Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 102: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

892 ‘Thank Heaven!” ejaculated Bunch fer- vently. “It’s too dangerous a game, Liz. If you kept it up, you’d be bound to come a cropper. Now for His Majesty of Ma- ronia.”’ She rang up the villa at Cannes, where the king was staying. His majesty was in bed, and she gave the message to an equerry —emphasizing the doctor’s statement that King Peter’s condition was not dangerous. She also said that we should be leaving for Tenda the next morning. How cleverly she worked it all, dear Bunch! She smiled when I congratulated her. “ T’ve only left you one bad moment, Liz, when the king asks who brought you the message. But you'll be equal to that, no doubt. And now to bed, child, if you’re to be fit for this trip to-morrow.” Very early the next morning—just after dawn, in fact—Captain Greffier, King Pe- ter’s equerry, left with a famous Harley Street physician who happened to be stay- ing at Monte Carlo, with all sorts of stores and medical paraphernalia, for the hotel where his royal master was lying. Bunch and I made a start at seven o’clock. We took some luggage with us, in case it was advisable for us to stay. The trip did not take long in the powerful car. The morning was exquisite, the storm of the previous night having passed over; but I was in no mood to admire the scenery. I was eaten up with anxiety. What if the doctor had made a mistake? What if the king was in danger? I could scarcely bear the thought. I knew that I had come to the end of play-acting. I felt that I must confess to him as soon as he was able to hear me. I must fall on my knees beside him and cry out: “ Peter, don’t be angry! Forgive me! I love you, and you love me—I am Betty Fane! You must forgive me, Peter, be- cause J love you so! I haven’t golden hair and a funny brown skin, but I love you just the same!” As we drew near to the little town, my heart beat to suffocation. The hotel was right in the middle of the main street. There were plane trees around an open ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, space. Captain Greffier’s hired car was drawn up to one side, and King Peter’s car beside it. And in front of the hotel en- trance stood an enormous limousine. It looked even more powerful than mine, and was all black, with dull oxidized fittings, which made it look very impressive and rather funereal. It struck a chill to my heart—did that" great car. We pulled up behind it and I jumped out and ran up the steps into the hotel. The proprietor was crossing the hall. ‘“ How is the gentleman?” I asked him sharply. ‘He is doing excellently, signorina,” he answered. He was a little, round faced, good natured man, who. ran, or rather hopped about, instead of walking. He was in a desperate hurry and evidently felt that he had the weight of the world on his shoul- ders. “ The gentleman’s friends are here, and the doctor is very pleased.” I did not know whether he knew who the king was. “We are friends, too,” I said. the gentleman’s betrothed.” At that he gave me an indescribable look. I thought something had frightened him. “Will you ask the nurse to come to speak to me?” I went on. ‘I wish to hear all about it.” “Yes, signorina, yes,” he said; and he looked as if he wanted to run away from me. ‘“‘ But—I think the sister is resting for a little. I—I will tell the other lady.” “The other lady?” I queried. ‘“ Who is that?” And at once I thought of the great black car outside. _“ Another lady—a friend, signorina.” ‘* How did she come here?”’ “The gentleman sent for her, signorina.” * Sent for her?” “Yes, signorina—as soon as he was con- scious.” “Is her name Mme. Delsarte?” “ Yes,,signorina, that is the lady’s name.” “Where, is she now?” “She is with the gentleman, I signorina. the sister.” I felt as if some one had dealt me a blow “T am think, She at once undertook to help COMG DOO! (©