The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-03-09

and pushed him into Iooii oppo0.; -
.Inlian and his friends now came ID,
sinoing and carousing, and prepared
to make a night of it. Horace was
among the number, but was more re-
served and quiet,-a mood from when
the bantering of his friends could not
rescue him. Jacintha now brought
her neice Inesilla in to help walt upon
the supper. Her appearance created
a decided connection among the inost
of the company because OF her beauty
but in Horace's mind on account OF the
wonderful resemblance which ne found
to the unknown lady in the black DOM
! inc. He would have sworn that 1t was
the same person, had he not conceived
| it to be impossible. ],
The young girl was scarcely allowed
| to do much waiting on the table, so at
tentive were all the gentlemen to her,
each one vieing with the others by say
| ing gallant things to her. At last, as
the only way of escaping these atten-
tons; which were becoming altogether
too marked, she agreed to sing them q
song. This, however, was the most I'M
fortunate thing she could have done,
for no sooner had they heard her sweet
voice trilling the peasant rondo OF
"Inez the Cay" than all crowded about
her, demanding a kiss. They were ev-
identity of the opinion that the peasant
dress afforded an excuse for any over
lures they might make. At this, the
false Inesilla became really frightened
She struggled as long as she could, then
flying to Horace's arms, she exclaimed:
"For Gods sake, protect me, Sir"
Horace undertook to do this III such
earnestness that the others desisted,
and withdrew to the card-room,-all
but Horace, who remained behind to
satisfy himself in regard to lnesllla's
real character. But now that she had
nothing more to fear, she relapsed into
the condition of the peasant girl, and
would not admit that Horace had ever
seen her before. 1t was only when
Prince Grumboff was announced that
she acknowledged.
"Ycs, yes" she said hurriedly, Il
am the same; but he must not see me.
Oh, save me, sir, save ne. | can GO III
this room, sir, if you will swear TO let
no one in"
Il swear it upon my life," was Hor-
aces answer, and the lady having step
ped into Jacintha's room, he turned the
key upon her. Satisfied that she was
safe for the present, and knowing that
! his absence from the card-room would
be noticed, he went away from the sup
per-room.
Gil Perez, the old convent porter,
firing of his close quarters in the little
room opposite, now came out, and re-
solved to 60 into Jacintha's room, for
which he had a key among his great
assortment, there TO await his teie-a-tete
and supper. He had no sooner turned
the key than female figure in black
domino and mask opened the door, and
Gil, thinking it a ghostly apparition,
fell trembhngly upon his knees.
"Gil Perez" said the appartion in a
grave voice, "thou art thief and spy,
betraying the trust put in thee Deliver
up to me the keys of which thou hast,
or the gates of heaven shall be closed
against thee"
Gil was too much frightened to re-
fuse. The lady in black took the keys,
motioned the porter to go into Jacin-
tha's room, and then glided out of the
house unseen, as soon as she had
watched Jacintha enter the same room
and turned the key upon both of them.
She had been gone but few min
utes, when Horace came back into the
room, which was now dark, Jacintha
having taken the precaution of putting
out the lights here, so that she might
entertain Gil undiscovered in her own
room. Horace approached the door eau
tiously, took out his key and unlocked it.
Now, fair lady, we are Alone" he
exclaimed, and he seized old Jacintha
by the hand, thinking it was the pretty
woman of the black domino and the
peasants dress.
Just at this moment Julian and his
friends came in, the former carrying a
light, and discovered Horace, to his
own dismay no less than to the amaze
ment of the others, in the act of paying
-. Il