| Show 1 mistress rosemary alivn alfi by MILLICENT E MANN IBM by I 1 atcas LINCOLN CO CHAPTER XIV my rose I 1 found that night had fallen during my talk with his majest I 1 had brought with me no and I 1 immediately set about getting that most necessary attendant not a dit ficula tak for ni abers of them came cl about me as soon as I 1 set foot outside of wh behall there of binl men oft awaited the belated petitioner at court my hiah sp rits were in abe ascend ant I 1 fey was cot good for tune i sing mea I 1 was apt to halloo before I 1 u out of the woods in other words to be too anulee anu lne in the affairs of life that day I 1 let my gayety be seen it ran away with me I 1 engaged all the 1 akmen who pre dented themselves for hire As we went down the streets floors were opened maids threw up windows and questions were asked as to the reason for such an illumination whether it was a ft edding or a funeral or some great man s entrance into town the men entered into the tun and treaded with a military step keeping lank without a smile upon their grimy faces and so we marched al ng with the solemnity befitting a state funeral which no doubt was the grandest event these fellows had ever been called up to participate in when I 1 reached the house where mistress rosemary allyn stayed I 1 threw a handful of coins among the men it dissipated every trace of solemnity such a scampering push ing and pom meling as ensued it was amusing I 1 could not help laughing till my sides ached the man who came off victorious most of the coins in his brawny fist was a sturdy tel low and worthy of his hire him I 1 engaged to attend me the rest I 1 paid and dismissed I 1 was told by the lackey upon being admitted that mistress allyn was alone and would u me I 1 was ush ered at once into her presence she was lovelier than ever I 1 thought what could be the beauty of lady fel ton although the toast of the town as compared with mistress allyn as liken one rose to another she re calved me none too graciously but that was ever my mistress way you come in grand state sir she said could I 1 come to see you in stata too granda I 1 inquired why not come in cap und she asked trat part would not suit my corn who shall say what a woman wants she muttered I 1 retorted with a shrug her eyes twinkled and I 1 saw the dimples play hide and seek about her mouth I 1 like not brawling in front of the house she demurred evidently the window facing the street had not been without its occupant I 1 bes your pardon tor that said I 1 the boy will out sometimes in spite of me i I 1 seated myself beside her on the couch saying with your bermis sjon mistress guyn informs me that you have in your keeping a slip of paper that belongs to me I 1 said and it I 1 say yesa she questioned I 1 would request it of you I 1 replied ah you would make use of it to force the ladya she asked jealously not so I 1 answered quickly I 1 would present it to her with my best wishes and advise her to give it and herself at the same time to cousin raoul I 1 smiled as I 1 mimicked the lady of my heart she queried softly you give her to hima do you not know she Is an heiress besides being the toast of londona and that little paper won from her fortune would hold gooda I 1 know all that and yet I 1 say may he be happy I 1 went on it seems I 1 must settle a difficult ques afon tor him he hangs with equal amorousness over two roses ed which one to pluck poor fellow I 1 let a little sarcasm ring in my voice now I 1 am not so constructed I 1 know my own sweet rose she has thorns I 1 have felt them but what care I 1 as she give herself into my keeping she may prick my hart s blood and it please my lady I 1 looked with de sire at mistress rosemary allyn the color flouted itself in her face I 1 understand not your similes she murmured no I 1 questioned I 1 will put it plainer in all this garden of ful thomen there is only one I 1 desire my queen rose sweet rosemary allyn would you not better sir be off with the old love firsta she asked I 1 think you know the story love played no part in it I 1 said severely the part we men played was not admirable I 1 assure you I 1 would have returned the paper to lord felton that night had I 1 not been so incensed at fc raoul dwight s remarks will you not I 1 sten to my love rosemaryy 7 pleaded I 1 would wait sir she said until that 1 atle paper Is no more women are fid ie lady felton may refuse to give ou your freedom set your mind at rest on hat point said I 1 I 1 have not even even i er she may know nothing of the pa per I 1 assure you she wants no such unworthy a lover as I 1 am she has all bonlon to choose from who shall say what a womac she muttered th n I 1 am fastidious enough s r to wish to wait until you are free until that paper ii out of our hands into the hands ot the lady mentioned in it given up freely by the man who won it then shall ou wait but twenty minutes ere I 1 am bad again I 1 cried starting up ah you are in a hurry she said appetite is whetted by a desire to see the fair lady I 1 eiton and she sighed men have many pockets in their clothes where they store away numer ous little articles of small value or use while women without one manage to secrete and successfully too any thing they among the frills of then bod ce out of such a hiding place rosemary took the paper I 1 had lost at castle grout and handed it to me lou know it is not so I 1 would fain linger I 1 said and I 1 looked longingly at her lips still I 1 straightened myself disagreeable things are soon er over for being done quickly au revoir I 1 bent over her hand and kissed it although her ruba lips were so near I 1 was sorely tempted but I 1 overcame myself and hurried from her presence CHAPTER XV lady felton I 1 walked down the street which aap amatel the fronts of the two estates lady dwight s and lord felton s A narrow alley divided the kitchen gar dens in the rear A few houses faced the intervening streets it had been dark when I 1 entered the bow street mansion it was darker now my linkman who rejo ced in the sym phonic name of pat walked ahead I 1 hugged the wall and 1 ept my eyes open we met a dandy coming from or go ing to some grand function he was so gorgeously attired and bewigged his sen ant accompanied him 1 ng the way the usual tussle took place be tween the men as soon as they met each trying to jostle the other from the wall if the fellows were belsome their masters were not less so the fop came at me with bis sword he was quick but I 1 was quicker and ere I 1 had parried his two thrusts I 1 sent ats sword spinning when he felt it leave his hand much against his wish he lurched forward to regain it however in doing so he slipped upon the slimy street and came cheek by jowl to an undesired acquaintance with it pale bl ie satin with much on ahnee and sleeve was not a pleasant sight to contemplate nor was the derisive hissing of the victorious linkman a pleasant sound to hear the man s impotency overpowered him and he burst out swearing like a buccaneer swearing alike at his oer vant and at me prom the voice I 1 recognized in chaoul never again cousin raoul but brother raoul I 1 thought bitterly there was nothing in my possession I 1 would not have parted with cheerfully at that moment not to have had that encounter and only hoped the light had been too dim for him to see who his antagonist was I 1 walked off so hurriedly in my sur prise and wish not to be recognized that no doubt he thought I 1 was run ning away I 1 desired neither an en counter with swords to the death nor yet was I 1 ready for explanations and I 1 knew ir his sharp eyes detected who had bested him it must mean one or the other I 1 did not look back until I 1 was tar down the street then I 1 saw that the light of the linkman still flitted about like a hlll o wisp as he made search for his masters sword it was hardly the time for eions and under the circumstance I 1 did not think my newly found brother would take kindly to them I 1 would call upon his mother to morrow be fore the hour et for the duel and re quest his presence when I 1 should tell her and I 1 prayed beaven to give me in the telling a fluent tongue the rea son why lord waters had deserted and then divorced her how she would take it I 1 let myself not dwell upon that only I 1 hoped for my father s sake in the gentle spirit of forgive ness As for sir raoul dwight he ro doubt would fand the pill hard to swallow but I 1 brasted that atter I 1 bad seen lady fellon she would notify him of her release an I 1 it would pave the flay for an easier interview I 1 rang the knocker of this most s mans on which I 1 hail oft looked at with interest and wondered whether I 1 should ever have a nearer aca acq lain tance with it or its occupants A lacbay ushered me into a drawing room of magnificent proportions then he retired to see if milady rould re cerve me the lady as capricious and kept me waiting at first my thoughts dwell ng as they did upon my ter with S r raoul dwight and my prospective meeting were not pleasant ones I 1 had not vet gotten into the way of thinking of him as a brother fate had given me a hard rub there jt should do my level best to ex tend to him all the good will I 1 was afable of how he receive it ell the time dragged whilst my thoughts were with him it seemed as f lady felton were keep ng me hours I 1 turned my attention to more at thoughts beet rosemary Ho and her bewitching ways at last the lackey entered and said I 1 was to fol low him he led me up a flight of stairs I 1 surmised to M ladys bower and so it proved the room was dim ly 1 gated with wax candles and the air was heavy with perfume lady belton sat in state at the tar end of h boudoir as became a great lady and area she held a nand screen beffi her face I 1 smiled and thought milady fears her beauty will overcome me no doubt she will gradually unfold its splendor to my profane eleb she was small dainty and most sump bously attired in a shimmering gown reckless of the many yards of lace with which it djs covered thia I 1 noticed as I 1 bowed low before her I 1 expected but a cold greeting I 1 got none so I 1 spoke I 1 have to make a most humble apology to you lady lelton and ask that ou will accept of this bit of paper I 1 held out to her the paper won from her father S r you are late in both your apology and in the yielding up of that paper she said scornfully I 1 like a woman to be low keyed there was as much difference in the voices of the two women the one I 1 loved and the one fortune intended I 1 marry as in the scent of two flowers to be continued |
