Show ki kii I i yi f v BY HEMlY 4 J G l 1 CHAPTER XIV Continued 4 I took refuge in I closed i my eyes e es wearily Before I 1 bid you 01 good Rood night sir I I think It right that you ou should know OW that your mother m ther and sister arc are in this hotel At the risk that you ou think me Impertinent I dare to hope that your our meeting with them th m tomorrow may be befree bei befree free freo from any an embarrassment or un Unhappiness i happiness 11 Ho bowed slimy slim and left the tho room roomI I stared after him vacantly I The Tho dispatch he had loft gorgeous II and bravo with Ith its royal roal crest and em om embossing 1 l bossing lay passively in my hand hund tl And now a now dilemma confronted mo me I was supposed to be under the i JI Influence of ot an opiate they the would not nots scruple ruple s to take from me the tho dispatch To allow that might give them such In Information Information information formation as ns n auld make their con conspiracy conI conspiracy I whatever its nature the moro more effective To fa resist would tell tehI them themI themi i I that I had boen been feigning i I must hide the papers But where j il I It was a 3 bare little chamber my heart beart sank as I noted how bare bareI ba baI bars I z leaped leapi out of bed Again I 1 throw I 1 open the shutters I could hear henr Capt t t I Forbes speaking sp sternly if he could 11 but lut hold hol them half a minute In tho the garden below the marblo I basin of or a disused fountain at once I caught my eyes eos 1 r I tore toro the corner of tho the envelope Inserted dm my penknife to weight tho the J packet leaned over oyer the balcony and I dropped dropp d It k It fell squarely into tho the basin among i ith the leaves and moss mossI I T I To regain the room was the work of or oraD an aD n instant I heard Captain Forbes wish them themI n cold good night and Madame do doI I t I k answer him mockingly Then Thon r the tho bedroom door was opened and f f I Stan shuffled into the tho room t Who was that man 1 I demanded L languidly and regarded him with list listless lIsti listless i i less leBs eyes my hand to my forehead He Ho shrugged his shoulders disdain disdainIng d l I L lag Ing to answer t He has left leCt some somo papers hero by I II J I mistake p pS i S 1 pL r Perhaps I muttered indifferently I and pretended to sleep 1 I heard him moving about the room for some time Madame de I and he ho whispered together I J felt so little concerned as to the result of this search that I actually fell asleep The 1 I t t strain of the evening had exhausted me mc No doubt the search was extend extended r ed cd to me personally I believe I was wasi i 1 vaguely vaguel conscious of or it ItI I CHAPTER XV I 1 j The Castle Castl of Happiness 1 You sleep soundly my m friend Dr Stana was looking down at mo me moi J I til i with grim Intentness I It was not yet ret dawn da Ills His Immense J I figure seemed even oven more huge hube than i It was in this uncertain light It ap ape appeared appeared I to threaten to menace me I And yet ret 1 welcomed his presence at ata a least they had not made their escape I I looked ed up at him with cool assur assurance t ance anc anci i j i I A light conscience gives gies deep slum lum 1 I I ber her Do we start so early 1 Yes Your coffee is waiting for Cor f j you ou In the salon salonI I 1 dressed rapidly A certain depres depression depression 1 sion would havo have been natural The I night is the time of follies with the I morning come clear thought and pru prudence prudence prudence dence But not so with aie ne It is true that I 1 detested Dr His meth methods 1 edt were too gross his eyes ces were too I closely set sot together his h s mouth too I cruel and sensual I could have havo ba 0 wished r him out of oC the game gatTIc And yet ret 1 I be bOo believed that I was a match for him himI I J But this woman who tempted and I pitied This woman I II whose whoso beauty fascinated I find md whose whoso treachery re ye repelled yeI I polled This woman who lied and I prayed inthe same breath As I thought of ler Fer r r I was at once I 1 I furious and eager I was ashamed I to think how eager I had pledged 1 c 1 myself m se to the cold Diana of my dreams I I I For her fran I l ran these risks for Cor her I r rI I might be disgraced and a felon It 1 was as her gratitude I 1 coveted her for Cor forgiveness 4 t i I 1 craved cravedI I 1 And yet Jet for the moment I was wag seek Keek t 1 Ii ing the flame fiame and tho the glamour of the theother theother other woman this warm mysterious creature of diverse moods r I j I Her fantastic chateau held out a 3 1 promise not of happiness indeed but buttof butof bute e of the joy jo of doing of daring I I I So as I dressed my ill spirits were I I I i I buoyant The little garden below I i I half hidden bidden in the mist that came a from tho the lake lako was fresh and charm charming charming t ing in the tho morning dew Patches of flowers bravo brave in scarlet and purple S and blue open JI their eyes Ces to the I dawn dan I followed mechanically the I gaveled paths geometric and straight 1 il 1 threading the tho sparkling spa rIdIng lawns I I looked eagerly Iowa down at the bat battered C 1 fountain ched with refuse I r Il l could soc see no trace of oC tho tb long white b I envelope It was completely concealed 1 I l by b the leaves d I found it impossible to fo rescue tho the 4 J little packet from its ts hiding place My Ily hostess and her cousin kept too care careful careful II J ful an eye OO on mo mc for Cor that thaL But it was wasa tj 1 I a tolerably secure hiding place and andI frankly I was waG not sorry norry to leave tho the eel II I j of my m complicity behind me nr A faint breeze cold with the tho t 10 snow of or the mountains fanned my The poetry of the lawn dawn da wn th me Before the evening came the tho placid lake lako might be lashed into fury furr The trees tr es now nos gently swaying might be bent and broken by b the violence of the storm But now the sky was clear When Then the storms came I 1 would try to meet them But before they the did I come why wh should I not nol enjoy tho the pres pros present ent I threw open tho the door and stepped into the salon where coffee and Madame de rainier awaited rue ue eo She Sho greeted me with vivacity But ButI I was not blind to the tho cool glanco that measured Tho The fool Cool has ims no suspicions ions the eyes eres said while the tho lips asked how ho I 1 had slept Admirably I answered gayly And we are to start at once for your I Castle of Happiness You have hao a sublime faith to tl t still believe bellee it that 7 she questioned mock mockingly mockIngly as she poured my coffee Why not I cried mockingly In my turn Is s it not happiness to be with you rou madam Pas des deB monsieur she Ghe replied with an impatient gesture But Rut I Was Not Blind to the tho But you ou really believe that the tho tire l tiresome re some journey will repay you Since T J am resolved resoled to hear your Jour Jours secret s cn t yes Oh ungracious She Sho smiled at atmo atmo atme mo me ruefully I think I prefer an In Insincere sincere sincero compliment to an awkward truth Madam it Is not I who made mado the condition con Ah you ou are aro a very vcr cautious friend monsieur I generally try to look before I leap I returned with com posture I was not nol unwilling that she think tb It ItI I curiosity that prompted me to accept I the extraordinary invitation given with so little heed to convention She had hall hinted that we wo were vere to be of mutual use 1180 to each other but hut of this I was skeptical sl I accepted the tue invitation precisely In the tho spirit in which It R was I given glyen It would be Le shocking form forra to say the least to be bo a guest that one might have tho the opportunity to play the tho detective But she and I had placed ourselves beyond the pale of conventionality Eith n ir distrusted the tle theother theother other An armed truce that was the word that described ed our relations and she had suggested that word I Dr Stana entered En route he ho said gruffly Tho The carriage is waiting It I t was very vcr early scarcely past five fi vo The fhe night porter parlor ed and sul suI sullen sullen len took us down doii on the tho elevator and put our luggage in the carriage I confess I J breathed more freely when the hotel was some somo miles nilles behind us IS usand usand and we wo had seen neither Helena Brett nor nOlO Captain Forb s sAs As Madame do de had warned me the tho Journey Itself was long and tiresome nor did Madame do Vernier and an her companion exert themselves much to Its It monotony It was almost dusk when she pointed po out to me m tho the pinnacles of her chin cha chateau For tho the last hour the horses had hind been struggling up a dusty dUlt road roar wind Inc ln about tho mountainside Forests of oC fir were on either side From far farbelow farbelow below came tho the impetuous murmur of ofa a stream High above the forests 11 of fir trees there were verc herds hords of cattle Wo We could hear tho the faint jingle of the Only rarely had bad there been beon any nu view but tho the clear and pure at atmosphere told me that the altitude must bo be considerable But his sylvan scone scene suggested nothing of or the horrors ls of oC a few days ago 0 The mountains i purple and pink In m the lie dusk vero too far ni away way a Suddenly there was a turn In tho the roal road Now Nn wo we had an uninterrupted view of tho the chateau across a green g valley In III this q UC light its lowers towers and turrets seemed scorned ns fiS unreal and nd I ghostly ns as a fairy faIQ fabric I At the tho base of Its white walls a atin tiny tin village crouching close to tho the chateau for protection I found a pre precarious precarious carious foothold on the sloop hillside There was a maze of roofs I and sloping tier upon tier lieI of or them each pierced by numbers num ers of quaint dormer windows A wild river fed by hy the Ule turbulent streams of or the mountain snows flung itself in headlong rage race down the slop slopIng lug Ing In valley straight for or the tho chateau chuteau as asif asIf asif if to sweep it from Its base hase Reach ReachIng ReachIng ReachIng Ing the castle it spent its Us fury on the rocks then as s if ban ed of Ra Its prey lUCY made an au abrupt half circle about the tho base and continued its stormy career career seeking cooking a less powerful foe Coe At last breathed Madame do Var nier Well Voll my friend does docs it ib prom promise Iso ise diversion div for you The village and the castle breathe tho the spirit of romance I cried with animation Ah Au romance What if T I say sa to you ou she whispered that your our day of romance has come comeI 1 I glanced toward Dr Stara Stana whoso whose shaggy head was nodding Even wo we 0 I i I L 4 Y Q 1 r r I L i 2 I j jC N C I 4 gal Glance That Measured Americans madam aro are not indifferent to its glamour But Bitt too often octen the tho ro roo romance mance of medievalism Suggests dis dishonor dIshonor dishonor honor She Sho looked at mo me then shrugged her hOl shoulders One must take tal e tho world as ono one ne finds It she I said sali indifferently Wo were making the he last stoop sleep ascent to the tho village Wo We crossed the noisy stream the driver cracked his long whip we I under a dilapi dilapidated dated daLeli arch we wo were rattling over oer tho the cobblestones cobbles Lones of a winding street It was too dark for me to see se 5 e much of tho the quaint beauty beaul of this picturesque esque esCue village 1 I caught of the timbered Its gilt clock proudly conspicuous on tho the squat tow tower tower er or and of the fountain in front of or It its basin radiant with scarlet flowers There Thore little shops dimly lighted lIghteLl their wares heaped about tho the doors and windows As we passed women and children dropped delighted courtesies and the tho thomen themen themen men took pipes from broadly grinning mouths and doffed their hats hints EyE Evi Evidently dently death Madame do was loved by this simple folk folle You seem to be ho very verr welcome I Isaid Isaid Isaid said smiling surprised that lint the tho vii vil villagers lagers Ingers should have greeted her hel so 50 cor cordially cordially You are the Lady Bountiful to these simple people I r suppose She Sho smiled fa Inti I 1 lute have been lucre hero for two summers I am tho the event of the year ear In their lives JIves I try to bring them a little pleasure When I 1 leave I like 0 to think thin It that they the ro io member mo me with love lovo Thou Then I should not have hae said that tho the glamour of or romance Is always as associated with dishonor i 1 ventured boldly I can see no glamour In tIlls this oh ob obscure village sho she replied yawning But the chateau is a part of the tho vil village il lage lagoT I persisted Monsieur sho she cried passionately You weary eary nio mo with senseless ques questions X i smiled I 1 wished dc do to know definitely that II St i depended on her playing the part of or I Circo Circe or Lady Laly Bountiful whether tho lie i armed truce wan ran to continue or I there thero was vau to bo lie open warfare We turned at an abrupt angle from the lie village c street Wo Vo were entering i ia a mere passageway just wide enough i ifor for tho time carriage It was on I either side by ly h the houses hous s of the 11 J loge Inge over the tho arch too was ill a dwell dwelling dWelling I ling ing Suddenly we emerged in a court courtyard courtr courtyard yard r largo large enough to permit a squad squadron i iTon ron Ton of cavalry ea to perform its it evolutions lions A low wall It Wo Wodrow drew drow row up at the lie doorway I was wel vol welcomed comeil by Madame do ulo with Rh exaggerated deference Wo We were at al ather ather I I her of Happiness I I fell felt the he insincerity of the welcome They The looked on me mo as a puppet to tomoo II I move moo only when they lucy pulled hulled tho strings I saw too that I had bad not nol left lell leftIn lellIn leftin I In the hotel at Vitznau the character of Sir Mortimer Brett But before the next day was past I I determined to lo know once for all tho the reason of this deception I was de determined determined to put an end to this farce CHAPTER XVI The sk Again Ono One does docs not expect e to find In Switzerland grace and charm In archi architecture There aro no historic ella cha chateaux team worthy of a pilgrimage This castle of gave one ono the sim sini simple Pie impression of sheer strength It was was as primitive and savage and bare of pretense to tl beauty as ns Its founder must have been beenA A rather squat tower tO er of Immense solidity the tIle roof steeply sloping tho lie windows s narrow and few It would havo been commonplace and ugly In Inthe Inthe Inthe the extreme had lund It not been for three smaller semicircular towers laced at each anglo of the larger one Tho The ef effect effect feet of this tower with its three throe supporting towers towel was wan bizarre but not It lt pre prepared prepared pared one for fOl an interior unique and an interesting I Wo Vo passed beneath the lie arched door doorway doorway doorway way severo severe and hare bare of ornament Into the great hall At the tho left was tho ho grand stairway the balustrades of oak oale massive and dark with age but ad admirably admirably carved At the end of ot tho lie hall on tho the right a fire of logs was blazing brightly The Tho hooded mantel Gothic in design was also of oak oale and blackened with the of cen tunes tur R A stand of banners hanners stood near ne r the foot ot of tho the stairway Not Nol far from the lie fireplace was a curious spiral stair staircase staircase case caso leading lending to the gallery galler that ran the tho length of tile the room above Tapes rapes Tapestries tries covered the bare haro walls and filled tho spaces between b tween the narrow |