New-York tribune., 1886-05-30
LADY B's BUTLER.

~ ,,,,I ,ttrgctinis than are supposed to be-
long 10 any but interesting paup.tS, ~ p vas
,hs ,ther hand had been informed that Mr. IL. was
a"o ,r" iercut sort of fellow. with the smallest
amount possible of Foreign once swng et, 'nvS my
,n.. fnr the first time under Lady 5 ropi' anu SUI
,..,.cd each Other with mutual interest," ir9m w
nosite sides Of an elaboraely decora'eu ",mn.a
t,blc The necklace came up To Nir a. D - nniv
tions but their owner surpassed theui; ~ 1ti,,
vas shs pretty, but also vlvaclous ana eEr''".N
n,nusing-not painted, dresSed,up doli, iiMo ,"0
woman beside him. got up foi adhl'r "'.' -
ca,ni,le of conversation. Not being hccus'on'u ~
oJmire without sort Of return, he ', Vne "o'i i
to the tender merce, of her letthanu hetBhp"I @ "n
de, otel his at,entIon to Miss W. lhey hau p.o~ "
nuIie friendly over o'clock tea. ana TOW cn
changed tec1raphic signs across the thole 'pou.
any small episodes that arose during the -n "lnno',
Mr. r. thought he was getting on ana peC'"o 'y
encro,sed that he neglected his avorte entreo ah,
hai scarcely time to do just zee 20 the snhdie oi
mutton. But when the regnlat on lce-cre"in .%n %a
made its ronnd he noticed sudden chahse III .uo
girl opposite ID hun she tnrhcn rs " "h,c hn cbair
own handkerchief. and leaned back III her chali;
silent ani distracted, with wide-open eyes yron mir
partcd lips. FOR the rest of the time sho sGaIceIt
ialkcl at all. aud seemed Incapabe OF rnlIyus
Int she shook her head when u, made a sign that
he WAS ready To assist her ont OF the room a" hcPo
Ler seat ii the ladies' rose and icd slowly through
tne door He would have gwen much to follow
them AT once because his curiosity was VVluy
rouscd He was sure there was some mystery De-
hind the SCENES for sho looked rs IT she had re-
cei ,ed n shock-seen host, or dlscoverei an uh-
wshed-or friend As soon rs he conid g@I awS " "
looked round the drawing room, ana seeing Silss VI.
sitting apart from the other ladies' ana lutnihs
over the leaves of a photograph-hook IN evident
preoccupation. he made his way 10 hor. ana stanu-
ino before her so IA 10 shield her from observation
asked in low voice if he could do anything ior
her. ,1,. u.or+
anything" H.
BIT YOU are annoyed or ill-one or the other l
shall never forget your look ut diuncr
"Did any one notice il Z eagerly. >,
"Not n soul. except myself or course don
wish force your confidence, but If can be Oh any
service to you--" ,,,u so,lr
| wish 10 heaven had never Gomez
lie looked at her with genuine compassion. for he
saw that she was shiycring from head to foot
Shall fetch Lady B-V
4Not for the world | would tell you, only you
would think me foolish" looking round to be
sure that no could overhcar.
promise you | won't" earnestly, as he TOOK
chair and sat down just in front OF her. so thar she
shonld not have TO raise her voice l" Fray tel me
II was only dream" with the ghost OF a smile.
" Last night | thought ! was being murdered ior
the sake of this necklace" playing nervonsy with
the diamonds round her white throat. aud woho
up struggling with mana man with IL ions ii cmh
and reddish hair. | felt should know hun any
where AID saw him today at dinner" with
shnddcr handing the liuueurs'
"Why that was Bird, the butter. You couluh d"
Il am" looking up at him with terror in ber
nrettv eyes am sure ne will try and mu rder me
tonight | can't 60 to beo. should never close my
ewes and she shivered again.
q You can 90 to bed, aud sleep IN perfect coEI
| dance foil Won what I'll do for you, and Mr.. r.
| smiled feeling that he was making noble effort
nnr rooms lie on the same corridor. have heaps
of letters to write-worse uckLso that mliSt ;5 si'
nm III keen my door aiar. which won't be n"tlccu'
as there is n light IN the passage ana my ears are 80
sharp that would DEFY any one 10 pass II WITHOUT
| nv knowing it. VIII that content you
lYou are very kind but he might wait u your
| letters are finished. . q.
. That will make no difference. ] promise to sit
up till my hot waters brought VIII tha' sa'iSiJ
'c"u0 "0h but that's too much"
"Not at all. II you tell me in the morning tnatt
| Won We had good night with pleasant Ninlic'
shall feel amply rewarded; besides can 40 VIII!
less sleep tnan most people, and IN sure 10 '"'o II
| out before luncheon"
being quite excited at tine idea OF rendering q
service to such pretty grl ond when me snesl,,
separated for the night, and he whispered "
hnvent forrotten" she gave him go charming q
look Of gratitude that his heart futtered like a
schoolboys.
Two o'clock n. M. with a decaying fire and with
ont the soiace of pipe. He bad written TWO Di
three letters just to save MS c"hscisnrG n "I' a
begun another 70 his life. In order TO IeasSf'
Miss NJ who might be on the lookout he ioit t4'
smoking room on preteXt of n headache ana estab
IIshcj himself i'm his room about midnight Smok
ing and sleeping were both out OF the question:, anH
tcyo longer hours he had never spent in his whole
e~istence lie heard doors opening and shnttlnl
! downstairs a suppressed laugh at the last goot
story told amidst tobacco-smoke the tread oi sew
eral pairs OF feet IN different directions aud thei
Miss ". being no longer there with her white
face and her small figure all OF tremble 10 wore
nron his feelings he began TO feel his position einl
nently ridiculous His excitement had cooled down
his compassion had waued like the moon bu
Infinitely bored and Intensely sleepy he was ooun'
dream He asked himself, with his hnsers run
nIpg through his usually neat hair and his montl
distended in an UNCONSCIOUS yawn, IL anyDouy ha'
ever heard of n man being vlctimized bV soineDou.
else's dream. IL was arrant nonsens'' ana he wa
Il tool to give in to IT, NO. not qulIe lnaI. WIN %
| throb of compun elton, or the girl would nave
worried herself into fits; but he ought to nay
reasoned with her, or suggested thnt she r mlgr
have II dog IN her room Lady B.s fldget Pl won
have been sure to bark if mouse had squeaked
and would have hOwled tho house down at sght U
a burglar a pity he hadn't thought of 1t bu
snpposing he had Miss Ma gratitude would hay
been given to Fidget and not to himself, and d
rather wished to win it, Another yawn' tiil Ii
thought he had cracked his Jaws ihe lire wa
| dying out he afraid to STIR II, but ne thoush
| he might tickle it with the poker. lie got =
cautiously and stretching ont his hand Tor t1
poker when he heard a sound in the PASSAGE. II
| hogan TO think his nervous system was deraneut
for he had never believed there was the sihaile'
reason for his watching But the sonnd wa
repeated. and sent an unmlstakabie thrili 'hr9ns
his veins He OF to the door nolselessly THANKS
his slippers and without opening it any fnrthe
neersd through the crack He could scarcel
believe his eyes when he sa" bird' tnc pu''e !,
carrying pal, of tiny highheeed boots IN Ii
hand Was there really something III the drea
after alli He waited till the man aetna ly stoppt
at Miss Ms door and placed MS hahu On u
handle. ,
Then with one stride he was by his side.
aW hat are you doing here (" he said IN a stel
whisper staring the butler straight In the rare
The man started, turned perfectly lIyld, ana /
the boots fall from his shaking hngers' Dnt
made a great effort after composnre, ana trled
steady his voice az he said " | had forgotten
SEMI up these boots before. SIT and was AFRAID c
young lady might want them the first th'ng i'll I
morning"
If She did il wouldn't be your business to bril-
them. You must be mad or drunk, and sha
report you to your master tomorrow" ,..
The mans under-lp shook and his eyes shltt
uneasily. d" meant no harm" he said sulenly,
he stopped to pick up the boots.
But Mr. Il. stopped MIN on sudden impul'
cave them here. and go OIL at once
Bird seemed inclined to rcmonstrate, a:d ev
stretched out hIs hand again as if to take the boo
but Mr.. X. signed to him to go with signibca
frown. iii.
backward look before he turned the cornell y