A QUEEN'S ERROR

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17929, 3 July 1930, Page 3

A QUEEN'S ERROR

rM'OUR SERIAL STORY M

(By CAPTAIN HENRY CURTIES). Author of "The Blood Bond," "The Idol of the King" "Tears of Angels," "The Queen's Gate Mystery," "Out of the Shadows" etc.

. CHAPTER XIIL i t DON JUAN D'ALTA. y It was a comfort to sit with Dolores* ( little hand in mine. My other clashed the precious packet in my J trousers pocket. i At last we' drove into a great ave- > nue filled with the most luxuriant tropical vegetation, very carefully ' tended, for there were men at work everywhere. The escort wheeled away into line . as we swept under a great glass- j roofed portiere, and came to a halt i at a fine flight of marble steps, where \ Sir Rupert left us and drove away i with the soldiers clattering around I him. Yes, the home of my Dolores was like a modern palace. Overcome with seeing it again, I think she forgot even me for the moment. She ran/ gaily up the steps, trilling with laughter. "Where is father?" she cried. That gentleman answered her question in person. At the head of the steps appeared !an old man dressed in black with an [abundance of perfectly white hair which surrounded a very goodhumoured, wrinkled face, almost as brown as a berry. It was the face of an aristocrat, but of an aristocrat who'lived in the open air, and a good deal under the burning sun of an Aquazilian summer. He came forward with a very lov- ■ ing smile on his old face and took j his little daughter in his arms. j Their greeting was in Spanish and therefore most of it was lost to me, ! but I took it to- be a very affection- ■ ate one. This over, the conversation turned in my direction, and broke into English. "This is the gentleman who saved me from the robbers, father," exclaimed Dolores; "this is Mr William Anstruther." * ,- The old man turned towards me with extended hands, his face beaming. "Mr Anstruther," he said, speaking in very fair English, which I found most of the gentry spoke there, "let me take your hand and thank you from my heart for your heroic con"mt to my daughter. The news of the outrage and your gallant escape reached us together by telegraph the first thing this morning. Indeed, I think they had the news at the club l last night."

When he had at last let my hand go, I got in a word of my own. "Naturally,"- I began, "you will like to spend some time with you daughter, but when you are at liberty I have an important message to deliver to you." he said, looking rather surprised. "From whom " "From an old lady who formerly lived at Bath, in England," I replied, "but who now, I fear, is dead—murdered!" "Good heavens!" he cried; "who can it be?" "It was a lady known by the name , of carlotta Altenberg," I answered. j "Good. God!" he cried, throwing up | his hands excitedly; "poor old d'Al- ! tenberg murdered!" I was rather disappointed at' his tone. It was very certain that the old lady was a person of little importance, or he would never have spoken of her like that. In a moment or two he turned to me again. "I have taken the liberty," he said, "of having your luggage and that of your friends with whom you are travelling—and whom Dolores tells me are you cousins—brought up here. I could not think of allowing you. to - stay anywhere else in Valoro than under my roof, and I am vain enough to think that we can keep you amused during your stay." I made suitable acknowledgements for his kindness, and was wondering all the while, in my heart, under what lucky star I had been born to i be located under the very roof with my Dolores, and that,, too, at her father's invitation. But he broke in upon my thanks. "Not another word, Mr Anstruther," ; he said; "it is you who confer the benefit upon me." "Now, you say you have a message from the poor old Baroness d'Altenberg for me. Good! I will show j you to my study and there we will go into the matter at our leisure." He led me down a long corridor to j a beautiful room overlooking the valley, communicating with a long range I of what looked like conservatories. 1 Hardly necessary, I thought, in such j a climate! J "Now," said my host, placing a box ■ of cigars before me, "amuse yourself i with these, and my servant shall , bring us some champagne to celebrate , your arrival. I will just go and see j my sister and little Dolores settled ,' in their apartmentss, and 1..wi1l come back to you and we can have a'talk.

You shall tell me all about the poor Baroness." The kind old man pressed me down into a comfortable lounge chair, then with a smile departed. . I took a good look round the room, and took stock of its contents. It was furnished very luxuriously in the European fashion and contained some beautiful pictures, but its principal ornaments were cases of stuffed reptiles of every sort, from a tiny lizard to a great boa-constrictor with red jaws agape. (To be continued dally.)