One Wonderful Night

aled, so it is reasonable to assume that in Hebrew gnomic thought four do not constitute a multitude, because four people agreed with Curtis that there was not the sl

he went so far as to say that, as a matter of choice, she infinitely preferred the American to the Frenchman in the role of a husband pro tem. She had never regarded de Courtois from any other point o

hem, but for one half-hour he was swayed by expediency, and expediency often exercises a disrupting influence on a friendship founded on faith. He only meant to spare her the dismay which could hardly fail to manif

dth. When the junta in the vestibule of the Plaza Hotel had promised to remain mute on the topic of de

l, remembering the change of garments when a waiter asked if the

police station-house with a note. You won't mind if I retain your documents till after the inquest? One never kno

ets methodically. The pocket in which the license had reposed was empty. Its fellow contained a notebook and pencil. There were a

rs appertaining to his profession, deciphered some shorthand characters which promised enlightenment. He passed no comment, however, but

gave instructions to the head-waiter in

ed confidentially to his wife, "so let's have

home rather than forego any material part of an experience which would command the brea

d been perplexed by indecision as to what she was to say or how she was to act when she met the bride, bu

s neck and kissing her heartily. "Perhaps everything is for the best,

about my nephew than you yourself, but if he resembles his father in character as he does in appearance

was too well-bred to reveal any cause for disquietude other than the

quiet word which threw

"I cannot even guess how they came to find me so opportunely, and we have hardly been able to say a wor

I may have the pleasure of bringing you to one of her delightful tea-and-bridge afternoons-said to me on Monday: 'Surely, Mrs. Curtis, this John Delancy Curtis who is on board the Lusitania must be a son of that brother of your husband who died in China some years ago?' and I said: 'What in the world are you talking about, Mrs. Harvey?' so she showed me the newspaper, and I was that taken aback that I revoked in the next hand, and the only mean player we have in the club claimed three tricks 'without,' and went game, being a woman herself who hasn't chick nor child, but devotes far too much time and money to toy dogs; anyhow, I could

d been heralded in the press, but Devar merely vouchsafed a brazen wink, and in th

e met to-night," she said, smiling at the ridiculous vagueness of her own phrase. "Now I remember. I us

eve soon what I have been telling him during the last half-hour-that I am the real Deus ex machina of the whole busin

ed look. Try as she might, she dreaded every such inciden

osed Uncle Horace blandly, "this will be a wa

hile the table was being spread for the feast. He lost no time in coming

dyship," he said. "Is the remarkable

arriage?" said H

es

become my husband, under a clear agreement for money paid that the marriage should serve only as a shield against my pursuers; he was prevented by some dreadful men from keeping to-night's appointment, and Mr. Curtis came to me, intending to break the news somewhat more gently than one might look for otherwise

was kindly, and his expression gravely sympathetic, and Hermione could n

shall be twenty-one, and the coercion which has been used to force

tance by refusing to obey

estate. My mother was wealthy, and her

tr

es, an English bank

anding, they ought to have prote

assilan claims royal rank in Hungary. I loathe the man, yet e

hy

e when the Austro-Hungarian Empire breaks up,

ed himself to a

me so large,

s tell me that I am worth near

lla

nds ste

stounding statement had been overheard by the others. But the members of the Curtis family of honest men and true women had withdrawn purposely to the f

any other person in New York aware tha

lived so unostentatiously in Paris that he would necessarily be inclined to mini

is head, and laughed

st not advance any theories, at present. Now, a

t a y

suitor practical

er that I ought to be proud if he chose me as hi

islike to him

rty of anyone who has mixed in Parisian society during the past twelve months. Surely you will be able to find men and women i

tion was far too generous to permit of any further probing in this di

n hour-I shall have news which may be affected most markedly by some chance hint supplied by you. I want you to understand, Lady Hermione, that Mr. Curtis's s

m fated never to see him again after to-night I shall alw

but even in the pages of fiction he had never found a more wildly improbable theory than the likelihood of John Delancy Curtis allowing any consideration shor

you to give evidence in his behalf. Judges exer

wrong has been done with respect to the marriage

nversation was approaching perilously

the Hungarian prince-do you remember the names of any persons, of either sex, whom he associated with in Paris? Of course,

the Grand Boulevard and in the vaudeville theaters on Montmartre

cert

ated most cordially by the Countess Mar

Pa

me to shun him as

give an

I really believe she wants

interesting

betta Zapolya-the succession to the Hungarian monarchy, if ever it were revived, was involved-but Count Vassilan spurned

anxious to see you safely m

oming mixed up in the maze of Mid-Europe politics. And-there is something else. Poor Elizabetta Zapoly

you hi

ain Eugene

nd with regard t

se they are not equals in the grades of Hungarian aristocracy. I am glad that Mr. Curtis did not wai

the Count," s

he

f alarm in her voice, but the matter mus

otel, about an ho

father w

the pleasure of a few minu

open-eyed w

this to me," she cried, and her l

g not unwilling to break in on the conversation

Count Vassilan had m

detective. "He had gone before Mr. Cur

s?" demanded the girl brea

led. I think he looked on me as an unlikel

Horace, and further discussion of Count Vassilan's tan

again had his instinct been justified, for he was sure that Lady Hermione's Parisian reminiscences would prove important in some way not yet determinable. Moreover, his col

e of the contemplated marriage. The shorthand notes in Hunter's book bore out this theory, because they were obviously data supplied by de Courtois which would have enabled the journalist to write a thoroughly sensational story next day. He was convinced, when the truth was known, it would be discovered that Hunter made the Frenchman's acquaintance owing to his habit of mixing with the strange underworld from the Continent of Europe which has its lost legion in New York. De Courtois was just the sort of vainglorious little man who would welcome the notoriety of such an adventure as the prevented marriage ceremony, wherein his name would figure with those of distinguished people, and the last thing he counted on was the mur

ed its imperative message from a wall bracket in the room.

, Mr. Steinga

ferred greater privacy, but

n, at my request, has dosed him with sufficient bromide to keep him quiet till to-morrow morning.... Yes, I understand. Tell them it can't

rl of Valletort and another person, having ascertained by some means that de Courtois still liv

Scenes from t

ing, for it was a bizarre experience to find herself interested

was the answer, which conveyed fuller information to other

expect to be called away soon, and it is possible that I may want to disturb y

es

e did not display his wonted tact when he accentuated it by a dry chuckle, à propo

pose changing my clothes, in case I may have to accompany you on some midnight expedition. My uncle and aunt will tell us where they are staying, and arrange to mee

e rang again, and the detective

l come along by the subway from 59th Street-tha

n the room saw that his face was

Well, 'phone your chauffeur to be at Centre-street headquarters in as much under half-an-hour as he can manage. Taxi-drivers gossip among

, or he might have been in a difficulty, for New York in November

e being whisked off to the quiet hotel to which their baggage had been

t make head nor tail of

ce," was the h

of marriage i

t begun courting yet. But it won't be l

y Aunt Louisa endured