Part 18 (2/2)

You need not feel flattered. She calls Conrad and Rudolph and Max da-da, and this morning in the back window she applied the same handsome compliment to your Mr. p.o.o.pend.y.k.e.”

”Oh,” said I, rather more crestfallen than relieved.

”Would you like to hold her, Mr. Smart? She's such a darling to hold.”

”No--no, thank you,” I cried, backing off.

”Oh, you will come to it, never fear,” she said gaily, as she restored Rosemary to the nurse's arms. ”Won't he, Blake?”

”He will, my lady,” said Blake with conviction. I noticed this time that Blake's smile wasn't half bad.

At that instant Jinko, the chow, pushed the door open with his black nose and strolled imposingly into the room. He proceeded to treat me in the most cavalier fas.h.i.+on by bristling and growling.

The Countess opened her eyes very wide.

”Dear me,” she sighed, ”you must be very like the Count, after all.

Jinko never growls at any one but him.”

At dinner that evening I asked p.o.o.pend.y.k.e point blank if he could call to mind a marriage in New York society that might fit the princ.i.p.als in this puzzling case.

He hemmed and hawed and appeared to be greatly confused.

”Really, sir, I--I--really, I--”

”You make it a point to read all of the society news,” I explained; ”and you are a great hand for remembering names and faces. Think hard.”

”As a matter of fact, Mr. Smart, I _do_ remember this particular marriage very clearly,” said he, looking down at his plate.

”You do?” I shouted eagerly. The new footman stared. ”Splendid! Tell me, who is she--or was she?”

My secretary looked me steadily in the eye.

”I'm sorry, sir, but--but I can't do it. I promised her this morning I wouldn't let it be dragged out of me with red hot tongs.”

CHAPTER VII

I RECEIVE VISITORS

She was indeed attended by faithful slaves.

The east wing of the castle was as still as a mouse on the day my house party arrived. Grim old doors took on new padlocks, keyholes were carefully stopped up; creaking floors were calked; windows were picketed by uncompromising articles of furniture deployed to keep my ruthless refugee from adventuring too close to the danger zone; and adamantine instructions were served out to all of my va.s.sals. Everything appeared to be in tip-top shape for the experiment in stealth.

And yet I trembled. My secret seemed to be safely planted, but what would the harvest be? I knew I should watch those upper windows with hypnotic zeal, and listen with straining ears for the inevitable squall of a child or the bark of a dog. My brain ran riot with incipient subterfuges, excuses, apologies and lies with which my position was to be sustained.

There would not be a minute during the week to come when I would be perfectly free to call my soul my own, and as for nerves! well, with good luck they might endure the strain. Popping up in bed out of a sound sleep at the slightest disturbance, with ears wide open and nerves tingling, was to be a nightly occupation at uncertain intervals; that was plain to be seen. All day long I would be s.h.i.+vering with anxiety and praying for night to come so that I might lie awake and pray for the sun to rise, and in this way pa.s.s the time as quickly as possible. There would be difficulty in getting my visitors to bed early, another thing to test my power at conniving. They were bridge players, of course, and as such would be up till all hours of the morning overdoing themselves in the effort to read each other's thoughts.

I thanked the Lord that my electric lighting system would not be installed until after they had departed. Ordinarily the Lord isn't thanked when an electric light company fails to perform its work on schedule time, but in this case delay was courted.

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