Life — October 27, 1898 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

326 laugh. ‘‘ Where did you get that idea?” I demanded. “Not so very far away,” replied Kitty, hurling a lump of sugar at me, and skillfully landing it in my coffee. That pleased me, because, while a good portion of the berry-brown nectar got in my hair and eyes, and on my shirt front, considerably more spread itself over the tablecloth. “Thank you,” said [, sweetly; “1 wanted another lump.” I stirred my coffee a moment, tasted it reflectively, and went on: ** While I was regarding this woman, who looked Frenchy, and trying torecall where I had seen her before, a man, who was French, came in and scated himself at the table directly before me, thereby facing her. “I recognized him as acertain man- about-town of unsavory repute. He is what might be termed a low high-roller, and it made me sad to sce him seat him- self there and stare at that poor girl.” “LT suppose it did,” remarked Kitty; “he must have interfered with your view.” “Dear, don’t interrupt so.” “T don’t think this is a funny story, anyway.” Kitty was beginning to light dangerous fires in those big brown eyes of hers. “Wait! I’m coming to that. This quaint restaurant of old Pierre's is crowded at noon, and these two late- comers had to wait their turns to give their orders, My Lady of the Veil studied the menu, and the low high- roller studied My Lady. I studied them both, “Presently, things began to develop. My nearest neighbor drew forth a silver card-case and a gold pencil, selected a card, and wrote several words thereon. Then he caught the eye of old Pierre, at about the same time old Pierre's eye caught the glint of a half-dollar, and that aged rascal chicken-footed it over to him, received the card and the coin, put the latter in his pocket, and the former upon the table before My Lady of the Veil. Then he fled. “The girl glanced from the menu to the card, read it, looked up, and caught my eye! I knew that, because I was sitting to one side of the old sinner before me, and she turned her head squarely in my direction. “Then she looked down again—rather LIF E> quickly, I thought. Kitty, look out! Don’t throw that fork; you'll break the clock!" Kitty hesitated a moment, and then abandoned the contemplated bombard- ment. “Go on, you brute!” she said. “Thanks! For a wonder, My Lady of the Veil had a pencil in her purse, and she dug it forth, and then she also wrote something upon the card, Then the son of Pierre appearing, with the in- tention of making bis customary an- nouncement of the immediate arrival of “That aged rascal." my luncheon if I would only exercise a little patience, she beckoned him to her, “The son of Pierre arrived with a wonderful bow, and listened attentively to some low French-spoken directions, Then he stealthily pounced upon the card and straightway brought it to me, sneaking it into my hand as if it were a bomb, and almost hissing, ‘ Pour cous, monsieur /* “** Are you sure?’ I asked, bewildered, *** Certainment, monsicur /* exclaimed the son of Pierre, with an injured shrug. Then he also fled. “T glanced at the much-traveled card. “It was a visiting card, with the wicked low high-roller’s name engraved upon It, and above the name was written in a man’s band, ‘May I join you at luncheon, mademoiselle?? and beneath, in a woman’s hand—which struck me as being disguised—‘ Certainly, monsieur.’ “I turned the card about, puzzled. Why had it been returned to me? “Glancing up, I received a nod, and, I have no doubt, a smile from My Lady of the Veil, who was staring dircctly at me. “Then I looked at the owner of the card. He was squirming about in his chair like an impatient schoolboy, trying violently, but vainly, to catch his fair neighbor's eye, ‘And then the key flashed upon me, and I almost choked with the laugh 1 bad to smother in my throat. «Evidently My Lady of the Veil had not seen the Frenchman write the card, but, catching my eye when she looked up after reading it, had mistaken me for the sender. * Now, Kitty, don’t forget that you are alady. I knew you would applaud me for giving that old reprobate a lesson and the girl a bit of good advice, so I promptly arose and stepped to the table by the window, and sat down with my back to the Frenchman, facing My Lady of the Veil. I heard the French- man gasp.” Pausing there to consider any remarks Kitty might have to make, I heard her gasp also, and so I hastened on, It isa treat to hear Kitty gasp, ordinarily, be- cause her gasp is very delicious. But now there seemed to be certain omi- nous forebodings intermingled with its music. ‘Pierre's son always brought me sufficient luncheon for two,” I con- tinued, hurriedly; ‘tand so, when he eventually came, I divided with My Lady of the Veil. I had hoped that when she began to eat she would remove her spider-web mask, and reveal whether or not her features were in keeping with her voice, which was very sweet. But she only raised the veil to the level of her upper lip. I saw that her mouth and chin were very lovely.” I glanced at Kitty under my lashes. She was trying hard to frown, but, strange to say, a merry smile pre- dominated!