The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-02


they would quietly slip off and home again
with no one the wiser, madames caprice graz
lied and no harm done.
/, Hor,cnse was delighted with the plan, and
, left it entirely to Nine. Lenormand's manage
ment, declaring that she would rather nave
It all a surprise, with II childish delight III
anticipating u glimpse into what seemed I,
her sort Of fairy land
And truly it was u world as wonderful a:
any fairy land she could have fallen INTO, to
this convent-bred little girl, despite her pc
sition, IS ignorant rs child OF things Ia
mliar enough to another 1t was meta
morphosis as complete rs Cinderella's. Some
of these merry. makers might have starved
Yesterday in q garnet; they might lie ghaslly
and stiff to morrow under the waters OF the
river; but tonight the world was all then
own-grisettes, ouciers, poor devils, for ie"
hours they were kings and queens, and they
kept their state generously. Such untelgned
gayety, such utter surrender to the intoxica
ton of the moment, amazed Hor,ense, all in
experienced as she was. Her blood came and
went to the beat of the music, she caught her
breath at every watt OF perfume; the clash OF
color and sound, evolving harmony from lis
own irregular rhythm, stirred a vague melO
DIV in the confusion other untried senses the
fOrmless whirling crowd seemed to catch her
yolition il its sweep, and toss it in and out
like leaf on the wind. With feeling OF
losing her personality, she shrank aside from
the revel, unconscious of n figure for some
time near her, moving as she moved and
! pausing as she paused.
"Wlll not the Queen of Heaven deign to
smile on the humblest Of her adorers?
come from aiar to worship" said voice
suddenly, low in her ear; and turning with a
lad ,N,l ,,,,f. vnrh
with staff in his baud The large CLOAK
only his eyes were visible, and, significant,
intense gazed steadfaslly on the young
girl.
Gentle pilgrim answered Hortense, at
ter one startled glance to assure herself OF
her chaperon's nearHess, entering with in
stinctive coquelry into the spirit of the scene,
'you come too late and find only waning
moon" and as she spoke she dropped her
crescent low.
"Ah, suffer me then to await her rising
thus" he exclaimed, throwing himself at her
feet.
beware" she SAID, archly "Know you
not that to sleep in the moons light is to per
Il sense and sight?'
"To peri?" he repeated. NAY look on
me, then, and see If be not deaf and blind,
already-to aught save her." and with a
quick movement he raised his mask and gaz.
ed up at her with a look into which he had
thrown Il subtlety of expression that spoke
well Tor his powers OF acting.
| During this dialogue they had been stand
! ing apart in the recess OF a balconied window,
so that the moving throng was behind HIM,
and none but his companion saw his face
| 1t was singulariy handsome face, youthful
IN feature yet with the force and fire of man.
hood-a face that looked as if ut whatsoever
shrine it might kneel, it was not wont to kneel
in vain So much Hortense saw in the brief
glimpse, and with it a passionate purpose,
that made her color change and her eyes
droop even under her mask. When she lift
ed them again his mask was restored, and
nothing was visible but his eyes, challeng.
ing her as before With halfconscious
shyness she turned away, and taking Nine.
Lcnormand's arm walked In among the mer,
ny makers. But wherever they moved he
followed, till by.and-by the trio began to at.
tract attention--the slight, transparently-rob.
ed figure, with its luminous crescent, shelter.
ed in the voluminous draperies of the elder
woman, and a stealthy, dark shape, like a
creeping cloud, following step for step in
! their wake
Behold portent" cried one "the full
moon with the new"
"Have care, Mile Moon; the dark is dan
gerous,' Knocked figure in a bizarre butter
fly robe.
Hortenses sable attendant made some
| light retOrt, which random as it was, told
ly nevertheless, for loui laugh follow
ed, as, with one angry flash of the black
eyes beneath her mask, the human butterfly
fluttered away into the crowd.
In this way he continued to keep every
one at o distance, while Hor;ense, half tlut
tered by this persistent chase, half relieved tC
be freed from other pursuits Of other creatuI e.
so unfamiliar to her, came instnCtively &c
turn for help to this bold stranger, as mucl
Of friend as enemy But when the hour fol
unmasking approached she began to ques
ton uneasly how to escape without being
observed. Finally she succeeded in dispatch
ing her sable follower on some pretext,. an(
that done, hastily slipping into the Grove
stole away, unmarked on Nine Lenormand'
arm. a"
Doubtless it was the unaccustomed excite
ment that drove sleep from the pillow OF thu
coavent-bred girl. At all events, when Nine
Lenormand the next day noticed the languoI
and pallor OF her charge, it was this freal
that she blamed for them.
ut Is very well" she said, half jestingly
ette.' 81
"ltis u stupid play" answered madame
"and one shall play at no more. What ar
they all, then, these people" she continued
after moments pause; "grisettes, curriers'
ell, cousin"
And students, adventurers-Nho know
what besidesy'
But never of our cass-no, cousins'
"Who knows? Madame herself was there,
aswered Nine. Lenormand with an arcl
glance at Hortense, who. flushed and rejoine,
quickly;
bah that was madcap's freak; it la
|, nothing to say 10 the others" Hel handkel
chief slid from her lap She stopped to RI
cover 1t, and added: That droll. for exam
pie, who haunted us So no doubt, you fame,
!, HIM Prince in disguseg"
who knows" repeated Nine. Lenormand
laughing. THE prince of school-boys a
least"
), And l." snid Hor.ense, throwing up he
J chin, III believe him q tailor with a hea
turned by too much Beranger. oh, 1t wa
too stupid | will havs NO more of it.u