Little Falls transcript., 1886-01-29
Let us make our ii Az down stairs at

| depend on my own servant. ] am too
nervous to work the the thing myself =
| Bourchier was naturally overioyed
to do her this trifing service, and he
felt that the tete-a-tete drive to Me
| gatherium Flats would almost indem.
nifty himself with alacrity -in the wild.
ow's cosy brougham, and they were
driven of rapidly-too rapidly, he
thought-to their destination.
AS Mrs. Ormskirk had surmised, the
elevator boy was nowhere to be found;
! the night porter, who could not leave
his post, being the only creature about
at that late hour.
"Ismust ask you to escort me to the
seventh hoor," said Rosal,e, smiling
as she seated herself in the left. A
small lamp lighted the machine, and
shown down on her poudree head,
piquant face and radiant eyes.
"The ball was a dismal failure
wasn't it?" she said, looking up at
him as he worked the ropes.
"Yes-n--no-not altogether" he
| answered, losing his head somewhat.
1t would have been the happiest ev-
ening of my life if" He stopped and
fixed his eyes on her face.
Eyes, Major Bourcher?" she queri-
ed softly; If what?"
"If you had not cheated me out OF
my waltz, Rosalie," he burst out i'm.
pulsively.
Mrs. Ormskirk blushed and fingered
her fan nervously
"Oh, Rosalie!" he said, dropping the
rope and seating himself at her side,
"why will you play with me like this?
You know I love you. You know I
have loved you for yearsv' He had
seized one OF her small hands and
pressed it to his lips before she could
withdraw it. He had forgotten all
about the danger OF precipitancy.
"Rosalie, listen to mel"
"Not ,now-not here!" she inter-
rupted with touch of her old CO.
quetry. 'EFancy any one having the
hardihood to make a declaration of
love-in an elevator! And you used
to be $3.50 romantic!"
"What does it matter where or when
one speaks if the love be genuine? I
love you truly, Rosalie, and I have
oooAA 'oty Pe'OA0Ho, OuV COulu AOG
bear to see that idiot Rockminster-"
"Major Bourchier, I cannot allow
you to speak in that tone of one who
may one day be my husband"
"Your husband!"
"Mr. Rocknlinster proposed to ne
this evening"" she said, dropping her
eyes.
"And you accepted him?"
swell, not exactly!" she replied,
with a mischevious smile; "but may.
l have not given him his answer yet.
shall Tomorrow"
This, then, was what she meant
when she spoke those two words to
Rockminster. Bourchier' face turned
red with anger.
"Rosalie," he said hotly, **you are a
heartless coquette! have done with
you forever"
II am indeed sorry you should think
so badly Of me, Major Bourchier.
But" she added, with the lightest
touch Of sarcasm, "that is no reason
why you should keep me prisoner
to tell me so. The elevator is at a
standstill.''
1t was true. In his eagerness Bour.
CHER had dropped the rope, and the
elevator was stationary.
II won't keep you prisoner a
moment longer than I can help, Mrs.
Ormskirk," he said, jumping up. He
pulled the rope vigorously, but the
elevator did not move.
"Don't you understand the mech
anism?" cried Rosalie, in sudden
alarm.
Eyes, ofcourse, !" he reiorted, a triAe
irritably; "but-but there seems some
thing wrong with it.
Mrs. Ormskirk sprang to her feet
with a little scream of terror. :.
ooh, Major Bourchier we shall be
killed, know we shall. There is some
thing wrong with the elevator! We
may be dashed to pieces-the thing
may fall-or-or something. Oh,
what will become OF us!" she went on,
bursting into tears. "Can't--can't t
you save me, Vincent"
She clung to him III her terror.
"Don't be frightened, dearest" he
said, trying to speak cheerfully; lit
may not be so serious as you think.
Do you know if this is an hydraulic
elevator? If so, the stoppage may be
caused by the failure of the water"
II don't know-l don't know what
an hydraulic elevator is" moaned
Rosalie, sobbing. "Such thing has
never happened before. Oh, Vincent,
can't-can't you save me?"
"Would to Heaven could! I would
die for you. gladly ~-a .
II don't know about dying for me, !"
she sobbed out, "but-but there seems
very good chance OF your dying with
me-"
Bourchier smiled. ~
ri don't think things are quiteso bad
as that, Rosalie."
'.How do you know? Why, any
minute we may be dashed to pieces! I
have heard of such things" ~
His arm was still around her waist;
in her terror she did not seem to no.
tice it-at least she made no attempt
to Withdraw herself from his embrace.
ttLie seems all the more entrancing
now, of course, = he ventured to say,
trying not to speak bitterly. 'sYou
wero always ambitious. Rosalie, and
as Mrs s.%Rock1ninster-' s54q sss
"Who told you | was going to be
Mrs. Rockmnlster?' she retorted with
spirit. "If you are going to take ad-
vantage Of the position to-to bully
me = s.5. .3$ sss szs
Ny darling, such an idea never
crossed my brain, I love you far too
jwell, &, interrupted Bourchier, with his
lips close to her pretty ear. The temp
tation VAS irresistible. He kissed he1
velvet cheek once, twice, and then, as
she did not attempt to move, her fresh
ros lips. Rosalie, do you love me2'
Shewas silent save for d slight catch.
ing Of her breath, that might have
been either q sigh or q sob.