The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-01-30

luncheon in kid gloves. The question
was whether should partake of mine
with the ring on my finger, or whether ]
should put it carefully away in the box
and hide it out of sight. If you have
any knowledge of what human nature
at 81, especially when there's a pretty
woman in the case, you will know the de-
cision arrived at.
Madame pecked little at this and
that, but hardly ate more than sparrow
might have done. How swiftly the min
utes seemed to fly! could have inger-
ed on in that cozy little room for year.
When the cloth was drawn and we were
left to ourselves, with bottle of hook
| on the table between us, somehow our
chairs seemed to gravitate towards each
other. Or, perhaps, it was the stove
that attracted us, for the afternoon was
chilly. In any case we found ourselves
in closer proximity. Then said madame.
''Do you smoke, monsieur" Eyes, con-
siderably more than is good for me, I am
afraid" Then smoke now. Oblige
me. like to see gentleman smoke. y
rose to get cigar-case out of the pOck-
| ct of my overcoat. Madame laid her
hand lightly on my armand what a
charming hand it was! ''Tenez. I am
| going to make a confession" said she. I
smoke, too-moi. Cigarettes. I lived
| for several years in Spain, where nearly
| all the ladies smoke. You are not shock
| ed at the idea of lady smoking cigar
ettes?'
"Shocked, madame"
No, of course not. You are too much
man of the world. You are above such
insular prejudices. Ell 6ie,e, you shall
smoke one of my cigarettes From the
| satchel by her side she drew an embroid-
cred case which she opened, and bade me
choose cigarette" I did SO, and she
| took another. Then with her own fair
| fingers she struck an allumette, and held
| it while I lighted the weed. Then she
lighted her own. She could not fail to
see my ring as she lighted the match.
''I dare say you find the flavor a little
peculiar, =" said madame minute or two
later. ''These cigarettes are made of per-
fumed tobacco. I never smoke any 9TH
ers. ] hope YOU don't find yours disa-
greeabls.'
son the contrary, madame, am quite
in love with it. AS you say, the flavor
is slightly peculiar. but aromatic and
pleasant pleasant. To tell the
truth, I don't like it at all, but wouldn' t
have said so for worlds.
We smoked on in silence. What would
this superb creature say to me, 1 Won
dered, if I were to tell her how madly I
had fallen in love with her? or would
she-I gave sudden start, and was
shocked to find that I had been falling
asleep. Fortunately madame had not
noticed me. Her large, melancholy eyes
were bent upon the stove. There was
certainly something very soothing, some-
thing that inclined to slumber and happy
dreams, about madame's peculiar cigar
cites. IF I had but e20O0 year now.
and this sweet creature to share it with
me, how happy could I be! Certainly
she must have been some six or seven
years older than myself, but never was
one to care for your chits or school girls,
who set up for being women before they
are out of their teens. Here was an angel
who had been cast on bleak and unfeel-
ing world, who had pined for heart and
home-for heart that brimmed over
with love. Gracious goodness! I had a
heart that yearned toward her-that-
that-why, eh-how was this? And where
was /?
I awoke with shiver. But for the
courtyard the room would have been
quite dark. My head was aching fright
fully. I got up and staggered to the
window. When I looked out and saw
the familiar courtyard, everything came
back to me like flash of light. Where
was madame? Why had I slept SO long?
What boor she must take me to be? I
CROPPED for the bell and rang it violently.
Up came waiter with candle. "Where
is madame?" I demanded. Madame,
he answered, "went out nearly three
hours ago, saying she wanted to make a
few purchases, and would be back in a
little while. On no account, she said,
was her brother, who had suffered terri
bly, from NAL de naea. in crossing, to be dis
turbed. Madame" he added, "has not
returned"
Gone three hours ago! Her brotheri
Nal de merl What could it all mean? AS
L sat down, utterly bewildered, my arm
pressed against the little box in my
pocket. mechanically I glanced at my
finger. The ring was no longer there!
NY heart turned sick within me. sank
down and buried my face in my hands.
The waiter thought was i'll, and ran to
fetch some cognac. / saw it all now.
Fool-fool that was! had allowed my
self to be swindled, and by common
adventures.
At 9 o'clock next morning stood be-
fore my father miserable, haggard,
woe-begone wretch. told my tale, but
as L did SO L could not keep down my
tears-tears of mingled shame and vexa-
ton. He listened to me with curious
cynical smile. When had done he went
to his bureau and opened a drawer. ''Set
your mind at rest, Ned, he said. ssHere's
the ring, safe and soundp'
I could only stare at him in open
mouthed astonishment.
when madame, with the ring in her
possession, left you fast asleep. she was
just in time to catch the afternoon boat
back to Dover. The ring was in my
hands again before 10 o'clock last night. .
"But-but," stammered out, ST
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 do 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 thief, but thief-catcher. You
had grown SO half-conceited of late,
Master Ned, you had got such a mighty
tall opinion of yourself and your abiI-
ties, that / thought that it would do you
no harm to take you down peg or two.
hope have succeeded in conv;nsii.,
k1pu that there are people in t}l
clever, or it -