Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1916)

The Woman Who Dared 53 -noil by a dangerous crook, and that the only safer) for his master's wares lay in entrusting them to the unknown traveler. It" the unknown traveler— continued the note— would come to a certain address in Rome, he could have his no-doub1 exceed ingly valuable papers upon returning the jewelry ! The Buzzi assassin recovered, to wire his master thai an unknown American would in all probability return the treaty to Beatrix. Brent and Beatriz were constrainedly sitting upon .1 heavily padded sofa in the prima donna's drawing room. Neither knew what to say because both had far, far too much to sa\ ! Brent, in silence, bad given his envelope to the girl when, with a sharp sound of rending iron, the lock upon her door gave way. the door flew inward, and Buzzi, with two members of the Gara binieri, stood before them. Brent leaped to his feet. fists clenched ; tense, rigid. beatriz at the sound had thrust her hand behind her ; the envelope, far down into the upholstery. "Signorina," snapped buzzi in the nasti' voices, "1 shall trouble you. instantly, for the Treaty which your titled lover stole for you from The Foreign Office." Brent's arm shot out. but the policeman nearest him caught his wrist. "I have no treaty! I do not understand you!" Beatriz' voice was shrill with fear. The lie, pitiful as it was. was the only thing she could think of. Buzzi merely -miled. "Search him.'" He spoke to Ids nun. A quick but thorough going-over of Brent's person,* in an adjoining room, revealed nothing. The suit in which Tonio had surreptitiously placed his note hung, at that moment, over the foot of Brent's bed in his room in the Hotel Inglese. Buzzi' s mouth writhed in the wickedest of foul grimaces. "Will it be necessary, most beautiful, for me to search you?" He leered at the cowering girl. "By God!" yelled Brent. ;'I wish I had you in Chicago, you wallowing wop pig!" The policeman nearest struck him sharply on the cheek. AS Beatriz in terror shrank away. Buzzi saw the corner of an envelope projecting from the plush of the deep couch. He jerked it out with a snort of derision. His jaw dropped in sheer amazement when he tore from tin paper ( out. iiiut die queen's ne< klai e. "She hid 'em there bo you wouldn't 'em. you cheap pickpocket!" howled Brent. Buzzi, in a scarlet lever o'J abjeel apolo gies, left with his astonished dragoons. Dl r Beatriz, lingering the precious stones, was more distracted than ei "I'll get the guy who\ reallj got il if 1 have tO tip the Old Colosseum Upside down." exclaimed brent, grimly rubbing the red spot on his cheek. Beatriz did not answer, brent went to the door. "Miss de Rohan." lie said softly, "vou know I love you. but if . . . maybe — oh, hang it all. if there's an) one of these royal reasons good enough to keep us from marrying, all I'll ask is to lie your private detective, without pay, I'lie Lord knows you need one. in your business!" beatriz out of her tear filled eyes glanced into his. They were smiling, but just a bit pathetic — and so honest ! Then the girl knew that whatever her alliance or mesalliance, she loved him. And it almost broke her heart. buzzi quickly recovered from his embarrassment, and realized that in his astonishment at not finding the treaty he had been ludicrously sidetracked. (Jetting Beatriz' apartment on the telephone, he put vitriolistic meaning into a single sentence: "Signorina. return from the opera alone tonight, for I shall be waiting you !" Then he rang off. Beatriz, of course, did the thing that every girl would have done, from Genoa to Singapore ; she called the man she really loved, and after telling him of her terror warned him not to come. And did he remain away, as urgently requested? As all lovers would have done, from Singapore to Genoa ... he came. Count Maximilio was of suspicious nature. His protests were more or less angry when Beatriz nervously broke her lateevening engagement with him. Prince Buzzi had little of the suave suitor about him when he came to Beatriz' apartment. She could tell him nothing of the lost treaty. After that he did not ask ; he did not even demand ; he tried to take. Despite Brent's instant determination to spend the evening at Beatriz' side whether anyone else were there or not. he lingered in the garden adjoining her apartments. He did not fear for himself ; knowing her