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At the "Villa Rose" BY A. E. W. MASON M x or CHAPTER XIII In The House at Geneva Tt wee well, Mr. Ricardo thought, that rome one understood. For him. s¢ , a frankly admitted that he did not, Indeed, in his view, the first pr oc ples of reasoning seemed to be naught, It was obvious from the soliciiude with whieh Celia Har- and woe surrounded that every one excep himself was convinced of her innocence Yet it was equally mvious that any one who bore in mind the elght points he lizu isles lated Against her must be convineed f hep guilt, Yet again, if she were gu ty, how did it happen that she nha been 20 mishandled by her ae- ces? He was not allowed, no ver, to reflect upon these re- nmi ble problems. Fe wad too busy a time of it. At n sient he was running to fetch rr wherewith [to bathe Celia's d. At ancther, when he had qed with the water, he was dis- * the appearance of Durette, pector from Aix, in the door- sol O have them both," he said-- and the woman. They iging in the garden." thought," Said Hanaud, aw the door open down- 1. the morphia-needle on the TUippolyte vere » tnrned to one of the offi- them be taken with old in cahs to the depot." 'hen the man had gone upon 1d Lemerre spoke to Hanaud. vill stay here to-night to {or their transfer to Aix?" Amongst . Friends ill leave Duerette behind," mand, "I am needed at Aix. make a formal application prisoners." He was kneeling lia's side, and awkwardly dab- _kerchief. bing her forehead with a wet hand- He raised (a4 warning hand. Celia Harland moved and opened her eyes. She sat up on the sofa, shivering, and looked with dazed and wondering eyes from one to another of the gtrangers who sur- rounded her, She searched in vain for a famillar face, "You are amongst good friends, Mile, Celia," said Hanaud with great gentleness. "Oh," I wonder! cried piteously. "Be very sure of it," he sald heartily, and she clung to the sleeve of his coat with desperate hands, "I suppose you are friends," she said, 'else why--? "and she moved her numbed limbs to make, certain that she was free. She looked about the room, Her eyes fell upon the sack and widened with terror. "They came to me a little while ago in 'that cupboard there---Adele and the old woman Jeanne, They made me get up TRey told 'me they were going to take me away. They brought my clothes and dress- ed me in everything 1 wore when I came, so that no single trace of me might. be left behind. Then they tied me." She tore off her gloves and showed them her lacerated wrists, "I think they meant to kill me--horribly." And she caught her breath and whimpered like a child. Her gpirit was broken "My poor girl, all that is over," said Hanaud. And he stood up. But at the first movement he made she eried incisively, "No," and tight- ened the clutch of her fingers upon his sleeve. "But, mademaiselle, you are safe," he said with a smile. She stared at him stupidly. It seemed the words had no meaning for her. S8he would not let go. It was only the feel of his coat within the clutch of her fin- I wonder!" she "] am convinced there is a difference in baking powder. I have been using any old powder for ten years but my cakes are 100 per cent better since I bought a can of Royal Baking Powder. | recom- mend it to any housewife who thinks she knows all about cake making with any kind of powder." ROYAL ~ BAKING POWDER Made in Canada Contains No Alum Leaves No Bitter Taste Send for New Royal Cook Book--It's FREE Royal Baking Powder Co., 4 St. Lawrence Blvd., Montreal Broader Markets Right at your elbow is your Long Distance With it, vou can talk with any of 12,000,000 telephones in Canada and the United States. "Clear the Way!" Long Distance seems to say--here's an important message! The customer is favorably im- pressed before he knows what the message is about. And Long Distance gives you the right of way into every man's office. He gan iguore your advertising, your letter, or even your traveller, but ignore a Long Distance call? Instinctively he reaches for the tele- Keep down sclling expense. "Use the Bell to Sell" Station-to-Station rates ave lower than Person rates. day rate. Person-to After 830 p.m. they are about half the 'OSHAWA, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, APRIL 18; 1922 gers which gave her any comfort, An Unwilling Smile "I want to be sure that I am cafe," she said, with a wan little smile, "Tell me, mademoiselle, what have you had to eat and drink dur- ing the last two days?" "Is it two days?" she asked. "1 was in the dark there, I did not know. A little bread, a little water." "That's what is wrong," said Han- aud, Come, let us go from here!" "Yes, yes!" Celia cried eagerly, She rose to her feet, and tottered. Hanaud put his arm about her, "You are very kind," she said in a {low voice, and again doubt looked lout from her face and disappeared, {I am sure that I can trust you." | Ricardo fetched her cloak, and slipped it on her shoulders. Then he brought her hat ana sae pinned it on, She turned to Hanaud:; un- consciously familiar words: rose to her lips. "Is it straight?" she asked. And Hanaud laughed outright, and in a moment Celia smiled herself. Supported by Hanaud :he stum- bled down the stairs to the garden. As they passed the open door of the lighted parlor at the back of the house, Hanaud turned back to Lemerre, and pointed silently to the morphia-needle and the phial, Lemerre nodded his head, and go- ing into the room, took them away. They went -out again into the gar- den. Celin Harland threw back her head to the stars and drew in a deep 'breath of the cool. night air. For One Night "I did not think," she said in a low voice; "to sec thé stars again," They walked slowly down the length of the garden, and Hanaud lifted her into the launch. She turned and caught his coat, "You, must come, too," she said | stubbornly. Hanaud sprang in heside her, : "For to-night," he said gaily, "I {am your papa!" Ricardo and the others followed, {and the launch moved out over the lake under the stars. The bow was iturned towards Geneva, the water {tumbled behind them like white fire, {the - night breeze blew fresh upon {their faces. They disembarked at {the landing stage, and then Lemerre bowed to Celia and took his leave. {Hanaud led Celia up on to the bal- cony of the restaurant and ordered 'supper. There were people still din- |ing at the table, One party, indeed sitting late over | their coffee, Ricardo recognized with 'a kind of shock. They had taken | their places, the very places in which they now sat, before he and {Hanaud and Lemerre had left the | restaurant upon their expedition of ! rescue. Into that short interval of | time so much that was eventful had | been crowded, The Danger Past Hanaud leaned across the table to | Celia, and said in a low voice: "Mademoiselle, if I may suggest | it, it would be well if you put on | your gloves; otherwise they may | notice your wriats." Celie followed his advice. She | ate sae food and drank a glass of | champagne. A little color returned | to her cheeks. | "You are very kind to me, you and | monsieur your friend," she said, with a smile towards Ricardo. '"'But for | you--"" and her voice shook. { "Hush!" said Hanaud; "all that is | over; we will not speak of it." Celia looked out across the road os) {the trees, of which the dark foliage was brightened and made pale by the | {lights of the restaurant. Out on the | water some one was singing. {- "It seems impossible to me," Hanayd looked at his watch, "Mlle, Celie, it is past ten o'clock. | she | said a low voice, "that I am here, | in th@ open air, and free." 'Now, mademoiselle, we will wrap you up in M. Ricardo's spare motor coat, and cover your knees' with a rug, and put you between us, and then you can go to sleep." The car sped through the streets of Geneva, Cella Harland, with a little sigh of relief, nestled down be- tween the two men, \ "If- 1 knew you better," she said to Hanaud, "I should tell you--what, of course, I do not tell you now-- that I feel as if 1 had a big New- foundland dog with ane, 'Mlle, Celie," said Hanaud, and his voice told her that he was moved, "that is a very pretty thing which you have said to me, The lights. of the city fell away behind them. Now only a glow In the sky spoke of Geneva; now even that was gone and with a smooth continous purr, the ear raced through - the cool darkness. The great head lamps threw a bright cirele of light before them, and the road slipped away bhencath the wheels like a running tide, Celia fell asleep. Bven when the car stopped at the Pout de La Caille she did not waken. The /door was opened, a search for contraband was made, the hook was signed, still she did not waken, car sped on, "You see, coming into France, a different affair," sald Hanaud. | "Yes," replied Ricardo. "gtill, 1 will own it, you caught me napping yesterday." "I Qiid?" exclaimed Ricardo joy- fully. "You did," returned Hanaud. *"I had never heard of the Pont de La Caille, But you will not mention it? You will not ruin me?" "I will not, answered M. Ricardo, superb in his magnunimity, "You are a good detective." Hanaud in a voice which shook- surely with emotion. He wrung Ri- cardos nand. He wiped an imag- 1 "God forgive me for the lie." "he | The {that young girl, M, Ricardo," he suid, is! { thing?" "Oh, thank you! thank you! cried | very gentle look at Celia. "Yes, 1 think so." When Celia was aroused she found that the car had stopped before the door of a hotel, and that a woman in the dress of a nurse was standing in the doorway. "You can rust Marie," sald Ha- naud. And Cella turned as she stood upon the ground and gave her hands to the two men. "Thank you! Thank you both!" she said in a trembling voice, She looked at Hanaud and nodded her head, "You understand why i thank you so very much?" "Yes," sald Hanaud. 'But, made- moligelle"--and he bent over the car and spoke to her quietly, holding her hand-----'"there is always a hig Newfoundland dog in the worst of | troubles--if only you will look for him, I tell you so-- I, who belong to the Surete in Paris Do not lose heart!" And in his mind be added: He shook her hand and left it go; and gathering up her skirt she went in- to the hall of the hotel, . Hanaud watched ner -ashsihec went, She was to him a lonely and pa thetic creature, in spite of the Yiurse who bore her company. "You must he © good friend to "Let us drive to your hotel," "Will you expiain to me one he asked "When the scream from the garden you wera not surprised. Indeed, you sald that when you saw the ~open door gnd the morphia-needle on the Mable bof the little room downstairs you thought Adele and the man Hippolyte were hiding in the gard- en." "Yes, 1 did think so." "Why? and why did the publica- tion that the jewels had been dis- covered so alarm you?" "Ah!" said Hanaud "Did you not understand that? Yet it is sure- ly clear. and obvious, if you once grant that the girl was innocent, was a witness of the crime, and was now in' the hands of the criminals. "Grant me those premises, M.. Ri- cardo, for a moment, and you will see that we had just one chance | of finding the g:rl alive in Geneva. From the first 1 was sure of that, What was the one chance? Why, this! She might be kept alive on the chance that she could be forced to tell what, by the way she did not know, namely, the place where Mme. Dauvray's valuable jewels were secrted. "Now follow this. We, the police, find the jewels and take charge of them. Let that news reach the (Continued on page twelve) Lolo] 1d J] [o JERSEY RA PISCU ITS SODA Se Seer e-- - inary tear from his eye. And still Celia slept. M. Ricardo looked at her. He said to Hanaud in a whisper: "Yet I do not understand. The car, though no serious search was made, must still have stopped at the Pont de La Caille on the Swiss side. | Why did she not cry for help then? One ery and she was safe. A move- ment even was enough. Do you un- derstand?" { Hanaud nodded his head, ! "I think so," he answered, with a! | | 2 | 2d Fi Old Fashioned | Wedding Ring § J 0 Remodeled DESIGN PATENTED be x | { | > XFIT IR 3 Pp T canbe made over into the beautiful new Orange Blossom design without cutting the ring. The inscription is not de- stroyed, or is the cherished sentiment of the circlet in any way harmed. *Ceruane Orange Rlossom Rings Bear This Mark-- NoneGeauine Without Ie* D. BROWN 10 King W. Phone 189 Jeweller & Optometrist ple. Pee pie ple] J. {M. Ricardo's car is waiting there un- | |der the trees. {back to Aix. I have taken rooms for {you at a hotel, and there will be a |nurse from the hospital to look alter vou" { "Thank you monsieur," she said;- {"you have thought of everything. But I shall not need a nurse." "But you will have a nurse," said Hanaud firmly. "You feel stronger pnow----yes, but when you lay your head upon your pillow, mademoiselle, it will be a comfort to you to know that you have her within call. in a day or two," he added gently, "you will perhaps be able to tell us what happened on Tuesday night at the Villa Rosa?" in The Motor. Celia covered her face hands for a few moments. Then she drew them away and said simply: "Yes, monsieur, I will tell you" Hanaud bowed to her with a gen- uine diference. "Thank you, madgmoigelle." he said. and in his voice there was a strong ring of sympathy. They went downstairs and entered Ricardo's motor car. "I want to send a telephone mes sage," said Hanaud, "if you wil swait here "No!" cried Celia decisively, and she again laid hold of his coat, with .a pretty imperiousness, as though he belonged to her. "But I must," said Hanaud with a laugh. "Then 1 will come. too." said Ce- lia. as she opencd the door and set ,2 foot upon the step. "You will not, mademoiselle," said Hanawd. with a laugh. "Will you take your foot back into that car" That is better. Now you will sit {with your friend, M. Ricardo, whom, by the way, I have mot yet intro- duced to you, He is a very good friend of yours, mademoiscile, and (will in the future be a still better one." ! Ricardo felt his conscience rather {heavy within him. for he had come 'out 10 Geneva with the fixed inten- {tion of arresting bier as a most dan- {| gerows criminal. Even now he could not understand how she could be 'innpoent of a share in Mme. Dauv- 'ray's murder. But Hanaud evi- 'dently thought she was. bd with her was sensitive to gibes. So Ricardo sat and talked with her while Ha- I want you to drive! 13-21 d | ERE ENE SEE REESE RS | { | and ailing." --Mrs. J. M. § igh St., Everett, Washington. or to for i ible if you To do any kind of work, pa that matter, is next to aresuffering from some trouble. It may cause your back or your to ache, it may make you nervous and irritable. You may be able to up and around, but you donot feel Lydia kham's Vegetable Com- pont iS a muedicing Jor Sumen. itis especially adapted to relieve cause of the trouble and then these annoying paing, aches and "no good" feclings it done this for many, many wo- men; why not give it a fair trial now. 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