| Show r THE NET NerI 7 I By REX BEACH Copyright REX BEACH 1912 by bYJ CHAPTER XV Th The End of the Quest Evidently tho had 1131 spread for there wro wern others other ahead of Blake Bake Sov Soy I cral eral ral mon men were grouped beneath an open window window Th They Thoy r were verc excited if violent from me were crO panting n as n a French Creole l Lc- Lc c compto compte was wis d at at full ful th upon the grassy 1 banquette either ciber badly injured or entirely out oui of ot breath Ho He ri raised ed a listless hand to tho newcomer new Ie attack comer corner as ac if waving him hill to the Norvin Norin a recognized t thorn them hemal all as ns admirers admirers' of Myra Nell el el cotton oton brokers merchant mer I chants chant chant Ira a bank hank cashier a great ct relief rele ur over him Thank ll Go God Youre You're hero hero in heroin in I time f h he Wh What V happened to her 7 R Raymond v ond Cline started to speak but just then Blake heard the girl r her herself elf calling to him and amt nd saw aw nt her sr leaning from a a window her piquant beauty fram framed d with blushing roses which hun hung about the sill si Myra ryra Nell Youre You're safe ho he cried I What Wat have havo they thov done one to you ou 1 She smiled piteously ty and shook her het dark head bead bed You were wore good to come I am a prisoner I A A prisoner Norvin ofin stared stare at the young qung lilen about him bint H Como Come on heA ho he A said airl lets get ei her hel out but Murray huray I Logun r quieted him Its old no use man nian What on d' meant H You on cant can't an It go in Cant Cant go gen JO int As Blake Blako BakA star stared staled l. l n ai Rt tho the speaker ho JIO heard rapid footsteps approaching and sat 5 sa Achillo Mari Iri nv D' D comin coming on hc be beings wings ings of tho the wind It 1 wa was ho lIe who appeared ap ape p in rn tho distance as Norvin Korvin roundA round- round A ing to the p an hour b before ore 1 I came came I shall be the next victim I feel it Were We're shut up here hero for tor a week maybe mabo i longor Think of ot that I There's Theres nothing to do nobody to talk to nothing noth nothing ing to look at Wo Vo need another hand I l I somebody for wh whist t. t I suppose suppose- would volunteer er Id Pet love lovo 10 to RiMu called caled faintly from Irom tho the curb lint hut i I wouldn wouldn't survive a n week eek My 1 heart is is heating beating its is last last and ant b besides besides I T dout on t play ply whist hist Mr Clino called aed tho the attention of hi his hia fi which hud had companions to two o figures treA hd appear appeared d in tho the distance and bC began to t chant The animals came camo in two by two elephant and the tho kangaroo io Gentlemen here cornea comes the and tho the antelope We are aro now DOW com corn Tho now nov arrivals proved pro to bo Bernie Bornio Dreux Deu and August Kulm tho the latter a R afat afat fat Teutonic u merchant whose place of business was down doun own near tho ho river Mr Kulm bad evidently run nm all al tho way for fo ho was ivan laboring heavily and lila his gait ait had lon long since i slackened into a I stumbling t tot ot His eyes were rol rolling n wildly his hiB fresh young cheeks checks were louns purle and ld sheathed sheathe in perspiration Miss Mies MSg Warren exclaimed crossly crosly Oh dear I didn't send end for Ber Ber- ale nio Ol Ill I'll 11 iii dear hot bet bot hes he's furious And so 5 it proved pr When her half half- brothers brother's horrified alarm alani had been dis dispelled dispelled by hy t the he noisy group roup of rescuers it was replaced by the blackest indi indig indig- nation lie IIo 10 thanked them stiffly and naton undertook to apologize for fot his sister in tho mi midst st of which who ha hanow had haet now managed to re regain ail his feet au suggested sug sug- the formation of The Tho Myra MyraNell MyraNell ya Nell Contagion Club Its object shall bo be the tho alleviation of Is our ladys lady's distress and its is membership membership member member- ship shall shaU- bo be limited to her rejected l' l 1 r C II tiL 1 1 b 4 t s o I J J t t r rI i t. t tI I i 4 1 I t t c r i VJ pk I F ct L S I c I. I 1 p S I t tf You were good to t come I am a a a prisoner cd ed d the corner corer and it was plain now that tl b he be was ni nf reared himself on ono one elbow and cried cred with difficulty Welcome Achille Achie I Take Take it easy as Achille called caled Clint Chins wc weve saved sved her ber Some one laughed and tho suspicion that he had been hoaxed swept S over Blake What s s the tle joke he he demanded lI VT 41 was as frightened d to death The house ia is quarantined I Il l 1 never dreamed you'd roul oud all come Miss Warren Waren was saying saving sweet sweetly come It I was very gallant nant and I shall never nover foret forget forget for for- get et it it vcr ab ah nover Sho She says her her beauty beauty is is- is gone isone one wildly panted Marigny Iri n who vho had r run n I hims himself lf blind a and ll as yet could hear har I nothing but tho the drumming nin in his ears cars n Cline Chine steadied I Judge c for lor yourself stewed him against tb the low iron ion fence and hm pointed to the th girls girl's gils gil's bewitching face fuco embowered in the window above lom From where here he ho lay flat on his back July flapping his hie hands corn com complained om I have nave a weak heart Will Wi somebody bod get et me toe mea a drink I Iome It uI was wa splendid of you I Myra MyraNell sell Nell called down to the group I I lovo hove you el f for to- f it Pl Picas DJs s ge get et me put out ri right ht aw away urvin now perceived a burly ur individual indi vidual seated upon upon- the stops of ortho the La Brancho mansion manion mansion He le approached with witha a ic view t to parleying but the man forestalled fore stalled him bim saying sarin warningly You cant can't go in iii They've Thc got ot it in there I I Go Go awn away from that H screamed d Myra Nell but the tho fellow merely scowled I it bate hate to offend the tho Jady he bo explained explained ex ox- to Norvin Non in a hoarse whisper but I I cant can't let her out J repeated in ir a fury G Go ad awn awny I tell tel you on These fur rr aro ard d of mine mine If I you were a n gen gen- en j know oure To not wanted Norvin orin make him Bl Blake ke shook shook- his hi head bend Youve scared Reared ps us all al blue If I youre you're ou re rc really ly quarantined I dont don't see what wo e can do de j The idea You can come conlO in ink uI If you go o in you ou cant can't como come out I bem belligerently declared tho watchman I Them orders hl You monster cried hi his prisoner r She nays ly herself she's sho's got ot it i tb the theman man explained I never did did f Myra r N Nell el wrung her bands band Will you stand there an and let mo rae p t lo 10 you refuse to save met mcl Where mer is il Ma ame La Norvin Norin asked c Asleep And cousin cousin ut is is solitaire in the library playing who ho hat has tb tho small They h took her scream scream- suitors he le declared Wel Well take te tei i turns amusing her Ill I'll Il appoint myself chairman of the entertainment committee corn com em mitto and on one of us will wl always be on gard guard Well We'll Wel sin sing well we'll el dance well we'll el cavort beneath her ber window and help to while th the tha dreary reary hours hour away His suggestion was wis noisily accepted then after an exchange o of views news Murray Murray Mur Mur- u- u uray ray ray Lo Logan an confessed that he had bolted oled oleda a a directors ie meeting tn and that ruin ruin stared him hini in tho face unless he run re returned returned re- re re turned tuned immediately Achillo Marigny rari it appeared had bad unceremoniously fled I from tho the trial of an important lawsuit and Raymond Clino was needed at nt the bank Foote Delavan Deavan and the others admitted that they too must leave leve Miss Warren War Waren to her fate at least until after tho the chan change o had closed And so 80 hav having ater put themselves at her ber service with ex- ex ant protestations of loyalty j books flowers a cb r to sing n beneath ner er window they a finah final final- IA Iv lv trooped off half carrying tho rotund Mr Kuhn Kulm KU who ho had bad sprinted himself into a jelly jely like state of collapse alone atone maintained hj his readiness readiness readi readi- ness to brave the podia perils perls of ot smallpox leprosy or plague at Miss Warrens Warren's Waren's side sid until Bernie Bornio Berie informed him hm that the very or idea was shocking whereupon ho he dragged ged himself away with the accusation ac ac- ac that all an his heart hert trouble lay at her ier er door Oh you OU spoiled it all Myra Myya fyr Nell told her brother indignantly indi Youn You n might at least have let him conic come in Cousin us Althea Altha would would have chaperoned Tho The idea ideal Why did yon you do such anaho an aho atrocious ius thing I Wore W er you frightened Norvin f fT T The Tho o girl gir beamed hopefully down dow upon him Horribly Im I'm Im not over it yet Im I'm half haf inclined to act net on aD Lecompte's sUJ suggestion eston and break in in 1 Sh She Sho clapped her hor her hands gleefully whereupon tho watchman roso rose up say ng ing No No you OU dont don't dont I wouldn't allow such a thing thit a 3 said aid scandal Bernie Beno firmly It II would woul mean meana I I 1 I cant can't stay ta hero alono alone for or a whole week Ill I'll Il dio dio Then Thc Ill I'll Il join you my myself el her brother offered Myra ryra N Nell Noll 1 looked alarmed Ob Oh Oh not you youl 1 I wa want t some Rome fome one to nurse me when whon I fall fAl ill 11 What makes you think you'll youn catch it itt Were Vero you ou exposed Exposed I Heavens expose I can can feel tho the disease comin coming on this very minute minute The Tho place pIne is full ful of germs X I 1 can spear cm with wih a a. n hatpin I She shuddered and mana managed cd to counterfeit a tear Ive 10 an said Norvin Ill Il got ot that trained nurse who saved Ived you when you vou oU foil fell oft or the horse Vittoria She ni might ht do do- But the tho horse hore throw mo me mo She I warn nim with a grimace which Ber- Ber 4 me nis did not see Hos Hes Ho a n a 1 frightful beast I ft cant can't afford R a I trained nurse cant can't Dreux objected and and you von ou cont dont don't need one anyhow J 7 All Al right for you 01 Bunnie if you vou OU dont don't care caro any more for my inv life than that t Ill I'll sicken nn and die When a sils sil's girls girl's relatives relah cs 1 turn tur against her ber its it's time timo she ho ho of oC was Teas out tho the vaV Y Oh all al r right h said her brother Its Its It's but I an angrily ri ruino ruinous suppose have it have hae it I you must your our way Myra Ir Nell eJ shook her head hend gloomily No not No not if it you OU are Join going to feel lik liko that Of course if i she fhe here she could cut oil off oU m my hair when whon I take taketo t to my Dr bed i she could bathe batho my fReeth fRee face with th limo lime water when by beauty goes Joes she pho could J listen tn to my rain ravings s and nd understand uner un un- un- un er for tor she lio is i a a woman But no Im I'm not worth it Perhaps I 1 can get alon along all kl right and an anyhow I Ill I'll Illnave Il 11 nave havo JR e to teach school or or-Or or r or-r or bo 0 a nun if if I I Im I'm n all al pock marks Bernie wiped his hi Good lx Lord rd rd crio brow with a n trembling hand band I M W f Via I ft wih think that'll happen Norvin f fIts Its bound to tho the girl irl predicted indifferently t But But what's hats the odds odde bt dilated her Suddenly a new nw thol thought eyes with real horror horror- 1 Oh Ohl she he cried Oh I r I just happened to re reo re- re member Im I'm to b bC IKS queen of or the tho car car- scarred and hideous hid hid- hival 10 Now Ill I'll Il be e even if I 1 happen to recover but butI i I wont won't evo recover You shall hl have my DY royal ro robe e Bunnie Bunne t Keep it i always And Norvin shall havo my hair hal Here I I-don't I ont I don't dont want your hair Blake Blake assorted nervously r I I mean not without without without- It is is All I have to give vo HI You YOl may 11 not catch the smallpox after all Well Well have have Wel have Miss M s Fabrizi Fabri by b-by all means Bernie Bornie rne cht chattered red You stay here ned and talk to her nor while sty an I t go Norvin suggested quickly And Anel go Myra fr Nell Noll Nel Ill I'll Il fetch you rou a a lotof lot Jot lotof of chocolates Ill I'll Il fetch you ron anything if it you'll only cheer up up toul Remember or its it's against m my wishes the girl rl said But she's not at atthe the hospital now now- sd SIlOS sho's living in the Italian Italian Ial Ital Ital- ian quarter She gave him hil the street stroet and number an and he ho made off of in haste On his way ay he had timo to think more collectedly of tho girl he ho had bad just left let Her prank had ha shocked him bi into a keen realization of f his feeling feolin for her and he ho be began an to understand the Ule largo o part she he played eJ in his bis life Many ny things inclined him to believe that her regard for him was WM rosily deeper deep deep- er or than her ber careless s levity Je indicated and than U it seemed now nov that they had been destined i for each other detine It was dusk when whon he reached his destination I A nondescript Italian girl Jirl ushered him up a a dark stairway and into an a old ol fashioned drawing room with wih hi high h coiling ceiling an anc lon long windows which opened out upon a rusty overhanging overhanging over over- hanging iron balcony Tho The room ran ran through to a R court in tho the rear after the style stylo of so many of these lorei foreign r built houses It h had bad d once been the tho home buit of ot boses luxury I and ele elegance nc but had long since fallen into a Atto of shabby decay Ions Ho He falen was still l lost t in thol thoughts of the important stop step which he contemplated contemplated contemplated con con- when hen he be heard beard the rustle i ruste s 's behind him rn androse and of ot a a woman womans woman's garment ament hi roso rose as a n tall figure uro entered tho the room Miss Mis tl Fa Fabrizi f he inquired I came camo to find you youle you you- I He paused for tho the girl had bad given l a smothered le cry The light was wa poor and tho the shadows played tricks with his eyes He stepped stopped forward peering strangely ety at her then halted Margherita ho he whispered whispered- Ma God Godl then hon in a shaking voice My Yes Y OS 1 she sho said sald voice quietly QuietlY It 1 t is I. I I IHo Ho touched her gently staring as if it Renty bereft of of- his hs censes He felt himself bisel swept by a tremendous r excitement It struck him a dumb it shook him it i sette set sot stuck the room to whirling dizzily Tho place te and shabby but lon ill lit was no longer er i lt illuminated wa as n If ff i by bya a burst burt of light And through h his mad panic of ot confusion sion SlOn be ho thou saw hor ma there calm tawny avray self sel possessed taw Caro iCaro You have found mo me indeed ho he heard hera her say I wondered won dered whon when tho the day would cone L You You You youl you he choked His arms arras hungry for her his heart hart was as were ere that melting with the wildest ecstasy meli lad had ever possessed it Sho She was clad cladas he often remembered her bor in a n dress as which partook of her ber favorite orie and inseparable in n separable color her hair hir shone with ith that hat unforgettable luster hor her face was the he face he had bad dreamed of and there thero face ba shock of readjustment in his was no of her ber Rather her real reat recognition reeo ton made mado the cherished mental presence and weak mage image aRB seem poor I I came camo sem t to see Miss Mis abr i. i V Wh Why He |
