The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-07-31


as with the other p"
Pretty nearly, so far ms have tried
yet one of these days I'll give you q
specimen.
$50 he did-in a way that I little
dreamed off,
well, look here, said I, coming to
the point, aren't you pretty fellow to
be by way never making love, and all
that sort of thing-and then to go
walking on q veranda mt two in the
morning with the prettiest girl in the
town.
GAS I spoke, I looked keenly in his
face for some sign of confusion. /
might as well have looked at the Great
Sphinx.
"'Ah you think Tn in love with
Miss De Courcy?' said he, with q quiet
laugh. Well, you're not the only one
who does me the honor to hold that
opinion but you rate my good taste too
high. The young lady is an extremely
interesting study but as for my admir-
ing her, happily, even public opinion
cannot turn that fiction into fact
Do you mean to tell me, then,
cried I, that you can't fall in love,
even if you tried p
" L mean to tell you,' he answered,
drawing himself up, and looking really
grand for the moment, that 1 should
not count life worth having, if I were
overcome, even for one moment, by any
influence that could not shake off, which
is what understand by love. The great
est pleasure of life, take my word for
it, is the free use of ones own will.
"'I suppose, then,' said I, that if
you did fall in love, and she played fast
and loose with you, you'd kill yourself?
Mot myself he answered very
quietly and then he put away his wait
ing, and asked me to come out for n
stroll. And so the subject dropped.
But now began to suspect (not for the
first time) that my friend Montfort
wasn't quite right in the head and
when you hear the rest of the story, l
think you'll agree with me.
"Well, for about month after that
everything went on as usual. The sea-
son was well in by this time, and 1 had
my hands full-balls, masquerades,
musical soirees, private theatricals, and
what not. Once OF twice lighted upon
Montfort in the very thick of it; but
for the most part he seemed rather to
fight shy of going about, in spite of his
theory about doing as the Romans did.
However, he occupied q good deal OF
my attention just then for, to tell the
truth, was rather riled at the way he
had thrown dust in my eyes and de-
termined to find out, by hook or by
crook, whether he was really spoony on
the De Courcy or not. But 1 might as
we'll have saved myself the trouble, for,
look as sharp as L might, was just as
wise at the end of the month as at the
beginning. One thing 1 found out
though-that Montfort and LIE Valiant
liked each otherahout as wellas badger
and q terrier, and that tho least thing
would kindle a row between them. LIE
Valiant had managed, by dint of his
dueling renown, to exact kind of def
erence from everybody hekn whereas
Montfort made no more of him than il
he had been crossing-sweeper, and,
indeed, had rather shut him up once or
twice, when he began to brag a little too
extensively. Now, I needn't tell you
| that you may do anything to a French
man rather than make him look small
before whole roomful of people, es-
! Then, again, LIE Vaillant's clustering
ways riled Montfort and so, bit by bit,
they came to hate each other like
poison.
"Now, should tel you that while al
this was going on, had become rather
thick with Colonel De Courcy, Georgi,
ana's father not that had any idea Of
her, but at that time was rather mad
on sporting, and the old colonel seemed
to have hunted and shot every beast
that came out of the Ark. So, pretty
nearly every other day used to stroll
up there, and find the old boy sitting in
his garden over a weed and a lnt-julep
and We would have long palaver about
the big game, and the best spots for
finding them. Well, one afternoon,
about five weeks after that ball was
speaking of, turned up in the colonel S
garden, but didn't find him in his usual
place and was just thinking of going
up to the house to look for him, when,
all at once, just on the other side of the
high shrubbery behind which was
standing, heard voices and Shey We're
the voices of Miss De Courcy and
Montfort
"Of course, You'll say was a con-
founded snob for listening, and 1 don't
deny it; but, at the same time, 1 could
no mora help it than 1 could help
breathing. Through the leaves 1 could
see them standing in the sidewalk ; and
though they spoke low, heard every
word.
Z" Mr.. Montfort," says she, Il have a
great favor to ask of you and although
people call you ungallant, cannot be-
lieve that you will be so unkind as to
refuse me. Will yoa do what ask p
("Talk of witchcraft you should
have heard her voice, and seen the look
she gave 1t was enough to drive q
man stark mad and know it made me
tingle all over, as if I'd fallen into bed
of nettles).
"I await your command s. said
Montfort, as coolly as if he'd been read.
ing Euclid. Q couldn't have done it in
his place, know that y
" WE'LL says she, Il find that Mr..
LIE Vaillant-that young Frenchman
whom you met here the other day-has
been showing to all his friends a like
ness of myself, which 1 was foolish
enough to give him, and has the inso-
lence to boast of it. as if-as if I had
in short, as if more Importance might
be attached to it than itreally deserves.
(The way she did that little bit of bash.
fulness would have made her fortune on
the stage). You are the only man
whom 1 can trust to check his imperti,
nence, for all the rest seem afraid OF
1. r 10 1nfo 4