The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-03-30
[From the Cornhill Magazine.1
THE MAN WITH THE RED HAIR.
CONTINUED.

ocl1 VI LIS hospitality. lO GulS lie It
turned no answer, and | soon forgo
all about him. My next meetln,
with him did not take place unit
some six months later, when he turn
ed up Unexpectedly at Cannes, whith
er [ had betaken myself, after winter
ing in Egypt, in order to see tn
Nevllles, who were living in hote
there.
was half DOING in an armchair b,
the open window, one morning, whel
[ was startled by tremendous shind,
going on in the courtyard of tn
hotel below me. | went down-stair
at once; for I-rather like a row (whe,
| am not called upon to take part IL
it), and the first thing that | saw m,
red-headed friend engaged in an angr!
alteration with the landlord, while
group of grinning walters and porter
stood around, keeping we'll beyond
the reach of his umbrella, with which
he was describing energetic circles il
the air.
you chattering idiotr' he wa.
bawling out, Isl vous 'avez pas shom
Der, pourquoi diabel telegraphier tt
say that you had?"
Monsieur, je vous assure'-begar
the landlord deprecatingly.
Je vous assure that I'm not going
to stand here all day. Avez-vou;
shomber ou 'avc2 vous pas? Oui OF
non? Repondez!"
Here the hall porter interposed
'sVery goot rooms on the second floor
sare; au premier it was imposibilite
ken ayoir."
Then pourquoi diabel didn't you
say SO before? Here, carry up the
luggage, you beggars! Porty baggage
vite! Look sharp!'
The noisy little procession came
gathering upstairs the landlord
relieving his feelings by calling Per-
cival opprobrious names in an under
tone: then the walters; then the
porters with the luggage; finally Per-
cival himself, growing like a distant
thunderstorm. On the first landing
he became aware Of me. and looked a
good deal more surprised than pleased
at seeing me.
"Hullo!" he said, Il didn't know
yOu were here.
From the emphasis which he laid
upon the pronoun | was led to con-
clude that he had known the Nevilles
were at Cannes; and this, it subse-
quently appeared, was the case. | had
not long resumed my interrupted
siesta when there came laundering
rap at the door, and Immediately my
friend stalked in "to tell me-" as he
said. "all about it" He dragged a
chair up to the window, seated him.
self astride upon it, and began RAPID
explanation, sometimes frowning and
sometimes smiling a me over his
folded arms while he talked. 1t SEEM
ed that he was as much bent as ever
upon espousing Florry Neville. He
had tried to forget her, but without
success; land when [ saw that fell
lows marriage in the paper the other
day." he concluded, II made up my
mind to lose no more time, and started
for Cannes at once"
What fellow?" I asked, in some
bewllderment.
"As if you did't know" he returned
pettishly. "Why, the man whom she
threw me over for down in Suffolk. of
course. I knew there was no chance
for me so long as he was in the way"
At the risk Of being pitched neck
and crop out of window, | could not
restrain roar Of laughter. my dear
fellow" | said, Its ten to one that
Miss Neville doesn't even remember
the name of that individual. You
must either be unwarrantably. partic-
alar or very easily discouraged"
I'm not easily discouraged he
answered. ''As to my being particu-
ar, that's quite possible. 1 wouldn't
give fig for man who was not par
ocular where his wife was concerned
His wife! This was taking time
by the forelock with vengeance" |
remarked.
"Oh, WELL" he said impatiently, sits
the same thing" And then-by way.
no doubt, Of showing me how partic-
nlar he was-he requested to be in
formed what had brought me to Can
nes. He was kind enough to say that
he quite admitted my right to be his
rival; only he was anxious that there
should be no misunderstanding about
it, He begged, therefore. that | would
treat him as friend and speak open
ly.
[ hastened to assure him that he
hal nothing to fear from me; that |
hoped to remain a bachelor for many
years to come; and that, if ever | did
marry, my cousin would assuredly not
he the favored lady who would be
asked to share my joys and SORROWS.
But | believe he was only half con-
vineed, and indeed. from then to the
end or our acquaintance, he never
ceased to regard me with a greater or
less degree of suspicion. Percival was
the sort of man who would have been
Jealous of his own grandfather rather
than not have been jealous at all.
He found plenty of people to be
Jealous of at Cannes, where Florry' s
attractions were widely known and
appreciated, and | felt quite sorry for
the poor fellow when | saw how cru
ely she treated him. For the first
few days he had it all his own way.
Florry seemed to be. and | dare say
Was, delighted to see him. She rode
to a picnic with him, she allowed him
to take her out for sail on the bay.
she sat with him in the garden in the
evenings, and in short lifted him up
into a seventh heaven of bliss. Then,
of course, she abruptly kicked him
out of it. There Was man named
Lacy who was at that time among
the most devoted Of her slaves; and
when Percival had had his little inn
ings it was Lacy's turn to score. To
i Ill l ,,,nct c.,,r 1 u /