OCR Text |
Show ., . .a r : 1 - , ' . f I i I By OPIE READ ' Copyright. The Ben Syndicate. Inc. Nadine la Vitte, and the address " She broke off, and flushed a little. Shnttlc's jaw had dropped ; then be gulped with an extraordinary contortion contor-tion of bis face In the endeavor to mask his astonishment. "And the address?" ad-dress?" he pursued. The girl and Boyce exchanged a troubled look. "I think," Interposed Boyce, "It would be better to take the the fowl home tonight. Perhaps you would be good enough to deliver it to our carriage. It Is ordered for one o'clock Number 207." Bowing with pelican grace, Shottle departed, but he delayed some ten minutes in dark thought before he sought Drace again. For Shottle wanted the hundred dollars, dol-lars, and If he were to tell Drace that her name was La Vltte ! Could It be possible that she was Stepho's daughter? daugh-ter? He presented himself before Prace at length. "Master," he announced, "her name is Nadine Brown and her address is Carriage Number 297." "NADINE LA VITTE!" SYNOPSIS The time la the late 'Gee or early '70s and the scene a su-amljoat on the Mlssioslpp! river. All the types of the period are proRont and the floating palace is 'listhiKuiehed by merriment, dancing danc-ing and grallantry. There are the customary drinking and Rambling also. Virgil Drace, a young northern north-ern man, is on his way south on a mission of revenge. He meets an eccentric chararter In the person of one liberty Shottle, "who is constantly con-stantly tempting the goddess of chance. They agree to a singular pact. Drace gets his mind oft his 2 miFsion by entering into deck sports In which lie exhibits an unusual un-usual athletic prowess. Drace, seeing see-ing an opportunity to use Shottle, conflrte.s to him that his mission is to find a eertatn ex-guerrilla, Stepho la Vltte, who had murdered Drace's father. It is his determination determina-tion to hang La Vitte as high as Mam.m. Drace falls In love with a striking young beauty on the boat. Carriage Number Two But that Is no address. And " "Listen, Master," went on Shottle hurriedly. "I have a scheme a magnificent magni-ficent scheme. Not only shall you be Introduced to this lady, but you shall be presented to her In the role of a protector and rescuer." "How In the world will you manage that?" "Very simple. At ten minutes past one, you are to be standing on Blank street Just beyond the lamp at the corner of X street. Carriage 297 will drive past. From out the shadow of a garden wall two men will spring out and stop the carriage attempt to rob this Boyce fellow and that girl. You will rush up with a cane a cane, Virgil, Vir-gil, no pistol and drive off the robbers rob-bers ! You are a hero the lady thanks you. Tableau I" "But but " "Leave It all to me but give me that twenty-five dollars. I know fellows fel-lows who'd hold up the devil himself for five." At ten minutes past one o'clock Virgil' Vir-gil' Drace was standing in the shadow of a tree near the street-crossing decided de-cided upon, cursing himself for a halr- lighted with gratitude. She held forth her hand. With a grace that would not have mocked a Highlander who, schooled in France, had followed home the Queen of Scots, he bent over It and reverently touched It with his lips. Wild was her nature, this half-barbaric half-barbaric maid, nnd she snatched her hand away, but repenting instantly, smiled and spoke. "I thank you much. You are brave. You are like one on the stage, the hero." Her words came freely, and with just enough of accent to" convince that they were syeeter than If there were none. Drace asked her If she remembered remem-bered him, and her black velvet eyes flashed dark In astonishment. "How could I when never have I seen you? You must mistake me. No." "I saw you on the boat, at the ball at the St. Louis," Drace said. "But come to think of It, I know that it would be vanity on my part to believe that you have seen me." "No, It would not be vanity," pleasantly pleas-antly she contradicted biin, shaking her head, her cloud of hair. "The brave do not be vain, but I did not see you. I am so sorry. You sorry, too, ha?" She laughed, and Drace thought that never till that moment had he heard music In Its sweetest purity. Then Boyce and Shottle returned, panting Shottle to disappear again In pursuit of his vanished vehicle. "Sir, I thank you most heartily for your assistance," said Boyce, grasping Drace's hand. "My name Is Boyce Rupert Boyce. May I " "Mine, sir, Is Virgil Drace," responded respond-ed that young man. "I am only too glad to have been of help. I'm afraid, however, you'll have to finish, your Journey on foot. May I have the pleasure pleas-ure of walking with you?" This suggestion, however, Boyce declined. de-clined. And although Drace insisted as far as the bounds of courtesy would permit, both Boyce and the girl evaded evad-ed consent. And they left him standing stand-ing thunderstruck on the street, corner for the girl had said, giving him her hand again In parting: "I thank you once more for your help, Mr. Drace. I hope I may see you. again some time. My name is Nadlne la Vitte, and I am often in New Orleans." Drace passed an uneasy night, his mind torn by his suspicion that Nadine la Vitte was the daughter of old Stepho. Ste-pho. And when Liberty came to his room next morning, eager for praise and reward, the truth came out. Nadlne Na-dlne was indeed the daughter of old Stepho; Liberty had overboard enough while disguised as the cabman to confirm con-firm that. But where she lived In New Orleans. Liberty had failed to learn; he had planned to drive them borne, but the runaway of the cab horse had sent that plan agley. CHAPTER IV Now more than ever was Drace. resolved re-solved to find where the girl lived, to find old Stepho, to What would be do when he found them? He was bout on revenge upon his father's mmxler-ers, mmxler-ers, on solving the secret of that buried money; yet be was in love with that arch-scoundrel's daughter. Or was he? lie must find her. make sure. And he said as ranch to Shottle. "Tliere are some things that can't be done by mere determination," said Shottle. his mind on filling n flush. "No, but judgment ought to be the master and director of determination. 1 tell you what we'll do. This afternoon after-noon we'll take the French quarter by streets and knock at every door." That afternoon they set out on their rpiest. But the scheme of knocking nt every door soon seemed foolish and Impertinent. They decided to halt only on-ly In from of habitations that seemed to invite inquiry, consult their instinct in-stinct ; hut as repent erl failure blnnts instinct dull, hope became a critic, without creative adventure, and advised ad-vised a return to the hotel. Then they thought that night would be a fitter time. They , might catch sight of the girl or Boyce at the theater. "I am Colonrl Shottte, sir, and net Lib!" I TO BIS COXTiM-EP.I CHAPTER III Continued. -1 "That's what comes to a horse that wanders from his stable-lot out on the frozen pond," said Shottle as Drace came up to laugh at him. "You've made a rip in the skirt of A . the hall sure enough," Drace replied, ' taking him by the arm. And then suddenly he halted, for he caught sight of a girl coming toward him. A moment before, there had been numerous nu-merous young women In the room, but now there was only one tlie barbaric rose maid, the girl who had touched his heart with a torch. With her walked a tall, handsome and well-dressed young man. Her hand rested upon his arm, and she seemed to listen with pleasure to his evidently evident-ly ardent wooing. She looked at Drace. one glance, and then turned her eyes back to her cavalier and passed on. And a flame of jealousy was added to the turmoil that already held possession of him. "Who is she, Shottle?" demanded Drace. "I don't know, but I'll find out Lord, but she is a fetcher." He moved off, dodging the dancers here and there, while Draee sat aloue In a window, waiting. The orchestra struck up the supper-niarch, supper-niarch, and Shottle, stalking his prey, saw the lady who had so excited Drace's interest seated with her cavalier cava-lier In an alcove and supping daintily. I'ossessing himself of a plate and a goodly portion of chicken, Shottle returned re-turned and brazenly seated himself near them, listening with all his ears. "Nadine," the cavalier was saying, "you wrong me in thinking I seek to influence you through my friendship with your father. It is true he owes me much ; and It is true that if I were to become a member of his family I would forget that. But I want to make you care for me for myself. If " "Hush. Mr. Boyce," said the girl. "There are people near this Is no place to discuss such things." The young man towered his voice, nnd Shottle could hear no more. He calmly finished his chicken and then sought out Drace, whom he found pacing pac-ing up and down Impatiently. "Well?" demanded Drace. "Ills name," announced Shottle, "is Boyce. Frederick Boyce, probably or maybe John. It would be John, I'd think." "Hang his name!" exclaimed Drace. "Did you find out hers?" "Nadine," replied Shottle with a triumphant air. "Nadine," repeated Drace, nnd ca-reRsed ca-reRsed the name with his lips. "But what's her last name?" "Brown probably, or maybe Jones. Or It might even be Smith." Drace scowled his wrath nt such fllnpancy. "Look here, Lib," he said "I'll give you twenty-five dollars to find out her full name and whore she lives. I'll give you a hundred If you'll find somebody who'll Introduce me to her." (T -It's a bet," said Shottle. "But I must warn you you're late. Boyce wants her to marry him. and he's got n hold on her father. But she stood him off." "H'm she stood him off? My "r stands, Lib. She couldn't possibly throw herself away on a low-looking fellow like that." Shottle asked for the twenty-five In advance, was denied and took himself off, grumbling. He found Boyce and the girl called Nadine Just leaving the little alcove, nnd stopped them, bowing bow-ing low. "Sir," he said, addressing Boyce, "I have been directed to Inform In-form this lady that she has been awarded a prize as the best waltzer ,in the room. If you will be so good us to gWe me her name and address In order that It may be delivered to W?" Boyce regarded Shottle suspiclnsly. "Well !" be exclaimed. "I didn't know they did that sort of thing here. What is the prize and vo is giving it?" "The prize," rej-tied Shottle blandly, "Is a turkey. It Is given by the by a leading butcher of the town." Boyce laughed, and the girl added her silver merriment "I'm sure I'm flattered." she eafd. "The name Is Possessing Himself of a Plate and a Goodly Portion of Chicken, Shottle Returned and Brazenly Seated Him-Self Him-Self Ne?r Them. brained fool and Shottle for an addle pated rogue. A rattle of wheels came to his ears, and a cab approached biui. As . it came under the lamp nt the corner, Virgil was sure he recognized the flamingo neck of Liberty SImrrle rising from the turned-up collar of the cabby on the box. "Good Lord!" gasped Drace. "lie's done It. Pray heaven Boyce carries no pistol." The cab passed him. And then from the shadow of a wall a hundred yard or so distant two dark figures darted out. There came a hoarse command, a stifled scream, a cry for help. I)rH-e ran forward and found Boyce, Nadine nnd the supposed cabman standing with uplifted hands beside the vehicle while a masked desperado threatened them with a pistol and a second rohher demanded their valuables. Now Drace played his part right gallantly, rushing upon the robber with uplifted cane. The fellow with the pistol fired once then n blow mi the wrist from Drace's stick sent tlie weapon flying. The pain of the blow enraged the fellow, however, and n Drace made at the second robber, the first one struck him heavily, momentarily momen-tarily dazing him. The two supposed robbers now took to their heels, pursued pur-sued half-heartedly by Cnhmun Shottle nnd energetically by Boyce. who had been robbed in good earnest.. And to complete the melee, the poor cnb-horse. cnb-horse. frightened by the pistol-slmt. galloped off with the ramshackle vehicle ve-hicle lurching behind It. Nadine turned to Drace, her fce |