Show Lr c. c F ii BANNER SERIAL FICTION FICTION- She he Painted Her ie race ace A s of e and ey DORNFORD YATES O 0 Dornford YaU Yat I r j i CHAPTER C APTER VII VIII I 14 14 The festival held that evening In Tracery's Medici Room was one of oft t such intimate splendor of matter matterand matterand and mind that though I subscribed f to it It when first I awoke the next r morning I wondered if it was not a ac c dream I sat between two Old Masters Masters- Masterson on the left of the Duchess of Whelp and the right of the Countess of 01 Brief Each glowed with the ster ster- sterling sterling sterling ling quality of a forgotten age Lost arts made up their being Sheer beauty lived with kindness sheer brilliance beamed with good will willAnd And each admiring the other was thus exalted Their natural royalty was duly served Powdered foot foot- footmen footmen men men In scarlet livery stood behind every chair gold plate winked upon the table the choicest fare was perfectly presented presente And there I will leave an event which neither Herrick nor I will willever willever willever ever forget for that evening we two hobnobbed with the stuff that queens I were made of In olden days That Herrick found instant favor I need not say Indeed Old Harry and he were as good as a play for as I have said before his address was beyond compare and I think that each of them whetted the oth oth- others other's others other's others other's ers er's wit When dinner was done Herrick r and I were were left with orders to join I r the th e ladies in ten minutes minutes' time r and when that had gone we were f led to a glorious salon whose Six Six- century c tapestries filled the thet thel l t eye Though the evening was warm a afire afire afire fire of logs had been lighted upon the hearth before this the Duchess was resting upon a mighty chaise longue and Elizabeth was stand stand- standing standing standing ing beside a jamb of the fireplace one of her beautiful hands on the thea I a chiseled stone regarding the lei lei- leisurely leisurely leisurely surely flicker that hovered above a 4 hillock of rose-gray rose ash As the door closed behind usI us usI us- us usI I have ordered your y ur car said Old Harry for half hall past ten That I gIves us just half hall an hour which should be enough Ive I've one or two things sto to say and Ill I'll say them themI themI I think all know where we we wee e and where we shall be next Tuesday at fiVe dye o'clock On Ohio Onno O no no ac ac- account account ac- ac account count try to conceal that we have ha eo already met That way madness lies We have all met here herc tonight for for the very first time Let no one I be ill m at case ease Except for Richard Exon I dont don't think anyone will willOh Oh madam protested Herrick Dont interrupt said Old Harry Besides you'd be at ease with a gaggle of Elders discussing the wrath to come I 1 very near laughed and Eliza Eliza- Elizabeth Elizabeth Elizabeth beth covered her mouth If you feel uneasy une Richard al al- always always always ways remember at once that though Brief is doing the honors you are Elizabeths Elizabeth's guest And that I think should bring your confidence back You will take your man Winter with you and I shall take three servants to look after me One will willbe be Parish that Parish that excellent English page whom you have hay already seep Should need arise w w. w l. l can an comm communicate communicate through ith all con con Tell the police p lice that you have been invited to Brief as you y U understand to meet me That will set you above all aU suspicion such is this snobbish world One thing more As luck will wUl have Elizabeth's Jt l liZ tl mothers mother's jewels were held by the firm of goldsmiths whom I have al- al always alwa's always ways was employed Bau 1 Levity L- L you ou you probably know the name She has therefore written to them item to say that by my slie slie will have havethe havethe the gems reset and desiring them to be ready with new n new w designs des g s against her coming to London in six weeks weeks' time That letter send end the ball flying and since she gave this address the reply will come co me e to this house and will go on to Ili of by hand in my private p vate bag And now an n anyone anyon think of anything else Because if they can can ca'n let us have it for It-for for better r. r worse We shant shan't see each other again un until til in we strut on to the sta stage c. c There was a little silence Very good said Old Harry And now I 1 want to see see Mr Her Her- Herrick Herrick Herrick rick alone Take your leave of me med me Richard Ric ard and then make the best oi of the terrace until Mr Herrick ap ap- appears pears Elizabeth will go with you I 1 stepped to her side Madam I said I have much to thank you for I dont don't know about that Never mind Ive I've much enjoyed your visit and and that's a thing I can say to very few guests Thank you madam madani I 1 put her h r hand to my lips I 1 hope youre you're t very tired it Tired bo be damned said Old arry Y I I never felt fell so fit In my life Till Tuesday madam The Duchess smiled and nodded and I 1 followed Elizabeth out of the handsome chamber and presently Into the air Elizabeth led the way to the head hea of the steps v h Its all your you doing she said 1 j Y Which is absurd said I I. I mad about you My dear you gave her the lead I had a claim upon her How Hole could she fall fail me when you upon whom I had none had done so much I shook my head You must thank yourself yours ell I said I saw you you and and that was enough And as with me so with her The kings king's ring got you In in- Inside inside side but once you were In well In-well well supposing you'd asked for the moon she might have told you oft off of but when she was through shed she'd have sent for a pair of steps Elizabeth laughed Then she slid her arm through mine mineI I wish I was going with you Ive I've been so happy at Raven and If this morning Id I'd dreamed that I shouldn't come back I I-I I wouldn't I-I-wouldn't I wouldn't wouldn l. l have gone It may have been out of order but I know Id I'd jump at atthe atthe atthe the chance to do it again Ive I've much enjoyed my week end with a couple of men miss you terribly Eliza Eliza- beth both Sit in the meadow tomorrow tomorrow- Ill IU 11 think of you there Close to the stream stream stream-by by yourself yours ell between lunch and tea And if I can Ill I'll sit here here here-at at the head of the steps Oh and please be very careful and always go armed Remember he knows snows where you are arc and the woods about Raven are thick I promise I said And on Tuesday On Tuesday Ill I'll see you again And on Wednesday well we'll ride be be- before before before fore breakfast that's natural enough Besides it'll be my job to entertain you you as a guest Ill never be easy ea y I said when youre you're y ure out of my my sight Here I know that you ire safe afe but at Brief I drew dr YI in my breath Can you trust your your maid I think sleep in your suite Perhaps youre you're right Ill I'll see what Old Harry says Id be easier casler Elizabeth You see by day I can always be within calL But by night I 1 cant can't And if you y want me me meto to sleep sleep well well you'll do as I ask i ir s I sis J is r My lady wady l. dy lifted her head e to to the lambent sky You dont don't look back she sh said do you Y when yu-when when youve you've put your hand hand to the plow YO g not going to seF res till fill Jill till youve you've carried me out of the wood r Jen Men dont don't lay down their honors before re their their time And then They lay them down I said slowly and go their way T There ere was a little silence What way w y shall you go Rich ard I drew myself up upI upI I 1 dont don't know Perhaps John Her Her- Herrick HerrIck rick will help me We might do something together until Lord Naseby dies But Ill I'll always be beat beat beat at your service You'll only have to call me Ill I'll always come Why do you say that Richard Because you have made me your servant servant for for as long as I live I dont don't want you to be my fay sere ant I laughed at that Then you shouldn't have your eyes or your mouth or your beau beau- beautiful beautiful beautiful ways You shouldn't move as you do or throw a smile over your shoulder or push back your hair I from your temples with one of your lovely hands And you shouldn't have bave your nature which nature which makes a aman aman aman man want to pay tribute with all aU his heart And what does he get get In In re re- return ret turn t tern ri Hes paid In II advance said I. I I That very question shows shows shows' that you don't dont understand und s nd To T have to do y t n. n t I k rt 1 with you Is to run Into debt your debt your debt And at once ones one's instinct is isto Isto isto to do what little one can to pay you back Elizabeth raised her eyebrows Im afraid youre you're an nn idealist Richard And that's a mistake my dear Red Lead Lane should have shown you But then the com com- complete complete complete I idealist never learns If U It makes you happy to set me up in a n aniche aniche niche why then you must have your way Ill I'll smile upon you from there And sometimes when youre you're not looking I might climb down and be bea a looking good-looking girl with the usual human passions a weakness for ani ani- animals animals animals mals and a definite love of dress She plucked at her frock Can there any good thing come out of Salz Salz- t r 0 Efi ft NS 17 I 1 tel r l s i Kr L rS 1 a i r- r What D you Make of This He lie Said The Fire Arm Has Das Gone burg My dear you wait walt If U you you like Jike the look of me now you'll get getup getup getup up and walk at Brief There spoke Old Harry said I but not Elizabeth She whipped her arm out of mine and started aside I II What ever mean I set my hands on her shoulders and turned her round That you are a work of nature and she is a work of art And you cannot play on her piano and she cannot play on your pipe I think you only did it to to-to to to make me mealter mealter mealter alter my focus and see that youre you're not the nonsuch I think you are But it only upsets me my lady and doesn't do any good I know youve you've got fallings you failings you must have because youre you're of flesh and blood but youre you're rather exceptional The exceptional The heaven such grace did lend her That she might admired be Well WelI you must let me admire you in my myown myown myown own way All AU right said Elizabeth meek meek- ly But dont don't bring ring me garlands Richard I couldn't bear that You wicked girl You You You- better And theres there's John coming Say good good-by good by nicely Quick She had put up her beautiful mouth and nd I had h ad d stooped and kissed it before I knew v where I was it was Was past half hall p s one in the morn morn- morning mornIng morning ing before we once more more approached Raven and remembering r Old Har Har- Harry's Harrys Harrys Harry's Harrys Harry's rys ry's words I found Uund myself thanking God that Elizabeth Eliz b th was wa's not with us usand usand usand and would w uld not have to run such a aga gauntlet ga again Thus thinking upon the matter I presently grew quite sure that we were to be attacked and since I was driving I made Herrick take my pistol because for once In a way he had left his be be- behind behind behind hind on the bed he said Our alarms were without tion We were not fired upon and Ra Ra- Raven Raven Rayen ven yen was fast asleep And since we were very tired we shared a bottle of beer and stumbled upstairs I had put on my pajamas when Herrick opened my door What make of this he said The fire-arm fire has gone gone Gone said I staring Gone said Herrick As I told you just now I left it out on the bed Well the beds bed's been made so of 01 course it had to be moved But not Its its it's not In In the room It must be said saidI I Youve missed it it Come and see said Herrick and led the way For full five minutes we sought It it and sought it in vain At length length- Brenda must have It said I. I IThe IThe I IThe The things thing's not here I dont don't think that's likely said Herrick in view of what Winter said And yet I can hardly believe that Percy Elbert the Good would steal it way And tell me another thing Why do these crises arise when one is so drunk with sleep that one can hardly stand up With that he sank heavily down on the foot of his bed As he did so a deafening explosion explosion explosion sion made me jump out of my skin and in one most frantic convulsion Herrick leapt upward and outward ard as though propelled by some spring My God said I and ripped the quilt from the bed Twelve inches from the foot of the bedstead a broad broad arrow arrow ruck in the blanket declared that below the blanket something had moved I turned to Herrick Are you ou all right His hands clapped fast to his seat scat Well Vell Im I'm still the same shape said Herrick if that's what you you mean but you cant can't sit down on a mine land and be as good as you were Someone was running on the land land- Ing TO liE CONTINUED |