CHAPTER XXCONCLUSION
CHAPTER XX
CONCLUSION
At about half-past eleven Barbara concluded that she had better deliver the letter to Mrs. De Lancey Smythe. Summoning a bellboy, she went to the 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 black silk domino and mask, responded to the knock on the door.
“Now,” whispered Barbara, who kept out of sight, and the boy delivered the note which read:
“Meet me at the Casino gate. Same time. Have found it necessary to change 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 her father. 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 soonrang with the notes of the stirring French song. People began throwing confetti, and the air was flecked with the bright-colored stuff. It was midnight.
No one noticed two red dominos, each accompanied by one in black, steal from different doors of the hotel and disappear in the dark.
Ruth finally found her father standing in a doorway, talking to a little red domino.
“Father! I overheard Mr. Duval and some accomplices planning to rob the countess of a valuable paper to-night! Do send help at once!”
“Paper! Oh, Mr. Stuart, it must be the one the countess entrusted to me,” and Mollie pulled from her bosom a chamois bag.
Mr. Stuart took a paper from the bag and glanced through it. Only a few minutes later he and four officers were speeding toward the villa of the countess.
Meanwhile, Miss Stuart and Barbara had been assisted into an automobile waiting at the east entrance. As they neared the station Barbara became nervous. Was the chauffeur a confederate of the plotters or had he been hired to make the run knowing nothing of the details?
Before the car had come to a full stop the count leaped out and turned to help hiscompanions alight. Barbara leaned forward and said sharply to 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 and gesticulating in anger.
When Mr. Stuart and the officers entered the drawing room of the countess’s villa they saw the old man who had before menaced the two women standing threateningly in front of them. Behind him was another man, 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 old man with surprising agility leaped from the room, and the officers could find not the slightest trace of him.
“Ah, Mr. Stuart,” said the countess, “I do not know what chance brought you 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 could serve you. The plot was instigated by Monsieur Duval.”
“That old man was Monsieur Duval himself. He is a very dangerous enemy to have.”
“That I already know, Countess. After we learned of your danger, Mollie gave me the paper you had put in her care. It was hardly prudent to give such a document to a young girl. I think we are entitled to an explanation.”
“Ah, please not to-night, Monsieur! But may I ask you to bring Miss Stuart and the girls here to-morrow afternoon? Then I shall be glad to tell 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 with questions and called eagerly for a glimpse of the mysterious paper.
Mr. Stuart unfolded the document. It was signed by the Prefect of Police of Paris and stamped with the official seal. Two photographs were pasted to 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 who had served several terms in prison, but who was usually clever enough to escape detection. His real name was Jacques Dupin. The “count,” whose name was Latour, was merely a tool of Dupin’s.
“This says,” cried Ruth excitedly, scanning the paper, “that Dupin can assume any disguise he wishes. He is a linguist and a trained actor and is known as Gentilhomme Jacques, or Gentleman Jack. He plays only for big stakes.”
“How did the countess become involved in this, Mr. Stuart?” asked Barbara, and at the question Mollie’s pretty face clouded.
“The countess has asked us to the villa to-morrow afternoon to offer an explanation,” replied Mr. Stuart shortly.
At noon the next day Ruth rushed up to her companions with exciting news.
“Girls, the count, or Latour, was arrested this morning when about to board a train and has confessed that he had plotted to marry Maud, obtain control of her fortune, and then desert her! Duval was the brains of the plot. Mrs. Smythe was helping them, and, listen girls, she’s been arrested as a professional swindler!”
“Oh, poor Marian!” exclaimed Mollie sympathetically, to be echoed by the others. But just at that moment Marian came up to them, her face radiant.
“Oh, girls, such news! Mrs. Smythe accused me last night of spoiling her plans, and in her anger she let out that she’s not my mother! My mother, who died when I was a baby, was herneighbor. Some money was left me and Mrs. Smythe was made my guardian. She used the money, of course, and kept the truth from me. My name is Marian Dale. I’m poor, but I’m free for 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 now broke in:
“You are not friendless, my girl. You must stay here as my guest with my other 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 at once. 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 her headstrong conduct had placed her in. Her father, feeling that a real reformation had begun, asked Marian Dale to come to them as Maud’s companion and encourage her in a saner view of life. This appealed to Maud, and the two girls became close friends, much to the happiness of both.
That afternoon when the “Automobile Girls” arrived at the countess’s villa they were introduced to the Baron von Lichtenberg, who, the countess told them, bore a message from her father.
To the girls’ amazement and fluttered delight, the countess was in reality the Princess SophiaAdele von Nichtenstern. The princess wished to marry the Count de Sonde; and when her father insisted that she marry instead a noble of advanced years for reasons of state, she fled to America under the protection of her cousin and second mother, the Baroness von Lichtenberg, whom the girls knew as Madame de Villiers.
“But since then, my friends, my father has met the Count de Sonde and he has also learned how greatly the man for whom he intended me has persecuted me, so he has given his consent to my marriage with the count. You can imagine my consternation when I met the false Count de Sonde and learned that he was trying to marry your friend Maud. I then sent to Paris and learned the identity of these two men. I wish to tell you, too, that both Monsieur Duval and my other persecutors have been using my maid, and that on several occasions she has taken my clothes and impersonated me.
“Mr. Stuart, I did wrong to involve the pretty Mollie in my affairs; but my father had not then forgiven me and I feared to have him learn at that time of my whereabouts. Will you forgive me?”
The princess was to start for home almost immediately under the protection of the Baron and Baroness von Lichtenberg, but beforeleaving Florida she exacted a promise from each of the “Automobile Girls” and from Maud Warren as well that they would visit her when she should become the wife of the Count de Sonde.
After the princess had left Palm Beach a package was handed to Miss Stuart. In it was a gift for each of the Automobile Girls. Mollie received 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 loved it, and she gave it to me!”
Barbara’s gift was a gold filigree star of exquisite workmanship; Ruth’s a splendid oriental scarf embroidered in gold and silver threads, and Grace’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 what befell them then is told in the sixth and last volume of “The Automobile Girls Series” under the title, “The Automobile Girls at Washington; Or, Checkmating the Plots of Foreign Spies.”
THE END