CHAPTER XIX
RED DOMINOS
The water fete a thing of the past, the Warrens' domino ball became theexcitement of the hour.
The "Automobile Girls" were talking over their costumes when there camea rap on their door.
Grace responded, to find the corridor empty; but at her feet lay asealed envelope addressed to Barbara, who hastily tore it open and readaloud the enclosed note.
"Maud and the Count have planned to elope during the domino ball. At midnight Maud and her chaperon will steal out of the side entrance of the hotel. The chaperon will wear a black domino, but will remain in her room until ten minutes before midnight, when she will go to the veranda, meet Maud, and the two will go to the east entrance of the hotel grounds, where they will be met by the count with an automobile. They will go to the village and be married there. Arrangements have been made and the license secured. Maud will wear a red silk domino and a black mask. Just over her heart will be a small black silk heart the size of the one enclosed. I promised to warn you should anything serious arise, and have done so at great personal risk. Stop the elopement if you can without outside aid. Some day I will explain why.
"M. S."
"'M. S.' Marian Smythe. She is a good scout, girls," said Ruth. "But Ididn't think that Maud would go so far as this."
"This pattern for the heart--I imagine that Marian is suggesting that weall wear dominos exactly like Maud's. But why?" put in Barbara.
"We'll take that step in the dark, for Father is waiting now totelegraph for the silk to make our dominos, and discuss details later."
"I did want a pink domino," sighed Mollie. "But you're right, Ruth; andthe count will be a dizzy man before we're through with him!"
"Won't the count be suspicious on seeing five Mauds and change hisplans?" asked Grace.
"He'll not see five Mauds. There will be a big crowd at the ball, andfour of the Mauds will carefully keep out of one another's way,"explained Ruth.
It was after the girls had gone to bed that night that the full answercame to Ruth, so she aroused Barbara to tell her of the plan.
"I have it, Bab! We'll switch couples on the count! I'm sorry, butyou'll have to take the risk, for you're the only one tall enough torepresent Maud. I'm sure that Mrs. De Lancey Smythe is to be thechaperon on the occasion, and if we can persuade Aunt Sallie--and Ithink we can--to take her place, our Count de Sonde will find himselfwith the wrong pair on his hands--and, oh, Bab, shan't we have funseeing the count rage!"
It was a brief statement of the plan, but Barbara understood.
"Maud will not be easy to fool, and what if the count gets the rightpair?"
"Just before the hour set, one of us will get a note to Mrs. Smythechanging the place of meeting. There--at the new place--Maud and herchaperon will wait in vain for her count, who will be eloping with thewrong couple."
"It leaves many loopholes for failure, but I can think of no better way;so I'm for it if your Aunt Sallie consents."
"Monsieur Duval is the unknown X of the problem," stated Ruth slowly,"but that's one of the many chances we'll have to take."
At last it was the night of the ball.
"How lovely!"
One of the five red dominos paused on the threshold of the ball room,almost breathless with admiration. Glowing lights, exotic decorations,swaying, brilliantly clad figures moving to perfect dance music, madeindeed an entrancing scene.
"Yes, lovely, but lovelier outside. Shall we go into the garden?"whispered a voice in the ear of the little red domino.
"Not yet," she responded, and sped away among the dancers.
"Mademoiselle," whispered a voice that made the blood of a second reddomino tingle, "is it all arranged?"
"Yes," she answered under her breath.
"You won't fail us?" whispered the other.
"No," she replied quietly, but there was a threat in his tone that bodedevil. Then this red domino slipped away in the crowd.
Meanwhile, a third red domino was peering from behind a screen of palmswhen she felt her arm seized and, turning, encountered the angry littlemask that had been pursuing red dominos until his brain reeled.
"Mademoiselle," he hissed, "you are cruel! Why do you avoid me so?"
"Ah, Count, can't you wait so short a time?" and the third red dominowas lost in the crowd.
The fourth red domino had been amusing herself like a wilful butterflyon a summer's day. But it was getting late, and she paused at length tolook about her. As she passed a grotto in the garden, formed by palmsand orange trees, she heard the low chatter of voices speaking French. Avine-covered trellis screened her from view. One of the voices sherecognized as Monsieur Duval's. She heard him say:
"In three quarters of an hour we shall start. The maid tells me theofficer is asleep. She saw to that. The young one is on the veranda withthe older one, and they never retire until after midnight. We must havethat paper to-night, even though we use violence." The fourth red dominodid not wait for more.
"I must find Father," she told herself. "How shall I ever get him intime? They're talking of the countess, and Monsieur Duval intends to goto the villa!"
But what of the fifth red domino, the hostess of the great ball?
Time had hung rather heavily on her hands. No one recognized her, and,not being a graceful dancer, she was somewhat neglected.
CHAPTER XX
CONCLUSION
At about half-past eleven Barbara concluded that she had better deliverthe letter to Mrs. De Lancey Smythe. Summoning a bellboy, she went tothe woman's room. On the way she showed the boy a dollar bill.
"This will be yours," she said, "if you do exactly as I tell you. If,when you deliver this note, the recipient should ask who gave it to you,say 'some one in a domino,' then come away quickly. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," replied the boy, his eyes on the dollar bill.
In a few minutes the room was reached. Mrs. De Lancey Smythe, in a blacksilk domino and mask, responded to the knock on the door.
"Now," whispered Barbara, who kept out of sight, and the boy deliveredthe note which read:
"Meet me at the Casino gate. Same time. Have found it necessary tochange meeting place."
"Who gave you this, boy?"
"Some one in a domino," he replied, turning away.
"Wait! What did the person say?"
"Just 'take this note to room 601 and give it to the lady there.'"
"It's from the count," and, satisfied, she reentered the room.
Meanwhile, Ruth, forgetting Maud Warren, searched frantically for herfather. In and out of corridors, smoking and supper rooms, ball room,verandas, and garden she hurried. The recollection of Maud returned,however, when over the hum of talk and laughter the strains of the"Marseillaise" floated out.
"In honor of De Sonde," thought Ruth contemptuously.
Some one began to sing, and the place soon rang with the notes of thestirring French song. People began throwing confetti, and the air wasflecked with the bright-colored stuff. It was midnight.
No one noticed two red dominos, each accompanied by one in black, stealfrom different doors of the hotel and disappear in the dark.
Ruth finally found her father standing in a doorway, talking to a littlered domino.
"Father! I overheard Mr. Duval and some accomplices planning to rob thecountess of a valuable paper to-night! Do send help at once!"
"Paper! Oh, Mr. Stuart, it must be the one the countess entrusted tome," and Mollie pulled from her bosom a chamois bag.
Mr. Stuart took a paper from the bag and glanced through it. Only a fewminutes later he and four officers were speeding toward the villa of thecountess.
Meanwhile, Miss Stuart and Barbara had been assisted into an automobilewaiting at the east entrance. As they neared the station Barbara becamenervous. Was the chauffeur a confederate of the plotters or had he beenhired to make the run know
ing nothing of the details?
Before the car had come to a full stop the count leaped out and turnedto help his companions alight. Barbara leaned forward and said sharplyto the chauffeur:
"Return at once to the hotel without the gentleman. Ask no questions.You will be answerable to Mr. Stuart for any treachery."
The car disappeared in the darkness, leaving the count dancing andgesticulating in anger.
When Mr. Stuart and the officers entered the drawing room of thecountess's villa they saw the old man who had before menaced the twowomen standing threateningly in front of them. Behind him was anotherman, evidently ready to respond to any command of the old man.
"The paper you seek is not here, Monsieur," said the countess proudly.
"I say it is here! Give it to me at once!"
"Officers, this is your man! Take him!" shouted Mr. Stuart.
Two of the officers seized and handcuffed the second man, but the oldman with surprising agility leaped from the room, and the officers couldfind not the slightest trace of him.
"Ah, Mr. Stuart," said the countess, "I do not know what chance broughtyou to my rescue, but help was greatly needed and I am grateful."
"Ruth overheard a talk this evening and sent us here to see if we couldserve you. The plot was instigated by Monsieur Duval."
"That old man was Monsieur Duval himself. He is a very dangerous enemyto have."
"That I already know, Countess. After we learned of your danger, Molliegave me the paper you had put in her care. It was hardly prudent to givesuch a document to a young girl. I think we are entitled to anexplanation."
"Ah, please not to-night, Monsieur! But may I ask you to bring MissStuart and the girls here to-morrow afternoon? Then I shall be glad totell you my story."
"Very well," replied Mr. Stuart stiffly, displeased at the countess'lack of frankness.
On Mr. Stuart's return to the hotel the girls overwhelmed him withquestions and called eagerly for a glimpse of the mysterious paper.
Mr. Stuart unfolded the document. It was signed by the Prefect of Policeof Paris and stamped with the official seal. Two photographs were pastedto the sheet and under each was a description of the man.
"The count and Monsieur Duval!" gasped Ruth.
From the paper the girls learned that Duval was a French criminal whohad served several terms in prison, but who was usually clever enough toescape detection. His real name was Jacques Dupin. The "count," whosename was Latour, was merely a tool of Dupin's.
"This says," cried Ruth excitedly, scanning the paper, "that Dupin canassume any disguise he wishes. He is a linguist and a trained actor andis known as Gentilhomme Jacques, or Gentleman Jack. He plays only forbig stakes."
"How did the countess become involved in this, Mr. Stuart?" askedBarbara, and at the question Mollie's pretty face clouded.
"The countess has asked us to the villa to-morrow afternoon to offer anexplanation," replied Mr. Stuart shortly.
At noon the next day Ruth rushed up to her companions with excitingnews.
"Girls, the count, or Latour, was arrested this morning when about toboard a train and has confessed that he had plotted to marry Maud,obtain control of her fortune, and then desert her! Duval was the brainsof the plot. Mrs. Smythe was helping them, and, listen girls, she's beenarrested as a professional swindler!"
"Oh, poor Marian!" exclaimed Mollie sympathetically, to be echoed by theothers. But just at that moment Marian came up to them, her faceradiant.
"Oh, girls, such news! Mrs. Smythe accused me last night of spoiling herplans, and in her anger she let out that she's not my mother! My mother,who died when I was a baby, was her neighbor. Some money was left me andMrs. Smythe was made my guardian. She used the money, of course, andkept the truth from me. My name is Marian Dale. I'm poor, but I'm freefor the first time in my life, and I'll work!"
Mr. Stuart had come up and heard the last part of the tale; so he nowbroke in:
"You are not friendless, my girl. You must stay here as my guest with myother girls for a while, then we'll discuss your future."
"You are kind, Mr. Stuart. But I can't be a burden. I must find work atonce. But, oh, I'm grateful to you!" and her eyes were misty.
"I must turn my other girls on you, I see."
Maud Warren was a changed girl when she realized the danger herheadstrong conduct had placed her in. Her father, feeling that a realreformation had begun, asked Marian Dale to come to them as Maud'scompanion and encourage her in a saner view of life. This appealed toMaud, and the two girls became close friends, much to the happiness ofboth.
That afternoon when the "Automobile Girls" arrived at the countess'svilla they were introduced to the Baron von Lichtenberg, who, thecountess told them, bore a message from her father.
To the girls' amazement and fluttered delight, the countess was inreality the Princess Sophia Adele von Nichtenstern. The princess wishedto marry the Count de Sonde; and when her father insisted that she marryinstead a noble of advanced years for reasons of state, she fled toAmerica under the protection of her cousin and second mother, theBaroness von Lichtenberg, whom the girls knew as Madame de Villiers.
"But since then, my friends, my father has met the Count de Sonde and hehas also learned how greatly the man for whom he intended me haspersecuted me, so he has given his consent to my marriage with thecount. You can imagine my consternation when I met the false Count deSonde and learned that he was trying to marry your friend Maud. I thensent to Paris and learned the identity of these two men. I wish to tellyou, too, that both Monsieur Duval and my other persecutors have beenusing my maid, and that on several occasions she has taken my clothesand impersonated me.
"Mr. Stuart, I did wrong to involve the pretty Mollie in my affairs; butmy father had not then forgiven me and I feared to have him learn atthat time of my whereabouts. Will you forgive me?"
The princess was to start for home almost immediately under theprotection of the Baron and Baroness von Lichtenberg, but before leavingFlorida she exacted a promise from each of the "Automobile Girls" andfrom Maud Warren as well that they would visit her when she shouldbecome the wife of the Count de Sonde.
After the princess had left Palm Beach a package was handed to MissStuart. In it was a gift for each of the Automobile Girls. Molliereceived a handsome bracelet beautifully ornamented and set with jewels.Inside was inscribed "S von N.--F. de S."
"Oh," cried Mollie, "the count gave her this! How she must have lovedit, and she gave it to me!"
Barbara's gift was a gold filigree star of exquisite workmanship; Ruth'sa splendid oriental scarf embroidered in gold and silver threads, andGrace's a beautiful gold chain.
The "Automobile Girls" spent two more gay and happy weeks at Palm Beach,then turned their faces northward once more, each going to her own home.
It was not until the next winter that they were together again, and whatbefell them then is told in the sixth and last volume of "The AutomobileGirls Series" under the title, "The Automobile Girls at Washington; Or,Checkmating the Plots of Foreign Spies."
THE END
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends