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^ ^ ^ ^-nJ* ^jr *>Jr •''}*• *|r •vj''Sr *1^ ,>
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
•Sf
The Day of Temptation
A STORY OF TWO CITIES.
ffiy William oCe Queux,
Author of “Whoso Findeth a Wife, ,, “The Great War in England in 1897,” “The Eye
of lstar,” “If Sinners Entice Thee/’ “Zoraida,” “Guilty Bonds,”
“Devil’s Dice, “A Secret Service,” Etc.
COPYRIGHT. 1898. BY THE AUTHOR, AND PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.
SYNOPSIS OF OPENING CHAPTERS.
In the firet chapter the reader is introduced to two Italians, who are ear
nestly debating whether a young lady named Vittorina shall be allowed to set
foot in England. Romanelli travels post-haste to prevent her from starting, and
several hours after he has left Vittorina arrives at Charing Cross in the charge
of Captain Tristram, who Is just returning from Leghorn, whither he had jour
neyed as qt#en*s cpA^ia] meacAnger. They drive off and Tristram calls at the
Criterion buffet, leaving Vittorina in the cab. He makes his exit by the back
entrance, and when the cabman, impatient at the long delay, bends down to
speak to the lady he is horrified to fltfd her dead.
The coroner’s inquiry results in some remarkable disclosures. The specialist
who makes the postmortem can find no trace of poisoning and no marks of vio
lence. but is nevertheless certain death js the result of foul play. A gentleman
whom the cabman had heard called “Major" in the station was seen by the bar
maid talking to the lady’s companion in the Criterion, and. further,a photograph
of the major was found in the lady’s handbag. The major and the unknown com
panion of the lady have disappeared.
Leghorn—Livorno— is the next stage of action. Charlie Armytage is infatua
ted with Gemma Fanettl. and has won her consent to be his wife. They are both
surprised by the appearance of Captain Tristram, who is introduced by Charlie
to Gemma. The two arc* well acquainted, but keep Charlie ignorant of the fact.
Vittorina and Gemma aro close friends and the latter has not yet heard of Vitto-
rina’s death.
The British consul at Leghorn writes to Charlie Armytage, asking him to call
at the consulate. When he goes he is astounded to learn that Gemma is wanted
by the police, and will have to leave Leghorn within twenty-four hours under
pain of arrest. The consul advises Charlie to terminate his connection with Gem
ma. but the young fellow is blindly in love, and will not listen to reason. He
brings Gemma to London, where she excites admiration by her marvelous beau
ty. She receives a note from Captain Tristram, asking her to call on him. An an
gry interview' results, for each possesses secrets which, if revealed, will ruin the
other and end in death. Captain Tristram attempts to strangle her, and is only
prevented by the appearance of a man-servant.
Meanwhile Charlie Armytage Is much perplexed by the deepening of the mys
tery surrounding his well-beloved. At a shooting party he happens to meet Dr.
Malvano, who skillfully insinuates that Gemma’s family has an evil reputation.
Charlie also calls upon Lady Marshfield, who insists that he must not marry
Gemma. When he ignores her entreaties and defies her threats she leads him
to an astounding discovery.
The above roughly sketches the opening chapters. The plot grows thicker and
more intricate, and each chapter contains a startling surprise. The mystery is
not solved until the last chapter is reached.
Chapter I.—Aliens.
“One fact is plain. Vittorina must not
Come to England.”
“Why? She is a mere inexperienced
girl, knows nothing."
“Her presence here will place us in a
seriuos jeopardy. If she really intends
to visit London, then I shall leave this
country at once. I scent danger."
"Ah far as I can see we have nothing
whatever to fear. She don’t know half
a dozen words of English, and London
* will be entirely strange to her after Tus
cany."
The face of the man who. w’hile speak
ing. had raised his wineglass was within
the zone of light cast by the pink-shaded
lamp. He was about twenty-eight, with
dark eyes, complexion a trifle sallow
well-arched brow’s and a dark mustache
carefully waxed, the points being trained
in an upward direction. In his well-cut
evening clothes Atnoldo Romanelli was
a handsome man, a trifle foppish perhaps,
yet his features, w’ith their high cheek
bones. bore the unmistakable stamp of
southern blood, while in his eyes was
that dark brilliance w*hich belongs alone
to the sons of Italy.
He selected some grapes from the silver
fruit dish, filled a glass with water and
dipped them in, trup-bred Tuscan that
he was. shook them/out upot^hls plate,
and then calmly contemplated the oil
blue Eiruscan scarabaeus on the little
finger of his left hand. He was w r aiting
for ‘his companion to continue tne argu
ment.
The other, twenty years his senior, was
ruddy-faced and clean shaven, with a
pair of eyes that twinkled merrily, square
Jaws, denoting considerable determina
tion, and looked altogether a typical Eng
lishman of the buxom, burly, sport-lov
ing kind. Strangely enough, although
no one would have dubbed Dr. Filippo
Malvano a foreigner, so thoroughly Brit
ish was his appearance, yet he was an
alien. Apparently he was in no mood
for conversation, for the habitual twin
kle in his eyes had given place to a calm,
serious look, and he slowly selected a
cigar, while the silence which had fallen
between them still remained unbroken.
The man w’ho had expressed confidence
raised his glass to his Ups slowly, re
garded his companion curiously across
its edge, and smiled grimly.
The pair were dining together in a large,
comfortable, but secluded house lying
back from the road at the fufther end of
the quaint oid-world village of Lydding-
ton. in Rutland. The long window’s of the
dining room opened out upon the spacious
lawm. the extent of which was just visible
in the faint mystic light of the August
evening, showing beyond a great belt of
elms the foliage of which rustled softly
in the fresh night wind, and still further
lay the open undulating country. Ever
and anon the wind in soft gusts stirred
the long lace curtains within the room,
and in the vicinity the sweet mellow note
of the nightingale broke the deep still
ness of rural peace.
Romanelli ate his grapes deliberately,
while the doctor, lighting his long Italian
cigar at the candle the servant handed
him. rested both elbows on the table and
puffed away slowly, still deep In contem
plation.
"Surely this girl can be stopped, if you
really think there is danger." the young
er man observed at last.
At that instant a second maid entered,
and in order that neither domestics
should understand the drift of their con
versation the doctor at once dropped into
Italian, answering—
“I don’t merely think there’s danger; I
absolutely know there is."
“What? You've been warned?" inquir
ed Arnoldo quickly.
The elder man raised his brows and
slowly inclined his head.
Romaneli sprang to his feet in genuine
alarm. His face had grown pale in an
instant.
"Good heavens!" he gasped in his own
tongue. “Surely the game has not been
given away?"
The doctor extended his palms and rais
ed his shoulders to his ears. When he
spoke Italian he relapsed into all his na
tive gesticulations, but in speaking Eng
lish he had no accent, and few foreign
mannerisms.
The two maid-servants regarded the
sudden alarm of their master’s guest from
London with no little astonishment; but
the doctor, quick-eyed, noticed it. and
turning to them exclaimed in his perfect
English:
"You may both leave. I’ll ring if I re
quire anything more."
As soon as the door had closed Arnoldo
striking about either, beyond the fact
that they were foreigners of a w’ell-to-do
class. The English of the elder man
was perfect, but that of Romanelli w’as
very ungrammatical, and in both their
faces a keen observer might have no
ticed expressions of cunning and crafti
ness. Any Italian would have at once
detected from the manner Romanelli ab
breviated his W’ords when speaking Ital
ian that he came from the Romagna,
that wild hot-bed of lawlessness and an
archy lying between Florence and Forli,
while his host spoke pure Tuscan, the
language of Italy. The words they ex
changed were deep and earnest. Some
times they spoke softly, when the doctor
would smile and stroke his smooth-
shaven chin, at others they conversed
with a volubility that sounded to English
ears as though they were quarreling.
The matter under discussion was cer
tainly a strangely secret one.
The room was well-furnished with gen
uine old oak. which bore no trace of the
Tottenham Court road, the table was
adorned with exotics and well laid with
cut glass and silver, while the air, which
entered by the often windows, was re
freshing after the heat and burden of
the August d*y.
“The simpte fact remains that on the
day VittorhSi sv.t& foot in London the
wiiole affairAmiwt become ^public proper
ty," said Malvano seriously, dipping his
fingers Into the crimson bowl beside him.
“And then?"
“Well, safety lies in flight,” the elder
man answered, slowly gazing around the
room. “I’m extremely comfortable here
and have no desire to go wandering
again; but if the girl really comes, Eng
land cannot shelter both of us."
Romanelli looked grave, knit his brows
and slowly twirled the ends of his small
mustache.
“But how can we prevent her?" he In
quired after a pause.
“I’ve been endeavoring to solve this
problem for a fortnight past," his host
answered. “While Vitorina is still in
Italy and has no knowledge of my ad
dress we are safe enough. She’s the
only person who can expose us. As for
myself, leading the life of a country
practitioner. I’m respected by the whole
neighborhood, dined by the squire and
the parson, and no suspicion of mystery
attaches to me. I’m buried here as
completely as if I w’ere in my grave."
The trees rustled outside, and the wel
come breeze stirred the curtains within,
causing the lamp to flicker.
“Yet you fear Vittorina!" observed the
younger man. puzzled.
“It seems that you have no memory of
the past." the other exclaimed, a trifle
impatiently. “It is imperative to remind
you of the events on a certain night in a
house overlooking the sea at Livorno; of
the mystery ”
“Basta!" cried the younger man, frown
ing. his eyes shining with unnatural fire.
“Can I ever forget them? Enough! All i6
past. It does neither of us good to rake
up that wretched affair. It is over and
forgotten."
“Xo.scareely forgotten." the doctor said,
in a low*, impressive tone. “Having re
gard to what occurred, don’t you think
that Vittorina has sufficient incentive to
expose us?"
"Perhaps." Romanelli answ*ered. in a
dry. dubious tone. “I however, confess
myself sanguine of our success. Certainly
you. as an English country doctor, who is
half Italian, and who has practiced for
years among the English colony in Flor
ence. have but very little to fear. You
are eminently respectable."
The men exchanged smiles. Romanelli
glanced at his ring, and thought the an
cient blue scarabaeus had grown darker—
a precursory sign of evil.
“Yes." answered Malvano. with delib
eration. “I know I’ve surrounded m>*6eJf
with an air of the most severe respectabil
ity and I flatter myself that the people
here little dream of my true position; but
that doesn’t affect the serious turn events
appear to be taking. We have enemies,
my dear fellow, bitter enemies, in Flor
ence. and as far as I can discern, there is
absolutely no way of propitiating them.
We are. as you know, actually within an
ace of success, yet this girl can upset all
our plans and make English soil too sul
try for us ever to tread it again." A
second time he glanced around his com
fortable dining room and sighed at the
thought of having to fly from that quiet
rural spot where he had so ingeniously
hidden himself.
“It was to tell me this. I suppose, that
you wired me this morning." his guest
said, taking a cigar from the box.
The other nodded, adding: “I had a Iet-
He has seen
leaning on the back of his chair, demand- o
ed further details from his host. He had | ter last night from Paolo
only arrived from London an hour before. | Vittorina
and half-famished had at once sat down
to dinner.
“Be patient," his host said in a calm,
strained tone quite unusual to him. “Sit
down, and I’ll tell you.
pressively. “If you only reflect upon the
events of that memorable night you will
at once recognize the extreme importance
chat she should be prevented from coming
to this country."
. Romanelli nodded and lit his cigar in si
lence.
“Yes. Tou are right," he observed at
last in a tone of conviction. “I see it all.
We are in peril. Vittorina must not
come."
“Then the next point to consider is
how we can prevent her." the doctor
said.
A silence, deep and complete, fell be
tween them. The trees rustled, the clock
ticked slowly and solemnly and the night
ingale filled the air with its sweet note.
‘"l]he only way out of the difficulty that
I can see is for me to hazard everything,
return to Livorno, and endeavor by some
means to compel her to remain in Italy.”
“But can you?"
k Romanelli shrugged his shoulders.
“There is a risk, of course, hut I'll do my
best," he answered. “If I fail—well, then
the game’s up, and you must fly."
“I would accompany you to Italy," ex
claimed the other, as he poured out some
whisky and filled his glass from the sy
phon at his elbow*, “but, as you are
aw’are, beyond Modane the ground is too
dangerous."
“Do you think they suspect anything at
the embassy?"
"I cannot tell. I called the other day
when in London and found the ambassa
dor quite as cordial as usual."
“But if he only knew* the truth?"
“He can only know* through Vittorina,"
answered the doctor quickly. “If she re
mains in Italy he wM« still be in igno
rance. The ministry at Rome know*s
nothing, but her very presence here will
arouse suspicion."
"Then I’ll risk all and go to Italy*," the
younger man said decisively. “I don't
relish that long journey from Paris to
Pisa this weather. Thirty-five hours is
too long ter be cramped up in that horri-
bily stuffy sleeping car. Thank heaven
they've lately taken to selling drinks on
board."
“If you go you must start tomorrow,
and travel straight through," urged the
doctor, earnestly “Don’t break your
A-t that instant the maid entered bear
ing a telegram which a lad on a cycle had
brought from Uppingham for the doctor’s
guest.
The latter opened it, glanced at its
few' faintly written words, then frowmed
and placed it in his pocket without com
ment.
“Bad news," inquired Malvano. “You
look a bit scared."
“Not at all. Not at all." he laughed.
“Merely a little affair of the heart, that’s
all,” and he laughed in a happy, self-sat
isfied way as he sw*allowed the remainder
of his whisky. Arnoldo was fond of the
| society of the fair sex, therefore the doc-
I tor, shrewd and quick of^observation, was
1 fully satisfied that the message was from
i one’ or other of his many feminine ac
quaintances.
“Well, induce Vittorina to believe that
you love aer, and all will be Dlain sail
ing,” he said. “You are just the sort of
fellow* who can fascinate a woman and
compel her to act precisely as you wish.
Exert on her all the powers you pos
sess." *
"I’m afraid it will be useless," his com
panion answered in a dry, hopeless tone.
“Bah! Your previous love of adven
tures have already shown you to be a
past master in the arts of flattery and flir
tation. Make a bold bid for fortune, my
dear fellow', and you’re bound to succeed.
Come, let’s take a turn across the lawn.
It’s too warm indoors tonight."
Romanelli uttered no word, but rose at
his host’s bidding, and followed him out.
He felt himself staggering, but holding
his breath, braced himself up. and. strug
gling, managed to preserve an appearance
of outw'ard calm.
How. he wondered, would Dr. Malvano
act if he knew the amazing information
w'hich had just been conveyed to him. He
drew* a deep breath, set his lips tight, and
shuddered.
His cigar -fell from his nerveless fingers
upon the grass.
Chapter II.—The Silver Greyhound.
On t-he same night as the doctor and his
guest were dining in the remote rural vil
lage, the express which had left Paris
at midday was long overdue at Charing
Cross. Friends awaited its arrival anx
iously, for on the contents-bills of that
evening papers were the words in alarm
ing capitals “Gale in the Channel,” and
although the train was timed to reach
London at half-past seven it was now al
ready nine.
The local services were ever and anon
arriving and departing, and the whirl and
bustle of the terminus, the hub of Lon-
elderiy, gTay-haired. well-groomed man in
frock coat and silk hat his old friend
Major Gordon Maitland, and shook him
heartily by the hand.
“Yes." he answ’ered. “London once
again. But you know how I spend my
life—on steamboats or in sleeping cars.
Tomorrow I may start again for Constan
tinople. I’m the modern Wandering Jew."
“Except that you’re not a Jew—eh?” the
other laughed. “Well, -traveling is your
profession; and not a bad one either."
"Try it in winter, my dear fellow, when
the thermometer is below zero," answer
ed Captain Frank Tristram. smiling.
“You’d prefer the fireside corner at the
club."
“Urgent business?" inquired the major,
in a lower tone, and with a meaning look.
The other nodded.
“Who's your pretty companion?" Mait
land asked in a low* voice, with a quick
glance at the gii* in the cab.
"She was placed under my care at Leg
horn. and wre’ve traveled through to
gether. She’s charming. Let me introduce
you."
Then approaching the conveyance, he
exclaimed in Italian;
“Allow* me, Signorina, to present my
friend, Major Gordon Maitland—the Sig
norina Vittorina Rinaldo."
“Your first visit to our country, I pre
sume?” exclaimed the major, noticing
how eminently handsome she was.
“Yes," she answered, smiling, but re
garding him with wide open eyes, as if
a trifle surprised. “I have heard so much
of your great city, and am all anxiety to
see it."
“I hope your sojourn among us will be
pleasant. You have lots to see. How
long shall you remain?"
“Ah! I do not know." she answered,
with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “A
week—a month—a year—if need be.”
The tw*o men exchanged glances. The
last words she uttered were spoken
hoarsely, with strange intonation. They
had not failed to notice a curious look in
her eyes, a look of fierce determination.
“Terriblly hot in Leghorn," observed
Tristram, turning the conversation alter
an awkward pause of a few' moments.
Vittorina held her breath. She saw how
nearly she had betrayed herself.
"It has been infernally hot here in Lon
don these past few days. Parliament is
up, and the clubs are deserted. I think I
shall go abroad tomorrow. I feel like
the last man in town."
“Go to Wiesbaden." Tristram said. "1
was at the Rose ten days ago and the
season is in full swing. Not too hot. good
casino, excellent cooking and plenty of
amusement. Try it."
NEW BATTLESHIP ILLINOIS.
She Was Launched At Newport News, October 4, and Christened By Miss Nancy Leiter, of Chi
cago—One of the Largest battleships. When Completed, in the World.
She’s there for the
Arnoldo obeyed, sinking again into his J London.”
“In Florence?"
“No, at Livorno,
sea-bathing."
“What did she say?"
That she intended to travel straight to
chair, his dark brows knit, his arms
folded on the table, his dark eyes fixed
upon those of the doctor.
Outwardly there was nothing very
“She gave him no reason. I suppose?"
Arnoldo asked, anxiously.
“Can we not easib' guess the reason/’*
the doctor replied, rals ! . n « r his brows ex
journey, or she may have started before
you reach Livorno."
“Very well," his young companion an
swered. stretching himself a trifle wear-
ily. “I’ll go straight through, as you
think it best. If I start from here at 6
tomorrow' morning I can leave Charing
Cross at 11 and catch the Rome express
out of Paris at S:30 tomorrow' night. This
is Friday. I shall he in Livorno on Mon
day morning. Shall I wire to Paolo?"
“No. Take him by surprise. * You’ll
have a far better chance of success,"
urged the other, and pushing the decanter
towards him, added: “Help yourself, and
let’s drink luck to your expedition."
Romanelli obeyed, and both men rais
ing their glasses saluted each other in
Italian. The younger man no longer w*ore
the air of gay recklessness habitual to
him. but took a gulp of the drink with a
forced, harsh laugh. In the eyes of the
usually merry village doctor there was an
expression of doubt and fear. Romanelli
was too absorbed in contemplating the
risks of returning to Italy to notice the
strange, sinister expression which for a
single instant settled upon his compan
ion’s face, otherwise he might not have
been so ready to adopt all his sugges
tions. Upon the countenance of Doctor
Malvano was portrayed at that moment
an evil passion, and the strange glint in
his steely eyes would in itself have been
sufficient proof to the close observer that
he intended playing his companion false.
“Then you’ll leave Seaton by the six-
thirty, e»h?" he inquired at last, after
watching the smoke cf his cigar curl
slowly away through the zone of softly
tempered light.
Romanelli nodded.
The doctor touched the gong and the
maid entered.
“Fletcher." said he. “the Signore must
be called at half-past five tomorow. Tell
Goodwin to have the trap ready to go to
Seaton station to catch the six-thirty."
The maid withdrew, and when the door
had closed Malvado, his elbows on the
table, his cold gaze upon his guest, sud
denly asked in a low, intense voice;
“Arnoldo, in this affair we must have
no secrets from each other. Tell me the
truth. Do you love Vittorina?"
The foppish young man started slightly,
but quickly recovering himself answered:
“Of course not. What absurd fancy
causes you to suggest that?"
“Well—she is very pretty*, you know',"
the doctor observed ambiguously, with a
good-humored smile.
The young man looked sharply at his
host. “You mean,” he said, "you mean,
“that I might make love to her, and thus
prevent her from troubling us. eh?"
The other nodded in the affirmative, ad
ding:
“You might even marry her.”
don, continued, as it ever does, amid much
shouting, ringing of bells and roaring of
engines, until at length those waiting on
the arrival platform saw the first sign of
the approaching mail from the continent
in the form of a customs officer, who pro
duced a key, opened the door of the
smok-blackened customs house and closed
it after him. Presently a troop of por
ters asesmbled and folded their arms to
gossip, more customs officers entered and
prepared to search passengers’ baggage
for spirits, perfumes and Tauchnitz edi
tions, and at last the glaring headlights
of the express w'ere seen slowly crossing
the bridge which spans the Thames.
Within a couple of minutes all became
bustle and confusion. The pale faces and
disordered apeparance of alighting pass
engers told plainly how rough had been
the passage from Calais. Many were
tweed-coated tourists returning from
Switzerland or the Rhine, but there w'ere
others who, by their calm, unruffled de
meanor, were unmistakably’ experienced
travelers.
Among the latter was a smart, mili
tary-looking man of not more t'han thir
ty*, tall, dark and slim, with a merry face
a trifle bronzed and a pair of dark eyes
beaming with good humor. As he alight
ed from a first-class carriage he held up
his hand and secured a hansom standing
by, then handed out his companion, a
well-dressed girl of about twenty-two,
whose black eyes and hair, rather aqui
line in features. and sunbrowned skin
were sufficient evidence that she was a
native of the south. Her dress of some
dark blue material bore the stamp of the
first-class costumer, across her should
ers was slung the small satchel affected j
by foreign ladies when traveling, her i
black hair, although a trifle aw*ry after
the tedious uncomfortable journey', still
presented an appearance far neater than
that of other bedraggled women around
her.
“Welcome to London,” he exclaimed in
good Italian.
For a moment she paused, gazing won-
deringly about her at the great vaulted
station, dazed by its noise, bustle and
turmoil.
“And this is actually London!” she ex
claimed “Ah.W’hat a journey! How thank
ful I am that it's all over, and I am here
in England at last!"
“So am I," he said, with a sigh of re
lief as he removed his gray felt hat to
ease his head. They had only hand-bag
gage, and this having beer. quickly-
transferred to the cab, he handed her in.
As be placed his foot upon the step to
enter the vehicle after her a voice behind
him suddenly exclaimed:
“Hulloa, Tristram! Back in London
again?"
He turned nuick. and jn the
“No. I think I’ll take a run through
the Dolomites," he said. “But have you
been down to Leghorn? Surely it’s off
your usual track."
“Yes, a little. The ambassador is stay*-
ing a few weeks for the sea-bathing at
Ardenza. close to Leghorn, and I had im
portant dispatches."
“She’s exceedingly good looking." the
major said in English, with a smiling
glance at t'he cab. “I envy you your trav
eling companion. You must have had
quite an enjoyable time."
“Forty hours in a sleeping car is scarce
ly to be envied this weather," he an
swered. as a porter, recognizing him in
passing, wished him a polite “Good jour
ney, I hope, sir."
Continuing, Tristram said.“But we must
be off. I’m going to see her safe through
to her friends before going to the office,
and I’m already nearly three hours late in
London. So good-bye.”
“Goodbye,” the other said. “Shall I see
you at the club tonight?”
“Perhaps. I am a bit done up by the
heat, but I want my letters, so probably
I’ll look in.”
“Buona sera, signorina,” Maitland ex
claimed, bending towards the cab. shak
ing her hand and raising his hat politely.
She smiled, returning his salute in her
own sweet, musical Tuscan, and then her
companion, shouting an address in Ham
mersmith, sprang in beside her, and they
drove off.
“You must be .very tired,” he said,
turning to her as they emerged from the
station yard into the busy Strand.
“No. not so fatigued as I was when we
arrived In Paris this morning," she an
swered, gazing wonderingly at the long
line of omnibuses and cabs slowly filing
down the brightly-lit thoroughfare. “But
what confusion! I thought the Via Cal-
zaioli in Florence noisy, but this !"
and she waved her small hand with a
gesture far more expressive than any
words.
Frank Tristram, remarking that she
would find London very different to Flor
ence, raised his hand to his throat to
loosen his collar, and in doing so display
ed something which had until that mo
ment remained concealed. A narrow rib
bon was hidden beneath his large French
cravat of black silk tied in a bow. The
color was royal blue, and from it was sus
pended the British royal arms surmounted
by the crown with a silver greyhound
pendant, the badge known on every* rail
way from Calais to Ekateriribourg. and
from Stockholm to Reggio, as that of a
queen’s foreign service messenger. Cap
tain Frank Tristrf m was one of the dozen
wanderers on the face of the earth whose
swift journeys and promptness in deliver
ing dispatches have earned for them the
tii'.a of “The Greyhounds of Eurooe.”
Like all his colleagues, though bound
to wear his badge when traveling on state
business, he kept it concealed, and only
exhibited it when necessary* to convince
a prying douanier that h*6 baggage was
exempt from customs examination, or to
secure preference for a berth in a wagon-
lit. According to foreign office regula
tions queen’s messengers are bound to
wear an elaborately braided uniform of
dark blue; but of recent years this has
been discarded, and one may* often travel
over French. German or Italian railways
with a pleasant Englishman of military
bearing in a well-wGrn suit of dark tweed,
entirely* in ignorance that in his battered
valise are secrets which certain powers
would willingly pay* thousands to obtain.
•Sometimes the tiny* blue ribbon strays
from beneath the cravat and betray's its
wearer. This, however, is seldom. The
queen’s messenger, known as he is by all
and sundry of the railway officials, always
endeavors to conceal his true office from
his fellow passengers.
So engrossed was the dark-haired girl
in contemplating her strange surround
ings that she scarcely* uttered a w'ord as
the cab sped swiftly through the deepen
ing twilight across Trafalgar square,
along Pall Mall and up the Haymarket.
Suddenly*, however, the blaze of electric
ity outside the Criterion brought to Frank
Tristram’s mind cherished recollections of
I whisky* and soda, and being thirsty after
I thf> jouro^v he shouted to the man to
| pull up there.
"You. too, must be thirsty,” he said,
turning to her. “At this cafe I think they
keep some of your Italian drinks—ver
mouth. menthe, and muscato.”
“Thank y*ou, no," she replied, smiling
sweetly*. “The cup of English tea I
had at Dover did me good, and I’m really
not thirsty. You go and get something.
I’ll remain here."
“Very well," he said, “I won’t be more
than a minute," and as the cab drew up
close to the door of the bar he sprang
out and entered the long saloon.
His subsequent movements were, how
ever, somewhat curious.
After w*alking to the further end of the
bar he ordered a drink, idled over It for
some minutes, his eyes glancing furtive
ly at the lights of the cab outside. Sud
denly, when he had uttered a few words
to a passing acquaintance, he saw the
vehicle move slowly on, probably under
orders from the police, and the instant
he had satisfied himself that neither Vit
torina nor the cabman could observe him,
he drained his glass, threw down a shill
ing, and without waiting for the change,
turned and continued through the bar,
making a rapid exit by the rear door
leading into Jermyn street.
As he emerged a hansom was passing,
and hailing it. he sprang in, shouted an
address and drove rapidly away*.
Meanwhile the cabman who had driven
him from Charing Cross sat upon his
box. patiently aw*aiting his return, now
and then hailing the plethoric drivers of
passing vehicles with sarcasm, as cab
and ’bus drivers are wont to do, until
fully twenty minutes had elapsed. Then,
there being no sign of reappearance of
his fare, he opened the trap-door in tha
roof, exclaiming—
“Nice evening, miss."
There was no response. Tha man
peered dow*n eagerly for a moment in
surprise, then cried aloud—
“By jove! she’s fainted!"
Unloosing the strap which held him to
his seat, he sprang down and entered the
vehicle. #
The young girl was lying back in the
corner inert and helpless, her hat awry,
her pointed chin upon her chest. He
pressed his hand to her breast, but there
was no movement of the heart. He
touched her ungloved hand. It was
'chilly, and the fingers were already stif
fening. Her large black eyes were still
open, glaring wildly into space, but her
face was blanched to the lips.
“Good heavens!" the cabman cried,
stupefied, as in turning he saw a police
man standing on the curb. “Quick, con
stable!" he shouted, beckoning the officer.
“Quick! Look here!"
“Well, what’s the matter now?” ttie
other Inquired, approaching leisurely, his
thumbs hitched in his belt.
“The matter!" cried the cabman, whose
features were white and scared. “Why,
this lady I drove from Charing Cross Is
dead!"
(To Be Continued*
PAPERS IN UNITED STATES.
Almost Every Language Is Repre
sented By a Daily or Weekly
Paper.
There are 2.200 dally and 15,000 weekly
papers published in the United States,
and twenty-three different languages,oth
er than English, are represented in the
newspaper press of this country.
There is only one newspaper published
in the Russian language In t'he United
States. There are five newspapers, all
weekly, in t'he Portuguese language. Of
these three are in California, and two are
in Massachusetts, at New Bedford and at
Boston. There are four daily newspapers
in the Polish language, published at Chi
cago, Buffalo, Milwaukee and Baltimore.
Besides these there are seven weekly Pol
ish papers at Chicago, six in Pennsylva
nia, one at Cleveland, one at Toledo, and
three at Detroit. Most of the periodicals
in the Spanish language are trade papers,
but there is a daily paper in New York,
and at Key West is another. There are
four Spanish paper s in Arizona and
twelve in New Mexico.
One Armenian paper is published in the
city of New York, and there are two Chi
nese weekly papers in San Francisco. Five
newspapers are published in the Finnish
language, two in the mine regions of
Michigan, and one each in Illinois, Minne
sota and New York. There are two daily
Bohemian papers in New York, two at
Chicago and one at Cleveland. There are
three Danish papers in Chicago, one in
Omaha, one in Racine, Wis„ and one in
Portland, Ore. The Danish papers are, al
most exclusively, designed for circulation
among the farmers, and few of them
have any city circulation, though there
is one Danish paper pifolished in New
York.
The indisposition of the French to ac
quire any other language must account
for the large number of French papers
published throughout the Union, even
where the French population is inconsid
erable. There are French daily papers
(read chiefly by French Canadians) at
Fall River. Lowell and New Bedford, and
one published at Woonsocket, R. I.
Seven newspapers are published in the
Slavonic language, and of the four in
Welsh three are in Utica and its neigh
borhood. Thirty Swedish papers are pub
lished, but no daily papers among the
number; eleven Norwegian, seven of
them in Minnesota; five Hungarian, one
Greek, one Gaelic, one Arabic and eigh
teen Dutch, nine of which are in Michi
gan, where the Hollanders are numerous,
one only being published in the east, in
Paterson, N. J. There are two Italian
papers in New York and two in San Fran
cisco. There are four papers published
in the Lithuanian language, and twelve,
three of them dailies, in the Jewish jar
gon. German newspapers are published in
nearly every state, and German dailies
in nearly every large city.
A jury in Mexico consists of nine men.
A majority makes the verdict. If the
nine are unanimous there is no appeal.
The highest masts of sailing vessels are
from 150 to ISO feet high, and spread from
60.000 to 100,000 square feet of canvas.
Of the 38 sultans who have ruled the
Ottoman empire since the conquest of
Cons'antinople by the Turks 34 have died
violent deaths.
42*