Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 57: what you’re looking at

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THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. 51 The other woman shuddered slightly. ““T myself have taken care that none of the linen I came in should bear any mark by which it might be known. You, too, L suppose have taken care ?’’ “¥es7 @ ‘* Shall we see to the arms, then ?”’ “If you please.”’ The safest and most satisfactory method would be, I think, for each to load her own pistol.”’ ce Yes.” At this point of the conversation Clara beckoned to Edgar Deville, and he bought forward the box con- taining the arms and ammunition. If was a strange and marvellous sight to see this woman handling the deadly weapon, carefully and coolly charging it as though it were but a mere play- thing. The other followed her example, but with some slight traces of agitation about her pale and faltering fingers. ‘* My mistress is very marvellous,’ thought Edgar. ‘* A plucky one, too, and no mistake. I shall back her as the conqueror. But the other poor girl! It’s an awful shame—in fact, I’m not quite certain that it isn’t murder.” He had gone through so much lately that he had got to be not over squeamish. “Tt is a fair fight,’’ he persuaded himself; ‘‘ and thongh duelling has gone out of fashion, and particu- larly duelling among ladies, still it’s all fair enough.” He comforted himself this way as well as he could, and thought no more about the moral side of the matter. He had plenty to occupy his attention in watching the arrangements. The other lady’s groom, too, somewhat excited his curiosity. A youthful groom, without any sign of beard or whisker. A groom whose back hair was rather peculiarly ar- ranged, as though it were so long that he was obliged to turn the ends up and plant his hat securely on his head to keep it straight. Still more noticeable, a groom with very soft hands! and last of all, and strangest of all, with a plain gold ring on the third finger of his left hand. Under these circumstances, and taking all these peculiarities into consideration, Edgar Deville began to have some slight doubts whether it was not also this person’s first appearance in the character of a groom. *¢ And what was he in his last place, I wonder ?” thought Edgar. ‘* Hardly anything in the coining way, I should think. What could he have been, unless— unless, to be sure, he was a lady’s maid ?” The preparations were by this time completed. The two ladies dismounted, and gave their horses to their grooms. Then they chose their ground, took their positions, and presented their pistols at each other, with what seemed to Edgar Deville to be a very careful aim. * You give the word,” said Clara. Her antagonist nodded. A moment afterwards she said, ‘‘ Fire.’ At the same instant she discharged her pistol. instant afterwards Clara fired hers. Then, with a shrill cry, her antagonist fell to the ground. At the sight Edgar Deville sprang forward to assist her, but his mistress laid her hand gently but firmly upon his arm, ce Stay.” He looked at her in amazement. ‘‘ Am not I—” he stammered. “ No,’’ she answered. ‘‘ There is no need of your help. She does not require it.” ** But—but—” An The female groom, stooping over the lady’s prostrate form, at this moment uttered a loud exclamation of terror. ‘* She is dead,” she cried. ““T told you so,” observed Clara, with a fiendish smile. ‘< Now assist me into the saddle.” Edgar did as he was ordered, moving as though he were in a dream. The other groom, stooping over the body of her mis- tress, now turned, and, pointing her finger at Clara, said— **Your secret is safe withme, madam. You may feel certain that justice will not reach you by anything that I shall say of tnis morning’s work, but God’s vengeance will follow you sooner or later. That you cannot escape.” Clara laughed and tossed her head, and then, ap- plying her whip, rode slowly away. Edgar lingered for a moment, and then followed her. ‘‘ I beg your pardon, madam,”’ he said, as he ap- proached her, ‘‘ are we to leave her thus 2” ** What would you do?”’ This, however, Edgar had a difficulty in finding an answer for. ‘¢ You are not desirous, I suppose, of getting hanged on her account ?”’ They rode on silently after this. They reached the cottage again in about half an hour, and the poacher-looking man came out to meet them. ““My servant will stay with you, Joe, for a few hours,”? she said. ‘*‘ You will see that he wants for nothing. Do you hear? Look after him.” The man nodded, and then Clara, with a smile and a wave of the hand, rode away. Deville followed the man into the house, wondering what was going to happen next. He little dreamt, however, what was coming. He felt rather cold, and stooped over the fire to warm his hands. Suddenly, however, he was clutched round the throat. He exerted himself and struck out, but could not rid himself of his assailant. The poacher had ‘ put on the hug.” He hugged so hard that Edgar felt himself suffoca- ting. The blood rushed into his face. His eyes seemed starting from his head. At last he became unconscious. When he recovered he was lying on his back on a very dirty mattress in a damp room, something like a back kitchen. Trying toraise his hand to his aching head, he was astonished to find that his wrists were in handcuffs. ‘“ What is going to happen to me now ?”’ he asked himself, and in spite of his sufferings he could not re- frain from a faint smile. S CHAPTER XX. CLARA AND THE COUNT—-THE JEWELS—-THE ‘BEAUTIFUL FIEND’’—THE SECRET HIDING- PLACE—THE HORRIBLE DOOM. For a time, leaving that question unanswered, we must follow the fortunes of the murdress, for we have some explanations to make before we can return to our heroine, Rose Mortimer, whose part in the strange and exciting plot now hatching it would be difficultto render intelligible to our readers without first unrolling before them something more of the lives of those who are also to play a part in the tragedy. CoOMmicooo® SaGO