The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-08-24

closely wedged in between an exqui-
siteiJ- ressed Frenchman, on one side,
and u much-be-whiskered and be-gilded
Prussian, in cooked hat, on the other.
| just opposite sat q young gentleman
wearing heavy cloak and cap, ana be.
tween these lines Of blackness looked
out somewhat bronzed face, marked
lby straight brows, rather decided and
spirited features, and lighted by pair
were wandering rather vacanLly over
the busy street visible without. The
face was SO American and home-like
that it was sort of relief to Margaret,
who was little disturbed by the situa-
ton in which she had placed herself,
and who felt so strange among 80 many
foreigners. She was still watching her
opposite neighbor by the light OF the
tiaring lamp, when, to her horror, hand
stole into her mutf, clasped one OF hers,
and pressed 1T softly. That Frenchmanl
The hand was Withdrawn before Mar
garet had time to cry out, had she dared
| to do SO. Her first thought was for her
purse, which was safe in the breast
pocket of her cloak; but the long express
siye sigh with which the Frenchman
had Withdrawn his hand, and the look
he gave her as she turned upon him, set
her at ease on that point. He did not
want to rob her, then; he wanted little
Irritation.
"What can l, do~ reflected Margaret,
j rapidly. "We must be near home. IL
will be better not to attract attention TO
myself. Besides, poor auntie-"
Her reflection was arrested. Again
hand stole into her muff and pressed her
right one gently. But this time the hand
came from the other side. The Prussian
bent an ardent look upon her, and mur-
INJURED something beneath bis heavy
lmustache which was lost IN the shrlli
talk OF the people around them, ana
which Margaret herself was too dis.
mayed to understand.
| Her muff was held by cord around
her neck. Softly withdrawing her hands
from it, she clasped them under her
cloak, leaving the muf IN position, and
irving hard to be sober as she watched
the proqress of events. Two minutes of
auiet: then the mutf vas agitated on
both sides at once, and two hands stole
| in from opposite directions" Finding
nothing between, they clasped each 9TH
er, then were dropped as If each had been
red hot. and the two owners sprang to
their feet simultaneously with two ex-
clamationst one shrill, one deep, which
brought all eyes upon them, and pro-
duoei a seconds silence that forced
Margaret to check an imprudent laugh.
"Donner und-"
"Sacre-re-reV
In moment the words and menaces,
that rapidly grew shrlller, changed TO
blows, The combatants were desperate
Ily unconscious OF any but themselves.
lThe carriage was IN confusion, the
women screaming, the men shouting
hoarsely. 1t seemed an age, though it
was hardly two minutes, before the car
riage was stopped ana two authoritive-
looking individuals collared the beiliger-
ent parties. Mrs. SOmers, managing to
gain Margareps side, uttered relieved
exclamation.
"Oh, policemenW
The carriage, already motionless, be-
came still within; two lines OIL expectant
faces turned 10 the officers of The law,
Two lines of eyes glancing suspiciously
at at Margaret. whose veil aud bonnet had
been Knocked off in the struggle, and
who presented a flushed and disordered
Iappearance, which she ha6 not thought
of irving to remedy. The Prussian and
Frenchman still growled at each other
under their mustaches. The police put
some short and stern questions In Ger'
Imam. which elected clamor OF answers,
Nobody, in fact, knew quite what 1T was
had happened, and each haZarded CON
lecture. The inquirers grew impatient
and silenced the clatter OF inlormers
The glance that ran up and down the
row OF faces was arrested by Margareti
aspect, and one policeman, consignini
ms prisoner to third, stepped to Mar
garets side, and laid. hand on he
shoulder, at the same time saying some
thing in German. Mrs. Somers screamed
son, pray don't. She'd nothing to d.
with At. They only knocked her bonne
off,"
The officer did not comprehend. Mar
7 garet, in mortal terror, began in French
zee nest pas moi, monsieur, vraiment
t Je ne connais pas ces hommes la, je-"
| Her voice was drowned in her aunti
! yoiuble speech. The policeman looked
t polite, but firm, and again laid han(
on Margarers shoulder, condescendinl
II to French:
Y vous--"
"Ohl" cried Mrs. Somers, catching th,
drift OF this speech, "you mustn't, yol
can't! On, won't somebody help us?
told you ho y it would be, Margaret.
knew something would happen"
Her niece made no other commen
. than to burst into tears, which failed t.
I. soften the officer of the law. But jus
= here another voice made itself heard
and the young American who had sa
opposite stepped forward, removed hi
cap to the ladies, and spoke some rapi,
French sentences to the policeman, VIII
!, listened less doubtfully. Margaret mad
X out that he told the man she was IAN
- glais CONNIE moi" that it was not tn
5 ssiaute de mademoiselle." but that o
"ces facheux la."' A deal more he said
at whose meaning Margaret could onl,
guess. At any rate, it was effectual, TO
the guardian Of the law Withdrew hi
: hand, bowed low, and left the carriage
= upon which everyone looked relieved
: and the stranger, turning with q smll
TO his protegees, said;
"If you will allow me to see you t
= your hotel, shall be very glad to pu
,, myself at your service. / am a country
. man of yours, and, ii l am not mistaken
a neighbor."
Il Mrs. Somers took the card extended t
|, her, and read upon it Edward L.Tracy,
then exclaimed, in genuine amazement
"What! one of the Tracys OF P
street, Bostonw
: "A son Of Merrivale Tracy, 81 P
1, street." was the response.
"Indeedl How strange this is an
y how fortunate! never was so relieve
y