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Show I' ANf'AmericanSpiritl EZAQ ftf ViryUf 7y Emeo. Hough M I I Copyright 1909 by The Bopbs-MenUi Co. "1 T J Kjl. JL JL J. A I. Aqthor of "Th, -Mississippi BnbMe" $ flW A TfTC-D T7T I -. . B II . The Boudoir of tho Baroness, k A woman's counsel brought ua first I to woe. Drydcn. f, "vratti" she said. "Wo shall have i candles." She clapped her handB sharp-J sharp-J lj'. and again tliero entered the silent , old serving-woman, who, obedient to a eosture, proceeded to light additional l candles In the prism stands and sconces. J The apartment was now distinct In all l Its details under this additional fiood or light Decently as I might I looked , about. I was forced to stifle the excla-t excla-t matlon of surprise which rose to my lips. Here certainly was European' luxury 1 1 transferred to our shores. This In slm-I slm-I plo Washington, with its vast white un-llnlshed un-llnlshed capltol, its piecemeal miles of I mixed residences, boarding houses, ho-i ho-i tels, restaurants, and hovels! I fancied stern Andrew Jackson or plain John i Calhoun here! i The furniture I discovered to be exquisite ex-quisite in detail, of rosewood and mahogany, ma-hogany, with many brass chasings nnd carvings, after the fashion of the Em- ? and here and there llorid ornamen-, ornamen-, tation following that of tho court of the earlier Louis. Fanciful littlo clocks with 1 carved scrolls stood about. Here and tliero a divan and couch showed elab-1 elab-1 orate care In comfort- Beyond a lace-screened lace-screened grille I saw an alcove doubtless doubt-less cut through the original partition j wall between two of these humble . houses and within this stood a high stc.r,,l?d' 'I,s 1'cayy mahogany posts beautifully carved, the couch itself piled , deep with foundations of I know not what of down and spread most daintily ( with a coverlid of amber satin, whoso i edges fringed out almost to the floor. At i the other extremity, screened off as In a distinct apartment, there stood a smaller couch, a isapoleon bed, with carved ends, . furnished moro simply but with equal I One resented tho liberties England took in ealabl shlng this manner of menage in our simple city, and arrogantly arrogant-ly taking for granted our ignorance rc-I rc-I gardlng it; but none tho less ono was 1 V comInfntl tho thoroughness ' shown. My first Impression was tliat of surprise: my second, as I have said, a iSF of ron'rncmt at tho presumption which Installed all this in our capital of Wosnlngton, Ji p"5unie m' thought may havo been reflected in some manner in my face. I )l hcard a gentle laugh, and turned about. 1 5 one sat there in a great carved chair, i smiling, hor white arms stretched out on tho rails, the Angers Just gently curving. I She had thrown back over the rail of the chair tho rich clonk which covered 1 tn 'LWC ,cai7iaK. ,a"'l sat now In tho I full light, In the splendor of satin and l lace and gems, hor arms bare, hor throat and shoulders white and bare, her figure recognized graciously ty every lino of a superb gowning such as we had not -yet learned on this side of the sea. 1 s,hcJd,4 n.0 BDeak at first, but sat and smiled, studying, I presume, to And what stuff I was mado of. I ..t"? seated, pray." Ej10 said at last. 1 ".Let us talk ovor this matter." '.I Obedient to her gesture. I dropped Into - a chair opposite to her. she hoi-Belf not f varying her posture, nnd still regarding 1 SrPS hCI" Imlr-cIBCd , 'P J0" thInJ f my little N place?" she asked finally. !: "Two things, Madam," said I. half , ' sternly. "If it belonged to a man. and H to a minister plenipotentiary, 1 should "? approve it. if it belonged to a lady of this littlo world, I should approve It vory much." ' She looked at me with eyes slightly naTJod,' " .trace of Perturbation crossed hor face. I saw it was no or-olnary or-olnary woman with whom we had to do. But. I went on, "in any case and at ail events. I should say that the bird comined in such a cage, where secrecy is so imperative, would, at limes, find wear ness would, in fact. wiBh escape to other employment. You. Madam" I looked at her directly "aro a woman pf so much Intellect that you could not bo content merely to livc.,f 'No," she said, "I would not be content con-tent merely to live." nrylfPK'u Therefore, slnco to make lite worth tho living there must be occasionally oc-casionally a triflo of spice, a bit of adventure, ad-venture, either for man or woman. I suggest to you, as .something offering amusement, this littlo journey with mS tonight to moot my chief. You have ills message. I am his messenger, and. believe me, Quito at your sen-Ice in any way you may suggest. Let us bo frank. ! come Into your camp. Dare you not como Into ours? Como: It Is an adventure ad-venture to seo a tall, thin old man In a dressing-gown and a red woolen nightcap. night-cap. So you will find my chief; and In apartments much different from these." She took up the mlsslvo with Its broken brok-en seal. "So your chief, as you call him asks me to como to him, at midnight, with you, a stranger?" b l ' nf'T '"t-Iu'X" e?01,ld you bo to the office SLa IJn,tc.d,s,ates senator and possible m,nlBLer.,n brond daylight and tnat fact not be known? Could ho come to your apartments In broad daylight and that fact not be known? What would 'that man Pakenham' suspect In either case? Believe me. my master Is vvlse. Great necessity sets aside conventions, conven-tions, sets aside everything. Come, t fi f'w only sat and smiled at m,n It that purple and amber glow, tuo emanation of her personality, of her senses, creeping around me again as she caned forward finally, her parted red-bowed red-bowed Hps disclosing her delicate white teeth. 1 saw the littlo hoavc of her r .m,i wlhr ili lauBhter or emotion iVll not tell- I was young. Rcsent-ne Rcsent-ne tho epell which I felt coming upon mc. all l could do was to reiterate my domand for haste, Sho was not In the least Impressed by this. M,''m,el" s.ho SQfd. "I am pleased with these Americans. Yes. I am not displeased dis-pleased with this little adventure." I roso Impatiently, nnd walked apart m tho room. "You cannot evade mo. Madam, so easily as you did tho Mexican Mex-ican gentleman who followed you. You navo him in tho net also? Is not tho net full enough?" "Never!" sho said, hor head swaying slowly from side to side, her face inscrutable: in-scrutable: "Am I not a woman? All, am I not?" ' nr.tMdarri8ald T? wllIrng upon her. let me. at least, alone. I am too small camo for you. I am but a messenger. Time passes. Let us arrive at our busl- 'What would you do If I refused to mn W',.y7U?" Eh,? 1sod' Btl11 smiling at mo. But I saw that her attlludo toward me held no more than that of a bird of tt051 S0I?.C mtI,e creature well within rated me a,,Bry to bo so "You ask mo whnt I should do?" I re-J?wdV re-J?wdV Eam B?,y' 1,1 Bha tcl1 you first & ItwII1...(J? f you continue your rc-1 rc-1 wlU tnko you wIth mc- and so keep my agreement with my chief. Keen raU,TOm lhV bU ron.cI Remain client" Do not move! You should go if I had ' to carry you thoro In a sack because tha.t Is my orrand!" "Oh listen to him threaten!" she aligned still. "And ho despises my poor littlo castle, here in the sldo streot, where half tho time I am so lonely! What would Monsieur do if Monsieur wcro In my place and If I were In Monsieur's place? But, hah! you would not have mo following you In the first hour, we met, boy!" 1 flushed again hotly at this last word. Madam mny discontinue the thought of my boyhood; I am older than she. But if you ask me what I would do with a woman If I followed her, or If she followed fol-lowed me. then I shall tell you. If I owned this place and all In It. I would tear down every picture from these walls, every silken cover from yonder couches! 1 would rip out these walls and put back tho ones that onco were here! A house of logs far out in the countries that I know would do for you. Madam!" I 'wont on hotly. "You should forgot tho touch of silk and lace. No neighbor you should know until I was willing. Any man who followed you should meet mc." "Excellent! What then?" "Then, Madam tho Baroness, I would in turn build you a palaco, ono of logs, and would mako you a most excellent couch of the husks of corn. You should cook at my fireplace, and for me!" Sho smiled slowly past me. at me. "Pray bo seated," she said. "You Interest Inter-est mo." "It la late." I reiterated "Como! Must I do some of theso things force you Into obedience carry you awny In a sack? My master can not wait." i fcne smucd, lazily extending her flaw- i less arms and looking down at them, at ; all of her splendid llguro. as though In . Interested examination. "I am alone so ?0fer?0 Ved,'" ,sh0 ?'ent on- "And Sir Richard Pakenham is so very, vory fat. Ah. God! You am not guess how fat he Is. But you. you aro not fat." She looked mc over critically, to ray great uneasiness. "All the more reason for doing ns I havo suggested, madam, for Mr. Calhoun Cal-houn Is not even so fat as I am. This littlo Interview with my chief. I doubt not. will prove of Interest. Indeed" I wont on seriously and intently "I venture ven-ture to say this much without prestim-ng prestim-ng on my station: the talk which you will have with my chief tonight will show you things you havo never known, give you an Interest in living which perhaps per-haps you have not felt. If I am not mistaken, mis-taken, you will find much in common between you and my master. I sneak not to tho agent of England, but to the lady Helena von Rltz." - ,i"o old." she went on. "He Is very nl-Viiii8 Ol00,18 "M? and bloodless and ucsnlesfi. He Is old." "Madam." I said, "his mind Is young, his purpose young, his ambition young nnd his country Is young. Is not tli own"" f aH lheSC th,Bs still you? Sho made no answer, but sat muslnt? drumming lightly on tho chair Zvm, i was reaching for her cloak. Then at once I caught a glimpse of her stockinged stock-inged foot, the toe of which slightly protruded pro-truded from beneath her ball gown; She saw tho glunce and lauehefl. Poor feet." she said. "All, mes pauvres plods la! You would liko to sec them bruised by tho bard going In some Heat en country? See. you havo no carriage, and mine Is gone I havo not won Cevond " S' G l0k umler tho bod frin2L,ck?d.iher eln.d,y cn0e'- Undor tho fringe of the satin .counterpane I found j?JL2f ,,,0Pt?l, HUPP?", all manner of n,(1lnU y .and n5at,y arranged. Taking out a pnlr to my fancy. I carried them out and knelt before her. Then, madam," oaJd I, "since you In sist on tills. I shall ohoouo. America is not Europe. Our feet hero have rougher rough-er golncr and must bo shod for it. Allow Al-low me!1' Without tho least hesitation In tho world, or the least Immodesty, she half Potrudod the foot which still retained its slipper. As I removed this latter, through some gay Impulse, whoso nature I did not pause to analyze. I half mechanically me-chanically thrust it into tho side pocket of my coat. "This shall bo security," said I. "that what you speak with my master shall bo tho truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." There was a curious deeper red In her cheek. I saw her bosom beat tho faster rythm. "Quite agreed!" nho answered. But sho motioned mo away, taking tho stout boot In her own hand and turning aside as sho fastenod It. Sho looked over hor shoulder at mo now and again while thus engaged. "Tell me." she said gently, "what security se-curity do I have? You come, by my Invitation. In-vitation. It Is true, but none tho less an Intrusion, Into my apartments. You dc-mnnd dc-mnnd of mo something which no man has a right to demand. Because I am disposed to be gracious, and becauso I am disposed to be enmryo. and because Mr. Pakenham Is fat. I am willing to take Into consideration what you ask. I havo never seen a thin gentleman in a woolen nightcap, and I am curious. But no gentleman plays games with a lady In which the dice arc loaded for himself. Come, what security shall I have?" I did not pretend to understand her. Perhaps, after all, we all had been misinformed mis-informed regarding her? I could not tell. But hor spirit of comaraderle. hor good-fellowship, good-fellowship, her courage, quite asldo from her personal charm, had now begun to Impress me. 'Madam," said I, feeling In my pockot; 'no heathen hag much of this world's goods. All my possessions would not furnish one of these rooms. I can not offer gems, ns does Senor Yturrio but. would this be of service until tomorrow? tomor-row? That will leave him and mo with a slipper each. It Is with reluctance I pledge to return mine!" By chance I had felt In my pocket a little object which I had placed there that very day for oulte another purpose. It was only a little trinket of Indian manufacture, which I had Intended to give Elisabeth that very evening; a sorl of cloak clasp, originally made as an Indian In-dian blanket fastening, with two round discs ground out of shcllsi and connected by beaded thongs. Tho trinket wns curious, curi-ous, though of small valuo. The baroness bar-oness looked at It with Interest. "How It reminds mo of this heathen country!" sho said, "Is this all that your art can do In Jewelry? Yet It Is beautiful. Como, will you not give It to mo?" "Until tomorrow, madam." "No longer?" "I can not promise It longer. I must, unfortunately, have it back when 1 send a messenger I shall hardly como myself, my-self, Madam." "Ah!" sho scoffed. "Then It belongs to another woman?" "Yes, It Is promised to another." "Thon this Is to bo the last tlrno we i meet? "I do not doubt It." "Aro you not sorry?" 1 "Naturally, Madam!" . Sho sighed, laughing as she did so. ct I could not evade Kcolug tho curious , color on her cheek, tho rise and fall of i tho laces over her bosom. Utterly self- ' possessed, satisfied with life as 'it had " come to hor, without Illusion as to life , absorbed In tho great gamo of living aid ( adventuring so I should have described her. Then why should her heart beat one stroke the faster now? I dismissed that question, and rebuked my eyes, her 10und continually turning toward i Slie moUoncd to a little tablo near p,liK the sllPPer thoro." sho said. lour little neck clasp, also." Again I obeyed her. "Stand there!" sho said, motioning to the opposite sldo of the table; and I did sa , iNo.wj" saId she, looking at me gravely. 'I am going with you to seo this man whom you call your chief. Tho favor may mean as much on ono side as on the other I shall not tell you why. But wo shall play fair until, as you say. perhaps tomorrow. After that " "After that, on guard!" n'ViiK Vl6.11, c.? Bard! Suppose I do not liko this other woman?" "Madam, you could- not help it. All tho world loves her." "Do you?" "With my life." th'e'nrW dcvoted! Vcry u'elI n suard, She took up tho Indian bauble, turning turn-ing to examine It at tho nearest candle sconce, oven ns I thrust tho dainty littlo slipper of white satin again Into the pocket of my coat. I was uncomfortable. I wished this talk of Elisabeth had not come up. I liked very littlo to leave Elisabeths property In another's hands. Dissatisfied, I turned from the table, not noticing for more than an Instant a little crumpled roll of paper which, as I was vaguely conscious, now appeared on its smooth marquetry top. But see." she said; "you arc just like a. man. after all, and an unmarried man at that! I cannot go through the streets in this costume. Excuse me for a moment." mo-ment." Sho was off on tho Instant Into the alcove where the groat amber-covered bed stood. Sho drew the curtnlns. I heard her humming to herself as she passed to nnd fro. saw tho flare of a iignt as it roso beyond. Once or twice H ,,0., riIsL, a, ,,aShlng face between the curtains, hold tight together with her nanus, as she asked mo some question, mocking me, still amused yet still, as 1 tn?"?"1, .morc enigmatic than before. ,ii,.d?m'H sald al last. "I would I might dwell here forever, but you arc slow! The night passes, Come. My master will be waiting. Ho Is III. I fear ho cannot sleep. I know how Intent ho in0nmice.tlns you;.. 1 bB you to oblige an old. dylnir man " .--'V Jr y2u' wPn?lcUr- sho mocked at mo from beyond the curtain, "aro Intent only on getting rid of mo. Are you not adventurer enough to forget that other woman for one night?" n.lU L. she camc out 'rom between the curln ns, garbed more suitably for tho errand which was now before us. A long, dnik cloak covered hor shoulders. nn.Ji0! hea(1 thero rested a dalntv up-flared up-flared bonnet, whose Jetted edges shone in the candle light as sho moved toward hin". n?h. WUI pqu's'te In every detail, beautiful as mind of man could wish; tnat much was sure; must bo admitted ty any irian. I dared not look at her. She paused for un Instant, drawing on a psdr of tho short glovos of tho mode then correct. "Do you know why I am to go on this heathen errand?"- she demanded- I shook my head, i , .palhoun wishes to know whether bo shall go to the cabinet of your man Tyler oyer there In that bnm you call your White House. I suppose Mr. Calhoun Cal-houn wishes to know how ho can servo Mr. Tyler?" I laughed a.t this. "Servo him!" I exclaimed. ex-claimed. "Rather say lead him, tell him, command him!" "Yes," sho nodded. J began to see an other and graver sldo of her nature "Yes. It Is of course Texas." I did not seo fit to mako answer h this. "If your master, as you call him. take: the portfolio with Tyler, it is to anne: Texas," sho repated sharply. "Is no that true?" Still I would not answer. "Come!" : said. "And he asks mo to come to him sc that ho may decide " This awoke me. "No man decides foi John Calhoun, Madam." I said. "Yot may advance facts, but ho will decide." Still she went on. "And Texas not annexed Is a menace. Without her, you heathen people would not present a solid front, would you?" "Madam has had much to do with affairs of state," I said. She went on as though I had not spoken: "And If you were divided In your southern section, England would have nil the greater chance. England, you know, says sho wishes slavery abolished. She says that " "England says many things!" I ventured. ven-tured. "The hypocrite of tlio nations!" flashed out this singular woman at me suddenly. "As though diplomacy need be hypocrisy! hypoc-risy! Thus, tonight Sir Richard of England Eng-land forgets his place, his protestations. Ho does not even know that Mexico has forgotten Its duty also. Sir. vou were not at our littlo ball, so vou could not see that very fat Sir Richard paying his bored devoirs to Dona Lucrezla! So I am left alone, nnd would be bored, hut for you. In return a slight jest on Sir Richard tonight I will teach him that no fat gentleman should pav even bored attentions to a lady who soon will be - fat, when his obvious duty sbfe him otherwise! Bah! 'tis aslR myself were fat; which Is not t9 a "X9U p too deeP for me, vHft I said. "I am but a slmplo mefliV s At the same time. I saw how iXli c things were shaping for us alUE. I man's jealousy was with us, woman's whim! ?W!t I "Madam." said I. mv hand aiflNt tenlng of the door, "we have w j pledges. Now we exchange plK- is you who are the messengerK" - self. There Is a message In yoSL, i I know not whether you evwAe monarchy. Come, you shall scaiBSS republic has neither secrets n(HB On the Instant she was notKR' and tactful woman of the worIJ,,p , dent, but once more coquette anBl; of Impulse. Sho looked at me wijflufl cry and invitation allko in heraHS eyes, even as I threw down f' . at the door and opened it wldBS to pass. Kx: "Is that my only reward?" smiling ns she fumbled at a gHL In reply, I bont and kissed of her ungloved hand. ThejB' warm and tender that I hadjB fercnt than I wns had I not fclK tingle in all my body In tho IV tho moment to do more thanB Angers. tH Had I done so had I not tlH Elizabeth thon, as In my hcarB believe, tho flag of England todeHK rule Oregon and tho Pacific: and Mf? loat todhv along tlio Rio Grande! would menaco a divided north andJIJ'fc Instead of respecting a strong ajflj llvlslble union which owns ono dreads none In . tho world. xwG& To be continued. fJB4 |
