The Penn's Grove record., 1884-11-29

something between a sniff and a snort,
took her departure.
The next morning, some time before
her usual breakfast-hour, Florence APP
peared IN the Dreakfast-room to see her
brother for a moment before he went
ont, as she said. That young man, not
accustomed to such attentions, received
her somewhat distrustfully +; but a total
change came oveT his face when she pre-
ferred the request shell had to make.
Harry, / am very anxious to see
Louise this morning about a-the dress
maker, you know. Do you think you
could manage to get her over here 7"
"Oh, certainly" answered Harry,
with remarkable Misunderstanding
could be easierl Do you think L might
go there Immediately ?"
Yes; the billiards breakfast out
rageously early"
So within two hours Florence was
closeted with her friend, discussing
plans which would have made the hair
of her masculine protectors stand on
end.
Louise, you are to invite me to
spend the rest of the day with you, and
we will leave the motel within half an
hour" was the announcement which
greeted the visitor almost before she had
entered the room
Very well, dear-and what then Z"
asked submissive Louise, turning and
twisting In a vain attempt TO see the
back of her new dress i'll the mirror.
''Well, them" continued Florence,
''you are to entertain me by taking me
s. - lr,,rn .y,I ff upn ahnuth human
to take me to the Pyramids-why, of
course | couldn't help il !"
FLORENCE Thorne, what are you up
to to-day ?' cried her friend, suddenly
wheeling round. "Stop this cowardly
beating about the bush and tell the
truth at once | Are you going to meet
any one there? Is it Herr o Wal
deck. or Teddy, or the Marquis, or"
Nonsense, Louise !; you are deplora-
bly, frivolous and depraved !" responded
Florence, III scorn and disgust /; then,
remembering Miss Brooks-"What can
| possibly want of men at the Pyra-
midsP No; | wish to go up the large
Pyramid"
"But, my DEAR" Louise exclaimed,
in mock surprise, II thought your par
ents had settled that question already?''
"How dreadfully stupid and disagree
ably you are to-day, Louise ! OF course
you understand that they are not to
know anything about it. If they are
SO blinded to my real interests and show
70 little sympathy with my thirst for
knowledge and investigation, 1t is quite
time / took matters into my W hands.
Then, too, l have another reason, which
perhaps | will tell you later, ANY way,
l am resolved to go, and, if you refuse
t go with me, l shall go alone !"
"0f course ! will CO." responded
Louise meekly, though l confess |
have never had any desire to ascend the
Pyramid. / have always heard that it
nearly splits you in two and bursts off
all your buttons -
A few moments later the two girls
were seated in a carriage which they
had hired az the door Of the hotel, and
were soon driving over the bridge and
past the Khedive's Palace. For fully a
quarter of an hour al unwOnted silence
had reigned, when at last Louise turned
authoritatively to her companion.
"Now, Florence, | wish to know the
true reason-at which you limited a
! while ago-why l am to be dragged up
there to-day ; for of curse / know that
| your thirst for knowledge and all that
is mere nonsense"
"You are not polite, dear" Florence
responded calmly {; "but l don't mind
| confessing that my devotion to history
and tho relics of antiquity would not
alone have been enough to make me I'M
dertake such a scramble. Well, Louise,
if you had heard the pompous dictate
| rial speech which that tiresome Norris
made yesterday, when | expressed a
! wish TO mount the Pyramid-some i'm
pertinence to The effect that no lady
who would do such a thing could hope
to be honored with his respect-you
would not wonder that l feel obliged to
| show HIM what | think of him and his
opinion for of course | shall take great
pleasure in telling him tomorrow where
| have BEEN"
"Ah," said Louise, with a sidelong
glance at her companion, you are quite
right l was sure yourfriend Mr.. Nor
ris was a most insufferable prig !"
"How absurd % exclaimed Florence,
with u%naccountable vexation. "Mr.
Norris may be rather particular in some
of his ideas, but nobody with the least
atom of common n would call him
a prig."
The only effect of this unmistakable
| snub was a merry peal of laughter from
Miss Hilllard, in which FlOrence-after
vainly biting her lip-was at last com
| PEELED to Join. and silence was banished
effectually during the remainder of the
drive.
On leaving the carriage at the Pyra-
mid of Cheops the two ladies' were as
sailed by a perfect mob of i~mportunate
Bedouins clamoring for the privilege of
escorting them. The young ladies each
| chose three of the least Objectionable
looking of the Bedouins, and the Others
retired.
With an awful sinking Of the heart,
Florence surveyed the long row of
steps, each over a yard high, up which
they must be pulled in some fashion.
Suddenly there was a jerk, a tear, some
thing driven like a hammer into her
back, a straining as if her arms were
being wrenched from their sockets and
every limb torn asunder, and the first
three steps were passed.
But what had been the meaning OF
a quick succession of cracking, tearing
sounds, like the explosion of a child's
pop-gun, which were audible at the first
stepp Alas, the two girls understood
it but too well, and the eloquent glance
exchanged as they were allowed an in
slant in which to take breath only
needed Florence's doleful exclamation
to explain all
eyes, every single string burst ~
On they went faster and faster, until
Florence, gasping, groaning, almost
weeping, felt that every bone in her
body must be broken or reduced to
pulp. Why had she entirely forgotten
her very small Arabic vocabulary !
Why could not she remember some ex-
preston with which to implore these
tends to moderate their pace All,
thank Heaven, a word had occurred to
her! With the energy of despair, she
cried, "Ydlla, gala l"-and the mer
dew on with redoubled speed.
Florence" came a voice from above
uncertain between tears and laughter,
''you are telling them to go quicker
Lstdnna, istanna ?" And now, to Flor
.-ao., f.avnraoCibIa raliaf ahq WAS sci