THE HONG KONG TELEGRAPH.
SHORT STORY.
COAT
THE ZIBELLINE
BY EDITH MACVANE.
(Concluded from Last Saturday.) For answer, Fanny drew the envelope from her bosom and handed it to him. He opened it and eagerly drew out the sheet from within. Then bis jaw foll and his face withered as at the moment of death. An instant later, rogaining his self-control, he passed the sheet back to her. A little bunch of keys dropped clinking on the table, but the paper itself was blank."
Bachred!" said the Vicomte "Hero are the keys, bitterly. but the direction for entering of course, the Pasha gives them to Bazin by words of mouth,
Why should be run the risk of writing them down, when they. eat dejeuner together?
EXTRA
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1914.
.:
C
hanted-oh, how I hunted!?
"But, mademoiselle," cried Vicomte incredulously.t
olde ?
game of tag with Bazin Listen And at the door sat another negro, Was that a step? Her breath
"Ah!" Her listener started "She said: 'It is twenty take writing materials with you huge and misshapen liko a eu-stopped, her eara strained.
violently." The bounds! then minutes before madago leaves Do not carry off the treaty, or nuch of the Arabian Nights,
the scene. leave any signs that it has been whose white turban made a gleam- With the new-found document in
No, the silence was unbroken, they dored-"
Madame will not tell disturbed. That would raining spot in the semi-darkness.
"No, Vicomte, it was none of madame her sister that I went her hand, she ran over to the Bazin's crowd that stopped me out?' everything. Copy it. You write
For the first time Fanny realiz. hearth and held out the blue It was yes, it was a pretty lady "I promised not to tell.. Che quickly?
ed the wild nature of the adven-sheets of papers to the heat of in a pale purple gown, holding & wont. I was left alone. And Fanny nodded. "And when tare into which she had so the blazing loga
glass of champagne in her the next ten minutes, monsieur I it is copied ?
thoughtlessly plunged. Raoul's She waited. Then she sai hand!" "Take it back to the Ritz with words came back to her: "Re-that, instead of transforming In the boughty blue eyes bent you. This evening, if I am still member, in the embassy you are themselves into pages of manu-upon her, reproach was changed he alive, I will call for it., Mano longer on French soil, nor script under the action of the beat to pitying contempt, "Made. Such a search was more chil demoiselle Gordon, there at your protected by its laws ". For a as the letter had done, they re-moiselle, I will now leave you. I dishness! Your risked your life, hotel."
moment ber voice almost quavor-mained blank. She held them recommend you to go at once to porhaps--for what? Not even a. She nodded. "I shall expected from her control as the uttered alanting to the light. Not a bed- man, then we must dispose of you. But, monsieur, I must not the door of the envoy's cabinet to of the paper was visible.
the magic phrase that was to open sorstcb, not the faintest marring him before you go to risk your go back with you now! Here life at the Turkish embassy! we are in the Rue Royale. Stop See this letter I have prepared the auto-let me get into a taxi- for him, which looks just like motor. " that of the Pasha, except that,
The next moment she almost when Bazin holde it to the blaze,
swooned in relief and joy. The he will read: Come to Stam-I
negro, rising to his feet with boul! There, I've folded it in-
low bow, opened wide the door side the Matin. Let me put it
and ushered her in... Then the into the pocket of the zibelline
Hastily be pushed a hundred-door closed behind her and she coat, just as it was before. And frane note into her hand. She was left alone. here are the other articles-hia saw that he was very pale, but
the cast arawift eye about. gloves, his bottle of violet per- his only words were: "Au Had she travelled two pairs of fame"
stairs, or two thousand miles ? In spite of his precceupation, the Vicomte uttered a short laugh. Easy to guess who that is for! the fair Viette d' Amour, of the Folios Frivoles-""
"I've heard her sing!
L
He oboyod hor. She turned toward him quickly. "Monsieur, left all my money at the hotel. If you will kindly lend me a trifle for my taxi"
revoir !
At the millinery counter of the
Gordon, trying on hats. One
ber:
"There is but one God, and Allah is his prophet!
a
Slowly the dreadful truth pene- trated her brain. Either Bazin bad been there before her, or
"No, Vicomte, my brain is not giving way. One moment, please! Have you not seen it on the street, the poster of the new revue Embrasso-Moi Vite ""'
the
"Vicomto, if as I thought Mademoiselle d'Amour had been at the embassy before me, then she had had no time to go home before coming to play her matinee. She must have driven direct to
Irman Pasha had made a mistake "AH!" This time and the treaty had never been Vicomte's tone was anything but the theatre. The manuscript of placed there at all.
contemptuous. Laying down the treaty was too bulky for her The tears started to her eyes. his hat and stick again, he came to conceal on her person when Desperately she rummaged the toward Fanny with a new inter- she went on the stuge; ergo, the drawer, ran her hande about the est in his eyes.
tranty must be there in that little lining of the attache case. Not- "At the Folies
dressing-room. I knew her in- Frivoles!telligence; and like the man in ing. Then, in fierco baate, she Violette d' Amour!" tried her key on the other drawers
of the writing-table. One by one,
Fi
||
Poe's story, I based my search on the idea of that intelligence which I had to meat. There was a pile of loose musie. I thumbed it through. Inside the huge silver pufbox. No! The violet silk abions--they held only down. The time was so short, the pos- Suddenly my eye fall on the silver Bible biding-places so many!
Suddenly Fanny uttered a little Fanny triumphantly. "co she is Galeries Lafayette stood Fanny able depth and richness covered placed the blank sheets of paper, head, like a flash, one or two bowl of violets-something like.
incoherent noise. The paper in
*
a friend of Bazin's!" /
4
Fanny nodded. "I recognized In the crowded Rue Royale, For the vast room was the Orient they refused to yield to her touch. the name as soon as I saw it
It was clear, the key in the you had said, Bazin's lady sink or swim for me now!" she FADBY
was left alone, it's completo.
Pasha's lettle was adapted only
love!" Red silk curtaide shut out the to the drawer that she had al- said. and eat her teeth.
"Yes" returned har ligener daylight. A divan, covered with ready opened. And in that excitedly "And, mademoiselle embroidered cushions, ran around drawer what she sought was not. then?" cried
the wall. Ruga of an unimagin-
With unsteady hands, she re "Then there came into my especially dashing affair, crowned the floor. In the middle a locked the attache case, locked other little odd circumstances, her hand, on its upper corner, was suddenly covered with ohar-lion fraues a year on her car - pleureuse at the side, took her eye, of roses, and spicy cigarettes the first time fear seized her, now with meaning. For instance,
"Hm-if spending a half mil-in violete and with a sweeping tiny fountain played. The air the table drawer. The dark red which seemed like nothing at the the bowl of violets on my table
was heavy with myrrh and attar curtains seemed to wave. For me but which come back to me sure her friendship. Though the remembered the description
yonder, Vicomto! actors of pale brown.
"Suddenly into my head Why, it's not blank!" she they say of lata he has been the bad heard of Bazin's fair touches that might recall the star. own utter failure. Panic when I said the pass-word to him, For, to judge by the perfume
recently smoked. The only puzzled,
together with a sickening sense he concierge at the embassy, popped the ideo, "How strange!" "Dire an conciergemiling on Irman Pasha as well. "But I beg your pardon, made-
friend, and smiled.
Western world without were a deuxieme ctaye. She glanced up
"So I'm Violet, too!" she said heap of smart luggage by the
stricken, empty-handed, she replied: So you have forgotten they gave out, it was plain that excitedly. "I bave it! The flame moiselle, for speaking such
omething, mademoiselle ?' those violeta were fresh to-day- of the chafing dish! It's written canaille in your presence," added to herself whimscially. Then door, a splendid fire of logs, and turned and fled from the room.
de Chatellerault, with a look of aloud: "Combien *made.
large carved writing table of The tall negro rose to let her bought he meant I had forgotten like mine. Yet their petals in sympathetic ink!"
courteous "Pardon, respect. "So it is your scheme moiselle?
pass. Down the stairs she sped. part of the phrase. Now I realiz- drooped as if they had been gat With a mademoiselle," the Vicomte took to carry the coat back and leave
The March wind was cold on hered, all of a sudden, lie meant hered days ago or if the silver it for Bazin at the Ritz ?"
held them were. the sheet of paper from her hand,
tear-filled eyes se she emerged on something else. He meant: Te bowl that held it cautiously to the blazing
the sidewalk and gave the com-it to look for something you have dry.
forgotten that you come back?' alcohol flame, and studied its
and to her waiting driver:
She paused abruptly, and ris- What other woman wearing aing from her seat, went over to contents. When he glanced up
violet hat, such as I was wearing the little Louis XV gueridon again, his face was fluebed a
myself, had entered that door of which held the violets in their light red and his eyes shone.
the Turkish embassy before I enlarge silver bowl. With a light tered it myself this afternoon ? finger she caressed the fading pur That the first comer had possess pla petals.
1
You are right," he said., "Here are the full directions for entering the envoy' apartment and finding the document. Every
Come!
moment 18 precious. Come.!
Tanny's excitement matched his, but it was born of a new "Not yet!" she said thought. breathlessly, as she turned to the approaching waiter, Garcon, quickly! Bring me writing ma terials plain paper. And, garcon, bring me a sliced lemon!"
"Mademoiselle, you are mad!
L
The flying anto cleared the Aro de Triomphe and sped on its return way down the Champs Elysees. Fanny bit her lip.
"Yes-no!" she hesitated.
Soventy-fivejfrancs, madame."
"To the Ritz."
dark wood.
Dominating the overpowering "I will wear it. And-bere; impression made by her surround kindly send the black velvet batings, Fanny tiptoed toward the I was wearing to this address." table. For an instant she smiled The address she gave, was no-in sudden relief ae through the tarally, a wrong one. For her mysterious Oriental twilight
At nine o'olcek that evening, object in changing headgear was there came to her. straining care when Fanny had barely finished Do you not see, monsieur, the to effect, as far as possible, a dis- a little homely sound: Tick- her frugal supper, a card was
Lick-tick-tiok." She turned brought in to her: gaiss.
the switch of the desk-lamp and glanced at the travelling-clock marked half past seven. Another beside it. To her amazement, it
passing spasm of fear shook her number 301," she said resolute-She snatched at her watch. Only "Rue Faubourg Saint Honore until she saw that it had stopped. ly, and fell to studying the letter three o'clock. Her time that was to be her guide.
ample, and everything was going
thing for us to do is to keep Bazin in play while you go to the embassy and copy the treaty? If I could put on the coat and keep him following me. But it's not a woman's coat.
13
17
Having already dismissed the taxi io which she had driven the Galeries, she took her seat in
a new one.
to
She paused a moment, then the plear colour blazed up suddenly into her round, pretty face, he turned to him excitedly.
Monsieur, I have it! You must At the door of a large and be-splendidly. put on the "zibelline coat and autiful mansion of gray stone, trail Bazin, and I will go to the remarkable for the fact that all
its shutters were tight closed, her embassy! 31
taxi, stopped.
"No, chauffeur; the side door, around the corner!
Vicomte, one moment. It is not yet two o'clock, and we must make our preparations while we have the means!"
With a determined. gesture, Fanny's host called for the addition and for his fur motor coat. In the instant of waiting, the obedient garcon had filled Tanny's order.
"Lemon--for madam?".
the oysters,
"Yes put it down." Hastily she squeezed the lemon into the bottom of an empty glass, dipped her pon into the juice, and wrote. Then from her watch
chain the clays, slipped the
of
small trunk-keys, them
into the envelope with her letter,
"What !" The
young man atared at her astounded. Your idea of the false letter is superb.
was
"Raoul de Obatellerault
"Show him upstairs." A few moments later the calet her salon, and the Vicomte de le pied knocked on the door of
Dour
oled the necessary pass-word was "Poor little flowers! Beaumont "with the Vicomte's evident. Bazin possessed the little flowers! To keep flowers crown above.':
paes-word, or was about to. without water, Vicomte, seems to knew there existed a woman, a
me a cruelty, like keeping a baby brilliant adventuress, with whom without milk," Razin was on intimate terms, and violette de Parme. And, Vicomte, or down, at the silver bowl; The colour.. fared into de for whom he bought bottles of Chatellerault's face. He took one which I had found in the attaque then threw himself upon the those blank sheets of paper glanced back into Fanny's face; case where the treaty ought to have been-they gave out a faint flowers with perfume. And that perfume was violette de parme."
degage air in the world, entered
Chintollerault, with the incst
the room.
One, two, three, foar! The
He boxed. The door was shut. fourth drawer from the top an the left-hand side. The little Fanny, her finger at her lipe, key, inserted by her trembling tiptoed toward it, glanced up and hand, slid and skated on the down the corridor, then returned polished brass plate before she to her visitor. Suddenly from his pushed it home and turned it. mth forehead the veins started The next instant the drawer few out like snakes. He came toward
her. open, and ander her eyes lay a sight that made her forget the footsteps, the tragic uncertainty present terror that dogged her
that lurked for her in the great in the latter as the" open sessme" Paris without. For there lay a
take off my hat to you. But to At the aide door she was receiv allow you to steal into the. Turk-ed by the concierge, a stout ish embassy which, as you know, Frenchman with a sleepy eye. is not even French soil nor responsible to ite lawa-no! Tor a man, its means to take his life in bis hands. But for a child, a beautiful child like you!"
de la Paix, for madams!" she "From the modiste in the Rue said, using the phrase indicated
"You went to the embassy? You found it there?"!
Fanny Gordon bent her pretty head low,
is
In a swift undertone, Fanny nought her long speech to a close.
The Vicomte lanned toward her in tense excitement.
"Not bad!
Your reasoning,
a wordless cry. Right and left on the pale carpet weat the dark shower" of violets. And, there, in the dry and shin- ing bottom of the bowl, lay a folded document of pale blus paper, secured by a broad rub- ber strap.
his eyes
tears.
There was silence. Then the at least, was not bad, made.
young man's hand shot out-his moiselle, And then-"
quick eye ran over the typewrit "Then, monsisúr, I said to my ton sheets. As he turned over ̧· driver: I have changed my the last page, which held the "No, Vicomte, the treaty was of the outer door. There was an a black soal attache case, whose not there."
mind. I do not go to the Ritz, signatures and seale, he slowly Fanny gave him a look of instant of horrid suspense, while polished padlock caught the light.
I go to the Theatre dee Folies nodded hie head. His face compassion. "A child that has the man's lazy eyes fasteaed
"God !" The exclamation Frivoles!
blazed eritason. In out her wisdom teeth, as you may themselves on her thick white Fanny's hands shook as she ar- man's lips like a groan. His face
A hundred thousand francs! was wrenched from the young "But in the afternoon-"
something like observe, Vicomte! But quick, lace veil.
He paused a moment; then, ranged on the table the writing withered, his hand shot out be- "I know; but I meant to find
kuees at "So you forgot something, materials which, according to the hind him to glutch the air by out the address of the house of dropping on both be for mo?. Go back to the Ritz mademoiselle!" be said sleepily. Vicomte's instructions, she had which he stood. Then be mar. Mademoiselle d'Amour. When and kissed it as if had been the Fanny's feet, he took her hand now wearing the coat. Saunter Fanny's heart had a cramp.. Had bought at the Galleries and mured bitterly:
I arrived at the theatre, however, hand of a queen. brought with her in her bag.ught to have gone myself." I found that, luckily, there was s In spite of his oriticism, however, Her ears strained themselves. Sho
Fanny, who had opened her special matinee for the benefit of
we must decide. If you do your
part well, what danger can thero
in the foyer, where Bazin can see the realy bungled the pass-word?
you.
ere
"I doubted you," he said in
At the very moment when the concierge seemed to find her awallowed hard, laid down her lips to speak, shut them with a the Aged Aotors' Retreat. So I a low tone; "I doubted you. sealed the flap, and rose to her he discovers the exchange, jump countersign aufficient, went back sharpened pencil on the table, soap at this reflection on her went to the stage entrance, I Forgive me. You are sublime.
féet.
"That copy of the Matin? Here it is under the table.!
"Mademoiselle, baate, haste! Are you mad?
into your automobile! Then
into his somnolent calm.
trail him over Paris, keeping al- to his arm-chair, and relapsed and inserted the second key, in powers. Then she inquired the star, and demanded to be tak-at your feet. But I kneel and announced myself as the sister of And I-I am not worthy to kneel ways in pabiio places where you
the parlook of the attache casa. shortly: will by protected by the crowd. Fanny entered the embassy. Her terrors vanished; her eyes
en to her dressing-room! Na pay you my homage to your in- "What do you think you would turally, there were objections. telligence, to your courage, and All you have to do is to hold him, From this side door an ancient blazed as she saw that it contain- hold him on your track till half staircase of bare gray stone wounded a single papera long elim bave done?
Mademoiselle was on the stage; to you!' The Vicomte, regaining his I must wait :
"That's all right," returned With an impatient step, the past four-yes, that should give upward. Complete silence reign oblong of pale blue, folded once
Fanny briskly. And now, Vicomte strode from the restaure ample time. Then go backed. An odour of garlic and of and secured with a rubber band. self-control, surveyed her with Wait, I cried. For my own ant and out to the waiting to the Ritz, leave the coat in the coffee penetrated to her nostrils Her breath stopped as she reproachable superiority.
sister? Make me wait here one please do get the thing hidden as she sped up the stairs. At the crouched to pick it up. The next Instead of weating our time instant longer, and you shall see away again. Br-r! It makes automobile. Fanny, folding her vestiaire." newly written letter into the With the false letter in the first landing the beheld a negro moment her face went white and in useless discussion, made- what Mademoiselle Violette will me shiver to have it out loose like
that! servant in a yellow and black her jaw dropped. The crackling moiealle, suppose we hear what give you when she comes ! * crumpled copy of the Matin, pooket! followed him.
"Frecisely. At that hour helivery, standing motionless as a sheets, as her hands passed over was actually done or not done!"
The Vicomte, rising, glanced "My impudence! However, may obey it and take the train statue. Those fantastic words them, were completely blank. An. With dry brevity she recounted it carried the day. They took me hurriedly about him, for Constantinople, or come to that had started from the page odour of violets, oddly fresh and hor adventure of the afterucon. to the dressing-room-a-little "I'm off," said quickly the embassy it he chooses. In before the flame of the chafing. Occidental among the blend of And so, mademoiselle," cried bijou place, all tafted in lilao" I must take this to the Bulgarian any case, I shall be gone."
dish was it possible be could Eastern perfumes, rose to her de Castellerault bitterly, while eatin, and a great silver bowl full embassy before the theft is dia- recognize them? She murmured nostrils. But that was all. I was trailing Bazin up and down of violete the biggest I ever saw. covered
the Faubourg The young Frenchman survey-a jargon of Eastern syllables that Thon her chest heaved in a Paris, risking my life every in- But the perfume was stifling, Saint Mademoiselle, her with open admiration.
she had learned by rote, and he little laugh that was a gasp of stant, you simply returned here And then, my fear when I thought, can you give me a large envelope Here are the letter and keys. bowed submissively.
reliof. Aha! Their tricks had to the Ritz 2”-
Suppose she comes!" So I told to put it in or, better still, a
"Chauffeur, to No. 301 Rao Taubourg Saint Honore!"
Fanny jumped into the sutomobile. "No. Chauffeur, to the Ritz Then, turning to
her frowning companion, che smiled with girlish sweetness into his face.
ed
$
Here is a revolver. It is Inoky Onward upstairs she flew, and not fooled her the first time, with Fanny shot him a look out of the maid I was faint, and gave newspaper, such as our friend Don't you soe, Vicomte? If that I have two, for I am likely down a long corridor. The first the blank letter from Bazin's her bright eyes. Almost. But, her a louis to go and get me a Bazin used ? " Bazin is really such a dangerone to need one myself in my little door at the right-hore it was 1 pocket up there at Amenonville you sse, I was stopped 1"
glass of wine,
(Continued on page 2)
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