Newspaper Page Text
Yariling lbemireyorae ) CWOULT RN
Dramatized and Produced by the
Vitagraph Company
From the Popular “Scarlet Runner” Stories
by C. N. and A. M. Williamson
Everything You Read Here To-Day
You Can See This Week
in Vivid Motion Pictures at All the Leading
Theatres with
MR. EARLE WILLIAMS as CHRISTOPHER RACE
MISS MARGUERITE BLAKE as LADY IVY DE LISLE
Mext Week Another Story and New Pictures
Adventure One:
The Car and His Majesty.
: Copyright, 191¢, by Btar Company
T was such an unusually beautiful and
~ striking car that everyone looked at fit,
then turned to loo': again.
This was what Christopher Race had counted
fupon.
“Good old Scarlet Runner!™ he said as hs
drove. “Good old girl, you're making your im-
Pression.”
He drove alone, but he was dressed like a
mentleman, not in the gloried livery of a
wceur. He was a thin, dark, eagle-faced
young man, with an air of breeding not con
tradicted by his evident self-conasciousness.
- He sharply scanned each passer-by as f{f
pearching the crowd for some lost friend;
and whenever he caught the eye of a well
dressed man who might, from his appearance,
have a good bank account and a correspond
ingly good position in soclety, up went the
gloved hand of the motordriver in evident
fnvitation. At the same time he smiled and
slightly lifted his eyebrows, so that his whole
face seemed to ask a question.
. No one responded to his agreeable signals,
and he arrived at the corner of Charles street
‘without stopping once.
In this quiet thoroughfare of respectabld
private hotels and better-class lodging houses
was drawn up an automobile, handsome
enough to rival the red car. It was dark
green in color, and it stood silent and sad
cause the motor hat ceased to throb; sad be
cause apparently, there was some malign rea
son for its eilence.
As he slowed down to paes the green car,
the discreet door opened and a gentleman came
out on the pavement.
Under the sleek silk hat, and above the
thick, white silk handkerchief that filled in
the “V™ of the black overcoat, was a face
which an observant person could hardly have
passed without a second glance.
- Never before had the young man in the
red car beheld that face in the flesh, save
once, when as a little boy he had been taken
‘%O & grand pageant to gaze In awe at those
same clean-cut features (or others exactly
like them), under a glittering silver helmet.
_ “No better success? asked a clear voice,
in perfect English, enriched by a slight for
eign accent.
" “I am very sorry indeed, sir,” apologized the
chauffer. “but I haven't been able yet to make
out what's the matter. Something wrong with
‘the carburetor or the ignition.”
“I'm late already,” broke In the gentle
‘man, visibly bolstering up his patience.
It was this moment that the driver of the
red car chose for making his habitual gesture,
‘which he accompanied with the usual {nviting
‘smile and questioning lift of the eyebrows.
~ Instantly the keen gaze of the man with
the waxed mustache fixed his. “Why do you
‘Beld up your hand?’ inquired the clear tones,
with an un-English accent. At the same time
the speaker tried to mask his face in shadow,
Packing away from the blaze of the two care’
acetylene lamps,
- *“1 hold up my hand because I'm plying for
Bire,” answered Christopher Race.
fjf"fll!" said the other, “you are a remark
#ble pair. plying for hire—you and your car.
May 1 ack if you are in the employment of
?&. person who sends you out on this busi
,-
~ *l'm my own employer—under Fate. | drive
my car; Fate drives me.”
“Very well,” said the other; “I will engage
you—for the evening. You can take me where
I wish to go, and wait. If my chauffeur can
bring my car round later, you can go; but in
any case you shall have the same money. What
are your charges?
~ “For the entire evening, five guineas,” said
Christopher.
“Good; that is settled.” The gentleman
stepped rorw.-d, and the owner of the red car
and the chauffeur of the green one both sprang
£0 open the door for him. But he waved them
back.
" “I shall sit with the driver,” he announced,
with the alr of one accustomed to quick de
eisions, and pever to have them gainsaid.
~ *Do you know Desmond House?" he asked.
‘When he was in his place, and Christopher
bj to start.
The driver was not surprised in the circum
stances to hear the name of an historic place,
owned by a man whose ancestors had helped
to make not only its hlstory, but the history
of nations. He replied quietly that he did
know Desmond House.
“Then drive me there, if you please, and
&8 quickly as you can,” sald his employer.
“Meanwhile I shall be pleased to have you
solve the mystery of yourself and your fine
CaAr.”
Christopher obliged.
“If T had failed to earn at least the sum
of five guineas before twelve to-night, noth
ing could prevent me from losing another sum,
amounting approximately to one hundred and
seventy-five thousand pounds.”
He Invited Christopher to go on with the
story, and Christopher did, in a way perfectly
frank, simple, and a little humorous.
“The hundred and seventy-ive thousand
pounds—or thereabouts—are my uncle’s,” sald
he. “Also a rather nice house in the country,
and a few other things which I was brought
up to believe would eventually be mine. But
my uncle heard stories about my life which
didn’t please him, and they were all true.
“Besides, {f more were needed, I'd refused
to marry some girl he wanted me to take, to
please. So he sent for me, and all my de
ceitful meekness and sweetness of manner
was of no use. He saw through me, and told
me | was an f{incorrigible young scoundrel
I admitted the young scoundrel but denled the
incorrigible. 1 said I thought that he might
give me a chance to show that I had a back
bone. Said I: ‘lf within a year I'm a re
formed character—that is, if I've shown that
I'm able not only to make my own way in the
world, but to make it like a gentleman—will
you reconsider, and not leave the family house
and the money away from the last repre
sentative of your name?’
“*‘All right,” sald he. ‘it's a. bargain. But
I don't believe you can do it.’
“And this,” sald Christopher, “is how I'm
doing it. You are my first pay passenger,
barely in time.”
“l am glad to be the one who brings you
luek,” sald the young man's passenger.
“You are at my disposal for the evening,
I believe,” sald Christopher’s passenger, as
Scarlet Runner entered the drive and slowed
down for {ts approach to the door. “My car
may come or it may not. In any case I wish
you to wait.”
Ten minutes passed, may be, and the
thoughts of Christopher Race had glided from
the affairs of his late passenger to his own.
He was wondering when he misht expect to
get his dinner, when the one thing which of all
others he did not expect happened. Close to
Scarlet Runner apreared the figure which a
few minutes ago had been ceremoniously ush
ered into the house.
There it was—the slim, soldlerly form, seem
ing taller than it was because of its upright
bearing. There was the shining hat, shading
the clear features; there the folded white
handkerchief and the neat overcoat.
Surprised, but hiding surprise at sight of
the guests of the evening, uneacorted and out
of doors when he ought still to have been
engaged with his oysters, Christopher sprang
from his seat and awaited crders.
“Saunders's Hotel, Charles street. Pall Mall
—quick!™ sald the crisp voice with the foreien
accent. But it was less crisp than before, and
betrayed agitation.
Had his passenger's last question been re
peated, Christopher Race could not have an
swered it truthfully and at the same time de
corously, for he was consumed with curiosity.
One had always heard that this celebrated
personage was erratic and addicted to making
decisions on impulse; but his latest caprice
bade falr, it seemed, to break the record. A
Royal gentleman is asked to a friendly dinner:
he accepts, goes; and before he has five
minutes at his host's table out he pops, unat
tended, nervous in manner, and demands to be
taken promptly back whence he came!
However, Christopher drove on, in a reflec
tive mood and at & pace to suit it, until he
had reached Charles street. There, at the door
which had given him his fare and his ad
venture, he stopped.
“Go in and inquire if Lord Thanet and Lady
Ivy de Lisle have come,” the foreign voice
directed brusquely. .
Christopher’s face
made no comment
on these instrue
tions, but that was
because he had the
habits of a man of
the world. Within,
he was excited and
curious, for ti. 2 Earl
of Thanet and his
daughter were dis
tant cousins of
Christopher Race|
and naturally he
would have liked to
known the why and
wherefore of his
Majesty's interest in
their movements.
It the name of
Lord Thanet alone
had been mentioned
it would not have
struck him so oddly,
for I.ord Thanet hed
at one time been
connected with the
diplomatic service,
and had spent years
on the Continent.
But why did one of
the first gentlemen
of Europe leave a
dinner-party in the
midst to inquire at
an hotel for Ivy de
Lisle?
His Majesty had a
consort to whom he
was devoted, and he
was not to be tempt
ed to a flirtation
even by such a
beauty as Lord
Thanet's twenty
year-old daughter,
who had been one
of the success of last
season.
But, then a man highly placed 1s occasionally
unselfish enough to interest himself in a girl
for the sake of another man Who needs an
advocate. And there were two men whose
names Christopher had heard coupled with
Lady vy de Lisle’s.
Bither might have persuaded this Sovereign
to plead his cause with the girl’s father, for
both could claim his country as the land of
his birth. One was Baron von Hess, the enor
mously rich inventor of the latest quick-firing
gun adopted by the Triple Alliance; the other
was young Max Lind—whom Christopher had
known slightly and admired greatly at Oxford
—the son of a notorious Socialist who had
adopted England for a country when banished
from his own. A year or two ago there had
been a rapproachment between Max, the elder
and an outraged monarch, and a place in the
diplomatic service for young Max had been
held out as an olive branch.
Baron von Hess was a good match for any
girl below royalty; Max Lind, on the contrary,
would have difficulty in making his cause good
with Lady Ivy’s father, unless, indeed, a mon
arch should turn matchmaker.
As Christopher started to obey orders he
hoped that this mysterious visit had to do
with Max Lind—all unknown to Max Lind’s
clever and handsome self—had been the hero
of Christopher’'s two best years at Oxford.
His hand was on the door, when a call from
his employer gave him pause. “Stop!"” sald
the great man. “I left a letter here for—let
me see—was it for Lord Thanet or his daugh
ter?—one of the two; I really forget to which
I addressed it. That letter I want back. I have
changed my mind and prefer to write a dif
ferent one. If Lord Thanet has not arrived,
or if he has arrived, but has not yet read the
letter, ] wish to have it again. Should you
learn, on the other hand, that the letter has
already been received, 1 will send a message.”
Christopher went i{n somewhat bewildered,
but knowing that somehow he must succeed
in accomplishing his errand.
Christopher was only a poor relation, a mere
“forty-second cousin,” and, moreover, was un
der the ban of family disapproval. Neverthe
less, Lady Ivy gave him a lovely smile of sur
prised regonition.
She was always more than pretty, and a
radiant beauty when she smiled—smiled with
gray eyes and pink cheeks, and a pair of
dimples tha. gave new life and meaning to red
lips.
“Why, father, it's Christopher!” she said.
“Naughty Cousin Kit! Have you come here
to see us?”
“l came to see if you were here,” he re
plied, hat in hand for her and for Lord Thanet,
who had only the ghost of a smile, with no
emphasizing dimples. “I was sent,” he added,
“by a gentleman who not long ago left a let
ter to await your arrival.”
“Oh, no! we must see what's in it'” broke
in the girl. “I can't wait. Kit, you knew Max
Lind at Oxford"———
“Ivy!” warned Lord Thanet.
“Why shouldn't I tell, as Kit's in his Majes
ty's confidence?” asked the girl wiltully. “We
hope—we think—that Max is to be thanked
and honored for a service—oh, well, I'm not
golng to say what—a secret kind of service,
but most important. And if he has succeeded,
father's promised that Max and ["——
“I will take it to his Majesty myself,” sug
gested Lord Thanet, and went to the door: but
in an instant he had returned
“You can take him the letter, tell him that
my daughter and I bave just arrived.”
% R TR R e i s
230 e 5 S oo cnac R R e BB e SRR S,
5 T e e "“‘?f’**’y\%’% R U
-2 A e e > s T, :j:,-' ) sg} S ‘;‘, R Z «2(»”6">j'n, _:_:.:555352_ ;'::E::::;:-‘f::;E,:;E';;_':f_‘:_ i i -':;3- e &*}3':-‘&**‘«)@3*“-24;%3%' f%é f:f: ; .Q.g&:f o
;A | 2 e e e s R e e
Bo T 7 s.e Bl eB e e T RS. SR i SR, st TS S R
S e 7 s . R el L e
g ¢ Z . i R R RR R A R e R R e RR B
# b ot .g 2 = _._-,~/¥:; A B s O R _;;i_‘g":!;c::i-:;.::}.,_;.a_\_:':;.:E:;: OR R R R »v;:\"f-“v_-_-::;‘f:-;;_;-s:,;_i;.;;:‘;;-‘i-v--;-;~;,;v3;jv;:';g;_‘«,:;;{:;‘}.;tfi:;:i:g, SRR R x?g\é S
' i T e e .. S SRt R L e e N i
i ;! & b s . e e s o
T i % 7. o N B RSB R S R L D eA R eßlg e e
o gr = i N MR eee e e Se TR B GRS S GRS e e
; % 7 % 1 K :i T R L ,f Ti R S SLRso,S eUSR B PRy
; e P B T e AN e RGN VR Re e el
A I 2 % .# 3 , b sBT e R RP i ':;:,,:__;:,-‘_,.35;5;_:;g;,:;,.;,:5;’::-5:,:;;.-,_.;;.::'-s'—-~:;:::.—:;.;_-_._5;;:;‘_-_j e e
i A % % - AR s e SV o s LRS _*(‘.' RS~% S
4 i ) o . e " BT e TSR e e
SRS i 4 fi %B . ?'\/f S A G CER BN Y s A 5
o e A .TNS e &e N R o N eet
o 5 e i % R; : R 4 SR 50 A N R R R SSN 2 BSR
g s ! 2 7 R o, g B B eSR o G R 7"»,,.‘.,:’: S gv.vizs-;;i;g{“-r % i R e
AL 4 % % R e B e oRN I L BE %PR N S o oL e
LSI %B g e $i gT" :5 T ~,é“;::v.,_':‘:f._*: o e e e b
7 G 7 ’o(2‘4/ & 4 ve b eRe RN SR U W o DR set A
e ». sN B ] 0e T Y f( WT S w‘ S et
AR, z gi K e R bas % S e NB R SRR S R N o SARi SR e
DS e i ’4,’4{,}‘:/« G ,;:-,;.- : 5 L 4 e S BCREAS IS E 2 o) V,u--%é’_;vt‘f__:-,j:;:::;:;:;z.,f:v_ gt T R ,% PRy Db g SRR A ,\:?Q
T U i T R 3 w 5 R R e ie G R W 5 : T
v L Sae { B 57 . | RERSSRRS SRR TR eBB G T s O SRR T s AL AT
. 7 e U '; 2 Me e e . R ..:_:E'E._";:f‘.'"':f?t::f.,::;::.’{-:&:'155" 2 A S R
TO% SO .. R R s S % % P e R R e eRe % e 2t S
7SN ’.:;g-'i Rs S 2 BP e Rt i T R £B e e
2 Be e ; B e 8 g P e . x £0.% 5 e o
BNy - ”/Q’ W o £ % iz Sy ».,:,:-4.::;:5:: g eT 2R B R g mes oB ¥ Re N A R
R A g T o R R A R g e
A i ”"'“l’é s ‘2%”’ '4::‘-:,.«:;5;:_,.;5 i % e ""-2:522:.:4;:1 SRERR 3,‘ i & S S3&R R A SRR o N B
7 g __,-3«3--';:::;‘2;‘.:."2’: oR e ; Bg yi PR WU Soseny L& di e v am, Soaad et N G
a 0 e N E R .Bk NN SR S R B S R
SR s i 7 . N b g /so WBt c T
A BTR A i B # P ¢ E B e G 5 & i EE . .
B e e R , o i e & Vo i g S Mo
oAR i . € o gy P E e
- R e ¢ g e BeaE T i e o eSR g
. B T. 5B R s SR RSN, PR o s SR g#o RR S R R T A KOS
La g R 5 % T 8 R £ o S gSR SRR { R bR YRR
5 I s S 5 X Eir S S T e : o RSR
7 }z’ e -Ef;&;?%feé’.’rs?fsif’-{é.:» éi:g: P g£ s b ‘: & Fod e o ~«:4";._- eR R B e
b T B B R $ R SRR R s o 2 R e 3 RSRO A s SRR, 2
e e R ¥ G R e S R‘i o E 7% R Ro PR S SRR
N '?Zfi;” iR 2 »YkA B eLT R S ol SRR S y SRR bR Y e o &,z%\‘
R e O S ; RRI R R B 2 3 iSE e P BeT R e
T i %fli{ 7e ¥ RRA R N B ig o S B 3et @’f 2 Rl NTS N SRR S S
oRRR si R A S SRR AR R % e iKA R . & R 3 R R D Be T RS Bk
s SRe AR ‘-;‘-,-3" 5 RR R e B R e S SRR . . Sooß BSR e R
g R T RB R 3 RE R i i B 5 RR R
R TAR R 3 P SRR s Lo SO RS R 4 3 3 BRy SRR iR S
‘ .0§ ’&fi“l{%{““" foias -W8 G T HRRSE . s e e # 5";.:~::3:£3,.»-'&%E.;:;.‘.,;{.. B SPR RSR
TR R e R R TR L R A S SR SR : : ;R A o RRN SR
Se b S BN . o?s .AR (SR R R S 8 ) Eemiem % BRI RSIR SS TR
Vo W‘%' e "'9:%%4{“? e© 5 g '1?5%;':;11(;..} eW R Fiey . Tgeners S ¥ & 2 \,/‘,’&‘ R S
G R R R B e i T RR AR R e e- O .;;x;;% il : 3 SR e
G T sA P SR R i R R . mae R. B o % SEEVE e Seßa
g s R oed o W WY T MR R ’{{{ ¢ B .
. o A e . o B T oo s TS e S mEI va o e
7 Bar L 'v:)%%’%‘;flz;f”fi:‘o.’:“: Fo p AT SR SR . S RR S e 2 % S 3 oI I SRR R S
so R e g ® Remme 9e N ao Ta B ¢ AT RN B R Bet
e o )‘“\ 5(o "% BSI o A : 8 SRR = RASR O o.f S RoA R RS er
ee A i P f"{;‘gz_“,’:..{?‘; o R :':;,{’.;:%;.,;.A R ;} B Go¥ad TTR (L ,& SRR R RSR A% RERRRe TR R geny
o BSRiyB RR R s e e Y IR Bot MRS BE RS SR % RBRE BSR ) S
e oßßg .Mw VY T § o DR e
Ko o & otk B B oy S e ™ iy O S N o . TP I E Skt RR R e
o " Re R BoAR-Re SR sy BB b R % R % & £ e A I .- Be R S S
Sl GBR A S S S 3 Coßmea B A R RA N OSSR e
i e T S e e b 3 g 3 LA S §Mg B S PR SR R
G R BR A b S 4» ¥ B p e PN e : BTR ;A;:;I:I:.?:;g:,_:,_v Bg o
FRI &R AR leyAo %S T 2 > BRI S S G 2 s ! 2 SRESE es S RR S
by oSR -,’A’.’i{'éa":'}‘:&;‘, NS R §R e J =it By R T % pERRLCRE LT S ":&ff:f:.@i:i:f:&:;?-‘: Sl
b e Y o gt ERTE N G o : 3 RB R e
VIR e »:;.;21,:Evi:f’fi-‘;f’;};f-:'«,(:,:;.;g:“?g i, R e » e j ¥%Y R . 7 5% 3 bR S B
Ko 7 e RR B ; e SRS P s 3 SRR kSB Y i 3 2 Bt g soiam il es el
ATR R RR T N + 23 ¥ % 2 g R O g S gk BYyB s s
o% e i 5 %}:/?’}jg"'f‘)(f P i eA kg //v{? % & 5 4 SSEa i‘i3 s & f 3 E; |RN SRS VSRR 4 '_‘:;:;;_z;:‘;“,;:}gs:.;.':_?_E:}}:-,_-:»::;vfi:\'.; 3
i g % S s P L 7 PR N R . e e g %R o 3 2 gOO SLR R R
S e R S PR SSR S 0 5 R A S B 7 % Ret 4 RSS RTR
S A S o X R i‘ g FRR R SRR % SR T A Laig $ 3 GDING i G
Mt e GL R ie Py BRI YR R f % e o 2 % eSR SR St M S
SR g :'fi':fi’“‘?fi”"ff"*:fl:*fl: Sg R R AS, 3 ke bR 3 % ; S i ---:<£:;§§:v RSN S v.::»:fi;c::_:::;:;;.' A
; SR O % i KR R % B R Ry e: 2 BNI AT S RBo eR D
§RTR o ,(?;’})57%;&, * ReW /,4 pF N "'jf,?g\ 'f 2 P R gP : i : :I'-':--‘.?"‘l-:1{:;.{‘:555?;‘;3 SR _:.:s:_-.:.::__,:;_.:-.;:5,)-:5‘»}._5:,_;.::::,1_.:.;
%4 o 1 e i)AR B PSR e o R EF g % R e FeSi TR RTR Sey
e S LI R R oe T § 7 F e e : % SR R S
e G R T PR A b;_ S e BIRS UR R o 3 B S sB e
$ Ben 800 R e RAT Ry o S i 3 PR R e
S AR Ea - s .& ® 3 g RS i ‘i&»
; eee R R P s R pe e % T e RN e e
g G e eTR R e R ;. R ok R R e S s
: i Q?fi?’%‘"’r‘, R R o RO T 3 B % R e> =3 3 f 3 G OGPt RSP e R R
R S A eTR e eet s iR 3 3 AT SR ee S
OPe eB B e eek L ok T e 2 8 { T o e e R
s <:.~=;':?“.:§:Efs_:lr?"é;’-;?kis;ci;‘:zfr-‘f-:.’3;:;‘6{:53-;;: R g B e ] e ; : o s .
: e ';’”3?:5‘1:55535:":::5::‘:’355555‘39:5‘"":’“5:5’ Lo e 'y N e By 5% RS ; Be R
i s fi:f‘.-'f5.:5f.:1-‘.’35:;:’;2*.1:::’:5:1555::;5:11rfifi:if-:'tff.-:ii':'."::f::1:', 3 B i BS e Poße. R B e 5 § % RN R
BR i SR eTR LRSS g o e &3 { ? Rk S % W R
6 b fi:.??&.'{-’f'-r-f?;_:e.--m:j-'-j::-:,:‘---:_:;-:-g.,.';';: B %, % s g % &
A Scene from the First “Scarlet Runner” Adventure Which Can Be Seen This Week at Leading Motion Picture Theatres Everywhere.
“That he can guess the errand which has
brought us up from the country to town at this
time; that I am completely at his service
should he wish to speak with me instead of
writing; and we will remain here in the hall
awalting this message.”
Sympathetic now as well as puzzled, Chris
topher took the letter and carried it out to
his passenger, who all but snatched it in his
eagerness. “Good!” exclaimed his Majesty.
“Now let us get away.”
“But, sir,” said Christopher, “Lord Thanet
has come and”——
The gentleman in the tonneau hastily ex
amined the envelope. “It i{s still unopened,”
he muttered.
“Lord Thanet has not yet had time to read
the letter. He wishes to know if he may have
the honor of coming out to"——
“Ne,” said His Majesty {mperatively. Then
with less abruptness: “Go back, give Lord
Thanet my compliments, and say that I regret
not having the time to speak with him this
evening, as I have an important engagement,
for which I am already in danger of being
late. My compliments also to Lady Ivy de
Lisle, and I am obliged for their courtesy in
returning the letter unread. They shall hear
from me That is all; and remember that I
am in haste.”
The message evidently gave disappointment
both to father and daughter, though Christo
pher guessed that it was for different reason.
He did not doubt that the “important engage
ment” for which his fare had declared himself
“in danger of being late” was a continuation
of the unfortunate dinner-party at Desmond
House; therefore the order which came from
the tonneau gave him a double surprise.
What did it mean, Chris asked himself—
“The Wooa, No Thoroughfare Street, Ha u
mersmith.” The words struck sharply on Chris
topher’'s ears.
His MajJesty was not going back to the din
ner party. He wa. going to the house of Max
Lind the elder—Max Lind, the long-ago ban
ished Socialist.
There was no drive leading up to the house
and Scarlet Runner must wait at the curb
stone In the deserted street appropriately
named “No Thoroughfare.” Christopher got
down to open the gates, half expecting to find
them locked, but they swung apart with a rusty
creak, and his Majesty was instantly swallowed
up in shadow.
The Linds, father and son, were above sus
picion of treachery; but Max senior was, or
had been, nctorious for his anti-royalist ideas,
and some firebrand friend might have taken
base advantage of his absence.
What if the man had gone into a trap and
should never come out alive?
Treading on grass to avoid gravel, he skirted
the path round the house to the right. and was
somewhat relieved to see a sprinkling of light
on the frosted lawn. It was thrown from a long
French window yhlch opened to the ground,
and as the casements were ajar, the heavy
green curtains half drawn back, Christopher
could see into the room beyond.
His Majesty stood with his back half turned
to the window, and facing him was young Max
Lind, in travelling dress, his white face carved
in stone, his eyes dark with tragedy. The vist
tor held out to his host a small revolver, and
Max was taking it
“It is the best thing you can do,” his Majesty
sald, and through the open window the words
reached ears for which they were not meant.
“The only thing for you to do in honor.”
Very well,” Max answered dully. And he
looked at the weapon. But Christopher thrilled
as he felt it was not the revolver which those
tragic eyes really saw. “He sees Ivy,” Ivy's
cousin said to himself.
“You will do it?”
“l will do it. But"—
“Therc is a ‘but’?”
“My God! Yes, sir, there {s a ‘but’—more
than one. There i{s my father. He was so
happy and proud. He believed that I should
succeed—that I should be able to satisfy you.
And there is—you know well, sir, there is an
other.” :
“It is better for them both that you should
take this one way of wiping out disgrace.”
“Disgrace! llt's a bhard word. I tried so
earnestly. 1 thought—l was so certain, only
a quarter of an hour ago, that I had done
well—as well as a man could do.”
“And now that I tell you you were bitterly
fooled, outwitted, don't you see where you
stand?”
“Good night, sir. You will learn to-morrow
that this time it wasn’t in vain.”
His Majesty took a step toward a door oppo
site the window, but Max reached it before
him and opened it.
“l prefer to find my way out alone,” sald
the visitor. His host bowed submissively, and
stood at the door until the erect figure in the
dark overcoat had passed out of sight Then,
softly, he closed the door, and as he came back
to a desk which was placed between the door
and window, Christopher Race threw the case
ment wide open.
“Lind!” he exclaimed, before the other
could move to speak, “It's I—Christopher Race.
Don’t you remember me? There's no time to
apologize and explain, except to say that 1
drove him to the house, and I've heard some
things. I thought you were away with your
father. I followed to protect his Majesty In
case of a plot; I've stayed to defend you from
one.”
“There i{s no plot,” said Max Lind.
“l am not so sure. I've seen Ivy to-night—
you remember we're cousins. She loves you
This will break her heart, poor child.”
“Don’t!”™ stammered Max.
“I wouldn't, if there were no hope, but, be
lieve me, there is. I want you to wait. Lind,
I ask you to walt till I come back, with news
which may make all the difference in the
world to you.”
The white face flushed painfully and the
tragic eyes dilated. “If you mean to fetch
Ivy"——
They grasped hands, and Christopher went
quickly out by the way he had come.
There, by the car. stood the neat figure in
the dark overcoat, the keen eyes looking this
way and that, under a penthouse frown.
“I beg a thousand pardons for keeping you,
sir,” said Christopher, as he shot out between
the half-open gates, “but something’s gone
wrong with the motor, and 1 went inside to look
for you, just to say that [ must get her to the
nearest garage before | can take you on. I
won't be long; not many minutes are needed
for repalrs.”
It was well for him and well for Secarlet
Runner than traffic had gone to sleep, and
policemen had something more engrossing to
think of than springing traps upon reckless
motorists, for Christopher drove as if for the
winning of a cup; and i{n eight minutes he
was at the door of Desmond House.
To the extreme surprise of the chauffeur in
green and brown, the gentleman chauffeur
sounded the big bronze knocker with the self
confidence of a prince.
The door flew open and a footman stood
revealed, staring.
Christopber wrote something on a visiting
card. Then took from his pocket a five-pound
note (his last by the way, but that was a de
tail) and wrapped it round his card.
“I Will wait here,” said he, “and I expect
an answer in ten minutes at the latest.”
He got it in six; but it was neither verbal
nor in writing. The man to whom he had sent
the urgent message appeared himself at the
door.
“You are very good,” Christopher exclaimed
“But I knew you would come.”
“Of course I came. [ am not made of stone,”
said the other. “And you wrote that it was =
matter of life and death for a man I valued”
“Do you value young Max Lind, sir?” asked
Christopher.
“I do, indeed, and Intend to show my appre
ation. Why do you ask such a question?”
“Because at this mMfoment Max Lind believes
that you have doomed him to death, as a
ghastly failure who has compromised the Gov
ernment for which he was working. He be
lieves that you have put into his hand a re
volver and told him the only thing to do is to
blow out his brains.”
“Great heavens! But this i{s madness.”
“It will be suicide in less than an hour unless
you will consent to come with me, sir.”
“Leave my friends who are entertaining me
—to go—where?”
“To the Wood, Hammersmith, the house of
the Linds, where a man who usurps your dig
nity and uses it for his own—or some other's
—advantage is expecting me back every mo
ment.” v
“A man who—— Can you mean Gustay
Krokesius?”
“If Gustav Krokesius {s the living image
of you, sir, has cultivated a voice ke yours,
and wears clothes copied from yours.”
“He does, and for the best of reasons—be
caus he is what you English would call my
understudy. A man who naturally resembles
me remarkably, and is paid to cultivate every
detail of that resemblance, taking my place
during my visit here whenever | wish it, be
fore the public, that ] may enjoy myself as ¥
please and not be spied upon by reporters o¥
—anarchists. But he is off duty to-night.”
“Officially, perhaps. Yet he has been at
work. He went to the Charles street hotel,
got back a letter left by you for Lord Thanet.
who is my cousin, and drove out to the
Wood"'——
“How do you know all this?”
“Becanse 1 took him for you, and acted as
his chaufieur until I began to suspect. Then
I came here to get you to save my friend,
Max Lind, from misery and disgrace—my
cousin, Ivy de Lisle, from a broken heart.”
“That lovely girl! Ah, | guess the mystery.
He is paid for this business by von Hess, who
loves Lady Ivy and hates Lind. But von Hess
slall pay more. He shall pay me. As for
Krokesius—did you say we should find him
still at the Wood ?"
“I said that I left him there watching, but
when he sees you'—v—
“We will be too quick for him,” said his
Majesty, looking pleased.
And they were too quick, for he is a masn
whose prophecies usually come true.
He made several people happy that night;
but Gustav Krokesius was not one of them
nor Baron von Hess. ;
Christopher poured a glass of champagne
over Scaret Runner's bonnes
“Thats’ a libation, my beauty,” said he.
He was glad that he had quarrelled with his
uncle, that he was free, with a year of adven
ture before him.
Next Sunday another “Scarlet Runner” s
venture,
