The Place of Honeymoons

o burst into living flame, transmuting the dull steel bars of the window into fairy gold, that trick of alchemy so futilely sought by man. There was a window at the north and

to-day; and that the five dawns were singular in beauty and that she had never in her life before witnessed the creation of five days, one after another, made no impression upon her sense of the beautiful, so delicate and receptive in ordi

rple tones in the sunlight-for she had not surrendered peacefully to this incarceration. Dignity, that phase of philosophy which accepts quietly the inevita

be an arietta, for through all these four maddening days she had voiced it,-now low and deadly with hate, now full-toned in burning anger

, ready to smother him with them the moment he came. But he came not Monday, nor Tuesday, nor Wednesday. The suspense was to her mind diabolical. She began to understand: he intended to keep her there till he was sure that her spir

rately died after his immediate family and relations had worn themselves into their several graves, taking care of him. But Eleonora Harrigan knew n

ese sobs been born of weakness, all might have been well; but rage had mothered them, and thus her voice was in a very bad way. This morning she was noticeably hoarse, and there was a break in the arietta. No, sh

ose is, needing no defense, no ramparts of cloying phrases. The day of poets is gone, otherwise she would have been sung in cantos. She was tall, shapely, deep-bosomed, fine-skinned. Critics, in praising her charms, delved into mythology and folk-lore fo

d a Celtic ring to it. Being filled with love of Italy, its tongue, its history, its physical beauty, she na?vely translated "Nora from Tuscany" into Italian, and declared that when she went upon the stage she would be known by that name. There had been some smiling over the pseudonym; but Nora was Irish enough to cling to it. By and by the great music-loving public ceased to concern its

unfortunate! Never would she forgive such baseness. And only a little while ago she had been as happy as the nightingale to which they compared her. Never had she wronged any one; she had been kindness and thoughtfulness to all wit

The mouth drooped, the eagle-light in her eyes dimmed. From out the bright morni

e was astonished to see that her jailer did not close the door as usual. He

s been a terrible mista

ve found that

hich was half a truth and perfectly true, paradoxical as it may

hinder me if I wal

and so will my brother, who guards you at night. I repeat,

was bewildered. She had n

that," was the d

. "Will you describe this Monsieur Champeaux

dark, and old,

tall, blond, and y

tly that he had been positive that until her real captor appeared she would be totally in the dark regarding his identity. And here she had hit it off in less than a dozen words. Oh, well; i

s abduction. It is a crime you have com

not her abductor. And when one is po

s for the name and address of the

emoiselle. As for his address, I dare not give it, not for ten tho

have I bee

Mademoiselle, who is not in her ri

ou say that I am free. Tha

y, "that we have taken nothing belonging to you. You have your purse and hat and cloak. The

hat! And you are not

o our best to rectify this mistake. It is only five minutes to the tram. A carriage is at the do

mber everythi

ith this he bowed and backed out of the room as though Nora ha

" she

ared in the d

know w

morning, M

t is

n his character. He had been afraid to come. She drank the tea, but did not touch the toast or fruit. There would be time enough for breakfast when she arrived in Paris. Her hands tr

am," sh

Mademo

would not feel safe un

han thirty, cunning, but humorously cunning and anything but scoundrelly. The painted scar aslant the nose was also obliterated. With haste the man thrust the evidences of disguise into a traveling-bag, ran here and there through the rooms, all bare and unfurn

the thought of the blockhead of a chauffeur, who had got drunk before his return from Versailles. If he talked; well, h

im in advance. What more could the agent say? Only one bit of puzzlement: why hadn't the blond stranger appeared? Who was he, in truth, and what had been his game? All this waiting and wondering, and then a curt telegram of the night before, saying, "Release her." So much the better. What his employer's m

enchman sat near her, curling his mustache desperately. So beautiful and all alone! At length he spoke to

ur?" he said grav

thor of the abortive flirtation

Nora and her erstwhile jailer, who

t policeman soberly, "this is

iffly in her chair, her face colorless, dark circle

ot ignore. More than that, his integrity is vouched for by the

he great ma

leman to you?" sh

nothing," co

r inspected

; "that is all. And his actions on Friday night warr

ward the bandaged chauffeur.

aw him before. It was an

o

d for assistance. I left Mademoiselle at the house and drove a

ly. Doubtless he had bee

d the chief of

ntleman, Monsieur, who

aid Courtlandt wi

tlandt wished, he could accuse

n who lives comparatively alone has a legal and moral right to protect herself from such unwarranta

ught. From the expression of his face he might have been a spectator rather than

give me your word of honor no

ever to anno

r of eyes burning with the hate of one's self. Perhaps this conflagration was intensified by the placidity of his gaze. If only there had been some sign of anger, of c

he to hide the fleeting smile. A peculiar case, the like of which had never before come under his scrutiny! "Circumstantial evidence, we know, points to him; but we have also an alibi which is incontest

Monsieur," quick

The old man who employed this chauffeur may not have been old. I have looked upon

gone through, the suspense! My voice is gone. I shall not be able to sin

not hesitate to dismiss the case instantly. Monsieur Courtlandt arrived in Marseilles Thursday morning; he reached Paris Friday morning. Since arriving in Paris h

ll pursue this matter to the end. I believe this gentleman guilty, and I shall do my best to prove it

my word, Mademoiselle," qui

imposed upon." Nora

upon prosecuting him for something of which he is guiltless, when

serious outrage. Good morning." The

young woman," mused

y," agreed

ly. But the chief motio

investigations; but now that mademoise

de this request?"

r, it was a request no

m wh

lt the head of the state. I am not

rd eagerly. "Then there i

erything had not turn

Strange, he had not thought of it before. His skepticism had blinded h

e elevated his bro

ising, "that Mademoiselle's abductor is