The Red Cloud chief., 1880-03-04

saw nothing 70 which TO object, and
Madame Olympic was. accordingly,
shown into Mrs. Elphinstone's room.
Mary was in bed. She had sat up
little since her baby's birth, and thi.
was Of her languid days. She bare
ly opened her eyes. and spoke not q
word, as Madame Olympic, having re-
moved cloak aad gloves, began her
manisulations. The rubbing lasted
nearly an hour. Toward its close Mary
seemed brighter, asked a question or
two, even smiled; and Mrs. Aste, sur
prised and pleased, felt that the expert
meBt WAS a success, and then and there
entered into M arrangement with the
froteuse To come at a regular hour each
day for the future.
So, morning after morning thereafter
the def, insinuating Frenchwoman rang
the bell of the res de chausee at her APP
pointed moment, and slipped noiselessly
through the door and into the oom OF
her patient. Mrs. Aske made a point at
first Of being present. In fact, Mrs
Elphinstone's nervous condition was
such that to leave her alone with a
stranger was not To be thought Of. But,
gradually, this relaxed. Mary was not
nervous with Madame Olympic. On the
contrary, her presence seemed soothing
and tranquilizing; and after a while
Mrs. Aske learned to regard the hour Of
the daily rubbing as a free interval, dur
ing which she could safely absent her
self for purposes Of exercise or the do
ing of needful errands. The Doctors
nraIfrf,nn with ra0.rI ~ tka fFaasunars
seemed justified. BY slow degrees Mrs.
Elphinstone grew stronger could
stand; could walk from room to room /;
at last was able to drive out. SO things
went on for three months. At the end
Of that time Mary was so like herself
that further rubbing seemed needless,
and it was proposed that the visits Of
Madame Olympic should be d~iscontin-
ued.
"You really don't need her ROW."
suggested Mrs. Aske.
..Oh, | do, think | do replied
Mary, with an odd, breathless intensity
in her manner. don't say any thing
To her, Mamma. Let her come a little
longer"
"Well-but, Mary
lcise upn l. Interrupted MIS-
Elphinstone. II can't bear it. | shall
speak to Archie. He doesn't wish
M to go without any thing want, |
am sure"
Mrs. Aske was surprised. Petulance
was so foreign TO Mary's nature that the
answer gave her a shock. She made
haste TO soothe, to acquiesce; but a
shade Of trouble rested on her mind.
Why did Mary care so much about this
woman? She did not 90 out that day;
but sat by during the rubbing, watching
and considering. Ii seemed to her,
though she scolded herself as f%anciful
for the idea, that Il reversal had taken
place in the position of the two, and
now that il was Madame Olympic who
commanded.and Mary who obeyed, and
obeyed with an unnatural and ready
subservience. 1t seemed, too, As though
Madame Olympic employed quite a new
manner toward her patient ann
authoritative, almost insolent; while
Mary watched her eye rs a timid dog
watches that of his master, doubtful
whether TO expect a blow or a caross.
Ii was like a bad dream, TO sit by, fan
cying these things, and yet distressing
her own i~maginings the while, and
hating herself for them. But before
the end of the seance Mrs. Aske was o
thoroughly uneasy rs 10 resolve on on
sulting her son-in-law. The result of
this consultation was the resolution TO
dismiss Madame Olympic without con-
sulting Mary.
"She won't mind, once it is DONE"
said her mother. " think she is afraid
of that woman's temper and feels too
weak still to endure the idea of 4
scene"
There shall be 70 scene,n declared
Major Elphinstone. 81 won't have
Mary harried and distressed by any
body. | don't care who it is
Madame Olympic took her dismissal,
which was effected with all possible
courtesy and liberality, quietly enough;
but there was q look in her eye not
pleasant to see.
al sail now enter to bid farewell to
Madame" she said, closing her wallet
over the Napoleons just paid her as final
settlement.
Major Elphinstone interposed. Ma
dame must be spared agitation. A
farewell was undesirable. He himself
would convey the adieu to her. And he
bowed the Objectionable female, as in
his own mind he called her, out of the
apartment, with more resolution than
politeness.
Madame Olympic paused an instant
on the threshold. Her beady eyes were
at their narrowest. The glance they
/ a, ,tal pua npiaG and yannn,nts N. shat
of a serpent.
you sail all see!" was all she said,
accompanying the words with a warn
ing gesture of the finger. Then she
slowly went downstairs.
The news was broken to Mary. She
received it with a violent start, then
flushed with anger, and tears filled her
eyes.
SHOW dared you?" she exclaimed.
50 1t was cruel! unkind! base! Oh,
dear! oh, dear!" She turned quite
away from them, hid her face, and did
not speak again duriag the whole after
noon, except once or twice to murmar
in a low, sobbing tone: "Oh, dear!
oh, deari"
Her husband and mother looked at
each other IN silent dlSnay. In tn0
midst of which they felicitated them
selves on having disposed of Madame
Olympic without a parting interview.
"There is no telling what she might
not have done to the poor, nervous
child, had she seen her." whispered
Mrs. Aske. Alas, she little knew how
much evil Madame Olympic had power
to accomplish without the sight of her
victim.
As evening drew on, Mary's mood
changed. She fell to weeping, and inn
plored, entreated them to send-to send
at once for Madame Olympic. She must
see her! She must! So violent was
her emotion and so excited and fever
ish her manner that her husband, great
" alarmed, hurried forth in search of
DR.. Boulan. Mrs. Aske tried in every
leving way to soothe her daughter. To
this end, she brought in the baby; bat
Mary would not look at hrpushed the
little creature aside, and continued to
upbraid, expostulate, entreat.
"My dear child,n cried her mother,