Show A FIRST AP appearance I 1 I 1 A CONDENSED KOVEL house was wa ono one blaze of light train irom parrot garret to basement the lost last great ball of the season was at its it height the Voun countess tess of Rutt lyndale gorgeous in priceless laco lace and blazing with jewels jewel f swept a deep curtesy to the prince as the din danco ce concluded lady Ruthyn dale your ball Is charmingly dono done thanks to you tho the season will trill mako inako a fitting ondel end tho the countess Coun teia smiled but the prince went on looking about him as ho he spoke how comes it that at the very moment whon when the seasons aiona se sun li is about to set a new star appears appear in the firma mentill A now new star siri dont quits understand the prince nodded his bis head toward ono one end cad of the long lone room lady followed the tha direction of her royal guests eyes eye and flushed bushed a lit it tio as aa she noticed on whom his gaze was waa so intently fixed oh sir that Is my sister bitter Par cardita pardita dita ahoi but it a child yet and only camo ca me here from her ber school at boulogne Boul late last evening I 1 wished to send her down to ruthyn mount this morning but the earl would keep beep tier her here bore and 11 she Is a divinely beautiful child said the prince the prince was not the tha only man that night whose curiosity was waa excited by the marvelous loveliness lovoll of cardita pardita herring ton As the evening wore were on oa the countess Coun tesi was besieged for introductions to the new beauty aud and she glided to Perdita ls side as the dukoff duko of laft her bo be clever perdita sail and land the biggest catch of this end of the century be fore you oro era three months older do you dance again with him this evening the duke has said eald rood good night but he be la Is coming to inquire for us tomorrow to morrow morning and hopes you will be kind and ask him to luncheon lt said Par cardita pardita dita then better RO go to bed nt at once sell tho the countess young girls cant stand lato late hours till seasoned coa to them lidy lady Ruthyn dalo turned more mora to iier her guests peralta had left tho the brilliant scene behind her and was in a narrow dimly lit passage from which a heavily padded door opened on to the little staircase sho she wished to reach her hand band slender and white as milk was already thrust out when another hand band largo and strong stretched from the gloom and clasped her cool fingers huehl dont scream it la I 1 peralta with u stifled cry the girl drew back do you not remember me mcharold Harold vane harold venal you here yes im here and I 1 want to speak to yo you jl dilyou got get into this house hous now dare you illow how daro dare L I 1 my dear child surely you remember rem how bow much I 1 love lova you 11 you must godaway go away at once I 1 dont wout went to see you ever again Par cardita pardita dIta how cruel you are you who used to ba so kind but with terror lest somo some one should overhear her bar tormentors tor mentors words laid her white hands bands above abobo his bis mouth and besought him to be silent still he be would not leave her for all her entreaties and by degrees ho he told her enough to show her that a silly schoolgirl flirtation a trifling with the fire of a bad mans passion might go far to rula ruin her on the very threshold of her life and now you have spoken to mo me what do you want cried Por dita its driven to bay 11 1 I want you to introduce me to your sister and the earl tomorrow to morrow as your flance fiance and then to name our wedding wadding day 11 marry you youre mad she cried art an unutterable scorn filling her voice voica oh ob no I 1 dont call it mad for a man in ray my position to wish to marry a girl in yours it you seem to forget what you are ara I 1 indeed I 1 dont I 1 know kaow that im a forger only permitted to drag out an existence ence at boulogne py by those I 1 viron wronged ged 1 I 1 how dare you an outcast a criminal speak to me like thial I 1 deserve to py pay ro for my folly but marry you never 1 do loumeau you mean thail that never never never 1 aro are you going to marry any one alsol for the life of her perdita could not help that demure smile from flickering dickering at the corners of her mouth perhaps 1 then by heavens ill betray you to the man whoever ho he may be howl your word against mine would not ko eo far but your letters so BO coy so passionate so innocent so loving will drag you from the position you would attain down to my level my illy letters you havo them still atilla lp so faint was her speech he scarcely icar oaly caught it my dear dar ive iva never parted with them they are tha most valuable things I 1 pos po loan no answer was wa vouchsafed to his taunting words suddenly through the heavy gloom ot of the little passage came the tha sound of 0 a slight scuffle a slow slipping to tho the ground of a heavy body the swift passage of hands gras grasping phia papers the tha swinging to of a door tho tha pipers papers that announced abo engage dent of tho the ot of oil als 1 ter alias perdita harrington io to the tao duke of commented on oil the danger that party alvors on a largo large cale run from criminals who gain access to houses at much bach times and commit suicide la in their temporary harbor of refuge tho the duchess of has a great creat dislike to daggers of all kinds for which reason she iho never wears a little diamond belted affair given her bor by her bor sister before her first ball pick ale up |