A MIDNIGHT RESCUE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5832, 24 February 1906, Page 10

A MIDNIGHT RESCUE.

Tbe first, thin" I did wirui I readied my nimii at. the Great Fritz Hotel was to SWitell off UlO ■■lertric ftl'lll, OJM'II tht! Freon): windows, and i-Hoii out, mi tu tbu balcony, vdiidi commands about, as lino a view of 11i<? 'l’ri:ixfi

no omi c■ i- . ■■■ anywhi re. Will'll :i mu il illiMll’t ! I' 1 fool' ill Kii llaud for clo-o on fivu year’; i!u r<- i« Mihtlo at.t faction about the Imni aml mail of I.ondoii Hint mo oilier city in tiio world fan toast. f havo is I'v :■ y:been a Juror of dear, dirty Knudou. Am) at anv other timo tlio I winkling li -.ln , on ilio grey old Thames would liavo tee mod likn a welcome on my home-coming.

Hut aa f loaned over tlio edge of the bote! balcony f war. not tliin!-:itu". of I ho lights of fiondnii, Imt of tlio I iris'ld or light Unit I find soon llm night liefore shining in tlio depths of Gwen Maimvaring’s dark eye--. irmv beaut ifnl sint li.n! looked standing in the bow of tlio loan',or in tlio moonlight. mid r.'lial, a delirious little glance die ('live mo v lion f vvhimdoa!lv complained Hi.it llios-e wan no surli tiling Sill roil IK' loir; sea-voyage In (hose days. “Hut you wore so giad to leave Aust riilla. that f fancied tlio sooner We reaelied Ivi'dand I lie In ! lor you would he [ik ioa d,” .Mb- Mainwaring suggested r nut'll:,!;.

"Ko I thought - before t met you ” I was beginning. then stop|>o<j, "Here is that beastly Count Ziveekdorf as usual -do fry mid get rid of bin.!'' f addi-d. irritably._ IVrliaiai (dm did try, but it; isn't easy to get. rid of :i vrmmc urnii vMm lias rmwlo Mp Ins mind Unit Ins company is hound lo la* ncrrptnldo to nny woman, and jutrtirulurlv ’-vV’n Im is impervious to vvvn Urn lipoadcst of rmif--culim* liintn.

Tlio f-llow simply wouldn’t go way. and I was just, meditating Hie possibility of telling him point blank that S wished to apeak to .Miss .Ma in waring alone, when Memiet. her maid, came .stumbling up Hnv cumpauion-way and hurried towards ns. "Oh, if you pleane. Miss, your Aunt is not feeling well at, all, and would like to sou you." sho gasped.

“f will romp at once.” said Miss Mtiiuwaring, thru turning to hip, “Would you mind rending tin* doctor to Aunt's elate-room, Air Alaxwrll. I expect it is just one of Inn- tiresome lioadaches, and perhaps " ‘Won will come on dork again, if poftsihlo won't yon'?” f whispered, as I held out my hand. I fancied I caught a hurried ‘•Yes." hut. was not .sure, as Count /weekdorf persisted in hooping up ft flow of polite suggestions as to the remedy for headache. .and even Insisted in nrcnrnpnnying Miss Main,raring helo'.v, with tho nvowed object of procuring for her an invnln.ahle cure which he <!ee!ared ho invariably (omul olfioaofom himself. It was annoying, of course, and when f came to think of it. my determination to tell fi'.veu Mainwnring I loved her ami irdc her to marry mo, had been haled more than once by the interference of this officious little fnr-

'()f course, it was possible the fellow was in love with her himself hut (liven would surely he the fir-t: to detect that the man’ wasn’t really ft genttoman, in spite of ids title. Anyway the beggar shouldn't get in my way again, r derided, as I leant against the rail and waited for the reappearance of the graceful figure in the long grey theil:.

T had been waiting fo.-_ about, im hour, ami had almost: despaired of seeing Ft retail! I hat nil'll!', when suddeuIv I rr.'ip.li: sight ■ f ;i figure in tho familiar grey cloak standing in the lee .jj 1 the deek-lmiise. I’ hurried forward. then panted'an Count '/weekdorf darted across tho ili'cls. ••:■/.-( (In- girl's hands am! drawing her to him, dipped Ida arm round her unresisting form, and with a murmured. “Gwen my own little Owen!" kissed her ficfl mi the lips. For a moment I was too amazed to ho ■-■veil angry at tho deception practised upon mo. hut v.-'hen. half an hour later, >lisn Mainwaring emerged from tho companion wav and remarked with an assumption of siiv timidity, as oho caught tight of mo; ‘Tvo only loft Aunty for a few moments just—just—to hour what you must, toll mo. Mr Maxwell," I was ron-cions only of intense a rigor ns I looked full in'tho girl’s eyes. ‘T have changed my mind. I have nothing to say to yon—at leant, nothing that yon would cure to hoar. Mins Mainwaring." T said coldly. “What—what do yon mean? _ I don't understand ” she was beginning. when I interrupted her. “No donht Count Zwcckdorf will oxplain." said I, as I turned on my heel and made my way to, the smoking room.

Wlnjn I turned in that night somewhere in the small hours, T told myself ■somewhat bitterly that tho whole thing was entirely my fault. V.'liat right 'Jmd I. a man bordering on forty, who for the pant twenty years had spent moot of my time gold prelecting in Australia, to expect to win tho lovo of tho prettiest and most charming girl it had ever been my lot to meet. No wonder alio preferred a younger main. It wasn’t likely t-he should care—

“Then why tho dime did sho give mo to understand, in her shy. modest way. that tho thing was possible.” I demanded angrily of my own reflection in my shaving glass, hut as I could find no answer to my own question. I turned into mv berth. fortified by tbe resolution that at any rate I would Mnko a point of not seeing either Misw Mainwaring or Count Zweckdorf again.

In tho buntlo of our landing at Southampton next morning, it was comparatively easy to avoid anything more than tho most perfunctory of good-byes, ami when I reached town and jumed into a cab. T told the man to drive to the Great fritz, that being (he one hotel in which the elder Miss Main waring bad mentioned as being toe big ami rambling for her quiet tastes.

I bad bad no great, affection for cob: -cat hotels rnvself. at any rate. I reflected, as I glanced at tho serried row* of lighted windows, it was something to .know that t was m> longer under the same roof with Miss .Mainwaring and her lover. In spite of the comfort of this reflection. T sighed involuntarily as 7 stepped back into Hie room, and switching on the light discovered a note lying on the table. There was nothing in the nature of an address except the number of my room, and thinking it was (some communication from the hotel people. I tore open tho envelope ami read the following:—“Secured rooms ns arranges!. Accompanying G.K.M. to Drury .Lane 8.15.”

Tho note war, not signed, and was clearly not. for me, yet the mere fart that it contained the initials of the woman I loved gave it an interest, certainly not warranted by the triva! nature of its contents.

I slipp'd the paper into it;; envelope ami rally; tin- bell. •■Tilt! not o bus been placed in my room by in; lake. it in not for me—’ “Aeh, ibrnmoi!’’ interrupted _tbe waiter, excitedly. ‘‘the note, yes, it is to liim that Count Zwe.-kdorf has demanded sineo an boar! 1 '

Then you will kindly explain to the f ■mill!-.-”

“.'.ell. saro, the Count, bo will not listen to no explanation, bo nay only gif mo the lot Iff you head of a. -hoop.

and I- Aeb, the number it. is not of t.fiiroom." bo added, examining the on rolopo. •■No, that is how the mistake oeenrroil, Ibo Count win easily umlon-ta nd, and “lie understand nothing. bo only v.ro.ir." said the worried waiter. stay, I will Ki t a elean envelope, am! tbo note jn.'-t arrived, and no - gut I” lio was out of tin' room anil bad shot into the lift boiore I had a olianee to remonstrate, ami as f hurried into my mom to prepare for dinner 1 shrugged my shoulder. it was a bore, of eoiireo. that Count Zweekdorf should h.'ive chosen to put i.}i .at the f.roiii Frits. Hu’el. but after all. it wasn't a mat tor ot great importance, and i eoubl easily avoid him. I tut when I Kamo down the great

staircase half .tu hour later, and taw Count, Zweekdurf engaged in _an animated conversation with a radiant video in a himmering white gown. and caught the tones of .Miss Mainwariug’n pretty Volos’, T changed my mind. It was one thin;; to tell myself, that a girl who could play the hypocrite as (liven .Maiir.r.iriug had done was not worth troublln;.; about. and quite enot her thing to meet the look in her beautiful eves, as she returned my bow with a frigid bond of her beautiful bead.

"Aeb. v.bal a peefy. (he Aunt is still 100 ii'di pmed to vieit tbe theatre." raid Ci,nut /weekdorf.

"Aunt is not ill (bank.:, she is only a lit tic tired.—ami won’t bear of my missing tbe play, so I have arranged to take my maid—” "Aeb, If-only I might offer to conduct Ibo gracious Fniulein myself—" Hie Count was b"ginning. then stopped warned by the expression in Mis.M.'iinwiiringC ryes—''Alas. I know il is impossible," lie continued adroitly, “and so I must; do my duty, and dine with my countryituui at the Kmba.'viy—• Here already Von St angel r" be broke off ns Mies .Mai mm ring made her way to the dining mom and tbe Cninil turned to greet, a dapper little figure in faultless evening dress with the crciss and ribbon of some foreign order on Il is breast.

"Ves, f am here my good Ziveckdorf. to tell you (bat the chief liasjin A 1 conk and dines punctually at eight. I’ve a me,tor brougham at tbe door, ro if you are ready—" "Quito ready." said Count Zweokdorf. and a.s the two men disappeared down the broad steps. 1 was conscious of a feeling of irritation, that the German, whom I had mentally set down as a "rank outsider,” should, after all, have a .social standing, which render, ed him—in the eyes of the world at least—a more desirable husband for Miss Mainwaring than myself. True I was probably the richer sailor of the two. lint then, though I had imder-tnod from the elder Miss Maimvariug, that her niece was very poor, I felt convinced that the question of money would not weigh irn atom in the girl’s selection of a husband. (Hearly therefore, she must love Count Zweckdorf, and the only thing left for me to do was to forget her.

I don’t know whether [ deluded myself with the idea, that tho best way to accomplish this laudable intention was to secure a stall at Drury Lane that evening, in such a position that I could see every turn of (he girl's lovely heal, and mite^ every expression in tho dark eyes which somehow did not look like the eyes of a woman, whom* love has brought her happiness. What if she should feel she has made a mistake. I reflected, as. the play over, I left the theatre, and paused to watch the graceful figure standing under tho glow of lights, while her maid went in .search of tho carriage.

A moment later as I hurried through tho crowd outside, T recognised tho maid TSonnet in earnest conversation with the driver of a motor brougham. ‘‘l will bring my mistress here, ami you ran drive >.,s back os quickly ns possible—if you are sure that all is ready?' 1 oho said quickly.

The man murmured an assent, and as he bent towards the woman, and T caught a glimpse of the face under the peaked motor cap, I was conscionn that I had seen tho fellow before —that very evening, in fact! Yes. I remembered now. it was the face of Count jiwcekdorf.s friend, who had carried him off to dine at the Gorman Embassy.

f did not give myself time to reflect. what could he the object of the man’s present disguise, but hailing a hansom, I said curtly; ‘l'll give yon a sovereign, cabhv. if yon can keep that motor brougham in Right." Then T jumped into the eab, and in another moment we were threading tint crowded theatre traffic, while I bent forward and peered into tbe nigbt in my anxiety not to loose sight of Uin motor, which contained tho woman, who —coquette a; she undoubtedly was —I know I still loved.

“Very sorry, sir,” the cabman said, half an hour later as he pulled up at the corner of a quiet square, 'T could ’ave swore I saw that blamed motor spin down that there side street, but there ain't, nothing in the way of a vehicle anywhere about. I’m afraid wo must 'ave missed them. sir. when we was turnin' out of the Park.” ■■Where are we now?” said I. jumping to (he pavement, and scanning the rows of old-fashioned dismal looking houses that, lined the square.

■•N'ot. quite sure of the name, sir, but it’s one o' them boardiup-’ouso squares back Bayswater way. Looks ns though the hoarders ’ad mostly gum: to bed. too.” he added, a.s a gentle intimation that there was not much to be gained by staying where we wore. “Von are quite sure tho motor didn't ge anywhere mar the Great Fritz Hotel?" I questioned, ignoring the latter part of his remark. • Quito sure, sir—iu fact. I could bet my 'end as wo were close behind it. till we come to that block, where the road was hup I” “All right, then you needn’t wait.” Maid I. as cabbv pocketed the sovereign and drove away. I walked deliberately round three sides of the Spuare, scanning every window of the dismal old bouses, in search of I knew not what. I had reached the further corner, end was standing in the shadow of a dingy plane tree, wondering whether anyone had ever before embarked on such an absurd wild-goose chase, on so little provocation, when I suddenly drew myself further back into tho shadow, as n win now of the house opposite was pushed open, and a man stepped lightly on to tho balcony. He paused a moment, aim, loaning over the rail, glanced quickly up and down tho silent deserted Square, then ran

swiftly along the balcony and disappeared into a bouse at the further end. J was across tbo road and half-wav up tbo ru-ty trellis-covered pillar ot tlio verandah before even giving my- • -elf time to consider what 1 really in. ant to do next. The sound of Count Zweekdorfs voice, followed by a half-stifled little feminine cry, soon deeeled me. I crept towards the window, and. pausing where a thin shaft of light marked a rent in the worn blind. gazed straight, into the room. In spite of mv vague, bait-funned suspicion, 1 .'live a little j'a; p of astonishment in ( recognised (1 wen .Maiir.vaimg, seated in a eorner of a crazy-looking eoiic.i, with her pretty hair nil didieve.led, staring in dazed wondtrfrom Imr maid, i wlui sat eronehed nn Hie floor at her .fret. In Count Zweckdorf, who itnm, gazing at the girl, with an expression in bi.s "Vis that made me Intig to choke the- life out of him there and then.

‘■Vets. Ves. I understand that I was taken ill coming home from the theatre.’' said the girl iri a low voice. ; “indeed, I I--feel very faint still. ' be added, passing her bam! across her 1 brow. "lint, surely there are not my rooms at the Great Fritz Hotel, limb - and what are von doing here, Count Zweehdorff" ' , , ‘Tw here.” said the mra do-dv, making an ineffectual effort !<"■ Hike the girl's hand, In riiec I’m mad-mad fur love of yon, Gwen-because I could, think of no other means of making you promise to be my wife, but to carry you off while the city was all asleep ih nnd no oiif ’.vithin rail. it no use agitating yourself, my good woman." h.c added. turning to the terrified maid, who was gazing as if ipellkaiip.d at the revolver m Ins haml, ■‘[ shall not shoot nnle.-s I am obliged, [ only wait to hear your mistress promise to ratify this informal betrothal, or—.—" (‘oi;nt Zwochclorf ? To ’speak to mo of marriage, when I have already told yon that there m | imlv one man in all the world I I -All. veu, f bad forgotten our fortune hunting friend. "Mr Geoffrey -.!axiweli" laughed the fcoi.ndrcl cynically, '■•lull stirelv. kli-ss Mainwar.ng, you mii-t see that after tins escapade of veins— which is sure to get into the papers. unless I fiiipprres it—Mr Geoffrey Maxwell would consider even vci.r fortune too- dearly bought—- ’ Ho did nr.tVt any farther, for too vorv good reason that I sprang into ti-.e' room and choked the werds down bis throat before be could utter them. Vet even in that moment of supremo rago I was conscious of Cwon’s lowbrealbed "Geoffrey, you? Oh thank Heaven!" and my grip on the fellow's throat tightened n« I beard it. Then Buddenlv the light wont out ami I hoard a little gasping cry: -Oh, Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Benuct is choking me—she —’ I flung Count Zwcckdorf on one side and groped about in the darkness until I felt the touch of Gwen’s so.t hand Then heedless of the scoundrel and his accomplice, took her in my arms, carried her to the window. There wan a. rush behind me, and in another moment the window was closed with a little elide, and quietly locked on the outside. When I succeeded m forcing it open, I was conscious of hearing a faint whistle, followed hy the hum of iv motor coming from the opposite sid« of the deserted Square. I "roped my wav hack into the room and "struck a light, only to find the door of the room on the staircase locked also. I succeeded in breaking the took, and on opening it found myself "In (ho dark bare passage of an empty house.

“There is a policeman just coming round tho Square,” said Gwen’s breathless voice in my ear, and m another moment I had raced down the stairs, shot tho rusty holts of the front door, and was in the street. “Titov can't have made their escape this wav, sir." said the officer sleepily, “for there’s been nothing about except n doctor’s motor brougham at Xo 7. with a hospital nurse ami her patient inside. The poor gentleman had had an accident, and seemed pretty had, so I helped the chauffeur and tho nurse to pet 'ins inside ami—” “Then, mv good friend, you’ve prohnl.lv connived at the escape of one of the biggest scoundrels going." said T, "and if you will look after thin lady for a few moments —’’

“Oh you—you won’t leave mo will yon?" stammered Gwen, laying her iir.ncl on my arm. I gave one glauco at the beautiful tear-dimmed eyes, then turned to the policeman. *‘l think I hoar a yah, fetch it as quickly ns you can,” said I. Gwen maintains that the policeman was gone about five minutes, hut to mo it seemed more like five .seconds, that I stood in tho doorway of the emptv house, with my arm clasped round the girl's slender waist, and listened to the music of her low voice as she whispered ooftly—“How could you mistake Bennct for me on the shin last night. You might have known I would not have allowed that odious man—to—to—kies me or—"

‘‘My darling, I could not fice her face, and she wore your cloak, and— Ah here is the cab—say you forgive me dearest, quick.” She did not answer, till we were seated in a four wheeler driving through the deserted streets to tho Great Fritz Hotel, and then—well her reply was so interesting that X forgot everything except tho one fact, that the woman whose lovely head lay against mv shoulder had promised to bo my wife. ‘“Vow won't mind, Geoffrey, dear,” she said presently, “if I give Aunt Helen about half my money, because—”

“Your money?” I repeated, “why I thought it was your aunt, who was rich, and yon were as poor as tho proverbial church mouse!” “lint in that ease, dearest,” interrupted Gwen smiling, "what do yon suppose would have been tho reason for that hateful man trying to force mo to marry him?” “I could suggest n. good many reasons,” said I: “but bero we are at tho Great Fritz Hotel—worse luck I” A few moments later T was so engrossed in watching a figure in a white gown, disappear up the wide stairerr-e, that T was finite startled when eomeone behind mo remarked quietly: “TVe got your message at Scotland Yard. sir. and if wo mean to catch the gentleman who calls himself Count Zweckdorf—” “Then you think there is a chance of catching hunt” said I. “T hope so, sir. hut if he's the man I think ho is, and he’s working with the woman—well it’s doubtful, for she's ns slippery ns an cel, and as cute ns tiier make ’em!” She was, in fact, no cute, that she managed completely to baffle all efforts of the police to find her or her accomplice. Indeed, the precious pair might have been at large to this day. had their innate audacity not prompted them to choose tho Great Fritz Hotel as tho scene of some further nefarious

exploits. Hut that is, of course, another story, and occurred when my wife and I bad 1;..-on married imi" time, and even Gv.en bail eea-;i d lo shudder at- what she stills calls, "that hateful Zweckdorf incident.”