The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-01-12


wore them. A little while longer and ",
found ourselves at Calais When VT
landed, madame admitted that she wa
hs ngry, and that luncheon would be
desirable feature of the programme
Accordingly, while she went about hel
business, l took a roitar6 and drove L
the hotel Desin. There, in the course o.
half an hour, madame Joined me.
Now one can't very well partake o
luncheon in kid gloves. The question
was whether l should partake ofmine
with the ring on my finger, or whetha
/ should put it carefully away in the
box and hide it out ofsight. If you have
any knowledge of what human nature is
at twenty-one, especially when there's
pretty women in the case, you win know
the decision I arrived at.
Madame pecked a little at thls a..
that, but hardly ate more than a sparrow
might have done. How swiftly the
moments seemed to fly! I could have
fingered on in that coy little
room a year. When the cloth
was drawn and we were left to our
selves, with bottle Of hook on the table
between us, somehow our chairs seemed
to gravitate toward each other Or per
haps If was the stove that attracted us
for the afternoon was chilly. In any
case, we found ourselves in closer prox-
unity. Then said madame, "Do you
not smoke, monsieur 2'' '' Yes, consider
ably more than is good for me, I'm
afraid" Then smeke now. Oblige
me. l ike to see 4 gentleman smoke
l rose in order to get my cigar case out
of the pocket of my overcoat. Madame
laid her hand lightly on my armand
what a charming hand it wasl 80 Tjaez.
l am going to make n confession, she
said. 4 smoke too-mgi Cigarettes.
| lived for several years in Spain, where
nearly all the ladies smoke. You are
not shocked, hope, at the idea Of a lady
smoking a cigarette p
" Shocking. madame"
" No, of course not. You are TO
much a man of the world. You are
above such insular prejudices. I'll 5en,
you shall smoke one of my cigarettes"
From the sachel by her side she drew an
embroidered case, which she opened and
bid me choose cigarette. I did so, she
took another Then with her own fair
fingers she struck an al,ulefte. and held
it while 1 lighted the weed. Then She
lighted her own. She could not fail to
see my ring as she lighted the match.
dare say you find the flavor little
peculiar, said madame, a minute or two
later These cigarettes are made of
perfumed tobacco. [ never smoke any
other. hope you don't find yours very
~
" On the contrary, madame. an quite
n love with it. As You say, the flavor
S slightly peculiar, but aromatic and
pleasant" To tell the
truth, didn't like it at all, but I
have said so for worlds"
We smoked on in silence. What
would this superb creature say to me, I
if were TO tell her how mad
Iy had fallen in love withher Would
she reject me with scorn, or would She
[ gave a sudden start, and was shocked
to find that had been falling asleep.
the madame had not noticed
me. Her large melancholy eyes We're
bent upon the stove. There was GER
tainly something very soothing, something
that inclined to slumber and happy
dreams, about madame's peculiar cigar
cites. If had but two thousand q year
now, and this sweet creature to share it
with me, how happy could I be! Ger
tainly she must have been some six or
seven years older than myself, but I
never was one for your chits Of school
girls, who set up for being women before
they were out OF their teens. Here was
an angel who had been left desolate, who
had been cast on a bleak and unfeeling
world, who pined for heart and home
for a heart that bTimmed over with
love. Gracious goodness! Ihad a heart
that yearned toward that that
was this? And where
was I?
1 awoke with shiyer But for the
lamp in the court yard the room would
have been quite dark Ny head was
aching frighttully. I got up and stag
CARED to the window. When I looked
put and saw the familiar court yard,
everything came back to nae like 4 fash
Of light. Where was madame? Why
had I slept so long? What boor she
must take me to be? I groped fer the
bell, and rang it violently. Up came
the waiter with a candle "Where is
madame ?'' l demanded. MADAME" he
aswered, event out nearly three hours
ago, saying that she wanted to make a h@e
purchases, and would be back in little
while, On no account, she said, washer
brother, who had suffered terribly from
NAL de mer in crossing, to be disturbed. |
he added, "has not vet re-
tnrued"
Gone three hours ago Her brother
Maj de nlerl What could it all mean
As 1 sat down, utterly bewildered nv
arm pressed against the little box in
my pocket. Mechanically glanced
at my finger. The ring was no
longer there My heart turned sick
within me. sank down and buried NV
face in my hands. The waiter thoucbt
l was i'll, and went to fetch some eooneo
I saw it all now. Fool-fool that wosI
1 had allowed myself to be swindled. and
by a common adventures.
At nine o'clock next morning. ! stood
before my father a miserable, bapoard
woe-begone wretch. 1 told my tale bnt
as 1 did so I could not quite keen down
my tears-tears of mingled shame ana
vexation. He listened to me with q n
rious cynical smile. When 1 had done
be went to his bureau and opened a draw
er. Set your mind at rest, Nedu he
said. Here's the ring, safe and soundrl,
could only stare at him with Omen.
astonishment. "Wheu madsn,a
with the ring in her possession, left xor
asleep, she was just in time to catch The
afternoon boat back to Dover. IT,