OCR Text |
Show . .. A WARRIOR BOLD. By ST. GEORGE R.ATHBORNE, f (Copyright, 1901. by Street anfl Smith. New York CHAFTEB IV. And the Professor, Too. Peihaps it was a rash resolve pos- Sibly ehartie Stuart should have accepted ac-cepted the baron's well-meant warn-' warn-' log lor its full value, and have left Antwerp by the first train. But it was on4y tfre word of the baron against hia own powers of perspicacity, and Charlie did not see why he should yield 60 easily. In other words, he Vas not ready to believe In the story the wonderful baron bad related, without more abundant proof. Perhaps he might even doubt it until the action of Arline Brand convinced him of her guilt, or her own sweet lips confessed it. That was Charlie's idea of friendship. friend-ship. With the disappearance of the baron from the scene, Charlie supposed the show was over for the morning. He was mistaken. While he stood there on the curb, a prey to distracting thoughts, he was being eloeely watched by a man who jhad been lounging just inside the entrance en-trance of the Steen courtyard. When Stuart started to move away, the gentleman appeared to lose the last vestige of control which he pos-essed. pos-essed. He ran after the retreating figure. The patter of footsteps just behind him natuarlly caused Charlie to half turn; perhaps he thought it might be the baron, with yet another choice bit of information with which to add " to his stoefc of cheerfulness, or mayhap Artemus desirous of overtaking him. He was immediately undeceived. A florid-faced gentleman, who looked look-ed as though he might have been dallying dal-lying with the wine too long, but with hot passion glowing iri his eyes, was close upon him. Even as Charlie stepped back a pace, thinking the man was drunk, or in a great hurry to catch a train, to his intense in-tense surprise the stranger slapped into Charlie's face a pair of kid gloves be carried. Luckily, Stuart had a cool head for one of his race, or they would have had -it out then and there in the re-I?1" re-I?1" '-Fpettible street o the Steen. . .. J4e saw that the man had a grievance, griev-ance, though utterly in the dark as id what its nature might be. "See here! Who are you?" asked - Charlie. - : ' " "-- 't thought! There is another infernal mistake about it. This queer old town is all upset, it seems." Then he suddenly remembered the card she had given him, with her address; ad-dress; as he had not thought to look at it, so he hastily drove into his pocket pock-et and drew out the case in which he had placed it fresh from her hand, only to receive a sad shock as he read: "MADAM SOPHIE RICHTER, "Hotel de la Praix, Antwerp. ' Dresden." " Well, there it was. In black and white he saw the miserable mis-erable evidence before his eyes. Still he was grimly determined to keep his engagement for that evening, come what might. I Oh! sublime faith! It would require re-quire mountains to crush a positive belief in the conviction of his own eyes and his own intuition. Dinner came next. : He could amuse himself with a thousand and one theories bearing upon the case. ' Charlie was enjoying his dinner with a fair amount of satisfaction, considering what a load he carried upon his mind, when Artemus, who had been given his address, made his appearance. Stuart immediately decided to make a full disclosure. An opportunity came in good time whereby they could converse without being overheard." Then Charlie let loose. He fairly staggered his companion with his first volley, containing the account of the famous baron and his charge that Arline Brand was the most dangerous as well as notorious adventurer adven-turer in all Europe. While Artemus was yet gasping from the effect of this hot shot, Charlie Char-lie poured in grape and cannister. He sketched the dramatic' advent of the ' professor on the scene, the challenge to a duel he had flung at the supposed disturber of his family peace, Charlie's amazed questions concerning yellow hair and blue eyes, and finally the solemn sol-emn agreement that had been reached reach-ed between them. Charlie, having exhausted his repertoire, reper-toire, now turned the tables. "What became of you, my dear boy?", he asked. "I waved you farewell," Artemus said. even handsome in her appearance, was a stranger. He bowed courteously to the lady. ; "I am a stranger to you, lady an: Englishman, Stuart by name. Through! some misadventure I have become,! much against my will, I assure you, mixed up in your domestic arrangements, arrange-ments, and I have come here to throw myself upon your mercy and beg your gentle indulgence as an intercessor." The lady looked astonished. "Sir, explain. Who seeks to do you harm, and of whom am I to beg indulgence?" she asked. "Madam, there is at large in Antwerp Ant-werp a man who has sworn to have the life of the wretch who has robbed his quiet home of its one bright jewsl who prowls hither and yon, regardless regard-less of his personal appearance, breathing vengeance, and ready to sacrifice all he has on earth if he can but avenge his honor." "You really mean that the professor profes-sor is here in Antwerp?" "Raging around like a mad bull." "That at last he has left his musty old books?" "Very much in evidence, I assWe you." "Then our strategem worked," she laughed. N "Pardon my ignoranoe, madam, but I am inclined to think it worked only too well, since I, an entirely innocent inno-cent man, am booked to meet the professor pro-fessor in a duel to-morrow at sunrise, because, forsooth, he chanced -to see me place a lady in a cab a lady who had golden locks, and whom the old I mean the jealous professor chose to fancy was the wife of his bosom." The lady laughed aloud. "In a duel! He fight for me! Oh, charming! It is too good! What will Cousin Hildegarde say?" "I'm sure I don't know; but I'm anxious to convince thiB old fire-eater that he has gotten hold of the wrong man, and I am certain you will assist me to prove my innocence." "Oh, sir, most certainly; especially as there is no man in the matter at all, and the object of our little escapade esca-pade has been accomplished. Sinee: you have been put to more or less inconvenience in-convenience in the premises, it would be only fair for me to explain." The story was nothing new, though its sequel gave evidence of considerable consider-able originality, thanks to the appearance appear-ance of the bright-witted Hildegarde on the scene. Madam and the professor had not been the happiest couple in the world. He was wedded to his books, and neglected his pretty wife. Long had' she .suffered, and doubtless would have continued to do so, only that his cousin took the bull by the horns and suggested a strategem whereby the student should be aroused and made to realize how dear to his heart this wife of his really jxight be. It was the old , principle over again of not missing the water until the well ran dry. - And one day, when the learned man found his blue-eyed spouse gone, and a few lines simply signed H. begging her by her love to meet the writer, in' Antwerp, which note she had apparently appar-ently dropped in the haste of her departure, de-parture, the professor threw his books to the winds and started in pursuit "To tfiink he would even fight, and for me!" she said, almost incredulously. incredu-lously. "Indeed, he is distracted enough to defy Fate itself. But, madam, you may do me a favor," boldly. "You have but to name it, sir." "This lady whom I had the pleasure pleas-ure of serving this lady whom your' furious husband saw me put into a carriage gave me a card and invited me to call upon her here at the hotel to-night." "Ah! yes," with a bright smile. "She gave me a card. I did not look at it just then, but after the ridiculous ridi-culous encounter with your husband, in which he accused me of stealing his wife, and threatened me with death on the field of honor, I took occasion to investigate, and found this." He handed the card to her. One glance, and the professor's wife laughed. - "Yes, it is my carte-de-visite; but, on my honor, Meinherr Stuart, I did not give it to you." "That I know very well. What I wish to discover is, who did? There is a young lady, also with such golden gold-en hair and blue eyes as you yourself possess; she is stopping at this hotel.' Now, you must have at some time exchanged ex-changed cards with her. Can you not remember the circumstance?" The professor's wife nodded eagerly. "Well do I remember; it was only yesterday. She quite charmed mo with her naivete and her flattery. I had never before met one so fascinating." fascinat-ing." "Tt was the Countess Isolde Bra- "Aha! I am Herr Professor Richter . of Dresden." Charlie shook his head. "StlU I am groping in the dark. To my knowledge I never had the pleasure pleas-ure of meeting you, professor." The German scowled angrily. -('Which is one good thing for you, (sir; and now that you have met me. jyou shall give me the satisfaction of ft gentleman. To-morrow morning it must be, with pistols or do. you prefer swords? Blood alone can wipe out the base insult" "Suppose you tell me, Herr Professor, Profes-sor, how I have offended you. Surely, it could not be a matter serious enough to can for a duel." "How?" roared the German, dancing up and down, his eyes glaring, his hands working as though eager to clutch the other's throat. "After destroying des-troying my honor, you profess ignorance, ignor-ance, scoundrel! Then I will tell you, even though every gossip in Antwerp loam nf mv fihame. By running away ."Then you were not in the second coach?" "Ay, ay. You see, the fair lady neglected to favor me with one of her cards, and I was compelled to adopt measures of my own in order to discover dis-cover her residence. She went to the hotel in the Rue de Mennisters." "That's the De la Paix," with a frown, remembering the card he held. "Yes, my boy, the same. I was satisfied sat-isfied that I had found out just where she put up but curiosity induced me to waylay the doorkeeper, he who opened the carriages and exercised the functions of factotum. So, putting put-ting a bit of silver in his hand, I asked ask-ed him who the lady might be she with the veil over her face. He scratched his head as though a bit puzzled himself, and then suddenly answered, as though at random: " 'Mile. Brand.'" ' Charlie had been listening eagerly. He gave vent to an exclamation of satisfaction. with my wife!" "What?" Charlie was so staggered by the accusation ac-cusation that he could hardly catch his breath. He had , passed through some Btrange experiences during his life, but this was really the first time he bad ever been accused of such an escapade. es-capade. "But, Herr Professor, I swear to you I never set eyes upon the lady in question." "You lie, rascal! Did I not with my own eyes see you put her in the carriage, car-riage, and stand there watching her drive away! You are guilty!" Pnnr Charlie felt as limp as a dish- "Artemus, you are a brick! "So," continued the other, 'with a grim smile, as though he could scent something that had not yet become visible to the naked eye, "I came to the conclusion the young lady had given us her true name, after all, though she hinted at possessing another." an-other." ' "Yes; why did she say that? mused Charlie. "But one thing seems clear-there clear-there is an Arline Brand, after all; and to-night I am bound to discover what relation, if any, connects her with this bold intriguing countess, 'or the runaway run-away wife of the Herr Professor either that, or to-morrow I am booked for a duel." " Charlie Stuart . saw the shades oi night close' in upon the old city of Antwerp with a sigh of deep satlsfac- bant." "And her name?" asked Charlie, his heart sinking. (To be continued.) rag. . This connection with Artemus and his irrepressible dramatic fever was bringing about the most agonizing e-sults. e-sults. . ' "Well all I say is, I must have done It In my sleep. But I gave you my word, and if I cannot prove my innocence, in-nocence, I will give you the satisfaction satisfac-tion you demand." v . "To-morrow, at sunrise?" eagerly. "As you say. There is my card, pro-' pro-' fessor. Leave the particulars at my hotel." ' , Stuart stood looking after the learned learn-ed disciple.' V , . ; "She the wife of that bow-legged, heavy-brained scholar? Perish the Reaching the hotel he boldly asked to see Madam Sophie Richter. Some time elapsed while he waited. He was on needles and pins hung up, as it were, on tenter-hooks by sus- '"The lady awaits meinherr in the little parlor over yonder," at last came the message. Charlie drew in a long breath and Hefelt a sensation of tremendous rFor the lady, while pleasant and ! |