Mr. Fabian laughed. "Oh no, I don't think that; but it is all a strange experience, when you try to find a reason for it all."

"Wall, just keep your eyes open, tonight, and see if I ain't right in what I said. I bet those three men will get in trouble yet, and I'm going to do my part to protect the gals."

At Mr. Alexander's words, Mr. Fabian smiled but did not advise the little man to wait and watch before he took any further steps. He left the room to go and dress for the evening, and Mr. Alexander managed to return the articles he had taken from the boys' rooms, without being discovered in the act.

At dinner that night, Mrs. Alexander had a very interesting story to relate.

"I was reading in the Grand Parlor of the hotel, when the Count came in.

He was surprised to see me, but he said he was waiting for the two boys, who were going out with him.

"Well, we talked for a time, and then young Everard came in. He looked angry about something. He said he had had some things stolen from his room and Traviston was reporting the theft at the desk. They needed the brushes and toilet things and now they had to go without them.

"I thought it was funny, if they were only going out for an engagement, to take any toilet articles along, but I didn't say anything. While we three were talking, Traviston came in and, oh my! wasn't he dressed up to kill. I suppose it was the Court costume they wear when they visit royalty. He had the gold star on his breast and a wide ribbon crossed over his chest. He had a long ulster coat that his friends made him put on before they left. He never said a word about why he was dressed up, or where they were going, but I know he is going to visit some big n.o.ble-maybe a Prince."

"Maybe they're a lot of tricksters in disguise," sneered Mr. Alexander.

"Why, Ebeneezer! How can you say such mean things before the girls. They _know_ what nice young men they are," declared Mrs. Alexander.

"I must say," added Nancy Fabian, "that I met Count Chalmys in Paris just before the Art Cla.s.ses disbanded, and I never saw anything out of the way. He was always very gallant and kind."

"You never told me how it was you met him, Nancy," said her father.

Nancy flushed but decided to speak out. "Well, he was studying art posing at the school, and having the dark beauty and magnificent form of a Greek, he was requested to pose as a gladiator. He explained to me later, that it was the first time in his life that he posed, but he did it for fun more than anything else. I believe him, too, because he certainly doesn't need the money which was paid for the posing."

Nancy's explanation added still other tangles to the maze, and the two men wondered what would be the final ravelling of it all.

While the girls went for their long cloaks to wear, that evening, in the gondolas, Mr. Alexander slipped away to converse with an official-looking man he had met in the corridor. The Fabians and Mrs.

Alexander came downstairs first, but were soon joined by the four girls.

As they pa.s.sed the hotel office, Mr. Alexander followed after them.

It was a beautiful night, with a clear sky overhead and twinkling lights bobbing along the Grand Ca.n.a.l, as gondolas pa.s.sed up and down filled with happy pa.s.sengers. When the Fabian party in their gondolas drew near the Palazzo Dario, they wondered at the crowd gathered in gondolas along both sides of the Ca.n.a.l.

A row of gondolas was stationed across the Ca.n.a.l on either side of the Palazzo Dario, and Mr. Fabian learned that they could not pa.s.s without a permit.

"What's the matter? I haven't heard of any important event about to take place here tonight?" said Mr. Fabian.

"No! But 'tis so. Meester Griffet pay much money for use of Palazzo this night. You wait here on line and see the play go on," said the officer, as he made an opening for the gondolas of the generous Americans to wedge in on the front line.

Thus it happened that not long after the Fabian party reached the spot, a camera-man climbed upon a platform built opposite the Palazzo Dario, and took his seat behind the apparatus. The blinding Cooper-Hewitt lights used in Studios, were so placed over the balcony and entrance of the Palazzo that they would reflect and bring out every detail in the picture about to be taken.

Not a word was heard from anyone in Mr. Fabian's party, but when a Marquis of France challenged a handsome young n.o.bleman of Italy to a duel over a lovely English girl, and the father of the handsome Italian youth intercepted, the girls in Mr. Fabian's gondola laughed hysterically. Even Mr. Fabian had to smile.

It was most exciting to watch the two handsome young men they had known in everyday life, now play the leads in this Motion Picture Play. The Count was exceptionally good in playing his part, while the good looks of the two young men made up for any shortcomings in their acting.

"Well, that explains everything!" sighed Mr. Alexander, as the audience in the gondolas were allowed to travel onwards along the Ca.n.a.l.

"Oh, but I can't believe those nice young men really have no t.i.tles!"

cried Mrs. Alexander, tears of vexation filling her eyes.

"They have! Didn't you see for yourself, Maggie?" laughed her husband.

"Alan is the heir to the Count's t.i.tle, and Basil is a Marquis."

"I wonder if their fancy names are only for stage use?" said Polly, smiling at the way everyone had been hoaxed.

"Sure! I know their real names," returned Mr. Alexander, triumphantly.

"I knew them before tonight, and I told Mr. Fabian, diden' I, Fabian?"

"Yes, we know both their _reel_ names," laughed Mr. Fabian.

"Do tell us who they are? Maybe we've seen them at home," said Eleanor.

"Well, one is Albert Brown and t'other is B. Smith. Both are from the States, and that one from Californy is likely from Hollywood, where this Comp'ny hails from," chuckled Mr. Alexander.

Early the following morning, before the tourists left the breakfast room, Count Chalmys and his two friends hurried in.

"Well, when will you be ready to visit my palace?" said he.

"What palace?" asked Mr. Alexander, frowning at what he considered a Movie joke from the actor.

"Why, _my_ palace. I expected you to come with me to visit at Chalmys Palace, today. You said you would!" wondered the Count.

"Have you really _got_ a palace?" asked Dodo, innocently.

Her expression caused the others to laugh, and Count Chalmys returned: "Of course I have. Would I invite you to visit me if I had no place to entertain?"

Everyone looked at everyone else, and then at the three actors. Finally the Count began to understand that the Fabian party had not had the slightest inkling of the scene that took place the night before, and so the facts began to come forth.

Mrs. Alexander was the only member in the party who had no interest in visiting the Count, now. When he said that another scene in the play was to take place that afternoon at his palace, the girls were eager to go and watch the interesting picture-making.

So they all started out, Mrs. Alexander going, too; but she insisted upon having it understood that she was not interested in the visit other than to accompany her friends.

Count Chalmys had made elaborate preparations for the guests, and when they sat down to luncheon in the grand old palace, Mrs. Alexander stared in amazement at the crest embroidered on the napkins. The liveried servants came and went noiselessly, carrying services of old plate with the coat of arms in filigree on the engraved edges.

After luncheon the Count showed his visitors the gardens, and then they visited the picture collection he had spoken of at the Paris Art Sale.

Mr. Fabian recognized several Old Masters and felt still more puzzled over all he had learned.

Then the Griffet Company arrived and the scenes in the gardens of the Palace began, then several interiors were taken. After the Motion Picture Company had gone, Mr. Fabian said something about returning to Venice.

"Oh, not yet, surely!" exclaimed the Count. "I have ordered dinner for tonight, thinking surely you would remain and spend the evening."

Thus persuaded, they remained and pa.s.sed a very enjoyable time. On the way back to the hotel, that night, Mr. Alexander decided to ask the two young men outright, how it was their fellow actor called himself "Count"

and lived in such a gorgeous manner.

B. Smith _alias_ Basil Traviston laughed. "Why, Chalmys is a born Italian but he went to America as a boy. He was so handsome that he was engaged over there to take a lead in a picture where his type was needed. He never knew he could act until that trial, but he made so good that they offered him a wonderful salary to stay on with them.

"During the recent war the male line of descent in his family were killed off, so that he came into the t.i.tle and property of the Chalmys.

He never dreamed of such a possibility, as he was but distantly connected with the Count's family.