Show A STOW STORY OF W T THE FR FREEING E OF ty lawrice Law rico peny acy or I 1 f Y arx bia SAr fc kl 4 ft SYNOPSIS holton Is 1 detached from hax h command in the navy gayy at tho the outset of the ish american war and to Impo secret service ervice duty CHAPTER 11 II the girl and the walter at seven in immaculate evo ning cang attire holton set act out from his bis club and tallied sallied forth to tho the willard Wll lard after studying the menu lovingly and having devised a dinner suitable to the palate of 0 one who had bad followed the luro lure ol of tn in vienna parla paris and london he turned from the card and lighting a cigarette and sipping a cock tall tail he gazed about the room at one table besaw he baw the preach french am cassador baB bas and a company of hla gallic friends near by young pembroke of the british embassy was dining a girl holton had met to his bt lett left sat a d dark ark skinned block appearing man with close cloae cropped vandyke beard ile he had been pointed out to holton in paris as an a man who bad plo alna as ol of german fortnat for forts at kiel for sale the tha young officer wondered what his h WAS doing here altogether together kl the atmosphere holton decided was just as aa it should be just As as the capital of a country should act when the government stands on the brink of international war holton had bad just dispatched him first when hlo him attention was waa attracted ty by a musical little laugh to a table about twenty feet away from him A girl slightly above tho the medium height with slender slander resilient figure was standing with her back to him talking to her escort a well built man of fifty odd with iron gray hair and beard and the dark foa features tures of tho the laun latin she waa a beauty holton connola beur ot at femininity though ho e was admitted that without hesitation her lair hair was waa not tho the coal blahu hair of her lace but a shining golden deep brown which lay upon iler her head in thick waving warine her eyes baue o sv ao faa ath ht finel lips were colored by nature puro pure coral and her tooth teeth flashed as she spoke We absurd father for yon to mind I 1 can wait here as aa well as anywhere else although I 1 shant ahalt promise not nol to occupy myself by dining the father shrugged well he be maid bald at length it to isa quite necessary randol and I 1 shant be ba gone lone but it if you mind ill take bouback yo you back to the batol 11 not at alenot all not all she ho protested its ita no BO bright and interesting hare and return soon oon anyway no go on father and ill OV ea taha sha smiled radiantly very slowly until you return hor her cheeks checks had flushed with aul ant mation ni atton and the purity of her bor coloring as an well as aa tho whiteness of her skin holton tightened hid grip on the walter waiters arm convinced italian that tf it her father wore attro spanish or cuban or something latin tle the girt unquestionably was the tha daughter of an glaxon An anglo saxon mother with a gesture that at al mosato she BUO had bad tossed A bold abold mesh mash handbag hand bag hag on the bablo and now ns as she glan over tho the card it wits was quite muce concealed aled from hor her view cretu arned to td lia his oysters bot ot towe tio y a r neglecting occasional clan jes iea tt at th the e radiant crt creature aturo who had been baen left as aa he In phrased it high and dry by her father t f should boud thinie he h murmured that hed bold IB be afraid pompons would steal her bai AI A I 1 by id like ilka to you know t which thought thill thrilled led him out of all pra proportion portion to the amount of at good v it was at about hia pointe that gaze gaie tell upon tha nalter attending tho young woman i oi M llonas waa orso antt of those interesting latero aUng pert A 10 to lo bo be shop fion in great ereal who set acm 14 to be above aa N t i w W J 14 y 1 l J mesa their calling thero there was a hidden bidden something passing phases of facial ex pre salon a certain movement of the shoulders and above all a firm arm footed fooled but light tread all of which seemed to holton to indicate a man misplaced lie felt certain of this a moment later when the girl again lifted the menu and tho the waiter stepped to the corner of the table upon which the gold bag lay jay with a quick snakelike movement his bla hand band shot out and seized the bag then hardly lifting his fingers from tho the table he snapped hla his wrist upward and the bag flew under the lapel of hla his jacket which had been held a open P an to receive it by the other hand another instant and ho he was la in front of the girl receiving her bar order with the utmost sang frold holton wasted no time in thought though 4 quickly springing up he the young womans comans table and nodding to her as to an old acquaintance he ha placed his hand lightly upon the waiters arm walt wait a moment said cald holton pleasantly the girl IR in the meantime had been staring at the young officer in n wide oyed eyed wonderment what what does this mean she aha asked finally nally fl your bag said holton quietly was on this table wan ihnot it not the girl leaned forward with a gasp why why yes she maid eald why its gone she looked up at holton with startled eyes we its gone gon 5 she ro ra heated her voice beginning to rise holton smiled reassuringly and nodded please dont be alarmed he be said it Is all right lie he turned to the waiter this man evidently regarded your bag us as among the debris to be cleared from tho the table able blather stupid of at course but then it he ae were not stupid ho he be a walteri waiter you know what do yoa yen I 1 mean can mirl exclaimed the man 1 iroldo and tight gas aa ai lp JP A j ibi colci Col cJ lEat 0 bald aid HM bi bag 9 out of your coat and ad put tabla or ill make a spread essl baglo of you give mo me my bag said the tha girl her eyes flashing flach lna without a word the waiter real reached his hand inside his jacket and bring lilg ins forth the missing article laid I 1 it 16 on the table there he be said 1 I thought someone had left it and ana I 1 was going to taki take it to the desk dealt rate commented 11 holton ado you wish him arrested he ha added glancing at the girl tile the young woman thought a moment and then shook her head no thank you I 1 think not she said 1 I should hate to appear in proceedings ce und after all no harm has been done it may be he was sincere in removing the bags bag holton regarded her sharply and saw that she really believed in the mans guilt but was waa averso to carrying the matter further all right he said releasing his bis grip upon the waiters arm aria now then you go and attend to your duties and be sure you dont pub any poison in this young ladys ladya food the waiter turned away with an evil scowl and holton bowed and was about to go to his table when the girl smiled at him radiantly adl antly I 1 1 I have not thanked you ye yet for your kindness she said oh it was nothing at all responded holton nut but it was she insisted that bag Is a very dear to me and besides it contains things I 1 should hate bate to lose 1 I am sorry ory that mal my father Is not here bore to thank you and yet la in another way I 1 alq am glad ile iia would scold me for being awfully care careless lesu she was speaking la in perfect english with just the faintest accent perhaps so BO granted holton olton II the 1 he ha took the tha bit in hla his teeth my name is appleton he said IM ik a lieutenant in tho the army and va I 1 she aha paid am la tos mi I 1 think I 1 at least I 1 remember bloing booing you at one of at the white house receptions recep tlona tre ember member having seen been you lied hod holton olton II but I 1 was trying xo to recall tha be t place I 1 think we were introduced la tossa ho he mused oh come mr applegate appleton torre corrected eted holton olton II thank you mr appleton Ap ploton let us alvo done with beating about the bush you hayo rendered me ine a great favor tonight RIght to and that is in quite sufficient but you do not remember me and so please do pot try to make maka md ma think you boudo do A all 11 right said italian olton II 1 I wont hut butout but you yon will not think me aae presuming it if i said add I 1 a should hould like to liem hero after 11 1 I should like to have you know me sho she said simply the unexpected nature ot ol thle remark quite the officer and for a secund secund no ao words came to hla his tongue tha Than kyou te you he said lamoly lamely e 10 T sho she regarded him in smiling silence hut im afraid she said then that your knowledge will bo be limited to this evening I 1 wish really wish it aou would 1 d bo be otherwise she sighed it aou would I 1 d be so nice to be like other girls gi als but father and I 1 are birds of passage here one day there the next I 1 shall be 0 so 80 glad to be home once more home holton looked at her inquiringly quirin gly yes yea roy my homo home la is near santiago we are outside holton flubbed tor some reason or other goodby good by mr air appleton she ahe said 1 I am grateful to you I 1 am thankful you have been very good but now you must go really I 1 may I 1 not call asked holton 1 I recognize the informality of our meeting and I 1 do not wt alah s h you to think me forward but I 1 r e ally 1 I thank you mr appleton she aha said but no these things cannot be there was waa a note of finality in her bar voice and a trace of pathos both of at which holton caught of course miss la tossa I 1 shall do as you say but I 1 am sorry ile ha paused and will you please remember it you ever need assistance in atly any way and I 1 am within reach will you call upon me 1 I thank you she replied you aro are most kind I 1 shall remember what you have eald holton drew a card case from his pocket when whan I 1 told you my name nama was appleton he said 1 I acted upon impulse but intended no insull my real name nama a and ud my address are contained here and h he placed a card in front or of her the tirl glanced at the bit of pasteboard and then started she sha looked afa at holton with a frightened ex pro eslon lieutenant holton she ehe said why i thought I 1 she paused 0 yr xi 1 soa S U IU zed a han her c talon hanged changed 13 radian d all smiled at him 1 I thought you said aid your name was appleton i an aa I 1 explained I 1 did tell tall you that said aid holton olton II it was waa an impulse imp ulee and no taa harm wax was intended now you have my real name tho girl shook her head slowly you must not do that again what give tho the wrong name I 1 never isbell and holton spoke fervently no the tha right nume nime she fixed filed him with her bar serious eyes appleton is a very fine name she said cald it sounds just juat as well asdour as your own jool ton yes yea 1 1 think it has a more attractive sound to a spaniard when you say appleton why then then it Is better so sometimes now mr appleton again I 1 thank you I 1 shall remember all you have done and all you have said and now you must go i the officer bowed a trifle stiffly for her manner had bad undergone something of a change ile ho withdrew to his own table and wont through his various courses in a perfunctory manner his mind was wholly upon that beautiful girl and the strange nature of their interview ter view whiter holton was engaged la in thought miss la waiter sit as though to make up for his misconduct proved a most moat excellent servitor he in fact to take especial pride in attending to the service with all the ski skill 11 at hta his command with the result that tho girl who was waa in largo large degree an epicure rewarded him with a pleat pleas I 1 out mil smile her father joined her at coall cottee fa and 1 it was then while waiting I 1 for an order r j that this strange waiter panel panelled led the following tel telegram earam upon a pad which he carried in its Is pocket holton at willard Wll lard scorpion evidently not going to td key aey west failed with girl dut but all working well this went to key west wast the walter waiter returned to the dining room aud and spent all his spare time standing within earshot of the table at which la tossa and her father were seated the two were guests at the hotel just beford beto rethey they arose the father an eald id something which brought the waiter rigid lie he listened tor for the reply and then with a broad smile he hurried to the serving table for finger bowls as aa demanded by a fussy gentleman at a table in front of him As for holton olton II he was smoking a long cigar and gazing thoughtfully at tho the ceiling cel ling trying to determine where he be had bad seen the face ot of that waiter before when holton hollon entered the ballroom of the willard the orchestra from behind its shelter of palms was wait een dang forth the stirring notes of sousas stars stare and stripes whose popularity was then at the apex and the floor was filled with whirling couples A few minutes late all other thoughts flashed from his mind as the girl he bo had met in the restaurant pa passed ased la in at the cho door on tho the arm of her father she bho w was 28 smiling animatedly and was at once surrounded by a group of bf young men mainly foreigners all clamoring for one or more dances dancea by Geor georgal Ge orca gol ejaculated holton under hi hla 1 breath im tor forr that young lady without linthout any doubt at all twice he bo started to move toward her ony only to be anticipated by some equally ardent young gallant and it was not until the music aua of a waltz had bad 41 2 10 adb r 2 4 SA rv V trying to determine where he H had seen tho the face before ceased and her partner had bad begun to cast hla hie eyes about tho the room tor for the woman whose name appeared next on hla his card that holton saw his opportunity stepping quickly across the floor he be confronted her with a bow seeing which tho the partner bowed in turn and disappeared mr air apple mr Hol holtonz Holto toul nl the exclaimed what a sur surprise I 1 not an unpleasant one I 1 hope smiled holton in reply of course not she answered placing her card in the officer cerl outstretched had thank you holton glanced quickly down the list of names asee see the tha twelfth thirteenth and fourteenth dances are not taken may I 1 have them all she arched her eyebrows but smiled as if pleased certainly all said the young man emphatically and as many more as you can spare she regarded him blim smilingly what a person you arel holton was about to reply when a man in diplomatic british uniform approached pro ached bowed stiffly and bore the girl away she tooled looked back at holton over her shoulder A adelos Ad dlos loa she called TO BE CONTINUED v |