The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-02-01

IIuLn, uluu ike IL al all, DuL
wouldn't have said so for worlds"
We smoked on in silence. What
would this superb creature say to me, I
wondered, if were to tell her how mad
ly had fallen in love with her? Would
she reject me with scorn, or would she
I gave q sudden start, and was shocked
to find that had been falling asleep.
Fortunately the madame had not noticed
me. Her large melancholy eyes were
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 I had but two thousand 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 l
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 pinned for a heart and a home
for heart that brimmed over with
love. Gracious goodness had heart
that yearned toward her-that-that-
Why-eh--how was this: And where
was ?
I awoke with a shiver. But for the
lamp in the court yard the room would
have been quite dark. My head was
aching frighttully. I got up and stag
CARED to the window. When looked
out and saw the familiar court yard,
everything came back to me like flash
of light. Where was madame? Why
had slept so long? What a bOOr she
must take me to be? I CROPPED fer the
bell, and rang it violently. Up came
the waiter with a candle. "Where is
madame ?" | demanded. madame" he
aswered, event out nearly three hours
ago, saying that she wanted to make few
purchases, and would be back in a little
while, On no account, she said, was her
brother, who had suffered terribly from
NAL de mer in crossing, to be disturbed.
Madame" he added, "has not yet re-
turned"
Gone three hours ago! Her brother
Nal de mer! What could it all mean
As l sat down, utterly bewildered my
arm pressed against the little box in
my pocket Mechanically l glanced
at my finger. The ring was no
longer there! My heart turned sick
within me. sank down and buried my
face in my hands. The waiter thought
was i'll, and went to fetch some cognac.
I saw it all now. Fool-fool that l was.
had allowed myself to be swindled, and
by a common adventures.
At nine o'clock next morning, | stood
before my father a miserable, baggard,
woe-begone wretch. l told my tale but
as did so l could not quite keep down
my tears-tears of mingled shame and
vexation. rTe listened to me with a GU
rious cynical smile, When had done
he went to his bureau andOpened a draw
er. Set your mind at rest, Ned,' he
said. Here's the ring safe and sound
| could only stare at him with open
mouthed DISBURSEMENT. "Wheu madame,
with the ring in her possession, left you
asleep, she was just in time to catch the
afternoon boat back to Dover. The
ring was in my hands again before ten
o'clock last night -
But--but," | stammered out, |
don't understand When she had once
got the ring in her possession, Why did
she bring it back to you?'
Because she was paid to 30 so. Be
cause she was hired by me through the
agency of private inquiry office to act
as she did act. Madame, by profession,
is not a thief but a thiet-catcher. You
had grown so self-cOnceited of late, mas
ter Ned, you had got such mighty tall
opinion of yourself and your abilities,
that thought it would do you no harm
to take you down peg or two. hope
have succeeded in convincing you
that there are people in the world quite
as clever, or may be cleverer, than GER
tain young gentleman of one-and-twenty.
Ii you profit by the lesson my money will
have been well spent"