The Automobile Girls at Palm Beach Part 4

"Count de Sonde!" called Mrs. De Lancey Smythe suddenly.

There was an immediate lull in the conversation.

The young mistress of the villa stared at the "Automobile Girls." Her face turned pale. She leaned back in her chair. "Count de Sonde!" she whispered to herself.

Mollie was at her new friend's side in an instant. "I am afraid you are ill," she suggested. "Can I do anything for you?"

"No, no, dear child," replied the other. "It was only a momentary faintness. But did I not hear some one call the Count de Sonde? Is he here?"

"Oh, yes," returned Mollie politely. "He is that young man in white, who is now talking with Mrs. De Lancey Smythe."

Her hostess turned quickly. She looked a long time at the young count.

"Who is the other man near him?" she next asked.

Mollie was again her informant. "He is a Mr. Duval," she explained. "He and the Count de Sonde are at the same hotel together."

At this moment, Maud Warren, who had noted her father's displeased look, decided to join the "Automobile Girls," who were grouped around their hostess.

"Do you know," she said with an air of triumph, "the Count de Sonde has invited Papa and me and the De Lancey Smythes to visit him at his chateau in France next summer?"

The tea-cup of their hostess crashed to the floor. It broke into small pieces.

"Don't trouble to pick up the pieces," she protested to Mr. Stuart.

"Johann will do it. I am very careless. So you expect to visit France next summer?" she continued, turning her attention to Maud.

"Yes, Papa and I shall go," Maud replied. "It would be quite novel to visit a chateau."

"Delightful. But where is the chateau of the De Sonde family?" inquired the other young woman.

Maud hesitated. "I am not sure that I know," she replied. "I believe the count said it was in Brittany. The count's family is one of the oldest in France."

"I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the count," suggested Maud's hostess. "Perhaps you will present him to me."

In a few moments the young count was leaning gracefully against the mantelpiece. He was talking with the beautiful stranger, whose name was still withheld from her visitors. A little later Monsieur Duval joined them.

"Oh, yes, I hasten to a.s.sure you, it is quite, quite old," the count explained. He was talking of his family in Brittany.

"How far back does your family go?" went on his unknown questioner.

The count cleared his throat and choked over his fresh cup of tea.

"My friend's family goes back to the eleventh century," answered Duval quietly. The count was still coughing violently.

"And you are the last of your line?" continued his hostess. She was addressing the count. "It is a pity for such an ill.u.s.trious race to die out. I suppose you will marry?"

She looked at the young man with such grave sweetness that he smiled uneasily and s.h.i.+fted his gaze.

"I hope to marry some day, Mademoiselle," he mumbled.

"You have some very old families in Germany also, have you not?"

inquired Monsieur Duval, looking searchingly at the young woman.

Did she pause a moment before she answered? Bab and Ruth both thought so.

"In what European country are there not old families, Monsieur?" she replied courteously. "In Italy the old families trace their lineage to the G.o.ds of mythology. But I am interested in a young country like this America."

"Then you should go to Chicago, if you wish to see a really American city," cried Ruth. "Of course, Aunt Sallie and Father and I think our Chicago is greater than New York, because it is our home."

"De Lancey Hall, in Virginia, is my family home," drawled Mrs. De Lancey Smythe, with a little insolent air of pride. "The De Lanceys were a t.i.tled French family before they came to this country."

"How very interesting!" exclaimed the youthful hostess, in an enigmatic tone. "Do people drop their t.i.tles in this great free country of yours?

It is much better, I think. t.i.tles mean but little anywhere." She ended her words with a little, serious frown.

"The best heritage that I can lay claim to is that of being an American," exclaimed Ruth, with enthusiasm. "America for the Americans!

Three cheers for the red, white and blue!"

"You are a true patriot. Is it not so?" laughed the hostess, patting Ruth's shoulder. "Your great free country is so wonderful. Its liberty is boundless." She sighed, and for a moment seemed wrapped in thought.

Then turning to Mr. Stuart and Mr. Warren asked if they would have more tea.

"No thank you," replied Mr. Stuart. "In fact I believe we had better begin to think about getting back to our hotel. The rain has stopped, and we need trespa.s.s upon your hospitality no further."

"It has been a pleasure to meet you and your 'Automobile Girls,'" the young woman replied. Then she added very softly so that Mr. Stuart and Mollie who stood with her hand clasped in that of the stranger, alone, heard: "Won't you bring them to see me in the near future?"

"Oh how lovely!" breathed Mollie.

"We shall be very happy, indeed to come," Mr. Stuart replied.

"I thank you for your charming hospitality, Mademoiselle," broke in the suave tones of Mr. Duval, who with the count at his heels had stepped unnoticed to the young woman's side. "Am I presumptuous in venturing to ask if it is your pleasure that we should know to whom we are indebted?"

"Ah to be sure. I have been what you call, very stupid," laughed the unknown. "Pray pardon me." Gliding over to the side of the stern old woman, she took her hand. "Permit me to present my very dear friend, Madame de Villiers. I am the Countess Sophia von s...o...b..rg."

CHAPTER IV

THE COMPACT

"Girls!" exclaimed Ruth, who lay curled up on the foot of her bed in a pale blue silk kimono. "I feel like offering a libation to the Storm King to-night for sending us that squall."

"Why?" inquired Grace, who was not gifted with an Oriental imagination.

"Because, if there had been no storm, there would have been no Countess Sophia," replied her friend.

"She is hard to understand, but she is so beautiful, so gentle and so n.o.ble," observed Barbara.

"And she kissed me!" cried Mollie.