Dick frowned fiercely and referred again to the paper.
"Where is Monsieur Chauvenet--have you any idea?"
"If he isn't at the hotel or in Washington, I'm sure I don't know. If we
are going to the dance--"
"Plague the dance! I heard a shot in the sheep pasture a bit ago and ran
out to find this fellow in a row with another man, who got away."
"I heard the shot and the dogs from my window. You seem to have been in a
fuss, too, from the looks of your clothes;" and Shirley sat down and
smoothed her gloves with provoking coolness.
Dick sent Oscar to the far end of the library with a gesture, and held up
the message for Shirley to read.
"Don't touch it!" he exclaimed; and when she nodded her head in sign that
she had read it, he said, speaking earnestly and rapidly:
"I suppose I have no right to hold this message; I must send the man to
the hotel telegraph office with it. But where is Chauvenet? What is his
business in the valley? And what is the link between Vienna and these
hills?"
"Don't you know what _you_ are doing here?" she asked, and he flushed.
"I know what, but not _why_!" he blurted irritably; "but that's enough!"
"You know that Baron von Marhof wants to find Mr.
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