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 soon rang 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 his companions 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 her neighbor. 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 Sophia Adele 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 before leaving
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