New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-24

H.
lind arrived in Paris on the Tuesday, and the
following days were so en,laGGH ,1 iue th up w,
| occurrence of the first evening, when Dy lile
wav had mentioned neither to ENelyn nor her
! husband if il did not actually lade from my
n,,,nrv az least lay dormant, until ON the
| afternoon of Madame dc kergueIs pail 1t was
! once more wildly brought 10 nina. My Drotler-
in law and | were returning from call upon
some old friends by the Rue de Rlvoh when Just
| AT the corner Of street a gentleman walking
! hurriedly past brushed against my shoulder.
JnstantIy fbe same curious sensation had twice
! before experienced thrilled through me; turned,
| but as | did so felt instlnctlvely TINT the face
| should see would be familiar one7it waS IN
very fact the man whom the mirror had reVealed.
There were the dark eyes set near together, The
sallow complexion; the cruel, hard look was
wanting, but there was something lurtve In inc
way his eyes met mine for an instant, then
rested upon Monteith with sudden recognition.
A Pardon, monsieur courteous nIt nun Oh thc
hat, and he had disappeared IN the crowd.
That was the Marquis d Aeyrac" L exclaimed
AZ" Yes; but how on earth did you know him
thought Evelyn said he was not at the Nahc-
crofts dinner the other night
4 mental pro and con before | answered. and
then. nv mind made up, l turned to my brother
in-law. .
connection with that man | should like to ask
your opinion about; perhaps you can help me.
See we shall be more undisturbcd under the trees
Shall we cross over into the Tulleries gardens
Without further preamble | related the incident
which Inv NV readers have already heard Sidney
listened 10 the narrative in silence, then sald
thoughtfully -
1t is most curious that you have accurately
described Nademoselle Clairc'S boudOlr in the
De kereuels house. / have only been IN II
once: but then, il 10 look at the ldentlcal
portrait you mention as hAnglng over the cabinet
II is the old vicomte, one h" had painted for his
daughters last birthday and DAlcyrac, too-we
are not intimatcS, but meet pretty often, ana
once or twice | have happened 10 cat;h Just that
o,.i1 sio on
ANNOYED him. 1t is certainly most extraordinary
coincidence too, that you should have recoghHed
the man Just now
well. what am to do. Montcith?7 I inter
ncscd rather impatiently. " IL Is impossible
to tell these people, who are utter STRANGERS TO ne,
that think their daughter runs the rlsl OF being
murdered by the man She Is about to marry
they would naturally think me out Of my mind
"No. # would never do My advice, Mcrvyn,
is 10 saw nothing at all of the affair, which GER
tanlv does seem SO extraordinary as 10 he almost
incredible Tonight you VIII have an opportunity
10 zee MademoScle Claire and D'Acyrac together;
uprlauS some cew 10 the mystery may suggest
itself: if not, had better try and treat II alto
getler as Just one Of those singular BRAIN phc-
nomena that even you, an authority on such SUD-
ects are unable to explain"
This was most unsatisfactory, but conclusive 50
far as my brother-in-laws help was likely 10 avail
me Nothing more was said, but TO say thar
waited impaticntly for the evening is to made
quatelv express my state of mind during the re-
mainder of the day. That mirrorcd drama had
now a singular fascination; 1t rose perpetualIy be
fore nv minds eye and | felt more ana more
convinced. however incredible, a. Monteth sad,
il might appear, that some real ana actual dancer
would menace Claire de Kcrguel, possibly that
very night: and that l. Hubert Mervyn, alone
shonld be able to avert it. There was a peculiar
excitement, a tension as II were, oil the whole
nervous system. that | can only express as the
sort Of feeling experienced by many persons, VINO,
having heard some terrible news overnight. wake
the following morning, not Immediately 10 fiji
consciousness Of what awaits them, but to sense
of vague f0rebOding, TO KIND OF underlined dread
II was in this mood then that, with my sister
and her husband entered the De KcrGucl>' hotcl
that night about / o'clock. The long suite oil
rooms were already crowded with dancers: tall
aims tropical shrubs grouped around nterSper>c1
here and there with masses OF dollhouse flowers
reflected back from panecd mirrors on the walls
made a farvland of fragrance and beauty. We
were received by our host and hostess 10y whose
side stood the girl in whom had been led invo-
UNFAIRLY 10 take keen an interest. My eyes
met nv brother-in-law's for an instant stimuli
taneOuSlv remarked that her dress was IN every
detail as had described il 70 him. The soft folds
Of palp blue drapery fell gracefully around her
slender figure, and she wore no other ornaments
than a string Of pearls in her chestnut hair and
the pearl necklace claspcd round her throat. Stand
ing somewhat behind was the Marquis d. Aleyrac
tall Observation-Disclosures man. bat with the same
restless suspicious expression in his eyes as they
rested now on his betrOthed, then glanced sulleny
around the room.
EVELYN was surrounded by eager petitioners:
Sidney too, well known and popular. was in great
request but after two three dances that could
not he avoided was content TO be left alone. and
ght out seat where, unnoticed mi ght watch
thc ever-shifting scene. On one side of the large
ha llroom which appeared 10 form the centre of
the mansion, the windows opened to the ground,
and led out on 10 n wide terrace, covered over
and carpetcd. with cushioned lounges here and
there one end OF this was lighted by ChircSc
lanterns and ended in q large conservatory close
bv which flight of broad steps led into garden,
where marquee had been erected for refreshments
The other end of the terrace. which was of con-
siderable length, was almost in darkness: evil
IDENTIFY the rooms opening on to il were not IN use
for the guests. II was delightful Ia breathe the
fresh night air after the heat Of the crowded rooms.
and taking two or three turns on the terrace
found low seat Just within ore window. where,
concealed behind q bank Of roses and droopnE
ferns | could watch the bright-robed forms fit nv
IN the dreamy rhythm Of "A waltz. IIalf-soothed
hv the melody, my thoughts straved away 70 the
last time had heard il, not so long ago In y Lon
don ballroom, when little sapphire-rinrcd hand
rested on my shoulder. and n brown head droop,1
shvly beneath my whispered words Only a few
moments probably had passed when the sound If
voices reused me from my rcvcrIe: the sneakers
wore so near that each word wnS distinct and |
rose instinctivcly TO avoid playing the ravesdrop-
ner: but rs ! turned noiselcSSly away nv atten-
lion was arrested by mans voice, harsh and alb
rupt as if from suppressed passion
" Won have avoided me all the evening CLlire:
for every one else there is a smile for me not u
single word but must speak to You tonight and
alone
II was easy TO see through the rose and fern
tanSle. myself unseen in tn, darkness and
the first glance showed me Monsieur daley
rae and his betrothed Claire was toy
ing carchssly with the roSe-blooms over
which she had bent. but at his words
she looked IN half-wearilv.. as IL seemed 10 me.
Always the same complaint. monsieur: but
what would you have? Ny sentiments are not
unknown to you il is you then who are ungen-
erous to expect what can never give
7 could see the marquis gnaw his mustache
while vindictive CLEAN shot from his dark eyes
leforc he REPLIED
We cannot converse here. See. your. mariner
for the next dance is coming 10 claim Won Let
me sneak TO you presently for five minutes alone
surely that is not much e. aSk?7
His voice sounded eager, almost broken. and
Claire as if touched by the sudden change Looked
ND Win an expression almost Of pity on her sweet
face
Il will come to you mere then, Henri, when