Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

Hae a it cn 102 ROS MORTIMER } OR; - i The individual cast for the chamois hunter had been fetched at the last moment from the public- house opposite, and had not time to dress. He had slipped on a little jacket with an infinitesi- mal tail, and wore a comical hat all over garters, but his lower members were still garnished with a greasy pair of very loud check trousers. ‘‘T say, now, Glanville Perey,” cried Chowler in disgust. ‘¢ What now, my trump 2”’ * “Do you imagine that the make up is good?” ‘** Not, J.% ‘‘ Glanville Percy, you’re beery.”’ Mr. Glanville Percy repudiated the slander most scornfully. ‘* Go on,’’ said Chowler. Mr. Glanville Percy threw himself into attitude upon a long hunting spear and commenced— ‘The sun which sinks in yonder blood-red sky may never rise again.”” ‘‘Oh! confound it, Glanville Percy, drop it; please stick to the text,’’ cried Chowler. ‘*So [ do.” ** You don’t, sir.” ‘‘T do, and Ican show you my part, if you choose to doubt my word.”’ ‘¢Then there’s a mistake in it.’’ ‘‘ Which is yours, ha! ha! not mine, ha! ha!” ‘‘ Well, but you should have understood thatit was an error.”’ ‘*T’m not bound to do that.” ‘© You areé.”’ ‘Why, hang it! Chowler,”’ said Mr. Glanville Perey, “you only told me a moment ago that I was to stick tothe text.” ‘‘ Now, Glanville Percy, you take refuge in a base subterfuge.” A row ensued, which the company had great diffi- culty in quelling. However, the rehearsal at length was got over and Rose Mortimer made a very favourable impression upon all—that is, those who were not too jealous of her to see any merits in her person or performance. As soon as the rehearsal was over Mr. Chowler begged to speak with Miss Rose Mortimer in ‘ the Treasury.” This was a wretched little shed which served for a variety of purposes. It was a weakness of Chowler’s in the profession to dignify everything with a grand name. Rose thought that the approaching business was the salary she was to receive. . ““ Well, my dear Miss Mortimer,” said the manager, *“T cannot really express my delight at seeing you here this morning.”’ ‘“ You are going to complain of my being late,” said Rose. cP No.0: “‘T know that it was wrong.’’ ** Not. at all.” ‘* But the first morning, and I should have been here in time but for an eyent—’’ ** But pardon me. You were in excellent time, Miss Mortimer.”’ ‘An event,’? continued Rose, ‘ which forms a strange and mysterious sequel to the awful doings of which we were both witnesses last night.” Chowler shivered. ‘‘ What do you mean ?’’ ‘* A blow has been struck at the inn which was in- tended for me I fear.’’ ‘You speak in riddles.” “You remember the hostess, the young and fresh~- coloured landlady there ?” Yeo" ‘* She has disappeared.” Chowler sprang up. “What ?” “‘ Gone—disappeared—leaving but very little trace bebind her.” ‘Then it was she—”’ He stopped short. *‘ What ?” asked Rose. ** Nothing,” Chowler was in a pickle now. He dared not speak, lest his motives for keeping silent hitherto might look strange. ‘“But what do you mean, my dear Miss Mortimer, by saying that this blow was intended for yourself?” *“ So it seems to me.” ‘ But why ? How?” ‘‘ She has been carried off.” ** Yes, yes.” Rose looked rather astonished at the coolness with which he learnt this. ‘“‘ Yes, yes,’ said Chowler, in an unguarded momont. ‘‘ From her bedroom window.” ‘‘ Why, how do you know that?” ‘¢T—oh, no, no, no. Of course I know nothing. I merely hazarded a conjecture.” ‘You are most singularly correct, then,” said Rose Mortimer, “‘ Indeed ?” ‘Ay. After you left us last night did you hear a noise ?’” (GA cry!?7? 74 Yes.” ‘“‘ Certainly,’ said Chowler. ‘‘ It was I who cried out.”’ “Vou?” “Yes. I saw some ill-looking villains and the woman whom we had previously seen in the garden bring a ladder to your window.”’ ‘Great Heavens !’’ ejaculated Rose. ‘ It is, then, really as I supposed.’’ “Well, I couldn’t attack the lot, so I gave an alarm,” ** And then ?” ‘‘ They fled.’” ‘You must have been mistaken.” ** How so ?”? : *‘ Listen. Just after you had gone last night, and I had got to my room, Mrs. Dayis, the landlady, came to my door, and begged me to allow her to leave open a door which communicated from one room to the other. Her husband, who is a cattle dealer, had gone to the nearest market town, aud would not be back till morning, and she was rather timid of sleeping alone. I consented. Then, after I had retired, ex- tinguished my light, and begun to doze, I was awakened by Mrs. Davis, who came in a great fright. She had heard a scream outside.” ** My scream,” said Chowler. “Yes. I hadn’t heard it, but she insisted that a scream had been heard, and she looked out of window, and kept me awake when I was much in need of rest.’’ ‘No doubt.” ‘Well, at length we both got to sleep again, and suddenly I awoke with a start.” “Yes.” ‘**T fancied that Z had heard a scream this time,” “Yes, yes,” said Chowler, with growing excite- ment and interest. “So I called out to Mrs. Davis, asking her what was the matter. No reply came. I therefore sup- posed that she slept, that what I had heard was a dream, and I slept again until morning.” “ec Yes,”’ “In the morning Mrs. Davis was missing. She had left her bedroom—not by the door, for it was fastened upon the inside. The window was open, and COnnlicloooks. conn