Beadle's Dime Library No. 211 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

+ «the youn ee ee he reached there the hack was halted, and he watched the few riders coming out to go home by the Boulevard, till he saw the black riding habit for which he was loo Miss Fanny cantered out much more rapia y than she had entered, and the colonel said: “Drive after that lady and on near her.” Jehu winked and obeyed, so that very soon meres his horses’ heads were abreast of Billy who turned round with: Da pe a-goin’ to, stoopid? Don’t ye know nothin i ——— sight of the colonel’s face the 2 yt ~ back to the wheel and the other - At Paine, Billee, at de Hotel Brunswick. I will be dere.” Billy nodded and grinned. ** All right, boss. I'll be there too.” Then he dashed on after his young lady, who inquired rather severely: What were you doing, Billy, with the per- son in that carriage?” “T was a-tellin’ bim, miss, he’d better be keerful, a-tryin’ to run over me,” said Billy, with dignity She emailed. faintly. “Why, you little fellow, did you think you could terrify him?” **Guess he'll haul in his h rns, miss,” was the serene answer. ‘ He’s a-dr ppin off now. See if he ain't.” F yg ae ee lady glanced back over her shoul- saw the back draw into the line of ve- icles, so she said no more but rode home in silence, her face showing pl-inly that she was in decided ill-temper. She had, in fact, ridden o st to the Park on pu to meet Frank, and rveeting him in the ride acco en by such a ‘ loud? conga had shocked her sense of delicacy extremely that the quarrel initiated by Ler father the ley before on the Grand Stand wa. already widened and deepened to a gulf of formidable size. Billy Boots, astute and observant, saw the whole scene and cogitated ove) it as he followed | his young mistress, but said not a word to any one about it. Meantime the colonel drove off down town a few blocks, where he paid aid dismissed bis hack and then proceeded to his lodgin he took breakfast, after which 'e strol ed off to | the Hotel Brunswick, where h:- took a seat in the lobby, calmly observant of éverything. OLONE JN ESN 74 — r runger. — , where | - Heasvertained from inquiry .t the office that | Frank Noble had not yet returred from bis ride | in the Park, and the a stru ck nine with no ns yet of the young ma en the colonel saw the ‘for n of little Billy Boots approaching hoes and tae boy took his seat beside him, i ge ‘ Here I am, boss. hat is it?’ * Don’t appear to notice me, Billy,” said the | ee i io ow voice, staring * Boas, opposite going inte the ollow me mie ae ut take + seat. Then come up and sit beside me,’ ' Billy nodded ae the colonel went slowly out. CHAFTER VII. THE COUNTESS. At the door of «nother hotel not very far away a lady and ;s,entleman were dismounting at the time the col vnel went out into the Madi- son Square park. The lady’s horse, a full thoroughbred, was all sovered with fcam, as if it had been ridden bard, and the yentleman’s steed was also reek- ing, while the cider looked flurried and disor- de as if not used tosuch rapid work. The lady, however. who worea seen 4 ee | habit, was as cool as a cucuraber jumpe off ber horse alone before her ronan could dismount to help ber, crying: “Ah, maludroit! You are too slow. ® you two, t’ree lesson. Pet us to breakfast. pbonse?” she threw him her horse’s bridle, saying: “Take him to the stable, Alphonse, and the horse of monsieur also. Allons,” Then she slipped Frank Noble, without giving bim time to ex- | | - a | her arm through that of | forevaire. tulate, and hurried him into the hotel, talk- | ing all the way in a mixture of French and | with a profusion of nuds and shrugs | Not only was she beautiful, but there was a dash about her such as fairly dazed him. He did not know what to make of it, and attributed it in his innocence to foreign manners; for he had so recently inherited bis wealth and had lived in so simple a way before that he had act- ually never been to Europe Madame St. Aure, for alt that she was very small and slender, looked tall and seemed to be uncommonly ye and wiry, ee the way in which she es orced him ares She led him into a large an te ‘furnished suite of apartments, where there were two or three ple chatting together in French, and these she scattered with a hasty exclamation in her own tongue which he did not understand, and which sounded to him more like Spanish. They scudded away, all but a neat French maid, to whom she said: “Go order breakfast for two, Francoise. This gentleman will remain for the ‘present. 2 Then Francoise vanished and the countess continued familiarly to Frank: “*Come, mon gars, what you think of me in my own home?” I think you’re charming anywhere,” was the oe pr man’s answer, at which she only anne 8 d and sbrug gged her ‘shoulders, crying: Tiens, you don’t know how to compliment like my pier Fo pn You sould draw u om our fee me nd say wid a low adame is charming in all place but in sone so charming as dis.” Frank smiled and did as she nano 1 when ve him a playful cut with ber wh 5 b, dat is bettaire, but you cannot bow in de way of gentilhomme. Come, I s’all gif you lesson all day. Monsieur Crooke he tell me you she jeune homme tres riche. You must be educate to spend de money in de grand mannaire, like de duke of ma belle France. Ahca! I s’all make you un homme distingue in t’ree mont’, you let me.” ‘I’m sure I shall be poor 3 grateful,” said Frank, a little doubtfully, and not quite know- | ing how to take this strange countess, who had such wonderfully free manners, ‘* Bon,” she answered, slapping him again on the shoulder, “then you sh : conon out wid me every morning after dis. is first of all absolument necessaire dat ~ ride bettaire. Eh, mon dieu, you vas afraid of de horse.” Frank colored up angrily, retorting. ‘‘T learned to ride in the academy, and the master called me one of bis most promising | pupils, madame.” he laughed merrily. “Eh, mon dieu, de academie! Vat academie?” ‘Why, the riding academy, of course.” ‘* Mon pauvre gars; you cannot ride at all, I | tell you. Come, I vill teach ou, Ve vill ride togeder. I tell you I have ride wid de Impera- trice of Autriche, to de hound re Europe, and [ say you know noting. But you s’all learn, you s’all learn, mon gars. Aha! voila dejeuner—de breakfast. Now ve s’all have good appetite. Come.” And he found himself sitting down to break- fast with this singular person, whom he had never met before, talking away to ber as if ay were old friends, the conversation ra sepals tak- ing a tenderer turn under the influence of champagne, for this ticularly fast countess had wine for breakfast, and a regular feast spread, and took to cigarettes afterward as ag = Sete as any Spaniard How it happened he hardly knew, but the morning went past like a dream, and the clock on the mantlepiece struck twelve, when he found himself sitting by the countess on the sofa, while she was arranging a flower in his buttonhole, and she laughed gayly at his look 3 Beebe and dismay, as he noted the lapse of Vat vas dat? T must en “T really beg your pardon, countess, ’'d no Come, 1 amfamish, idea it was so late,” be stammered, and then Hola! vere is dat Al- | A dark-looking man came running up, and eset gauche ! You s’ould nevaire blush. she cried: ‘Ah, dat vill not do. Tiens! comme eae t is like de shild, de babee. You s’ould rise and bow, and say ’Madame la comtesse I have great regret to take my leave. I s’ould like to stay You see?” He obeyed her as well as he knew how, and was rewarded by more raillery and a little slap on the side of the face, after which he managed to bow himself out, and went away, bardly English, ant tures, all very graceful and all suiting knowing what had happened to him all that well ber dark and brilliant beauty. As for Frank, he looked a little bewildered, but a good deal fascinated. He had met this | strange creature that morning, had been intro- | duc to her by Crooke as ‘‘ Madame the | Countess of St Aure,” and bad been asked to take ber back to the hotel on account of Crooke | being called off by a business engagement. The countess had at once taken ion of him in a way that he could not resist, and since the meeting with Fauny Bloodgood in the ride man had me almost reckless and entirely desperate of ever regaining the good ces of his apne Therefore, he gave i lf up to his new uaintance with the ‘more Feattiom that he had never seen such a ‘woman before, morning. As for madame, no sooner had the door closed on him than her face took on a very different expression and she threw herself on a couch and actually began to cry alittle. It was in tears that Crooke found her when he came in, soon | after, saying ashe entered, in French: ‘‘T thought he’d never go. Well, I needn't ask what you’ve done, or he wouldn’t bave — so long. In a word, you’ve made him She looked up at bim in a singular way with & certain fine scorn in her eye. ** Yes, he is safe, my husband !” Crooke started guiltily. ‘* Hush !” he said, ‘‘ you fool, don’t you know that walls have ears! I am your business —— ern nnnnE nnn nnn nner ren agent Sty your husband. Do any of the others now She yawned and stretched slighély. “‘IT know not. It makes little waiflerouaes In France, as you are aware my dear, they care little forit. You can play the polite and ac- commodating husband as well as any one,” Something in her tone seemed to anger him, for he scowled and muttered: “You always were, a fool with your ro- mance, Didn’t I makea ae of you, trom a mere farmer’s girl, riding horses to water?" ‘Yes, traly, and a men of what? I owe you much, Philippe.” And her dark eyes blazed with the scorn she cared not to conceal. “Well?” he asked impatiently, ‘‘ what bave le done with him? Have you asked him to ine?’ ee No. ” “Indeed?” “No. There is pene of sents if I conclude to goon and pluc At present, by my faith, Phili iP) , lam pear Res ud ** And why?” e asked scowling. * Because I have had a new experience to- da oN ‘A new experience? You?” There was a tone of coarse scorn in hk», “se that flushed her face with some u» efivable feeling, but her tone was cold and had as she answered: Bove xn it is strange, is it not? I bed, as you thou ht, about exhausted all expsrience to which a woman can come in Paris. ; 3ut abso- lutel I have had a new one todayt’, i nd what is it, Coralie?” “It is that I have met a gentleman at last, one who treats meas if I were a lady, and re- spects me, no matter what Idoto bim, What think you of that, my friend? And what would he think of me if be knew all about me?” Crooke laughed coarsely. “He'd think a good many hard Pungs 1B0 no doubt. But what’s that to me?- You kno what [ told you. You can’t i up this atyle of living without peony and J won’t try to support it,” ‘“T have not asked you,” she retorted. «y earn my own living, monsieur, and thank no one, y bills here are all <? “T know that, but you know well enough that if this young man knew how you earn your living, he would drop Bon like a hot iron. Therefore it is necessary to keep the secret from him, if we are to pull bis feathers, and I promise you, if we do not, some one else will.” ‘“What do you wish me to do, my dear?” she asked looking at him searchingly. ‘To fascinate bim; draw ie ‘in so that he cannot go bach and get him to play cards with us, That’s ali,” ‘““Well, be easy then. I’ve already made an appointment Lo ride with him every day till erie i deer ied tibl rooke’s face n rcep , ‘Aba! That is g a . ood. Yes, for on no doubt. lt is your gain whichever way the cards turn.” “And yours too, Coralie. Do we not share everything together?” She burst into a sbrill scornful laugh. ‘Share! Yes, Ladmit that whenever I am in prosperity you are ready to claim ycur rights toa share, but what share have I in your good times? Never mind, monsieur. ‘This time I will do as you wish because it happens to be in my qwn line of wishes. In ro with ‘an you know, this youth was in love wit Americanjady?’ wled deeply. ‘* Yes, wy know it, and he can’t have her. I'll take care of that. ‘Why not, my dear?” “ Becanse if he marries, we shall lose all hold on him, ,But he will not marry this one at least. They have quarreled.” ‘* Quaxre I should say so. Why, my friend, id you know we met the lady as we rode back to day?” ‘Indeed? Truly?” ‘‘ Yes; and any one could see she was as jealousas a tigress. Ab! these young girlscan- not hice their thoughts like us old ones, Never- etm my fri it set me thinking, this mee Gr hat?” “Never mind. You will find out some day, In the mismmitime, it grows near the bour for rehearsal. oHad it not been for that I might not have a my copia” go. all day.” = CHAPTER PTER VIII. 1OTHE COLONEL’S: VISIT. WHEN }irank Noble came,home to his rooms that dayt xe found on bis ‘table the card of ‘* Coloness junger,” and wasinformed that the ang errs ge nad called twice and would return a Frank.’ titiced that the cxard was new, and that the tire colonel had An lis name in thein’ valfrom “ Plongest ” to ‘‘ Plunger,” a freetr: dation. | « The youg favorite ‘of Sone’ sat down to muse over his morning’st.aadventures in rather a reckless frame of mind.“ He felt that he had ali “ CORMIC!OCYC) (C <SnGO