Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-12-18
THE 0CFQR0ON|
4 sTc.r OF SLAFERr DArs.

pray let me lead you to your carrige, the corridors and lobbies are crowded.
 He tool! no notice whatever of Pauline Corsi, who followed as she best could, but who was speedily separated from them by the crowd. and by the rapidity with which Augustus hurried Camilla through the passages and down the staircase.
 By the time they had reached the DOT tico of the theater, they had completely lost sight of the French governess.
 Augustus handed the Spanish girl so quickly into Q carriage that she was not able to take any particular notice of tho vehicle; but when seated inside, she saw. from the sleam of the lamps without, that the cushions and Things were of a differ- ent color to those nf her own equipage.
 MT. Horton" she exclaimed .'this Is not my carriage. Augustus was stand ing at the door as she spoke.
 "No matter!' he said ''we have no time to lose; drive on" he added, ad- d. essipg the negro on the box, and at the samo moment he sprang into the car riage and drew up tho window.
 Camilla was bewldered and alarmed by his conduct.
 You have forgotten Pauline" she ex- claimed ''we arc leaving her be- hind us"
 "Mademoiselle Corsi must shift for herself, answered the planter as the carriage drove rapidly away, and turn ing out of the brilliantly lighted thor oughfare, plunged into one of the dark ast streets in New Orleans. .l have wished to spare you all anxiety, ionna Camilla, but concealment can no longer avail. Your father has been taken ill, and has sent for you.
 My father i'l! dangesous!y iIl?"
 ''l do not say that"
 "But pertuIs it is So. Oh, Heaven, my beloved aud hono.ed father-that noble and ger, ous friend who never de- nied q wish of my heart-tell them to drive faster, for pi'y's sake! Let us lose ao time in reaching him
 She turned :o Augustus Horton with rlasped hand, raised in application.
 At the very moment when she thus ap- .,ea!ed 10 hiiu, tho carriage passed a corner of street at which there was a lamp.
 The light of this lamp flashed upon tho lace of tho planter as they drove rap idly by.
 Brief a. tho moment was, Camilla fam :ied she de."cted smile of triumph upon the countenance of Augustus Hor- ton.
 thrill of horror crept through her veins as she thought that perhaps this alarm about her father was some vile suhterfugc of her rejected lover.
 She had often hear,!-hvard with a careless and unhecding ear. of deeds of darkness done iu i,U city oI her iirth.
 She knew that the wealthy members Of New Orleans society were not over 5cTnpuiou- in the z a itication or their Nilcr pass! ona-and she tfomhicd as she thought of her ctpicssness--but she had the brave spirit of her fathers race, Hnd she had sufficient p.es senca Of mind to conceal her terror.
 '. panion.
 Why did not my father send his own carriage for mc?" she asked.
 ''Because Don Juan was not taken ill at the Villa Ioraquitos. He Was at lacked in gaming house at the other end of thc city, and it is thither I'm taking you"
 My father stricken with illness in gnming-Eou e!' said Camilla. '.My father a gamhier?'
 ''Ah, that surprises yon no doubt. There are many secrets in this city of ours, Donna Caniiiiia and your father knows how to keep his. It was to avoid ali scandal that 1 br, ught you away from the opera house by a sperieS of strata gem. It would not have done for that brilliant assembly to know whither l was bringing you'
 Tt IS 10 some infamous haunt then?" said Camilla.
 All vices are infamous" answered he planter. II. is to the haunt of the ich and idle-the aristocratic and dis sipated. But perhaps your womanly nature shrinks from this ordeal. If 1t be sO will drive you homo without de- lay. There is no absolute necessity for your seeing your father tonight. To- morrow he may be well enough to re- turn to the Villa Moraquitos, and in the meantime l do not think there is any serious danger
 These last words were uttered slowly and hesitatngy. as if the speaker felt them 10 be untrue, and only spoke them in his desire to comfort his companion.
 Camillia's suspicious were completely dispelled. You do not think he is in dangerP' she exclaimed. "Can you imagine Ca- mlllia Moraquitos so poor a coward as to shrink from visiting her beloved father because he lies in a gambling house? Had he been stricken in the most infamous den in New Orleans, I would enter it alone to comfort and euccor him."
 Had there been lamp near to iilu- mine the planters face at this moment. Camilla might have again beheld the triumphant smile which had before alarmed her.
 Five minutes after this the carriage stopped at LOW uOOr, Tn dark but highly respectable looking street.
 The negro coachman kept his seat. but Augustus sprang on to the pave mcnt and handed Camilla out of the ve- hicle.
 The door before which they had stopped appeared to be closed so so, curely, as to defy all the burglars in New Orleans.
 Yet Augustus Hort on neither knocked nor rang for admission; there was a brass-plate upon the door; he simply pressed his finger against one of the jet ters engraved upon this plate, and the door opened slowly and noiselessly. The passage within was unillumined by one ray of light. 'Give me your hand, Donna Camilla" whispered the planter. The brave-hearted girl obeyed. and Augustus led her cautiously onward.
 As he did so she heard the door close behind her with a mufiied sound.
 They ascended narrow winding stair ease, at the top of which they entered a long corridor. lighted by shaded gas lamps, which emitted a subdued radi- ance.