Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

ROSE MORTIMER ; OR, ‘f Hush !’? *‘Ts she listening, do you think ? fainted.” “‘ Let’s drop the subject, anyhow, for the present.” They then rode on in silence for a short time. Presently the wheels crushed upon the gravel in a garden-path. Then the carriage came to a stand still. They were in front of a villa, in what appeared to be a suburb. Rose aroused herself and looked nervously round. ‘Where am I ?”’ she murmured. ‘“¢ You are quite safe,’’ the old man repeated. must get out here.” ‘‘ What house is this 2’? ‘¢ A hospital, where you will be well cared for.” ‘‘ But Iam not ill. Iam only ¢ little frightened and tired.” She strove to rouse herself as she spoke, and to stand without his assistance. But the effort was in vain. She would. have fallen, had not the young man caught her in his arms. Very gently then he carried her up the steps into the house, and laid her down upon a couch in a well- furnished room. The old man then unlocked a cheffonier, foi which he took out a decanter and a wineglass. Rose drank the wine he offered her, and felt greatly refreshed. The old man then offered her another, but this she refused. Presently she began to feel much better, but as she gradually recovered from the effects of her fright she began to be very uneasy. he wanted to go away from this house into which they had brought her ; but where was she to go to? She was not quite in a fit state to go into the streets. Withont the cloak which the young man had thrown round her, her dress, owing to the ravages of the flames, was extremely limited. However, she felt that she could not remain there, and presently, when she was strong enough, rose to her feet. “‘T must go now,”’ she said. “ Where to ?’”’ asked the old man blandly. ae To +to—”. But here she paused. Where, indeed? ‘* Where do you live ?”’ ‘“T—I don’t live anywhere, but—”’ * But what ?” “* T cannot remain here,” “Indeed !”’ ce No———2 = “T think you can. In fact, you must.’ ** Must 2?’ ‘““ Yes, young lady. Sit down and allow me to speak to you seriously.” He took hold of her wrist as he spoke e, and gently but firmly forced her into a seat. “* Now, young lady,” said the old me ea, ‘* you had better understand me at once.’”’ ** Ye-es.”” ‘We have brought you here to perform alittle part in a comedy in real life, which we are preparing.” ce Ye- -C8. ” “You will have to represent the character of a young gentleman. If you act well and we are success- a you will be very handsomely rewarded. If you ail—”? ** But if I refuse ?” ‘“‘Tt is no good refusing. We have brought you here on purpose, and you must and shall do what we desire. Besides, you would surely not he a fool to your own interest.” “But do I understand you that I am to act a part in a fraud ?”’ I fancy she’s c¢ We eee TKI OOS “You may understand it that way if you choose, but it is a very innocent fraud, and so I hope you will give us no trouble, because unless you consent—”’ Here he took her hand in his and gently caressed it. ‘Unless you consent,’? he repeated in soft low musical tones, “‘ we shall be compelled to do that which we shall sincerely regret.” Rose shudderingly crept back upon the seat. Although there was a sweet smile playing around his lips, there was a sinister glare in his eyes. Although his touch was soft as velvet, she felt that it was like the paw of a tiger, and that the claws were but hidden for a while. ‘Tf I do not agree ?”’ she gasped out involuntarily, eager, though dreading, to hear the worst. He bent low, so that his lips almost touched her ear, and hissed between his teeth, ‘* We shall kill you !” CHAPTER XVI. ANOTHER OF COUNT LERNO’S VICTIMS——A STRANGE SCENE IN THE GREEN-ROOM—THE MURDERED BEAUTY. ABOUT nine o’clock upon the same night that the scene occurred which is described in the preceding chapter a handsome brougham set down its occu- pants in front of the stage door of the Babylonian Theatre. One of these occupants was Count Lerno, the suc- cessful swindler, blackleg, and forger; the other was a young and beautiful woman, She was magnificently attired in the most costly silk, which rustled loudly as she entered the narrow passage leading to the Realms of Bliss, and the door- keeper bowed low to her as she passed. As she ascended the stairs she met Mr. Flathers, who was all smiles and graciousness, and he skipped briskly on one side to allow her to pass. . ‘The stairs are very dirty,’ he said. “‘ I must haye them looked to.” “‘Tt's time they were I am sure,”’ cried the beauty in a gay tone. ‘It’s perfectly unendurable what one has to put up with behind the scenes of a theatre.’’ “It shall be attended to,’’ said Mr. Flathers. She swept onwards without another word, and bent her steps towards the dressing-room. The carpenters touched their caps and shambled out of the way as she approached. 3 Some of the ballet-girls whom she met crepttimidly back, and, murmuring among themselves, looked eyilly after her. Arrived at one of the dressing-rooms, by far the best of all, an elderly female opened the door and bobbed a timid courtsey. *‘ Now then,” exclaimed the beauty, ‘be quick if you please—that is, if youcan. Is my dress ready ? Have you altered it as I directed ?”’ ** Yos, madam.” “* Let me look.”’ “Tt is here, madam.” ‘It’s horrible. It must be undone again. to pieces at once.” ** But madam, it is so late, and—”’ ** Well, leave it. However, you shall do it to-night before you go to bed, and bring it to me the first thing in the morning. Then I can have it altered during the day if you make any more mistakes.”’ The elderly female hnmbly bowed her head, and busied herself to the utmost with the beauty’s toilet. When she was attired, and stood looking at herself in the glass, her beauty was so dazzling that even the sewing woman, so accustomed to see her, could not Pull it