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Home My WebLink AboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1894-9-20, Page 7Woman's Grime. AB AN EX -DETECTIVE. Xteilished eyramisdon of the owners of t e Copyright, (CONTINUED.) • 'No; Miss Annin as a, reserved eirl — :nothing dashing there ; she certainty has ;geed style, though." Then with an im- patient movement of the heci'd, "Hang it man, why have iyon not avaa ecI m yone ae Some of my nvitations to come and be introduced to thee girls. It's a deuce e, bore to be trying to tell a fellow how ea girl looks." . • "Especially when you are thinking about the 'looks' of another girl.," laugh- ed Batharst, "Well, come along Arte - veldt, I am ready to go and inspeet these two lair damsels on my own account. axe yon sure that you rave never men- tioned my name in connection with my 'business, to these young ladies?" "Of course I am ! Do you suppose I have forgotten the turn you did. me in Boston, two years ago, or nearly that? I never blow, except when I am &rink, and not then unless the party is under my eyes ; and I'm not likely to get drunk to - .night." "Nom ever, I should think, after your Boston experience," replied Bathurst, dryly. "Well, I don't know about that; as Dick Swrveller would say, the 'Rosy' has many charms for fellows like me," re- plied the other, carelessly. "All ready, are you?Come along, then, we shall be late at the 'Mansion' as it is." They hurried out of the building, sprang into a waiting hack, and drove rapidly away, There was little affinity between the two young men ; and their present intimacy was hardly of Neil Bath- urst's seeking. Two years previous, while employecl in. shadowing a party of gamblers and confidence anen, in. the good eity of Boston, the _young detective had rescued. Clarence Arte•N,elat from their clutches. Arteveldt was visiting the "Hub" for the filet, time, and in seeing the sights lad fallen in. with the gang of 'villains; already they had fleeced him out of much money, and,.having enticed him into one •of the very worst quarters of the city, were about to complete their work' by robbing him systematically of watchand jeowels, of which he wore some valuable ones. They had made him blind and stupid with drngged liquor, and would have found. him an easy victim. Bat suddenly Neil Bathurst came down upon them with a sufficient force to capture the entire gang anil rescue young Arteveldt. Bathurst took charge of the young man, his money and valuables, and. when, at last, the effects of the dru.gging had pass, -ed away, gent him home intact, and evitb some excellent ad.vice—which, of course, the young spendthrift dide.ot follow. But, whilst Clarence Artevelclt forgot the advice, he remembered the man, and. when, some months later, he'encoanterecl his benefactor in the streets of Chicago, he poemeed upon him forthwith, dragged him home to the Arteveldt mansion:, in- troduced him to his mother and declared his resolution to be the young. detective's "host and right bower"dinang his stay in the Lakeside city. This arrangement, however, scarcely suited Neil Bathurst. He accepted the .hospitality of the Axteveldts for a short time, because there seemed no alterna- tive, but Clarence Arteveldt, the darling of te boudoir' was hardly a congenial 'companion forthe young man who ab- horred insipidity, and whose life had beexx toe full of adventure and peril to enable him to enjoy the trifling amuse- ments and safe excitements that made up the sum of existence for the young man of indolent habits and bonnteous wealth. So he broke away from the Arteveldt -thraldom to the extent of establishing himself in. a suite of bachelor apartments *en'on Dearborn street, and kept quietly out of yonne Arteveldt's way whenever he lad anything practical to employ his time. Not that he was not fond of gaiety and the society of the fair sex. He loved both, providecl they were of the right 'quality. But he found the one extreme of dinners en xegle, in stately dining - rooms, where he invariably found himself 'slipping off from morocco covered. dining - room chairs, owing to the upholsterers' reckless disregard for the centre of grav- ity, or,. later tete-a-tetes with stately, much ftirbelowed damsels, in stiff-backed parlors, when the same slipping process was repeated., with only the variation of a smaller and still more provoking chair, with a satin., instead of a morocco sur- face, and the other extreme of suppers, en passel* at questionable down town. restaurants, and.the society of champaign drinking, slang talking maidens of an- other class, were equally distasteful to him. • The first he pronounced stupid, the last vulgar. It chanced that dming the time of his stay beneath the Arteveldt roof Miss Aura Diusncl had been absent from the •city, enll ashe had invariably declined all invitations to make her acquaintance since, Neil Bathurst was inwardly won- dering what sort of a young lady Miss Dteran.d would prove herself to he. "That was a queer suspicion of mine," he thought, as they rode toward the Du- rand dwelling, "if it was a suspicion— and yet stranger notions than that have led to the discovery of greater crimes. If whet I have heard from that scamp Ford- ham he true, the young lady is really :fond of this scapegrace beside! me; in which case she was probably in the stake • this morning, after a charming fashion women have when they fancy themselves • aggrieved," So thinking, Neil Bathurst arrived for the third. tune that clay at the door. of James Durand's splendid home. Meantime the heiress of the Durand wealth was standing before a magnificent mirror in her beautiful dressing -room, stirveying with satisfied countenance her own reflected image., And this is what she saw: • eA girl, small of statue, and apparently e,bont twenty years of age. She was plump; cavalier5 might have celled her a trifle too plamp for her height, and yet, Ineking upon the rounded, baby -like shoulders and the arms so full and taper - lag, with the (Menges in elbow and \valet, one could, ecereel,y wish her embonpoint lass. head, rising above a full, white throat, was covered with en abundance of him& hair, thet lighted up to pale gold under the glare of the gaslight it , eves short above the white brow, falling eritilding mons almost to the bit- ats1y availed eyebrows, thus coneealing the forehead, or nearly eo, while the re- mainder was drawn carelessly baek :from the face), aod dressed low upon th.e nook in braids ancrlease curls. The eyes were strangely in (=greet with the heir, being of intense darkness, the sort of eyes that, without reallyheing bleak, are always called so, and justly, too when fringed by dark lashes and sho:dowed by jetty brows. In the matter of brow and eyelash, :Ifiss Du- rand's eyes were certainly &goody°, for the former were too thin an not heavyenough, while the letter were likewise thin, and too short to be pretty, or to shadow the otherwise lovely eyes effectively. The nose was small and straight, the mouth rosy and, smil- PO AURA DURAND, ing; but here again the caviler might have found fault -the teeth were white, even and small, too small, :for when the face was in repose the corners of the mouth had a compressed look, as if its fair owner were forcibly keeping hack a secret. The complexion can be best and easiest described by the stock phrase, "Lilies and roses," simply perfection; and no mortal, whether male or female, had ever seen the Mies darken, or the roses cease to. glow, it were unfair to sup- pose that then! bloom was not the gift of nature. This was Miss Aura 'Durand as she stood before her MIMI) arrayed in a wonderful garment of Si*Ponderful shades of green. At first one might have considered it strange that she should have so decided a taste for green of every shade and de- gree—her dressing -mom was hung with sea green, her boudoir might have been the home of a Naiad, and her chamber, with. its white canopied bed, had the en -- peals -nee of a snowy tent in a shadowy forest; but when one considered how re- markably becoming was the color to the mistress of all that green richness, they ceased, to wonder, but never to admire. "Your recreant knight, and his friend, have arrived, Miss Durand," said a ram:k- ing voice at her elbow, and, turning, Aura met the cool gaze of Miss Amain. "Plain black anll scarlet fuchsias," ex- claimed the heiress, glancing critically at her companion's toilet. "You certainly look well, Nina, but I don't see why you will affect such rigid simplicity, as the expense of yonx wardrobe does not affect your parse.' "Because I am nO fool, Miss Durand," snappell the companion, ungraciously. "I don't cheose to incur remark by dress- ing like an heiress —if I clo finger the pease of one; my silk is as rich as yours, if it is plain, and I fancy I know what does and what does not become me," with an approvingglance at the scarlet fuchsias in her boidce. Aura Duran q turned away from the mirror tranquilly, seeming not to have noticed the disrespect in the tone of her companion. "Dress is not to the point," continued Nina Armin, with less asperity. "Do you know who the friend is who is here with Clarence Arteveldt ?" "Certainly," flicking off an imaginary speck of clust with the- daintiest of-learid- kerchiefs. "It is Mr. Bathurst, who visited at the Arteveldts while I was in. New York," "Then you didn't h.appen to hear in New York who Mr. Bathurst is ?" iron- ically. • "Who he is?" • "What he is then." "Bah I" cried Miss Durand., with a shrug of her pretty shoulder, "I don't knew what you are talking about." "Then 1,11 enlighten you. Mr. Bath- urst, the dear friend of Clarence Arte - veldt, is a detective." Aura Durand was standing at a dress- ing, table with her back to the girl who made this sudden announcement; for one moment she stoocl motionless and silent, then she turned swiftly to face her companion, with a scornful smile upon her lips. "How dramatic you are," she said, cooly. "How do you. know that he is—a detective?" "No matter 1 I do know it." "Don't add mystery to your dramatic effort; it's unnecessary with me. How do you know?" "Oh, I can. tell you," said Miss Armin, flinging herself down upon an ottoman, anctbencling clown to examine the toe of her dainty boot. "I went into the draw- ing -room this morning to look for a let- ter I had dropped somewhere—andas the room waseclarkened 1 let in a little light to aid my search. As I stooll at the win- dow I saw Clarence come np the steps toad behind hira this detective Bathurst." "Well?" impatiently. "Well! I know him fax a detective in this way. When I was playing in a cer- tain theatre in New York, once upon a time, this identical enan arrested one of our best ladies, took her off the stage in all her gauze and spangles, and when one of the ballet girls, struck .by lis hand- some face asked who he was, the manager said, 'That is one of the ablest detectives I ever 'heard. of. I verily believe he woullt hunt clown a shallow; he has never been knoNvn to fail.' " Miss Annan paused, and looked up to note the effect of her words. Bit Miss Durencl's next remark was hardly what she had expected. "You should be ORTO- ful where you drop your letters," she said,. cooly. 'And. it must have been un- comiortable for thatyoung woman to be tthei aken to lock-up n,her stage clothes." Then, es if the idea, had saiddenly oc- curred to her, "You clon't suppose he will know you?" "Bevil),; consicleasble difference in the epperrance of Miss Alinin, the com- panion and 'La Elorette," in pink tights end a shower of :Tangle:al not to mention a wig ot tho most impossible yellow." "When I don't see what all this fuse is about," said Aura, with a positive eneer, "By the way, why ("haul you tell is this before ?" "Because 1 didn't see retorted Nina Annin, rising to her feet, "Are yoa going now?" "Certainly. , So this det tive is hand.. some ?" "Very. Aura Durand turned toward her mir- ror, once more gazeb at the image refleet- tad there, and then, as if satisfied with the view, turned about. she said, "lotus bon down." When they ,had, reaohecl the hall she paused suddenly. "Wait a moment," she said, "I have forgotten something.". A.ncl as she re-entered the ciressro.g- room Nina Amain glided efter, and through the partially dosed. door sew, Aura take from her dressing table a small vial, lift it to her lips and then tarn away. CHAPTER V.U.—WEIAT THE WALLET CON- TAINED. Late that night Neil Bathurst sat alone, pondering over the events of the clay and making eopious entries in a plethoric note book. Bolo Jocelyn had often laughelt at him "for a garrulous note broker," to use Bob's words. But Bathurst had found that his habit of jotting dowa everything that came into his mind, or meler his ob- servation, concerninga sitepectecl party, or those conneeted with parties or eases coming under his eyes, had often. stood him in geed stead, and, that seeming ir- relevancies had been in truth, most apropos and usefill in many cases. He wrote rapidly, and for a long time. Finally he paused,. and, turning back the leaves, reviewed hes 'work, to see that no item was omitted. There was a most minute description of the doings of that day, from. the mo- ment when his lnncheon had been brok- en in upon by Clarence Arteveldt to the dine when, having bidden farewell to Aura Durand and the other members of the family, he had turned his back upon Arteveldt and, hastened, alone, to his rooms, at eleven okdock at night. His memoranda, commencing the in- cidents and impressions of the evening just passed -were characteristic. Here is an extract : "Evening, 6.80. " Landed at the door of th.be robbed mansion precisely on time, for dinner, which would have been a heavy affair but for the beauty and vivacity of Miss Aura Durand, and the nonchalant grace, and general 'interestingness' of her com- panion, Miss Amain. These are not or- dinary girls, and form a decided contrast, both in manner and appearance. Doubt- less they ere aware of this, and. of its ef- fectiveness." Here followed a minute description of the two girls, after which he had writ- ten,: "1 begin to realize the absurdity of suspecting Aura Durand of Inv connec- tion. with. the ',robbery. She is idolized by those old people, they see no faults in her, and I am prone to confess—neither can I—einless—it may be that she is a little too fond of that gay Lothario, Arte - veldt; and yet she lavished not a few of her sweetest smiles upon. ungrateful me. LWas aware of a few—a very few glances that indicated some sort of understand - bag -- or misunderstanding — between. Artevelclt an.d the heiress. I can't quite make them out, but one thing I am sure, those two fair young ladies were so cere- moniously sweet to each other that I know there must be some other bond be- tween them thaa the silken one of love— ancl yet, why should this be—it looks like another improbability—can it be that I am becoming a maniac on the subject of glances and tones? "My visit to the Durancls to -night may have been a social success, but from a professional standpoint it was nil. I am still at sea in regard to the burglary— was it a burglary?" The young detective sat for a time ab- sorbed in thought, then, suddonly rising, and. throwing back his hair with a boyish gesture, he muttered: "Now for the wallet; I wish Bob was here to help me." He took the -wallet from his pocket and placed it on -the table before him. It was smaller than the ordinary wal- let, and of the finest bronzed leather. "Looks like a piece of foreign extrava- trance " he muttered. "Silk -en lined— and—hello I what's this?" On the inside leather was the embossed initials J.B. "J. B.," read the young man. "Wond- er if these are the initials of the owner ?" The wallet containell a member of let- ters, a couple of pictures, and what ap- peared to be a collection of addresses, dates and memoranda. Patting aside the latter, Bathurst ap- plied Mansell to the letters. Glancing over the dates of these he perceived that they extended Over a number of years. They were all in one handwriting, evi- dently that of a woman, a fine, clear Italian hand, as unusual asit was beauti- ful. They were all addressed to a "Mr. Jason Bradwardine," and nearly all bore for- eign post marks. The first of these lett3rs? addressed from an obscure German village, were grateful, impulsive, yet gaiarclell little missives, expressing =bounded faith in the person addressed, bat full of fear of some unknown person., or thing; they were all brief, and. not one of them men- tioned a name or even an initial. They bore no signature whatever. Arranging them in order, the earliest dates uppermost, Neil Bathurst began their perusal. "Kindest of friends," so ran the first leteer. self inm new world, I shall rest. Write no more to me here; when teis reaches you I shall he on the ocean. 1 go with good people who will eare for me, and we will he safe, I have promised Beyer to let you losesight Of me, but tor this 1 would say' it were best to pass now, out of y ur life, Best that you should forget me. But my promise 1 will keep, When I have found a home In that far-off land, ,yon snail hear •frorn me, until then, best Of friends. farewell. Once more for- give me, I wind not stay Ionsse when there is so much, to fear, his abruptly the letter ended, "Xtysterious but interesting," eom- xnented the deteotive. "Let's see whet happens next wish I had the other side of the eorresporidence." Taking up the next letter he resumed his research. Mr FRIEND of FinENDs Six mouths slime last I wrote you. But your goodaess is not forgotten. There has been mach Go prevent writing. First the search for a place to sit down in and say, this I will eall home; " afterward sickness that, but for my beautiful comforter, I would. have prayed might end in. death. Even yet 1 am not strong. This is a wonderful new land, and we live in a wee, small hamlet in the province—no the State of New York. Everything is new and strange, but my dear one thrives and is happy. Here there is no musical variety of titlo, 110 royalty„, almost no aristocracy. It is as ff one were eitizeness of the French republic. 1 have taken a new name—what an effect mine —my real one—would have here—address me thus—Mistress Bourne, Elm Valley, New York, in the United States. Adieu. "Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Bathurst, "I wonder if he did. 'Mistress Bourne—in the United States.' What fun for our Yankee postmasters." • Tem LONG WALLET. The next letter was in an entirely dif- ferent vein. Bearing date four months later than the one announcing the safe arrival in the new world, it began as fol- lows: VILLAIN, BETRAYER—INSULT TO THE NAME OF FRIEND: Know yourself unmasked; know yourself foiledand that by a weak woman. Do you think that love such as mine ever sleeps ? Do you think a mother's vigilance ever fails ? Bahl I mock i,t you, for I am transformed. I am a tigress, 8t4lnd before me now. and 1 will plant a (logger in your heart I can 1 I will 1 Your emissary has failed. He will return to you empty-handed. ICAONV him fora bungler—a fool. I did not suspect him as_your tool thought him sent by another. What fixes the guilt on you? lust a scrap of your own hand- writing discovered by me, no matter how. You woald steal my child. It eau be but for one pur- pose; do yon think I do not know what that is, and why you thirst for that young life? How I loathe myself that I ever called you friend. Fool that 1 was 1 You plotted like a serpent, you thought to sunrise me among strangers; to find me unprepared. As if I had not lived. for years in fear and watchfulness. Know you not that habit becomes second nature? I have no fear in addressing you thus. After to -night this plate will know me no more. The last link that binds me to the past is now broken. The woman who bas been will be no more. The future—that futurcin whieb you will stand waked—rests in stronger hands than mine. Jason Bradwardine, beware 02 11 1 find that joeelyn has groende for hie suspicions, .we may be able to spoil Mr. 13raclwardine's little game." Bathurst had expected to 4,nd an ad, vertisement something after this fashion: "If the person who toob a wa/let con- taining papers,. els., from. a gentleman. on. yesterday afternoon, will return the same to owner, said person will be re- warded, and no questions asked," Or else a large reward would be offered, if the .papershad a money value. POT - Imps an appointment would have been Made, Perhaps a threat implied. But no such advertisement appeared in the morning papers, nothiog that could be construed into a covert, hint, Nothing open or implied, that could possibly be referred to the owner of the lost wallet. Neil Bathurst pondered for a few mo- ments, and then tvok up the paper again. This time he ran his eye over the oolumn of the "-wanted," Through all the loeg list of male wants, his eye traveled, and then he commenced a per- usal of the cohunn. headed, "Wanted, Female Help," In. a ,moment his eye fell upon these words: WANTED—A FEMALE DETECTIVE ONE thoroughly acquainted with the city, and who is not eonneetea with any agency, A.ohlrese, V. Tribune Office "So," laughed the detective. "Is this the long looked for? If Mr. Bre,dwardine wants a female d.eteetive he is Sharper than the common run of swell foreigners. Well, of course, someone -will apply," And whistling softly, he resumed the task of brushing his hair. CHAPTER VII(.—A CL—EVER REPORTER AND A VEILED FEMALE. Dr. Rice came forth from the question- able house in. Which lay the wounded woman, \vb.° had become an ohjeet of in- terest to Neil Bathurst. As he came briskly down the steps, a young man, faultlessly attired, and 'wearing immacu- late mutton -chop whiskers, approached. "Good morning, sir," said this person- age. "I presume I am speaking to Doc- tor Rice?' "You are," replied the little doctor, somewhat stiffly. "Pardon my presumption," said. the mutton -chop young man, as he adjusted a pair of gold -bowed spectacles. "I am a newspaper man, and as such, know, by sight at least, a great many of our pro- minent professional men. This is how I recognized you. "Ab !" replied the doetor, in a =Hided tone, "happy to meet you, sir. Can I serve yon in any way ?" • "Frankly, sir, you can.," replied the young man, in a manner so charmingly respectful that it went straight to the doctor's heart. "La my capacity of re- porter, I would like a statement of the case which you have just left—the woman who was stabbed last evening. I knew that from you I would hear nothing save the truth, while the inmates of the house wordd give a garbled ac- count, if they did not indulge in. absolute fiction. Can you spare a few moments?" The doctor consulted his timekeeper gravely, and. then replied: "1 can give you ten or fifteen minutes. Yes." "Then may I ask you to step into the nearest restaurant? We can 6ost a eelass of evine and a cigar and talk atease." "Certainly," replied the doctor, with beaming countenance; "certainly, sir." The "nearest restaurant" was just around the corner, and. in a few moments the two were seated cosily at a little table,with a bottle of wine between them and cigars ready to hand. (To BE CONTINUED.) "Now, who bit a woman would have sene an enemy such a defiance as that?" said Bathurst, as he laid aside this last letter, "and if this man. is Braclwardine, what a precious fool he is for carrying about such a letter. How completely he must have duped the woman in the out- set, and. what a female Ishmael she must have been—must still be, if she is yet in existence. Is the man that Role .Tocelyn is shadowing Jason Bradwardine ? and if so, is Jason Bradevardine still in search of this woman of mystery and her child?" Then he picked up the memoranda and examined that, but it was still more tua- satifactory. There were the merest jot- tings, names of several towns in England and France, together with unexplained dates. Two or three foreign addresses, with only the initials of the names ; the name of a church that might have been anywhere. A great many jottings of this sort there were, and. Bathurst leall them down with a sigh of weariness. "They are dry as dust," he said. with a yawn, 'and altogether beyond my com- prehension to -night. I will let these notes stand. over." He took up the two pictures and. con- templated them thoughtfully. One was the face of a woman, young and lovely, a soft southern face, with- dusky eyes, and clustering curls above the forehead and about the duvet. The other was the picture of a man with a handsome Saxon face, possessing, more of beauty than of strength. The photographs were finished in the same style, and looking at the reverse side of the cards, he found that the3rwere taken by the same artist—probably at the same time—taken in Paris, France. "There seems to be considerable of the 'foreign element' about this affair," thought Bathurst, as he care fully re- placed letters, pictures and notes in the wallet. "There seems to have been a wrong somewhere, and perhaps Rob Jocelyn may be on the trail of a crimi- nal. However, if these papers are valu- able, I shall find it out. Now for bed. I can trust this part of the matter to 'our wonderful ad-vertising medium.' " Thoroughly wearied with the day's ad- ventures, he prepared to retire, and had soon forgotten all thought' for the mor- row, in sleep. Early the next morning he was stirring, thoroughly refreshed and ready for whatever might transpire. While still tansy with his toilet, a tap on. the door announced the newsboy with his morning papers. "Now to consult the 'ads,'" he saidtas flinging aside his hair brush, he hastily opened the Tribune, • If th.e eontents of the wallet WM% of value the loser evould most likely avail himself of that convenient medium, the morning paper, "An honest man might line the matter in the hands of the polis," so reasoned the detective ;. "bit low men, even though hottest, would, care to make the manner of the theft pablie. The chanees are that he will advertise, in any ease, and from the nature of the 'ad,' one may judge as to the value of the doeuments, and the honesty of the mat. If he be acting fairly, ean sieve him from the black -Mailing thet would have beeo in- evitable, had the pepers fallen into the hands of any of those women, and, if I From this little foreign hamlet, seeming to me to be out of the world, I arklress you, Again and again I give you my poor thanks for your kind- ness to most miserable me. What could I have done without you? How eseaped from the enmity and perseeution, the ignominy and utter horror that surrounded me ? I owe you every- thing and thank you for all, Thanks to you, my little. inheritance is at command. I want for nothing, it will suffice for me and mine, My darling one,—all that is left me now—is well, is beautiful; ab 1 what will simile, by and by. Some day the tables will be turned; some day the May possesssthe strength 1 never had. My letter is addeessed in fear and trembling. 12 11 should fall in other hands, Their hands 1 bly friend, I write no more. You have my benediction, nly gratitude—all nave to give. I pray to the Virgin to eomfort you always, 1-1 mon, In fear, in Sorrow, in gratitude, ' Yours, "L1ere is mystery," quail, the detec- tive. "Let's see—that letter is fifteen years old, as I live," There were several more lettere written in much the EMMA vein, bearieg the sarne post meek, and dated ono and two mouths baopwa,srt: Then came one which ran as fol - Deer friend, kind friend, forgive me that halm not heeded your advice. I can sew here no longer 1 my days are Mieri with fear, my night9 With Vain repininge, I begin to fear my- self; 1 lave ilow the opportunity, 1 mast cm - brace it Once In that foreign land awake the ocean, the feet' will fell from tne, I shall fed rine A. COSTLY DEBT. side placed, a quarter in it, and said, 'For two.' This goutlenuau had understood the cause of my embarrassment, and paid, for roe." "So, young lady, you acc,ept a dime froan an unknown man? Better a 'thous- and times to have explained the eircuni. stances to the conduotor—the driver—to anybody. One does xxot forget une's pocket -book when going in an omnibus; or, better still, one does not go in an omnibus after having forgotten one's porket-book. Bow do you propose to re- tlirn this clime to this young man? For I hope you do not intend keeping it ?" " But papa, I have his oar& See here Wm. Mason, No. 4 Willow street, Melrose.' " The father, without 'waiting to hear mors, snatches the bit of pasteboard from the giri, and cries: hat, not content with lending you money in violation of all the proprieties, this gentleman gives you his card be- siaes ! He is the prettiest intriguer, the lowest of the low—your young man who is altogether too nice." "Now, papa, be reasonable. To return the money it was, of course, necessary to know his address." The ex -merchant finds no suitable reply to this ingenious reasoning; but with a gesture indicative of •clecidecl ill -humor throws his napkin upon the table. " I am fated not to dine to -day, Gert. rude, go engage me a cab by the hour. I wish to return this young, adventurer his money at once, and tell him a few plain truths besides." "Oh, papa, papa, you won't do that? It would be base ingratitude. Only think of it. This young man has extricated me from a very unpleasant situation." Unpleasant situation ! Let me alone! Shut up I I don't care to be lectured, es- pecially by a rattle -brain. who loses her pocket -book." The irate parent louts on his boots and takes his cane and hat, all the while growing more and. more morose. Gert- rude enters. "The cabman is below, but he only promises to take you there, not to wait for you." "Very well, I ean get another cab to bring me back." Mr Peter departs, after slamming the door. while Charlotte, blushing and trembling, recounts to her old. friend Gertrnde how she is much better acquaint- ed with Mr. Mason than she dares to con- fess to her father. That for a month at least she and. he haveetaken the omnibus at the sena° time each evening, and that, without seeming to do so, she,Charlotte, has noticed his evident admiration for her, etc, "A fine affair, indeed," exclaims the astonished servant, all in a tremor of ex- citement. William Mason in his bachelor apart- ments, and, in a sentimental mood is gazing at the hand that his charming neighbor in the omnibus has touched while taking the card he gave her. Suddenly there comes a knock at the door, which opens abruptly. A large man, out of breath, his hat over his ears, his cane in his fist, enters unceremon- iously. "Sir," he exclaims, "to say the least of it your conduct is unworthy of a gentle- man. A gentleman does not take advent, age of the innocence, the inexperience, the artlessness, the embarrassment of a young girl. To profit by the absence of a father, and a pocket hook, to brutally offer to a young person who is alone, not only a dime, but a visiting card, may be a goocl investment, but it is very bad manners. But here is your dime, sir. My daughter and I wish nothing further to do with you." And the large man after perorating with much volubility, begins to search in his pockets; but before Mason, who is literally dumfounded, can utter a word, a new actor appears on the scene. It is the cabman, who comes in luriously, brandishing his whip, "This is fins! I tell you I will bring you here, and not wait for you, and you. accept th.e terms. You even. crier me to make haste, and when we arrive you shoot off like a zebra, as slippery as an. eel, without paying me, and calling out to me to wait. That won't go down, I tell you! I mean what I say. One trip means one trip and. nothing else. Come, hurry isp, if you please. I want my dol- lar, and be quick about it !" Mason does not understand; but the laree gentleman, who has precipitately dived into each pocket, then successively turned them all wrong side out, without appreciable result, grows pink and white, then crimson, then violet and now shades off into green—a rainbow in a silk hat and overcoat. "I have forgotten—my—pocket-book I" "That's an old. trick," roars the cab- man; "but you can't tell that to the police. It won't answer with me," and he prepares to seize the arm of the un- fortunate man, who, in despair, on the verge of apoplexy, meekly submits. But Yason, a veritable providence to the family, gives the cabman the necessary amount and orders him away. "Permit me," the young man says, with politeness, to the ex -merchant, who barely has strength to articulate. "Certainly, my dear sir, with pleasure, but give him only one dollar—not a cent more." The father of Miss Charlotte, who but recently could not understand that a person has not always an his pocket as much as a dime to pay in an omnibus, now admits that he is very hem- to have some one to advance the sum of a dollar to stop the mouth of a pitiless cabman. Thus, notwithstanding the diverse and unusual emotions he has just experienced it is with an almost gracious smile that he says to Mason.: "Sir, that naakes a dollar and. ten cents that I owe you, I believe. If yon will do me the pleasure of dining with inc this evening we will settle this little affeir, A mereliant does not like old debts -- besides, short reckonings make good friends." A quarter of an hour later Gertrude places an extra, plate at the table. It is still placed there every day for the next month, the engagement of Miss Charlotte Prineetown. and Mr. William Mason is announced, and the ex-merchent Still says to anyone who wee to listen: 'Never borrow, oh, ye fathers of fam- ilies, it costs too dear. 1 ones owed a, debt of a dollar and ten cents, and in order to pay it, I had not only to give away iny daughter, but $25,000 as 12er dowry, Aix only daaghter comprises the family of Mr. Peter Princeeown, a retired mer- chant and a widower. He is a very important man; and now, ai we behold him, in his dining -room, awaiting the arrival of his daughter, Charlotte' to begin dinner, his import- ance and.hunger have so overmastered him that he is holding his evening paper upside down, and probably thinks he is reading it. "Here, Gertrude," he snaps out at lab, addressing his servant, "take away the soup and keep it warm. I cannot under- stand what has detained Charlotte at her music lesson. Bring me my boots at once. I am going to meet her." Gertrude, stilltrembling, reinoves the souptureen, and is returning with the boots, when. the door bell peals out joy- ously. "That is Charlotte, at last," exclaims the father, who has just taken off his slippers. 'It is the young lady," repeats Ger- trade, who in her haste to open the door, drops the beets on her master's plate. Charlotte enterslike a miniature whirl- wind. She is small and Pereceful, with laughing eyes and fluffy hair ,• is eie,hteen years old'has little feet, with arched in- steps andpretty hands, perfectly gloved, besides, a thousand other charming de - bails; there are dimples in her cheeks, and she has a clean-cut little chin and a softly -rounded form. In it word, she is Six adorable little creature, a butterfly, all ribbons and lace, flowers and furbe- lows. "You have come' at last," announces the father, ironically, as he seats himself at the table and unfolds his napkin, "0, papa, I was just going to tell you I" "Sib clown, sit down first; you can ex- plain while eating, and I will understand you better then. Great heavens! I have waited long enough lready. Gertrade— the soup." "But, papa, you can't think! I've had a real adventure." "An adventure?" cries Mr. Prince - town, starting up in alarm. "Yes, papa, an adventure, in the omni- bus, with a young man." "In the omnibus with a young man? Great heavensl" At this jtmeture Gertrude discreetly re- tires, in obedience to an imperious ges- tux° from her master. "Oh, papa, an adventure with a young man who was altogether too nice, lessen, you." "I would. have you know, my dear, that a young man who is nice never has an adventure with a young lady—above ell, in an omnibus. Explain yourself." "Oh, it's a trifling matter, papa, and, really, it isn't of the least use to make such big nyes itt mo, and talk to me in such a valets, 1 had forgotton mny pock- etbook—a thing that is likely to happen any 'Oh, yes, yes--espeeially to those who haven't one. Go on," "1 didn'e discover it until, the epaulet - tor demanded tho fare. Whet was 1 to do? 1 dirned red as a peony, then I felt m7.fato pais. Happily as the conductor \held out his hand a young num at my The Shah of Persia is extremely fowl el children. On the occasion of his last visit to England he chancell to go down tc Brightonnatia thoso Who NVOTO esseire hled to do lum honor were greatly sur- prised to see him suddenly junip out of his oarriage, van down to the beech tma join, in a game most heartily whieh scene little onee wee playing,