Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

MONSIEUR MERLE, THE WIZARD. 89 the hotel proprietors, who being business men are not disposed to look at such matters from a romantic or sympathetic standpoint, so that he will have a neat bill to settle. Last of all, and most difficult of accomplishment, is the task of keeping his name out of the papers. The incident is bound to be given a prominent notice, and Guy will be lucky indeed if he can, by a liberal use of cold cash, suppress names. So Bob washes his hands of the affair, though he can never forget it. His admiration for the young gitl is on the increase, and from time to time he gently claps his hands and mutters, ‘‘bravo’’ as, in imagination, he can see her resolutely reminding Cousin Guy that it is not always safe to believe that because a girl is lively by nature and quite unpro- tected, she can be insulted with impunity. Some one pulls at his sleeve, and turning he dis- covers Monsieur Merle, his wrinkled face wreathed in a smile, and his sage little head nodding after his peculiar style. , “Tt was grand—magnificent!’’ he says, with an attitude of intense admiration. ‘CAh! you saw the little performance, then ?’’ says Bob, with a grin. “T take itallin. I know zat Mr. Guy, and I be- lieve he got his deserts for once. Ah! not for worlds would I this hour exchange places with him,’’ gabbles the French lawyer. . | ‘You don’t know what it was all about ?’’ for Bob has even suspected that these two are in league against Gypsy Gordon. C(O) /LAL —_) Gomicbookss