Dodge City times., 1890-07-04
tCoS11SCED.
CHAPTER XXvIIL-TEE MAID AND THE KEY
HOLE
!CoNTIyCED.1

aIIlOU1 INe0I Delnv lie tTT1vdl Oh vi InC40y
ut the cottage. His presence kept her in
a state of perpetual contention, between
her own wise instincts which distrusted
him. and her husbands authoritative as
sertions which recommended him to her
confidence. No greater service could be
rendered to Iris than the removal of this
mau-but how could it be accomplished,
without giving offense to her husbande
Mountiov's mind was still in search of a
means of overcoming the obstacle thus
presented when he heard the door open.
Had Iris recovered herself, or had Lord
Harry aud his friend returned?
The person who now entered the room
was the strange and silent maid, Fanny
Mere.
Can ] speak to you, sir,"
Certainly. What is it,"
please give me your address"
'''For YOUR mistress!'
"Yes."
"Does she wish to write to me,"
Yes
Hugh gave the strange creature the ad-
dress of his hotel in Paris. For moment
her eyes rested on him with an expression
of steady scrutiny. She opened the door
TO 90 out stopped - considered-came
back again.
Il want to speak for myself" she said.
''Do you care to hear what servant has
to says"
Mountjoy replied that he was ready to
hear what she had to say. She at once
stepped up TO him, and addressed him in
these words:
Il think you are fond of NV mistress"
An ordinary man might have resented
the familiar manner in which she had
expressed herself. Mountjoy waited for
what was still to come. Fanny Mere alb
ruptly went on, with a nearer approach to
agitation in her manner than she had vet
shown:
my mistress took me into her service:
she trusted me when other ladies would
have shown Inc the door When she sent
for me to see her, my character was lost;
had nobody to feel for me. nobody 10
help me. She is the one friend who held
out a hand to me. 1 hate the men; don't
care for the women. Except one. Being
n servant mustn't say | love that one.
II was lads. Idon't know that should
say it. Love is cant: love is rubbish. Tell
me one thug. Is tiIe doctor Il friend of
"isic. doctor isnothinc of the tind''
Perhaps heis Your cne'nyi"
Il c:rn+ har.;fs S1y that
Ehe looked Il: II aga oilscoai icata,,!r 81
want TO get IT il. ,r-St'l. "l.t,,- rru's
We understand each other, WIZ Won
laughs at me if say the first thing that
comes into my heada Are you good
An extraordinary question, even from
Fanny Mere. 1t was put seriously-abd
seriously Mountjoy answered il. He said
that he was considered to bo q good swim.
mer. - III. -
"Perhaps, she continued, you have
Il have twice been SO fortunate as to
save lives" he replied.
''If you saw the doctor drowning, would
you save him? l Wouldn't"
Do ypu hate him as bitterly as that.o
N hn
'f-wish yeu would help me to get at it,"
shes persisted. Suppose you could rid
my mistress of that man by giving him a
kick, would you up with your foot and do
''res-wIth pleasure.
'Thank you, sir. Now I've got it. Mr..
MountJ2y, the doctor is the curse of my
mistress life. l cau't bear to see 1t. II
weare not relieved of him somehow, |
shall do something wrong. When wait
at table, and see him using his knife. 1
wapt3e spatch 1t ont of his hand and
stick fr Tito him. I had hope that my
lord might turn him out of the house
when they quarreled NV lord is too
wicked himself to do it. For the love of
God, sir, help my mistress-or show me
the rvay howr'.-.- - s,.-t ..
Mountjoy began to be interested. ssHow
do you know" he asked, that Lord Harry
and the doctor have Quarreledt'
Without the slightest appearance of en-
6arrassment. Fanny Mere informed him
that she had listened at the door, while
her master aud his friend were talking of
their secrets. She had also taken an op-
pOrtunity of looking through the keyhole.
II suppose, sir" said this curious woman
still speaking quite respectfully, "you
have never tried that way yourself?"
Certainly not"
Wouldn't you do it to serve my mis-
tress,"
Ar4l yet. you're fond of her. You are
merciful one-the only merciful one, SO
lar rs know, among men. Perhaps, il
yOu were frightened about her, you might
he more ready with your help. / wonder
whether can frighten you2 Will you
let me tryso
The woman's faithful attachment to Iris
pleaded for her with Hugh. Try, il you
like. 7" he said kindly
Speaking as seriously as ever, Fanny
proceeded to describe her experience at the
keyhole. What she had seen was not worth
relating. What she had heard, proved to
be more important.
The talk between my lord and the doc
Tor had been about raising money. They
had different notions of how to do that.
MY lords plan was to borrow what was
wanted on his life insurance The doctor
told him he couldn't do that till his insur-
ance had been going on for three or four
years at least. Il have something better
and holder to propose says Mr.. Vimpany
1t must have been also something wicked
for he whispered it in the masters ear
My lord didn't take to it kindly. How do
yOusthink could face my wife, he says,
iii she discovered mes, The doctor says:
Don't be afraid of your wife: Lady Harry
viii get used to many things which she
little thought of before she married you'
Says my lord to thati L have done my
best Vlmpany. to improve my wife's
opinion of you. If you say much more, 1
shall come round to her way of thinking.
Drop it' All right says the doctor, T'll
drop it now, and wait to pick it up again |
till you come to your last bank note"
There the talk ended for that day-and |
MountSDy thought oft.
II think yOu have done me a SERVICE"
Hugh replied.
Tell me how, sir?' .e - |
Il can only tell you this. Fanny. You i
have shown me how to relieve your mis- |
tresS of the doctor"
For the first time the maid S impenetra- |
BILE composure completely failed her The |
smOuIlcrinS fire in Fanny Mere famed |
up., She impulsively kissed Mountjoy's |
hand, The moment her lips touched it |
she shrank back; the natural pallor of her
face became whittier than ever Startled
By the sudden change, Hugh asked if she |
was ILL.
She shook her head.
at isn't that. Yours Is the first mans
hand have kissed since She checked
herself Il beg you won't ask me about
1t. only meant to thank you. sir: l do
thank you with all my heart-I mustn't
stay here any longer"
As she spoke the sound OF a key was
heard 6Pening the lock of the cottage door,
Lord Harry had returned.
CHAPTER XxIx.-THE CONQUEST OF MR.
.if.i Z yNf4NY. Ess IS
The Irish lord came in-with his medical
friend suikily in attendance on him. He
looked ut Fanny, and asked where her
mistress was.
My lady is in her room. sir"
Hearing this. he turned sharply to
Monntjey. On the point of speaking. he |
seemed to think better of it, and went to
his wife's room. The maid followed.
Get rid of him now" she whispered to
Hugh, glapcing at the doctor. Mr.. Vimp-
any.Mas in no very approachable huHor-
.fan(iinr at the window, with his hands