The Brussels Post, 1888-6-8, Page 71
,)UNI; 8, 1888
JEST
ti 'T1 stead excitedly; lied 21e' ranted for 1110
�� � � L hat,
THE 131- USSELS POST 7
;.u:':SL:.Y'^> .v. ,.. ... _ '. 4�'CiDIX'rVSlNlI&.r7A'Nd4A`.11G,:d�.M"+ii:7^J"5+17Fi'&1S:"t[C'iII ��$'SE`"'v,�`••••�•-••..•. .•'.,. _, 371LYIR4tR.6GSi�.Ji'-�,�„'3
.7iy ].'..z". .-BOE
r .. A120001( e1
" newrrens (1rexim MVAY," " 001''x1150
A einIS 1UT 1101111, ' 1:00,
'Le ceetl'ava(g(111t, for wllatovor light illy
face hag is but the rollea11101 of your
k!uducss,"
'I hope you do not moan to sngges11
that you have ally tendency toward
mooning 1' "
Mooning' is the indulgouco of sickly
•outiix'1)11 is it not --a diluted moonlight
kind of feeling?"
" Very well dcfrlled. Docs exporiouco
et) you such accuracy?" said Lottie,
laughingly,
• " 1 can honestly say No; and most
surely not in your case.
" 1111. glad to hear it," said Lottie,
blushing at his earnestness. " I should
110 sorry to t'hiuk that cold, diluted.
moonlight was the type of any of my
lr2c11r1., regard."
" You may rest assure(!," ho OCII)Iied
ilupulsivaly, "there is nothing 'cold or
diluted' in any regard for you-"
Thcr1 is the snppor-bell, ' hlterrnptccl
Lottie hastily.
o What aro you looking MO" aslcecl
Do Ft:n est, nucasihy noting the fact of
1111010 ste(nliug together within the sha-
dowy curtains, 1Io had just descended
from the toilotto which, 1011111 him, was
a necessity before each ureal.
"Mr. l-lomstend has seen a light upon
the river, Hud bodes from it soma vague
danger to 1(0150 vague imloliuito people.
Coit, Mr. ilomstond, coma away, or
holo!'- ,"n 1411011 it you will be off on
the Quixotic attempt to rescue what
uncle calls a ' hardy wator-rat,' that all
the water of the river could not drown."
" 011, 1 1400," sneered Do Forrest ;
" Mo. lIcnlstcad wishes to got cheaply,
standing Hero within and in good com-
pany, tho credit of lacing willing to at.
tempt a perilous 0080110."
" YDn 111'0 jumping to conolusious very
rapidly, Julien, and not very ch lit
able
ones other," said Lottio reproachfully.
" Como, lir. De Forrest," said Ifom-
ete:4d quietly," we will test this question
of the cheapness. I will go with you to
illve::tigatc that light."
" Aiausenee," replied the exquisite.
As !Miss Marsden suggested, Don
Quixote may bo your model knight, but
he is not inane,"
"(Nowldidn't suggest any snob. thing,"
said Lottie, decidedly vexed.
" Come, young people, tea is waiting,"
called AIrs, Dfarchmout.
"Well, I did," said De Forrest to
Dottie, aside ; " and what's more, 1 be.
liar() it's true," and he placed her re-
luctant band upon his aim, and drew
her to the supper -room.
But Llenlstead lingered a moment to
watch Chu light, With ineroasing nu -
00s111088. In his silent abstraction ab
tho table it was evident to Lottio that
his mind was dwelling upon Cho problem
of tile mysterious glimmer far out upon
tho river. Moro tho meal was over he
abruptly excused himself, but soon re-
turned as if relieved, and said:
" ft is no more to bo soon."
"I told yon how it was," said lir,
Dhunlerly. "'1'1101na11 floated drown 1144
far as he willed, and now has palled
ashore.
The explanation fully satisfied the
rest, andsoandocl plausibly to Ilomstoad ;
and the evening promised to pass
quietly and unevontiully away. - Mrs.
Me relimont's parlor was a picture of cosy
ohs; --. Belle and Addie with hor
ln011ler and unelo, played a game of
whist at ono table ; while Holstead in
sub:h eel tones read the latost magazine
at anotllur. Du Forrest was half -dozing
in his chair, for 1110 articlo 14115 rather
beyoml 111111; and whilo Lottio's fair
face was very thoughtful, it might bo
questioned whether the tllonglit was
50(1(1141111 by the reader or by what he
reads. But ehlu art:o10 was finished, and
for tho relief of ehango, Honiotmd
paced the room for a few moments, and
then' 1ia1! ti mlessly wc11t to the window
ami 1• 1 d cit toward tho river, His
abrupt exolanlatioln startled them all.
r, '1' u t o d that light again 1"
A u., 3) ..:m later he stood, bare.leaded,
out ou tho piazza, straining his 0y073 oft
into 1113 darkness.
" I fool impressed that tlldro is some-
thing wrong -that some One is in don -
ger,' hc, Said to Lottio, who had followed
1111 ,
. You will tako cold stlul(i111 thole
ll -(ho ash year hat," sho said.
"�. Ni;l you. Whom is your hat
that yon should talk pradenco to mo?"
1411t the others 100140 1110r0 thoughtful
of ti+en) f !vee, and wore 10011 wrapped
and 1aot.t.11d as they now also came
out upon the e I na'!,za.
l
" Well, it is a littlo queer," said i1Ir•.
Di1111110r1y.
" I supipso some 0130 Might to go (incl
am what it n10101s," said Bello hesitat-
ingly. " But thenthero aro those better
able to go than any ono from helve."
" i u,j11 1" said Hemstoa1L
Far and faint there seomed to coluo a
• cry for help across the darkness.
'?:hat is enough," 110 001011; " somo
ono is 111 distress and danger. 00150
Mr. Do Forrest. Tho 01(50 1105 lost all
its Qunotic olononts, and you may
110W on1111ate Cho Chevalier Bayard bili'
self," •
" 011, please don't.go, gentlemen,"
Cried Lottie. " Sao, ho night is very
dark, tho wind is rising; the wator
must bo very lough. You may just
throw away your Own lives 111 the ya111
attonli,)11 to savo uttor strangers."
"1111ss Marsden is corroct," said Do
Forrost, as if goodly volleyed. "'Cha
itttompt is pet fec111y foolhardy, and I can
not a foal. If some one is i11 a boat
that is fast in Lilo leo, he has only a fow
mora miles to drift, before coming oppo-
sito a largo town, whore tler'o aro many
bettor able to help then Wo ales"
"Hush 1" oriocd Ilomsteacl, "do you
hear that?"
Faint and fax away, as al:ospol1so to
Do Forrest's words, 0am0 again mora
ol'oarly tie cry for help.
That 18 plough," again sant Heim -
Lottlq laid hoe baud upon his arm,
and Haid with dooming oarnostnees
" Surely, Mr, Homstoacl, you will not
ho guilty of bbo folly of going alone upon
such a deeperate attempt as this ?"
"I surely will; and you surprise mo
(greatly that you seals to dilain me," ho
Holl, almost stonily,
"But you alone can flu nothiug."
"AHI am a luau 111111 try, Whore
can I got the koy of the boat-11ouoo?"
" If the young goutloulau will, go I
will go with him," eaicl a voice from the
darkness beyond tho piazza, and which
111oy recognized as that of Mre, March.
moat's c0aclnnan ; f, l'vm been to sea in
my day, and am not afraid of a littlo
water, salt or frooh."
"Well said, my line follow. I'1l bo
with you at once," cried lfemstead,
"I've got the key of tho boat-1lonso, a
lantern, and an axe to cut the ice, so
you have only to put on your coat and
slat."
" There," said IIcrostead to Lottie, '•a
way is provided already. flow could
you wish to keep mo back ?" and with.
out wolthlg for un nuswor ho hastily
seized hie slat and coat from the hall
rack.
But before ho could spring dotl-11 the
piazze, steps oho again stopped him a
mon1o11t, as she said, in a low, husky
tone:
"I (1111 not -wish to detail], but to tut
you. I wish you toga. I am 110011 of
you, though my heart trembles at your
peril, But you shall not go till you aro
protected and equipped. See, your !lands
are bare; they will become numb, and
so, useless. Where aro your gloves ?
Tho winch will carry your hat away.
IIere, you shall be m knight on this
occasion, and if you will, may 'wear my
colors ;" and sho snatched the ribbon
from. her hair, and tied his hat firmly
down.
In a low, thrillii `g tone, meant only
for her, he said, Now you aro the
Lottie of any ideal; now you aro your-
self again, and your words have given
mo tenfold my former courage and
strength. Good-byo," and ere sho was
aware be had seized her hang n'
pressed 11
11d a kiss upon it, in true, old,
knightly style.
" God bring you back safely," oleo
said, with a quick sob.
Heavou hoard the prayer, he dlcl not
-for he was off with a boned; and the
darkness swallowed him. up as he fol.
lowed tho stout-hearted ex -sailor.
Lottie stood wile'° h° loft her, alt-
lonsoious that the wintry wind was
blowing hoe unconfined !lair wildly
about.
"Aliss Lottie," said Do Forrest, op.
proachi ng hor humbly.
She raised Lor hand deprecatingly.
]Iaally, Miss Lottie," he ',misted.
"I would have gono if you had wished
10 to."
"Hark!" sho said in a low tons.
"Cau you hear them?"
Lynx -eyed Boldo, stamllnng unnoticed
in tho shadow, had witneseed and com-
mealleuded the scene more folly than
the others, and speedily brought Lottie
to ler otmeeS by solnspariug iu her ear;
" Colne, don't make a gooso of y eur-
solf. If Mr, homstead is your kni.r'llt,
he has not gone to fight a dragon, but to
row a boat, and resell° a fisherman in
axil probability. Your hair is down and
blowing about your eyes, and you look
liko a guy generally."
Even Lottie, iu hor high -wrought
state, was not Proof against such bald
prose as this, and sho turned and has'
tolled to her room.
Belle followed, proposing now, at last,
to open Lottio's oyes to her folly. Her
fist words of wisdom were, as Lottio,
with wet oyes, stood binding up hor
hair:
" What a fool yon ace bogbnling to
mako of yourself over this Western stu-
dout 1"
"I-Iush 1" said Lottie, imporiously.
" Thoro it is again, loll haven't
been yourself since ho canoe. If' your
mother know what was going on-"
Bello," said Lottie, 111 a tone that
quite startled that nervous young lady,
" do you value any friendship at all?"
" Cortaiuly, and that is why I wish to
pr0vallt you train drifting into trouble;
and We not right for you to get him
I11tU-"
Lottio's warning gcsturo was so em-
phatic that Belle pausod.
" Has it ever occurred to you," Lottio
continued, in a tape that Belle never
heard her use before, " that I am not a
child, and that you aro not my natural
guardian? Not auother word, ploaso,
about Mr. Ilc.nlstead, or Wo aro Aran -
gels;" awl she quietly finished 1101
toilet and loft Cho room.
Sha had hardly voachcd the lower
hall bulore there 106 a furious ring at
the dour. Before it could he:wooed Air.
Harcourt burst in, and called:
Whero is Mr. e, d • "
I IU1I14 l 4 ?
At 11,0 first sound of his vole() Addio
rushed out and clung to his arm, crying
hystorically
" What is tho matter?"
IIo drew book with an impatieneo
akin to disgust, and repeated his ques-
tion :
Whore is Mr, IIo n
1 stead? Why
don't some ono voila leak?"
" Mr. I•Iaraomt," sdticlAlrs,lllarcLmout
in offended dignity, "I think••vonmight,
at loast, havo answered' Acldio's ques-
tion and told uth
s what e troublo 1s."
I.toublo enough, God !enema. Mr,
and Miss Martellellavo been caught in
the ice, out iu au opou boat, for house,
Do you Nee that light thol:o? Good
heavons 1 therois nnothor light shoot-
ing out toward
"Yes," coded Lottio, in a sudden
.oestasy of delight, "tllero goon my
bravo, true knight to the rescue, and he
will savo thorn, too 1 so0 holy ho gains
upon delal. That is Mr. llomstoad's
voieo, I; know it well. 1-.[o is 81(outbtg
auooucageiuont t0 them. hear tho
feo1la answering cry."
' 'Chat's a woman's voieo," Harcourt
oriad attar listening a moment as if his
life clepondoclol Whatlro heard, "Thank
God she hoe' not porishod with .cold,"
and be dashod away toward tho livor
hank.
,\:Uhie and her 111(111101 looked ab each
Oboe. ?'hay too, as thio coachman had
been, 101'° struck with 311•. 1lariou't's
choice of pronouns.
But Cho _prudent lady slid not forget
hursclf or !her fluty a moment, Silo
)made them all c01110 in from 1110 bleak
piazza, and had the light turned clown
111 the parlor, so that they could seo
through sho window just as well -a
more comfortable poiut of obs0reatiou.
But, Do Forrest (pito osto116ali0usly
nu1111cc111imself lip to 1(143 eyes that ho
might go down Incl " 1101p."
Approaching timidly, lio said to
Dottie as she stood at tho window:
"(wan yon 110t talc° another knight
into your service this evening'?"
" (211, yes, Julian," she replied good
uatnrodly, "a regiment in (4c good a
cause as true. Hasten to Cho shorn.
You may bo of some possible help ;" and
with agesturo of dismission, silo turned
again to hor watch.
1)o .1'01r1st slowly departed, feeling
that this was a very different farowoll
from that 110stowe(1 on lIcnlstcad, cl
10311011 ho had eang1111 an aggravating
glimpse.
Whilst tho Where wore eagerly taut -
in(; and surmising, and the servants
hustling about, prepare;;,;