea, raising her For once Alexander was at a loss. He had turned very pale. Georglna came nobly to his rescue. "Alexunder," she said faintly, yet urtlculately, "has asked mo to be his wife." And, with desperate confusion, sh' added "may I?" The clattered on the gravel. Lndy Erythea gathered Geor-glna Into a triumphant embrace. "My dear child," she exclaimed, kissing Oeorglna warmly on both cheeks, "I am delighted!" Lndy Ery-thea released her and kissed Alexan-der. "You have made me very, very happy. The match Is In every way Ideal. Alexander, you will have Just such a wife as I should have chosen for you und I never thought you would have the sense to choose one at all. My dear Almee, your excellent father, I am sure, will be as pleased about this as I am." Georglna felt her knees giving way. She stooped und recovered the et d you mind not telling any-body for Just a day or two?" she said desjHTately. "We have told you, but we I feel " Lady Erythea smiled. 'Foolish, rotunntlc child!" she said, patting Ceorglna's cheek. "Well, well vse shall see." She turned and disappeared towards the house. The betrothed couple looked at each other. Alexander squared his big shoulders. "Whnt on earth will happen now?" said (leorginn faintly, Alexander's reply was practical. He lifted her suddenly off her feet and kissed her. "I don't euro what happens!" an-- Obedleneo is the price of spiritual I knowledge. |