Beadle's Dime Library No. 509 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

pauvre petite, ou est votre instrument? 16 that? Perhaps she hardly knew herself, But the sensation was nota displeasing one, if not absolutely unique in her experience—which it probably was; and now more than ever, and with more creditable motives than had ever theretofore inspired her, did she resolve to win and keep Uarvey Mayfield to herself, as against all counter fascinations, even that of windfall wealth itself, ** So, mon fils, an interesting story, truly!” was her sole comfort. ‘*But what do you think of my chances with the girl, Therese?’ demanded the young man, uneasily, ‘*Humph!” enigmatically. ‘‘I can tell you better after I shall have seen her.” **Oh, of course!” ‘*T can tell you what to beware of, however, and that on the spot.” * What is that, Therese?” “ Mr, Jacobs’s temper, when he shall discover the extent of your dishonorable treachery; and the detective’s displeasure, for both of you. Trifling with such a manas Old Falcon is might- ily like playing with fire, mon ils.” ‘The latter is dangerous ground, I grant,” admitted the scapegrace, with a loud laugh, ** But that for Cousin Jake, agreement or no agreement!” And he snapped his fingers con- temptuously. Then he whipped up, for they were now pass- ing through South Yonkers, and Retta’s cottage gate was already in view, A man was handing a young lady out of a bugey at the gate. **(;o0od Lord! Can he have forestalled me?” gasped Joseph, with an oath. ‘* Your eyes are better than mine, Therese. Is that really my cousin Jake with the young woman?” ‘* it lonks very like it, mon fils,” was the com- posed reply. CHAPTER XXIII. RETTA MERRIVALE AT HOME, ** Aauuo, Mr. Je Pyne is that you?” exclaim- ed the pseudo Mr, Jacobs, looking up with an oud expression, besides exchanging a surprised bow witb La Travadeuse, as his fellow conspir- ator drove up tothe gate. ‘I hardly expected to meet you this morning.” Joseph Mervyn could be an arch-dissembler on occasion, ‘** Kasily explained, professor,” he jauntily re- plied, to the concealment of a jealous scowl, * You see, [ half-suspected you would visit Miss Merrivale this scien. + So, not to be outdone, I recollected Madame Bertrande’s living at Tar- rytown, and hurried up there to secure her as an initial pupil for Miss Merrivale’s instruc- tions,” Here he assisted Therese to alight, and the young women were introduced to each other, Retta, who had remained with a puzzled look at the gate, and was appearing refreshingly charming in a pretty and not inexpensive ging- ham suit—a hoarded luxury of her better days —and mull-trimmed hat, surveyed the gorgeous beauty of Therese with a species of large-eyed homage, the reverse of unflattering to its ob- ject; while the latter impassively passed mental judgment upon the undeniable beauty and re- served simplicity of the younger girl, which might or might not be to the latter’s advantage, for, with her own sex, Therese was as impene- trable as marble, ‘You have been driving, too?” Therese asked. “Yes: and quite unexpectedly,” replied Retta, in her shy, sweet voice. ‘*AmTI not in luck, madame? Mr. Jacobs, who is Professor Joseph’s favorite pupil, has been good enough to present me to two lady friends in the vicinity, who may take lessons of me—though they wouldn't be certain about it. And now here is the professor himself, bringing you with him.” **So that I may really prove the fortunate ini- tial pupil, afterall. Eh, petite?” ‘Oh, I hope so, ma’m!”’ with flushed cheeks and hopeful eyes; ‘‘ and I shall try so hard to ive you satisfaction. But do come into the ouse!” They walked up the garden path, the twomen mri and the adventuress studying at her leisure the sweet, color-shifting face of her com- panion, who kept on talking of her hopes and prospects with a confidential ingenuousness that was quite refreshing. Retta showed them into Mrs. Kelly’s poor lit- tle cottage parlor, with nota trace of apology for its poverty in either her air or manner, as might have been manifested by either a coarser or a weaker nature under like circumstances, ‘Do be seated,” she went on, busying herself ially in making her lady visitor comfor- table. ‘‘ It is acool little room, and I have often enjoyed its seclusion on Sundays, or after a par- ticularly exhausting day in the factorv.” “Factory!” echoed Therese, ‘ ro ai ne peut faire de m , sans le piano-forte,” (‘* But where is your instrument, my poor child We cannot be musical without a piano.”] : Retta blushed, but not shamefacedly at all. “Tt is an anomaly in my own case, at all events, ma’m,” she laughlingly responded, in the same lan ,and witha purity of Parisian -accent fully equaling Therese’s own. ‘‘ How - - ° ‘ ee a, i kind of you to address me so democratically, you are most likely so rich!” **No I’m not—not rich, I mean,” interposed La Travadeuse, bluntly. ‘tI live on my wits— which is the same as saying the muscles in my legs and arms, together with my good looks and my shape.” Rettu’s eyes grew big again. She had imper- fectly caught the name Bertrande, and did not yet suspect. her visitor’s identity with the The- rese, The Whirlwind, of whom Mayfield had told her. However, she doubtless merely judged that Therese’s words were a jest. “T might equally say that I am not a musicion —not yet,” she replie!, with her pretty smile. “You see, madame, [have been a mill oper- ative. In fact, the work was killing me; and it was but a short time ago—a very short time-ago —a fortunate accident revived my bopes of get- ting back tomy beloved music. Don’t think, however, that I have ever had any experience in imparting the art to others; for that would not be true. ‘*What a miserable politician I would make!” she added, catching her breath with a little sigh. ‘* Now that my disqualifications are so heedless- ly laid bare, perhaps you--you won’t care to give me a chance. However,” with a slight tremor of the lip, ‘‘ who could justly -blame you? Here La Travadeuse set her at ease, while as- tonishing her afresh, by making use of the fol- lowing words: **Oh, bother the music, chere petite! I shall engage lessons of you, and at your own price, if you can no more sing than a peacock, and if your sole instrument is a hurdy-gurdy,” Retta broke into a laugh, like a peal of bells, and both bogus professor and sham pupil joined in it, though both were as yet not a little in the dark as to the readings between the lines in the interchanges that were going on, “T am afraid you will prove overkind, ma’m,” cried the young girl. ‘“*No more of that, cherie. Wait first to judge if you will accept me,” Retta stared. ‘“*Perhaps you didn’t catch oH name fully,” Therese continued, calmly. ‘*‘My dear, I am not unknown to fame, though perhaps of not quite the sort that you can approve of,” ‘* You are then famous, ma’m?”’ “Tam Therese Bertrande, otherwise La Tra- vadeuse, or The Whirlwind,” Retta uttered a little exclamation, “What!” she stamngpred; ‘the beautiful human cannon-ball, who boards in the same house—the maison Godlove—with my—with Mr. Mayfield?” Therese fairly beamed on her in response, while Jacob and Joseph exchanged glances. ** Yes, my dear, the same,” «ith a gesture as if kissing her band to a roaring sea of spectators after a successful flight upon the flying trapeze. ** Perhaps you won’t so much care to give me music lessons now,” ‘* But why not, ma’m?” Retta was rather un- sophisticated inthe worl] of amusements, and had an idea from what Harvey had said that Therese’s position therein was nut unlike a prima donna’s. ‘‘ Why, I should think it an awfully delightful thing to be so famous, and so beautiful, with all the world wondering and speculating and paying money to come and see one! For the moment at least, Therese could have hugged her. ‘** Tt is arranged, then, chere then, acquainted with my ban Mayfield?” said Yes, ma’m,” and Retta hung her head a ittle. She to recall what Harvey had laugh- ingly told about the ridiculous rivalry of both Therese and Mrs, Godlove, and was naturally diffident and confused. ‘*Is he such a very good friend of yours, this handsome Mr. Mayfield, little one?” ‘ Retta raised ber head with her ingenuousness to the fore again. “TItis nothing to me that he is handsome, ma’m,” she repiied, very steadily, ‘but with a changing color. ‘* And I have only seen him twice in my life,” ‘**Twice may be often under certain circum- stances, my dear,” playfully. ‘“*He not only saved my life, ma’m,” in a very low voice, ‘but ho assisted me nobly— most delicately—when I most needed a friend, I owe it to bim that I am now full of hope, new courage, a desire to live and strive on; whereas be first found me hopeless, oh, so miserable,” with a passing shudder, ‘‘and on the brink of self-destruction !”’ **No wonder that you feel beholden for such nerous services. And bow long since you t met Mr. Mayfield, petite.” ‘*Only night before last, ma’am, Ah, madame! how radiently beautiful you are! AndI vig, Sa au ag a good deal of my friend, Mr. May- e ‘** Naturally; yes,” with a careless air of pos- sessorsbip, ‘‘ They do say,” smiling and blush- ing—for even La vadeuse could blush on oc- easion, “‘ that I monopolize the poor boy. But then there is a houseful of women at the maison etite. You are, me friend, Mr. ~ey Old Falcon, the Thunderbolt Detective. Godlove, which leaves the envy and: gossip a thing understood.” . For perbaps the first time Retta became thoroughly aware that she loved Harvey May- field, for she knew for the first time a pang that was a jealous pang. CHAPTER XXIV, ON THE TRAIN. SATISFIED, and perhaps a little contriteful, with having implanted her dart, Therese arose to go, ‘““Ts it then arranged,” she said, holding out her hand, with her sweetest smile, ‘* When shall I look for my first music lesson?” ‘*T have fixed to-morrow fora visit to your boarding-house. ma’m,” said Retta. ‘* You have a piano in the house, I presume!” ‘*T wo of them, in fact, | wonld see youalone a moment, Miss Merrivale.” And, with a bow to the gentlemen, they with- drew. As for the pseudo professor and bis bogus pupil, they had scarcely had an opportunity to say a word, save as between themselves, and were feeling the reverse of satisfied, though in different ways, with the fifth and sixth coach-wheel parts they bad been compelled to play during the chat. ‘* Why, 1t has been raining since our coming into this stuffy little hole!” growled Joseph, who had stepped to the window, and parted the cur- tains, ‘‘ No wonder,” was Jacob’s answering growl. ‘The weather has had time to change over and over again, We've been in this box an hour, if we've been here a minute.” ‘* What did you do with your turnout?’ ‘‘ Nothing,” replied Jacob, also coming to the window, to perceive that his equipage had dis- appeared. ‘I suppose the livery-man bas taken care of it. His stables are just around the corner, and he was paid for the mg in advance. {sn’t that bay of yours Harry Stanhope’s?” ‘‘ Yes; | borrowed it. He won’t thank me for those cushions getting wet, either.” ‘‘T say, Joe; you don’t expect me to believe that you secured that rig for the express pur- pose of giving The Whirlwind an airing?” ‘*T don’t care what you believe,” was the fierce reply, for Joseph’s jealous rage had been steadily smoldering, and he was feeling like a baited bear. ‘*T can pay for my rigs without borrowing them, any way.” ‘““Tt’s a wonder where the money is from, then. Three of vour I O U’s have been yellow- ing with age in my pocketbook since the devil knows when,” ‘‘Let them yellow. Joe, you know you had intended stealing a march on me with Miss Merrivale! Your bringing La Travadeuse along could have been only an accident,” ‘‘ You are too penetrative, Jake. Didn’t you steal a march on me ky coming up bere—and a successful one, too?” Joseph gnashed his teetb. *“* You talk like a fool, or a scoundrel! Is our game of billiards so soon forgotten, and the question it was to decide?” ‘‘ Curse the game, and you too!” ‘‘You even glory in vour treachery? But I shouldn’t wonder at that; and little good will it do you! J have been getting on swimmingly this morning!” : Joseph turned upon him savagely. ‘*T don’t believe you!” he exclainied, in a low, hoarse tone. ‘* She cares no more for you than for me!” ‘Don’t she?” with a contented chuckle. Here they were, perhaps fortunately, inter- rupted by the return of the ladies. The private interview of the latter had simply consisted in Therese asking Retta if it would convenience her to be paid in advance for the lessons she was to give, which suggestion had been gratefully but firmly declined. ‘‘ Mon Dieu! it has been raining, and more is threatening,” exclaimed Therese, on reaching the open air. ‘‘ Ab, Professor Josephs, you will have to drive back to Tarrytown without me, while I take the train.” ‘“‘That will be better,” said Retta, ‘‘for the roads are already muddy. Wait!” she ran back into the house, and returned with ber bat on and carrying a couple of umbrellas; ‘I will walk with you to the station, ma’m, And Mr, Jacobs may wish to occupy the buggy vith Professor Josephs,” ; Therese smiled her assent, while the gentle- men, after a moment’s besitation, seemed to think well of the project concerning themselves, “A good idea!” muttered Joseph to his cousin, ‘‘ We mav come to something like a resumption of the entente cordiale during the drive.” Jacob nodded a little reluctantly, and then the separation was effected: Therese and Retta tripping away in the direction of the station, and the two cousins driving off. — An up-train was just coming in as the ladies reached the platform. ‘‘T trust we shall know each other yet better,” said La Travadeuse, extending her hand, with her dazzling smile—‘‘ and to our mutual happi- ness.” ‘*Ok, Ido hope so!” And the grateful color was again rife in the young girl’s sweet face, as Eomichbooks co 4 ‘ . 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