Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-07
CHAPTER III.

| ana ner bonnet, Wnen the countess sent 10
her She had had the horses put ii
again.
While two footmen were helping the oil,
lady into the carriage, Lisabeta saw tn
young officer at her side. She felt him tax
her bv the hand, lost her head, and found
when the young officer had walked away
that he had LEFT paper between he
fingers. She hastily concealed it in he
glove.
During the whole OF the drive she neithe
saw nor heard. When they were in the car
riage together the Countess was in the habi
of questioning Lisabeta perpetually.
"Who is that man that bowed to us
What is the name OF this bridge? What j:
there written On that signboard?"
Lisabeta now gave the most absurd an
swers, and was accordingly scolded by the
Countess.
WHAT is the matter with you, child?'
she asked. "What are you thinking about!
Or do you really not hear me? speak dis
tinctly enough, however, and l have not YET
lost my head, have II"
! Lisab-ta was not listening. When she
| got back to the house she ran to her room,
locked the door, and too the scrap of paper
! from her glove. 1t was not sealed, and
it was impossible. therefore, not to read it.
The letter contained protestations of love.
1t was tender, respectful and translated word
| for word from German novel. But Lisa
beta did not read German, and she was
| quite delighted. She was, however, much
embarrassed. For the first time in her life
she had a secret Correspond with young
mani The idea of such a thing frightened
| her. How imprudent she had beenl She
had reproached herself, but knew not now
what to do.
| Cease to do her work at the window, and
| BY persistent coldness try and disgust the
| young officer? Send him back his letter?
| Answer him in a firm, decided manner?
What line of conduct was she TO pursue?
She had no friend, no one to advise her.
She at last decided to send an answer. She
sat down at her little table. took pen and
paper, and began to think. More than once
she wrote a sentence and then tore up the
paper. What she had written seemed too
stiff, or else it was wanting in reserve. At
last, after much trouble, she succeeded in
composing q few lines which seemed to
meet the case. "I believe" she wrote,
"that YOUR intentions are those of an honor
able man, and that you would not wish to
offend me bv any thoughtless conduct. But
you must understand that our acquaintance
cannot begin in this way. L return your
letter, and trust YOU will not give me cause
to regret my lmprudence.
Next day as soon as Hermann made his
appearance, Lisabeta left her embroidery.
and went into the drawing room, opened the
ventilator, and threw her letter into the
street, making sure that the young officer
woul1 pick it up.
Hermann, 10 fact, at once saw it, and,
picking it up, entered a confectioner's shop
=. ,,ot1, =
couraging in it, he went home sufficiently
pleased with the first step in his love ad-
venture.
Some DAYS afterward a young person with
lively ewes called to see Miss Lisabeta on
the part of milliner. L:sabeta wondered
what she could want, and suspected, as she
received her, some secret intention. She
was much surprised, however, when she
recognized, on the letter that WAS now handed
to her. the writing of Hermann.
"You make a mistake" she said, this
letter is not for me"
81 beg vour pardon" said the milliner,
with slight smile; "be kind enough to
read it.
Lisabets glanced at il. Hermann was
asking for au appointment.
"Impossible!" she cried alarmed both at
the boldness of the request and at the man.
not for me" she repeated; aud she tore it
into hundred pieces.
eff the letter was not for you, why did
you tear it up? You should have gwen it
me back, that might take it to the person
il was meant for"
"True," said Lisabeta, quite discon-
certed. But bring me no more letters, and
tell the person VINO gave you this one that
he ought to blush for his conduct"
Hermann, however, was not 4 man to give
up what he bad once undertaken. Every
day Lisabeta received a fresh letter from
him-sent now in one way now in another.
They were no longer translated from the
German. Hermann wrote under the in
luence Of commanding passion, and spoke
a language which was his own. Lisabeta
could not hold out against such torrents of
eloquence. She received the letters, kept
them, and at last answered them. Every
day her answers were longer and more af1ec-
tionate, until at last she threw out of the
window 4 letter couched as follows:
This evening there is bali at the En-
5assy. The Countess will sbe there. We
shall remain until . in the morning. You
may manage to see me alone. As soon as
the Countess leaves home, that is to say,
toward IL o'clock, the servants are sure
to 90 out, and there will be no one LETT
be asleep in his box. Euter as soon as 1t
strikes II. and go upstairs as fast as pos
sible. If you find anyone in the ante
chamber ask whether the Countess is ct
home, and you will be told that she is out,
and, in that case, you must resign yourself
and go away. In all probability, however,
you. Twill meet no one. The Countess women
are together In a distan. room. When you
are once in the ante-chamber, turn to the
left and walk straight on until you reach
the Countess bedroom. There, behind q
large screen, YOU will see two doors. The
one on the right leads to q dark room. The
one on the lett leads to 4 corridor, at the end
of which is little winding staircase, which
leads to my parlor."
At 10 o'clock Hermann was already on
duty before the Countess door. At last the
Countess carriage drew up. He saw two
huge footmer come forward and take
beneath the arms dilapidated
specter, and placed it on the cushions, we'll
wrapped up in an enormous fur cloak. Im-
mediately afterward, in a cloak of lighter
make, her head crowned with natural flow
ers, came Lisabeta, who sprang into the
carriage like dart. The door was closed,
and the carriage rolled on softly over the
snow.
The porter closed the street door, and
soon the windows of the first floor became
dark. Silence reigned throughout the
house. Hermann walked backward and
forward; then coming to a lamp he looked
at mis- watch. 1t was 20 minutes to II.
Leaning against the lamp post, his eyes
fixed on the long hand of his watch, he
counted impatiently the minutes which
had vet to pass. AT II o'clock precisely,
Hermann walked up the steps, pushed open
the street door, and went into the vestibule,
which was well lighted. As 1t happened
the porter was not there. With firm snd