The Mystery Queen | Page 3

and
have arranged for you and the dragon to go to the theatre to-night. But,
believe me, Lillian, it will be for the last time. To-morrow I shall
receive a note saying that I am to stay away from Lord Curberry's
bride."
"I'm not his bride and I never shall be!" stamped Lillian, and the tears
came into her pretty eyes, whereupon Dan, as a loyal lover, wiped them
away with his pocket-handkerchief tenderly, "and--and--" she faltered.
"And--and--" he mocked, knowing her requirements, which led him to
console her with a long and lingering kiss. "Oh!" he sighed and Lillian,
nestling in his arms, echoed the sigh. The moment of perfect
understanding and perfect love held them until the sudden opening of
the door placed Dan on one side of the table and Lillian on the other.
"It won't do, my dears," said the new-comer, who was none other than
Mrs. Bolstreath, flaming with wrath, but not, as the lovers found later,
at them. "I know quite well that Dan hasn't wasted his time in this
league-divided wooing."
"We thought that one of the servants--" began the young man, when

Mrs. Bolstreath interrupted.
"Well, and am I not one of the servants? Sir Charles has reminded me
of the fact three times with information that I am not worth my salt,
much less the good table he keeps."
"Oh! Bolly dear," and Lillian ran to the stout chaperon to embrace her
with many kisses, "was Dad nasty?"
"He wasn't agreeable," assented Mrs. Bolstreath, fanning herself with
her handkerchief, for the interview had heated her. "You can't expect
him to be, my sweet, when his daughter loves a pauper."
"Thank you," murmured Dan bowing, "but don't you think it is time we
went to the theatre, Bolly dear."
"You must not be so familiar, young man," said the chaperon, broadly
smiling at the dark handsome face. "Sir Charles wants Lillian to
marry--"
"Then I shan't!" Lillian stamped again. "I hate Lord Curberry."
"And you love Dan!"
"Don't be so familiar, young woman," said Halliday, in a joking way,
"unless you are on our side, that is."
"If I were not on your side," rejoined Mrs. Bolstreath, majestically, "I
should be the very dragon Lillian calls me. After all, Dan, you are
poor."
"Poor, but honest."
"Worse and worse. Honest people never grow rich. And then you have
such a dangerous profession; taking people flying trips in those
aeroplanes. One never can be sure if you will be home to supper. I'm
sure Lillian would not care to marry a husband who was uncertain
about being home for supper."

"I'll marry Dan," said Lillian, and embraced Dan, who returned the
embrace.
"Children! Children!" Mrs. Bolstreath raised her hands in horror, "think
of what you are doing. The servants may be in at any moment. Come to
the drawing-room and have coffee. The motor-car is waiting and--hush,
separate, separate," cried the chaperon, "someone is coming!"
She spoke truly, for the lovers had just time to fly asunder when Sir
Charles's secretary entered swiftly. He was a lean, tall, haggard-looking
young fellow of thirty with a pallid complexion and scanty light hair. A
thin moustache half concealed a weak mouth, and he blinked his eyes
in a nervous manner when he bowed to the ladies and excused his
presence. "Sir Charles left his spectacles here," he said in a soft and
rather unsteady voice, "he sent me for them and--" he had glided to the
other side of the table by this time--"oh, here they are! The motor-car
waits, Miss Moon."
"Where is my father?" asked Lillian irrelevantly. "Tell me, Mr. Penn."
"In the library, Miss Moon," said the secretary glibly, "but he cannot
see anyone just now--not even you, Miss Moon."
"Why not?"
"He is waiting to interview an official from Scotland Yard--a Mr.
Durwin on important business."
"You see," murmured Dan to Lillian in an undertone, "your father
intends to lock me up for daring to love you."
Miss Moon took no notice. "What is the business?" she asked sharply.
"Indeed I don't know, Miss Moon. It is strictly private. Sir Charles has
related nothing to me. And if you will excuse me--if you don't
mind--these spectacles are wanted and--" he babbled himself out of the
room, while Mrs. Bolstreath turned on her charge.

"You don't mean to say, you foolish child, that you were going to see
your father about this," she indicated Halliday.
"I don't care about being called a 'this'!" said Dan, stiffly.
Neither lady noticed the protest. "I want to make it clear to my father as
soon as possible, that I shall marry Dan and no one else," declared
Lillian, pursing up her pretty mouth obstinately.
"Then take him at the right moment," retorted Mrs. Bolstreath crossly,
for the late