The record-union., 1891-08-15
A PAIR OF EARS.

table over some brandy and water and an
ancient periodical.
"News! I wonder how you get at it in
this den Of a place. Is it that Don JOINTS
hen has given birth to double-yolked
egg, or what2"
Now, really, sir, Pm in earnest. Listen.
1t was only half hour ago that was
with his Illustriousness the Bishop, who,
you know, lives for the present in the
high part of the town, where one can see
towards Formentera. We were regard
ing the water, when 10! a noble yacht of
the English kind passed through the
sound, and seemed to drop her anchor
within mile OF the rocks. Then she let
off little boat, and one, two, three, four
people descend into her-two ladies and
two mariners, in blue and white Well,
sir, l was surprised. But l forget all
about it in littlewhile, until l meet the
| Lieutenant, who run towards me near
! the draw bridge and say | be needed.
| There is,' said he, AN English lady Of
| distinguished birth on the Marina, and
| she is intiamed with Don John because of
the dirtiness of his rooms. She demands
the English Consul, and l entreat you to
go and see her, Hearing this | am agi-
gated, Mr.. Faulkner, for IviZa does not
| receive many visitors of rank. But |
make all speed, and arrive in time to con-
sole Don John. The man had-really he
/ had-told her ladyship she might go on
| her knees to him for a bed, and even then
he would not give it her. You know
nails! But [ made that all right, and for
the present there will be peace. And
now, sir, you being an Engllshman, yOu
| will come to make her ladyships ac-
quaintance, will you not?"
Mr.. Faulkner had been much inter
ested in this story; Towards the close Of
it he had glanced at himself in the mir
ror, and strengthened his back and curled
his mustacheS. The reflection seemed
to please him.
well, tits a rum go!' he exclaimed.
whats her name?"
"She is the Countess of Squirm-her
! ladyShip'S maid informed me-and what
you would call an original" I imag-
me-"
"Oh, really! OF course, one knows the
Earl of Squirm as well as ones a, b, c.
Then, | take it, she isn't in her first
youth, Senor Marianas!''
"Well, no, sir. She is gray, but so
sprightly, and yet quite the aristocrat.
beg OF you TO share the responsibility OF
her with men
with all the pleasure in life, Senior
Marianas. I will wash my hands and
then l will be with you"
Mr. Faulkner was dark horse sort OF
man Of about five-and-thirty. He had
come to Iyiza, which is the smallest of the
Balearic islands, about month back.
Any otler people except Spaniards
would have been untiring in their efforts
to learn what he had come to IYiza for He
had no business transactions with the fig
and nut-growers, and he didn't know a
soul in the place. However, Iviza ac-
cepted him, and there he was.
lie was really very shady sort of GUS
tomer-a man who had played many
parts in life, very few Of them being to his
credit. 1t behooVed him to Obliterate
himself for while, and as he had Jour
neyed from the Riviera to Barcelona
from Barcelona to Palma, the capital oi
Najorca, and thence to Iviza, which is
some fifty miles away from Majorca, the
detective who ferreted him out would be
a man with an uncommon amount OF
talent in MIN.
- land now, my dear sir, are you ready?''
asked the NiceConsul, with show o1
genial impatience.
Perfectly. Perhaps if you were tc
mention incidentally that | am one Of the
Trolley Faulkners, it might interest hel
ladyship. We are an old family, you
know"
"Ah, yes, sir; and you English have al
the pride of birth that we Castilians alsC
possess. A fine thing, sir, to have blue
blood in the veins."
''Oh, very; nearly as fine as to have
plenty of cash in ones pockets
1t was funny scene this introduction
The Countess of Squirm was seated il
the dining-room of Don Johns hotel
watching through her long-handlec
glasses the process of the 1uchero for thu
evening meal. Mile. Marie, her maid
stood by the window, looking very dis
consolately at the rather muddy water o.
the little inner harbor of the place. Dor
John was stumping about the room will
a good deal of swagger and an air O
challenge that seemed 10 forbode another
battle royal at any moment. And the
fat-armed cook maid, who was making
the puchero, now and again peeped III
from the mess Of crabs legs and muttoT
snippings to examine the Countess Jew
els and head-dress, and to make some re
quest of Don John which that gentleman
Immediately blocked with testy ''Cd.
TGnbG, no! tits impossible"
Your ladyship,' said the Vice-Consul
advancing with profound obeisance
''this is the English gentleman / have
already spoke about-Mr. Faulkner
you please''
The Countess shot a quick, searching
glance at the man and said, "Good-after
, noon,n in the most casual manner.
Mile. Marie, who was a Swiss girl O
some tive-and-twenty years, felt muci
more interested. She was rather pretty
and had trick of pleasing British males
surely, Countess" observed Mr.
Faulkner, in very easy tone, you are
much to be pitied for being in VIVA"
"Oh, am l? Is it such very bad sor
of hole, then?"
: "Well, your ladyship sees what hote
} accommodation it has, and-'
"Oh, there's nothing SO very distress
ing about this-at least to mel do assur,
} you. I have lived for six weeks on enc
in Bedouin tents, and reckon myself al
, old traveller. STRIP
THAT is something, certainly. I dC
hope you will not find the inconveni
ences OF Iyiza quite too oppressive. Fo
"Ah, yes, why are you here, Mr.. Faulk
ner? There's no shooting to speak Of TIT
guide-book says
mo, 1 am no sportsman. I wanted
seclusion for time, to get through some
literary work"
Really" exclaimed the Countess il
an aroused manner. GLOW very inter
esting! Can you play cribbage?''
Il think l remember enough of it t.
say Yes"
If you don't mind, We'll have tussle thi
evening. Cribbage is one of my pc
weaknesses. Squirm hates it, am sorry
to say, but he does not stand in the way
Of my playing. My poor mother had the
same passion, and l have made point o
teaching it to my children. / would no
give a fig for man or woman who doe.
not know it-Marie!p
Your ladyship."
"Unpack the V case and get out tn,
cards and cribbage-board. Shall we say
at this evening, then?"
Il am quite at your ladyship's com
mands," said Faulkner, much aston
ished.
| .NThnnlZ Un11 4 NJ a.e1,ni,,I,J