Lady Larkspur

, a wild confusion of trees and boulders. On a summit in the midst of it Uncle Bash had built a platform round a majestic pine from which to

e and Mrs. Farnsworth were holding a colloquy in what seemed to be the vein of their whimsical make-believe. That they should be doing this in the depth of the

," said Mrs. Farnsworth. "It's an idea

r the swish of shrubbery and the scra

that do?"

arnsworth. "Now go ahead from

a mammoth rock. She bent forward, clasping her knees, and with an occa

ings behind me gives me drink. To be one thing or another is a weariness. Would you ask yonder oak for a name, or trouble the wind

and throwing into her voice all its charm and a ne

and ships and shook the topless towers of Ilium. To-day I am Rosalind in the forest of Arden, and to-morrow I may be

ther I was stark, staring mad, or these were lines from Searles's "Lad

" Mrs. Farnsworth was saying. "You can work it out better when you've memorized the lines. It's immensely eff

tion of the blue cover of my copy of "Lady L

e sought me are equally fleet of foot and heart! If you but touch my hand, I am lost forever. And this hand-I beg you look at it-is as brown as a berry and as rough as hickor

e distinctively visible as she

rld, a place of honest hearts? You have spoken of cities, and crowded avenues, of music and theatres and many things I have read of but never seen. You promise me much, but what should I do in so vast a company? I am very happy here. Spring and summer fill my hands with flowers and in winter I lay my face to the wind that carries sleet and snow. All this is mine.' Arms stretched out. You mustn't make that stiff-very good

ns. Sometimes a dozen repetitions hardly sufficed to satisfy Mrs. Farn

h's voice, then, mystified and awed, I crept down the ladder and stole away. "It's Dick Searles's play," I kept whispering to myself. It was the "Lady Larkspur" that

urgent business. I unlocked my trunk and dug out my copy of "Lady Larkspur." Not even the wizardry of Alice and her friend could have extracted the script. The two women had in some way pos

t my elbow rang until Flynn

r. Torrenc

eceiver spitefully, thinking it only the methodical Torrence confirm

Ohio, Septem

n and anybody else on Broadway who might know what companies are on coast or headed that way. I find no clew in theatric

arl

d myself for not having summoned him at the beginning

o me at Barton as quickly as poss

n on a scratch pa

. Bashford and now established in my uncle's

e Bash'

impo

sort, pursued b

Dewing,

d the loveliest and most c

elpless to reconcile with any of the others but the last. I reviewed Searles's enthusiastic description of the young woman who had inspired him to write "Lady Larkspur," and could only excuse my stupidity

e formula: "If she is not my aunt-" "If she is an impostor-" "If she is a spy playing a deep game in the seclusion of Barton-" "If she is the actress Searles is seeking-" At any rate, I would respect her wish

ed Dutch pushing a wheelbarr

the window and kids th' boys. He says he's goin' to remember th' place and come back when he's old. A charmin' retreat fer supernumerary superannuates, he calls it. Them's his woids. I'm gittin' sort o' nervous havin' 'im round. Zimmerman-h

ater, Dutch. The matter is

rs. Farnsworth I had watched them in the woodland and of Searles's long search for the ideal of his "Lady Larkspur," but I was afraid to risk their displeasure. They

loads of letters to write, but by four o

look at the addresses!" She suggested that we walk to the village as she liked to po

l try a little trick to test the hand of fate. Give me those letters, please. If this falls with the address

and held it an instant, then it fell, turning ove

ried. "It's an exa

ifle to the address side," she announced. "Therefore you ma

r a lot of questions for me if I da

hings take their course, and I must say that you are constantly improving. At times

s but one into the chute. "It really did fall

letter stood straight on e

e, I should certainly not act

that there was something more than friendliness and kindness in her eyes. Her usual composure was gone-for a moment only-and she fingered the envelope n

I shall have to write another that will mean that I shall go very soon. If I stay on at Barton instead of going home to take up my little part again for Engl

ng the letter. "Let me be your fate in this-

and I dropped the letter into

started down the street. "For all you

ed! It would be just as int

r," I declared as we waited on

nent," she answered, "when I'

etters or your duties elsewhere. Where you go I shall certainly fol

was making love rather ardently to a lady who had introduced herself to m

," Antoine announced as we w

d Alice. "Who, pra

ncreased by Torrence's frosty greeting as he

his whole business! I sugge

the door when Mrs.

there is no reason why Mr.

was established at ease in a wicker rocker,

matters--" b

t Bob can't hear

Torrence, frowning his

aynor's eye, but Raynor's face expressed amus

said Torrence. "If he's satisfied, I'm sure I have no objection to Mr.

Alice with nicely

id Torrence sharply, "that you are not th

ut ceasing the languid flutter of

ntirely true," affi

l pardon my frankness, susceptible of very disa

uty until Raynor spo

ood humor, "but you are a very different person. I should explain that I represent the American State Department

that papa should have thought of making an affair of state of us. Dea

most tactful and circumspect. You may not know that Sir Arnold Seabring is on his wa

eabring?" gas

s Seabring," replied Raynor with

ow-" I

uncle, is the Honorable Miss Seabr

, which I should have shown you if we had got in a pinch. But it seemed so much more fun just to let matters take their course. It's a pet theory of mine that life is a dull affair unless we trust to luck a little. After my brother's death I was very unhappy and had gone out East to visit Aunt Alice, who is a great roamer. I thought it would be nice to stop here on the wa

greatly, but Torrence was seeing not

fy you," he began, "that by representing yourself as anot

wn expenses; we haven't taken an

In fact, the Government of the United States is instructed to assume full responsibility for you until your father arr

have been caught! Our story is being spoiled for us. Please go on, Mr. R

ain in that station of life to which you were born; you like playing at being all sorts of other persons. Once, so your friend t

Alice, "and the gyps

showed talent

evelation!" s

o managed to have Mrs. Farnsworth, one of the most di

on as well as her preceptress; but Alice's father knew that if Alice found it

Alice, "but I always s

ing shall be discouraged from any further adventures in that direction; she's far too talented; there's dang

ou mailed that letter for me. It was to make an appointment with an

es," I said, "and he's

e woods, but when I explained that I knew all about the play an

ance, that if we really threw ourselves in the path of adve

see that you commit no further indiscretions. There is another matter which I hope you can clear up. You are not only a subj

with a surprise I knew to be unfeigned. "

enchman and one of the keenest men in the French Sec

"This is a part of the story we've been living that I rea

hed and sho

ntleman, anxious to shield and prote

it for our

without it the adventure

on. When you were packing up in Tokyo to come home on the very last day be

aimed Mrs. Farnsworth.

t on to Berlin. You see, she thought you an easy mark. She got hold of a fan which Montani informs me is the exact counterpart of that one you hold. She reduced her data to the smallest possible compass, concealed it in her fan, and watched for a chance to exchange with you. The astute Montani found the Japanese artisan who had done the tinkering for her and surmised that you were to be made the u

"You will notice that those three pieces of ivory are a trifle thicker and not as transparent as the others. Glancing at them casually in an ordinary

the panels, disclosing a neat

o deliver this to the French Embassy intact. I expect Mont

Montani came in brushing past the aston

d Raynor; "you may comp

tions failed to work, and after reporting the whole matter to the French Embassy I began searching for a man, the most dangerous of all the German spies, who had been intrusted with the business of recovering

d I stepped to the wall

rms of the prisoner in the to

Montani, Torrence, and Ra

grenadiers captured a whole invading army that made a night attack-on

," I suggested. "The prisone

a photograph, instantly recogniza

rely anxious to recover the fan without letting you know its importance. When I found at Seattle and Chicago that you were travelling under assumed names, I was-pray, pardon me-deeply puzzled, the more so because I

ped at Buffalo to see Niagara, and you came on here and scared the servants to death! But you were generous at every point,"

rest. Without a word Montani walked up to him, brushed back his

for a Frenchman as I do for an Italian. The capture is of great importan

held that fellow and said nothing about it. If there had been a mista

concern for the peace and dignity of two foolish women! I

Connecticut and the capture of the spy. The State archives contained nothing that touched this episode for piq

t the German agent should be taken to New York im

heard queer sounds in the night, but could find nothing wrong. The prisoner had taken up the flooring at the back of the tool-house,

thing perfectly, Anto

ad sent word that no one was to be admitted to the grounds, but as I ran out the front door a machine was speeding madly toward the hou

shouted to Raynor, thinking an attempt wa

swearing loudly at one of the Tyringham veterans who had wedged himself into the door

ap, wrapped in a coat that fell to her heels. She began immediately to deliver orders in an authoritative tone as to the rescue of her belongings. Searles dived into the taxi and be

er saying. "Why didn't

ou come over here on one of your absurd larks! And from the row I had getting into the premises I judge that you

e pleaded and turning to me: "Thi

itably my uncle's widow-gave me her hand and smiled in a way that showe

was only the vigorous determination of this gentleman, who very generously permitted me to share the o

interposed, "my f

ning some weird Oriental bird which had been among

mit me to present the au

for support, now revived sufficientl

stone wall watching the waves, at the point fo

it so I could give her an impartial judgment of your character. I'm her only niece and her namesake, and she relies on me a good deal. You know she's very, very rich,

f me would be inter

it of driftwood. I wished her lips hadn't that little quiver that preluded

ble on the targe

l land to-morrow. He's the grandest, dearest man in all this world, but when he finds that I'm going to act in Mr. Searles's play he will be terribly cut up. Of course it will not be for long. Even if it's a big success, I'm to be rel

her eyes didn't make

ber of things you have to tell your father. I'm a very obscure person, and he is

out across the blue Sound-"he has said, oh, very often, that he'

u wore a wedding-ring,

p deceive you. I bought it in Chicago.

t," I said. "If I get you another, I

plied, looking fixedly at the hand,

E