A FOOL AND HIS FOLLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12874, 24 May 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FOOL AND HIS FOLLY.

IfPUBLISHJa) BY BrECUI^AKRAXOEICEST.]

V,V C. YP. APPLETOX. Author of "A Forgotten Past." "A Tragedy of Error," *' Doubles ami Quit'." '} etc.. etc.

t'HAPTEB -XXIV — (Continued.) {I'm: baroness seemed to be a little taken aback. "■ "This is quite unexpected^' Saul she. **Js everything there':'' "Everything, madame. CS"o thought of Vobbiiig you even for a- moment entered my teiind. What I did was done under compulsion, and in a moment of absolute terror. As for the necklace. Well. I made a mistake and did a very wrong thing in attempting to sell it. But, madame, it did not Wong to von. The young man from whom }t was stolen was dead, and 1 learned from nhe papers that Bibi had been killed by all 'automobile iu Brussels. What was Ito do -with the necklace? ,1 did not dare to give St to the police. I couldn't very well wear ,it. I was afraid, too, to take it to the •Mont de Piete. So I brought it over to .London, and the rest you know. As for sue, I have now told you the whole truth, «nd can add nothing further'to it." * The baroness was apparently convinced, bud turned to me: . -Well." site said. '•'lt is only this.'' I replied, "I have fust tl further Question or two to put ,to Suzanne, The first is thb:_ Did you know, Suzanne, a certain Max Knufmr.nn':''_ * To my surprise she at- once, and without the slightest hesitation, replied: : "'"I was introduced to such a -man Hie tether night in Paris. Yes.'' \ "And you wrote to him at; Ins address sii the Boulevard Voltaire'.''' • Sh«> stared in surprise nt (he question, bin at once replied , -T,did." t .*** Making an appointment with hint in tie Rue du Bac." "M the Cafe de ?:i Regence, Yes." ""Which you kept?'' "Certainly. Somehow lie had found out Ihat 1 had just quitted the baroness' service, and wished to ascertain her mldress.' 1 ■ -And yon said—'' interposed lb? baron■ess eagerly. ' " That : you had gone to London, hut to what address I knew not." "That man Mas \an absolute" stranger to you?"' 1 asked. "Absolutely, monsieur. T look the lonis he gave me,* but 1 did not like him. and even had I known . madame' address I should not have given it to him." "In Faying this, Suzanne scored "heavily. Had she tried a thousand.times she could -not have said a. wiser or better tiling. ■The baroness looked at me. inquiringly, ; and I nodded approval, then arose. . '• Very well. Suzanne," I said, ' : we will let. the-matter drop, under the conditions ■we have mentioned. You quite understand"'" " Quite, sir." "All right. I'll drive you back to town. Possibly another question.or two may occur to me on the way. And now, Madame 3a Baronne, I trust 1 shall soon again have the* pleasure—' v *'I. was just about to say." she- interposed, ''that my hostess, Miss Harcourt-, who has an. appointment- with her solicitors this afternoon, requested me before leaving to ask if you would dine with us en hunille this evening at eight." I thanked her effusively, and rive minutes later I was seated once more beside Suzanne in the cab. I was diplomatic and she "■was profoundly grateful for her escape from deadly peril, and so that little awk- . ward blunder of mine in burying the wrong man in the Braeebridge family "vault was very easily put right between lis. The more easily, perhaps, because I generously offered' to hand over the coffin and its contents to her, if she so desired : a proposition which nearly frightened her into another fit. In the end she gave in© "hex address, and we parted on fairly excellent terms at Westminster Bridge. - That day proved to he a red letter one in every respect. It began auspiciously, ax ;you have- seen, but little did I reck, ■when I parted from Suzanne, of the dramatic events that were so soon to follow. .My story now swiftly moves on to its close. The remainder of the afternoon was .uneventful', and given over mainly to day ulreams. in which the imago of the baroness loomed very large indeed, and with sweet tyranny banished every other thought from my mind. The obsession was complete. Fate in its .own inexplicable fashion had- thrown us together, and •what the outcome of it all would be— •whether for good or evil— could tell. It was a strange business as it stood, and I was conscious only that my destiny now lay, upon the knees of the gods, and I prayed for lucky accidents. ~ I. arrived at Parkhurst _ Lodge again just upon the stroke of eight. i found •Miss I Harcourt to be a very charming and .•highly intelligent woman, about fifty, I should judge, but looking much younger. Idler nephew, it- appeared had beeu sud'•deidy .called out of town and so it bofeil "that we three dined together. Nothing k-ould 'have been more delightful. The barones*, in evening dress, was- a vision of beauty that held me -spell-bound, from the coming of- the soup to the last sip of •Uharfaeuse. ' We all three then smoked our cigarettes in true Russian fashion, and a •■merrier little dinner-party than ours never j »at "at? table. " ' " ' ' ! ... And then, at- last, when we adjourned , to tlie drawing room—in the- most uncon- : ventional way—-and the baroness, seating ; JSierself at the piano, sang as I had never j 'beard: nightingale' sing: pouring forth a: •flood of sensuous melody that sent every -.responsive sense within me tingling with delight, my cup ofhappiness was lull to •overflowing in' very deed.' And when the I>our for parting came at last- it came with a. wrench, and J left the house as one ma •dream.' / The night was hoi anl sultry, and as l descended the steps 1 heard distant rumblings ">f thunder. Then some strange, indefinable impulse stayed my feet as I « - as about to descend the carriage drive, and led'me across the lawn to a clump of shrubbery in which I partially concealed; myself. 'What- led me thither and what ■J expected to seo I do not know, butthis, after a. few minutes of watting, '1 saw. First, the lights in the drawingroom were extinguished. Then a : bright |le»!ri'leaped from the bedroom above, and J saw Miss Harcourt pull down the blinds. At. the same instant a pair of French windows opening upon a broad balcony on the ground door suddenly flashed out of the darkness, revealing a charming and ixradoir-like interior. A door at the back ; opened, the baroness entered, and fsated : herself at a writing table". "" Ab the sight of this lovely vision lite hot blood was again mounting to my brain, when*it suddenly turned icy cold, for I maw a dark and sinister form rise as it were from the earth, clamber nimbly up ■to'too' balcony, and enter the room. : Then quickly followed a shriek thai Itticrht. have awakened the (lead.

CHAPTER XXV. 1 knew instinctively what hail happened, and, with my blood thoroughly up, I leapt across the intervening space, and with one Mighty spring landed on the balcony and burst into the room. .As I had divined, the ■ t baroness was engaged in a furious life and •death struggle with her husband. In hi'uplifted right hand was a blade of glittering •♦steel; but before it could descend T had seized' Ids arm and heal it back until the bono snapped and the knife fell to the floor. Then with one broad sweep with my left '"' 5 dealt him a sledge-hammer blow under the chin which pent him living against the wall, where he sank, huddled up, like a thing of rags. ./,."' »> The nest instant the bare, white arms ol :j: ft hysterical woman were about my neck. "Twice!" said she, " ice. This is fate St must be fate." . Hut before J. could say a word iu reply, ■ or, even realise the position, the door opened, and Miss Harcourt, in dressing-gown, rushed into the loom and found us in that interesting attitude. She took in the- situation at » glance. 'The glittering knife on the. cari. ]>et, the man huddled up against the wall, rho flawing eyes and disordered toilet, of the baroness, -who still clung to me despite « feeble and somewhat sharm laced attempt ul Wine to disengage my sell' iioiu her id ins. i ' * ■■-.■•■ . i : h •

I" Good heavens I" exclaimed Miss Harj court, us, approaching nearer, she recognised the ■ face .of the baron. "Your husband, | madam?" • ; ' • / . - i "My thrice accursed husband, yes!'' said : site, breaking away, though -with all gentle- : ness, from me. "This is the second time ! that he has tried i.-> kill me : and this, too. . i is the second time that this gentleman has : come in some miraculous way to my rescue. j Can you not plainly see in this the hand : of Providence—and can you wonder that { in my gratitude, in a moment of exaltation perhaps, I threw my arms about- hint, and— 1 and—" and here she paused in confusion. "Certainly not." said Miss Harcourt, encouragingly." " Under similar circumstances I I should probably have done the same my- • ! self. But what" a terrible business it is! Is he dead? Have you killed him, Mr. ■ Braeebridge':" " Not quite,'" T replied, with a grim smile. ! "But I don't think he will be able to get ! on his legs again for the next quarter of an ! hour or so— I "But what may happen then'.' Hadn't- I better call the servants and send for the I police at once." I "It is just as Madame la Bnronne wishes," j I said; "something must be done. If the i man is permitted to escape his third attempt ■ may prove more successful." Of course he must not escape." said the baroness. "Only if there were some other way—some greater punishment. Hark; what is that?" It was plainly a carriage entering through i the lodge gates. It came with a great clatter up the gravelled sweep, and suddenly stopped. The door opened and closed again with a slam. Rapid footsteps mounted the steps, and then the bell rang furiously. } We looked at each other in bewildered i dismay. Then Miss ITareoun hastened to j answer the extraordinary summons. j ..The next moment she reappeared with I two gentlemen, in one of whom I at once recognised my waiter friend of the Hotel Scnoe. The face of the other, a great, broad-shouldered man. neatly as tall as myself, with an immense tawny beard and moustache, seemed strangely familiar. But imagine my astonishment, when, with a joyful cry, the baroness threw herself into the arms of the pseudo waiter. "Thank God, Karl, that you have come." she said, and then made a profound curtsey to the other gentleman. "Thank God, madam." said Hie latter, "that we find you alive." "This is my saviour."'said she. tinning proudly, I thought, iu my direction. " Karl, you must know each other. Mr. Bracebridge, this is mv brother. Count Schouveloft.'"' "Ah." said he. stepping up. and extending his hand with great cordiality, "monsieur and I have met before, and we are already excellent friends." and. turning to his companion, lie added, " This. Your Imperial Highness, is the gentleman who has rendered us such splendid service.'" and before, in my utter bewilderment, 1 could realise the astounding fact, I was receiving hearty i thanks from, and shaking hands with, a famous Grand Duke of Russia. On her pan. the baroness seemed bewildered, too. * "I do not understand this, Karl," said I l she. "When and where have you met Mr. j ! Bracebridge before?" j . "I will explain later on. Doubtless you \ I will be pleased when you know all. But ! i now what about this' ruffian? The great j thing is that we have him in our clutches j at last. lam glad he is alive, but you must j have given him a thundering whack. Mr. j Bracebridge. 1 wonder what he will say when he comes to his senses, and sees who is in the room. What shall we do with him? What does Your imperial Highness suggest?" | | "We had thought of calling the police." I said Miss Hareourt. who appeared to be | on friendly terms with both of the new- i ! comers.

No, no," said the Grand Duke. "It j must not be thought of. The well-meant in- ! terference of the English police would spoil i everything. The count has been on his I track for" several days. He very nearly caught him in Paris. He followed him to London the day before yesterday. Fortunately. I, too, lwppened to be in London. With the aid of our spies at the Embassy we found that Madame la Baronne was visiting here, and thai the scoundrel, by come means, had learned her address, and was seen prowling- about rite neighbourhood this evening We at once drove from the Embassy at fast as good horses could bring us, and here we are. It was not our good fortune to arrive in time to save the" life of the baronue: that, monsieur, was your great privilege: but —and thanks to you again and that strong arm of yours— at last have got the scoundrel in our possession; and we don't intend to let him pass out of it. On this occasion we are our own police. May J pull down the blinds. Miss Harcourt?" 1 hastened at oner to perform that small office. " " ■ "Thanks," said he. "There may be plying eyes outside;" and then I began to wonder what was about to happen. In one sense I was quickly enlightened. ''Karl.' he added. " have yon a big handkerchief? Yes, that's right. Now tie this fellow's | feet tightly together; he will be coming to j his senses in more ways than one presently. i Now. who has another?" " 1 have," I answered. "L quite understand ; ' and I kneeled down beside the prostrate man and fastened his anus as gently as was consistent with prudence. " I broke his arm when I wrenched the knife from him," I remarked. "It will probably hurt him when he- comes to!" "Ha!" said the Grand Duke with a smile. > "You do vour work thorough-, Mr. Bracebridge!" ' " Your Imperial Highness will remember," : I said with some daring, ••that there was a : lady in the case." | He glanced with a smile in the direction of the blushing baroness, and said : "Ah! quite soquite so! And now. Karl, let us scat this fellow in a chair." This done, he turned to Miss Hareourt. "Have you," said he, "a swift saddle horse in your stables? You have? !—and I a man you can trust to ride ii .';" J "Very fortunately I. have!" said she. With that he whipped out his card and ! wrote something on it. "Will you be good enough then to instinct him to saddle up at once and lie at the door as quickly as possible?" Missillarcourt left the room and returned almost immediately. "My nephew has just arrived," said she. "The horse is his, and he will be at the door within five minutes. He will be proud to execute any commission Your Imperial Highness may be pleased to give him!" " That will be admirable !" said he. " Pair chut!—our man is beginning to stir. Silence all—not a word; no recriminations, baroness. The hour for his trial and condemnation has not vet come;' (To ho continued daily.)