The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-17

and introduced as a great unknown,
asked for her hand in the next lancers,
as l had been taught to do it at Miss
Pirrot's academy. | had no idea that
the little peasant was one of the Misses
Maltby; but / certainly had chosen the
incest dancer and the l~iveliest talker pos
sible. She put me down for three dances
more, and promised to go to supper
with me.
"But suppose another demon comes to
me. How shall / know you from your
brother" she asked.
Behold the ace of spades!" said /.
ssThe others are diamonds, clubs and
hearts,"
'sI1l remember" she answered.
Then | resigned her to a grand Turk,
who walked away with her, and Idanced
with a stately person, all black lace and
gold stars, with a little golden crescent
on her head, who told me she was
Night.
So the evening wore away until it was
nearly II o'clock, and a smell of coffee
began to fill the house.
was about to cross the room to speak
to my peasant girl, when a hand touched
my arm.
Don't engage yourself to take n
girl down to supper" said a voice in my
ear. turned; it was the devil with the
heart ON his bosom who had addressed
me.
"You want her yourself, do you?" |
asked.
A little further ON the demon with a
club touched me.
This way he said. e got a word
for you. The trick must be done at sup
per time. If a girl gets her hooks on
you it's all up. Keep out of the way
.sThe tricks Of a masquerade" /
thought. turned away to face the de-
mon with the diamond.
There is no one in the library" he
said, 'Get there somehow without be-
ing noticed; we must have a talk. Don't
be seen following me-"
No doubt some joke was afoot. l
bowed to my peasant girl and went to
the library, after a pause or two on the
way in order to distract attention. The
other three demons Were already there.
One of them-the one with the diamond
on his bosom-produced several keys.
mag is a jewell he said. They've
all been tried; everything is worth SCOOP
ing. Gas turned off in the side street
nppositA the church. The bath room
window opens on it. Bill and Dick
down there to catch the sealskins, shawls
and such. When they begin to march
in to supper, pitch in" He gave us each
q key, and in order to examine the num-
bers on them, removed his mask for a
moment, revealing a villafnous counte-
nance-the face one would expect Of a
professional thief, and this / knew he
must be.
The four demons had bought their cos
tunes for the purpose OF entering the
house at a time when it would be easy
to rob it. The servant, Mag was a
confederate, and had provided them with
cards of admission, and had tried the
keys at odd times.
"How the devil you got here, I can't
think" the leader of the band said to me
Do lS LSpkdCEA tttS ud5A. saw YOU
nabbed with my own eyes. Good for
six months says !. Counted you out of
this game
i gave a queer laugh under my mask.
II say | whispered, gruffly. 1--WE
got to get rid of that girl or she'll be
hunting me up to go to supper"
1t was the most unlikely thing for a
young lady to do; but these men did not
know that. They only babe me make
haste about it,"
You're the third foor,' said the ace
of clubs.
Gay, ay," said I.
Away | went, but not to the side of
my peasant girl. 1t was Mr.. Maltby
whom I sought. In his ear / whispered:
II am Tom Parsons. Dent think I'M
joking. Thieves are in the house. Send
for the police. The girl Maggie is a con
federate.'
Mr.. Maltby stepped into the hall and
touched a call that was placed there. !
was still at bis elbow.
''The signal for the operations is to be
the march to supper, 7 ! said.
Mr.. Maltby turned to the musicians.
'sAnother set of lancers, he said, THE
cook is behindhand,"
The lancers were played. Meanwhile
! caught the faithless Maggie en the
kitchen stairs and hirted with her, show
ing her my keys by stealth.
"There's a watch of cooks in the man
sard %rooln,' the girl whispered. "A
good gold one, and a ring or two on the
cushion, if they are worth looking after
ssYou are worth looking after, any
how" ! said, taking off my mask. for l
saw the officers OF justice enter the door;
land I'll try to do it," The girl smoth-
cred a shrek, There was a sound of
scufaing IN the library, and three red
devils walked out of the house, each at
tended By a member Of the police. A
little later another called for Maggie. 1t
was all very quietly done; only the SER
wants guessed what was going on.
Iwent down to supper with my little
peasant girl, who unmasked the loveliest
face possible, and who was no other than
the youngest Miss Maltby, whose name
was Theresa. and after the other guests
were gone the family made me a hero.
My story was pronounced a wonderful
one, and assuyedly | had been the means
of saving Mn, Maltby from great loss and
modification. From that day I was an
intimate friend Of the family, and Theresa
fl ..- III -eI -Z.I