Part 45 (1/2)

And on his part, Bateato was racing about like a scared mouse, diving into mysterious chests and cabinets or under divans or climbing up the walls to explore recessed shelves. His activities were confined to that one chamber, for a big, implacable policeman stood at the entrance, with orders to keep his eye on the young woman and the j.a.p and see that they did not escape or attempt to a.s.sist the vanished picture expert in concealing himself or getting away.

As Helen's dazed faculties gradually resumed their normal activities and she realized that Whitney Barnes was a reality, the humor of the situation suddenly struck her fancy and she smiled. She was smiling with eyes and lips when young Barnes turned back his head from another reproach of Bateato and looked to see how she was coming on.

”Thank heaven!” he exclaimed. ”I thought you were dead. I wanted to go out for a doctor, but these confounded policemen wouldn't let me--yes, and they wouldn't unlock me. Have I fanned enough? I'm pretty well tuckered out, and these feathers get in one's nose so. Then this is an extraordinary kind of a fan--they use them in harems or something of the sort, and I've never fanned in harems.”

”Please stop, then,” laughed Helen, ”and I'm a thousand times obliged to you. If I could only have a gla.s.s of water I think I would be myself again.”

Bateato had at last pried into a cabinet that contained a decanter of brandy and strange looking Moorish goblets, and from some curtained enclosure he obtained cold water from a faucet. A sip of the potent brandy and draught of water brought the color back to the girl's cheeks and the light to her eyes. The change was so rea.s.suring that Whitney Barnes actually beamed and for a few moments dropped all thought of his handcuffs.

”My, but you are beautiful!” he said impulsively. ”I don't blame Travers for going daffy in the Ritz, and do you know your eyes are exactly like your cousin's!”

Helen laughed in spite of herself at the young man's headlong gush of words, then became suddenly serious.

”We haven't time to talk about eyes now,” she said soberly. ”You must a.s.sist me in telling these policemen how I brought this terrible embarra.s.sment upon Mr. Gladwin.”

”Nothing of the sort,” retorted Barnes. ”He wouldn't hear of it. He'd cut off both his arms before he'd allow your name to be dragged into such a sensation. And I'd add mine, too, willingly, with these bracelets on them.”

”But that detective said he had a warrant for Mr. Gladwin for eloping with me,” cried Helen, blus.h.i.+ng scarlet. ”And, you know”----

”Yes, I know you're going to weep or faint or something else. Tell me about your cousin--she's not m-m-married?”

”Sadie married!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Helen. ”Why, she's deathly afraid of men.

She's the most timid little thing in the world.”

”Good!” cried Barnes, enthusiastically. ”These handcuffs are not half bad, now you tell me that.”

”Why, what do you mean?” asked Helen, her eyes twinkling.

”Oh, nothing,” said Barnes, trying to look unconcerned. ”She's very young?” he added quickly.

”A year younger than I am,” said Helen, mischievously. There was something positively fascinating about the intense seriousness that had fallen upon the nervous features of Whitney Barnes.

”She's not too young to marry?” was his next query.

”N-no,” Helen hesitated, ”though I suppose you'd have to ask Auntie.”

”Well, you didn't have to do that,” he said in alarm. ”Oh, I beg your pardon,” he added quickly, ”please forgive me.”

”You are forgiven,” said Helen, with a catch in her breath; then resolutely, ”but that is all over with. It wasn't really real--only a bad dream.”

”Of course, it wasn't real,” sympathized Barnes. ”That fellow just hypnotized you--and my eye, but he's a wonderful looking chap--sort of a Hercules and Adonis all thrown into one. But to get back to Sadie--I'm going to marry her.”

”You are!” Helen half started from her chair.

”Be calm; be calm,” and he waved her down with his shackled hands.

”When I say I'm going to marry her I merely state a fond belief I have been cheris.h.i.+ng since, m'm--well since a very long time ago to-day or yesterday, for to-day is to-morrow by this time, you know. Now don't stop me--I say I am going to marry your cousin because I believe in Destiny with a big D. Do you?”

”I did,” said Helen grimly, ”but now I don't.”