The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-02
CYNTHIA.


thoy're SO unwomanly."
And then Capt. Lovelace blew ont a great
cloud of smoke and seemed to swear in
wardly.
Now Lovelece was our ~lady-kilier; we
looked up to him as having had tremen-
dous successes. We should none OF us have
tboucht of asking him to dinner-that
would have been far too dangerous to the
peace of mind of those OF US who are
married. And as for our daughters.
J.ovelaoe wasn't a marrying man, but
here. in the still night, VIC did
not mind listening TO Lovelaoe's adventures
and ohucklinG over them. Lovelaee was
rather fond Of relating his successes. A
terrible fellow. q professional lndy-kltler,
sir; horribly good looking; moved EN-
down like grass; he was Q regular upas tree
TO the whole SEX"
"But l thought you went to the states on
purpose to study the American femsle?"
said l. ..,4.M
so I did, Pumper, so I did. But I was
cured of the American female in Pa;ls. l
had 4 terrible experience. I was deceived.
sir, deceived by Il woman" he added, very
solemnly, 'and for the first time in my
life" and then he groaned aloud.
We had dined together, Iovelace snd J.,
and we had had a bottle of "a port. 1t al
ways makes q follow communicative and
confding, our "a port, and if We hadn't
had it I shouldn't have got the story out of
Lovelace, hut the '34 port did it, and Love
lace wanted no urging to tell his tals-he
was still smartin2 from his recent wrongs.
"Rather q new experience for you'll
said. with o sympathizing smile.
New, STRIP he replied; lit was horrible;
It has destroyed my illusions. l have
ceased to look on women as angels. | met
her in Paris" he said. 1.-THE husband was
a busy mana mere money-grabber, a
bassy. Mrs. Van Spool was q pretty
woman. l was naturally attentive and Van
Spool invited mo to dinner. There were
no other guests.
"Yeou've no business. / guess said Mr..
Van Spool, after Cynthia-I mean Mrs.
Van Spoof-had left US to our coffee;
'~yeou're just hanging round, oin't your
said he.
"'You've hit it, l replied; 'it's just that.
I'm here for pleasure,
"'Ah.' said Mr.. Won Spoof, with an
amused grin. hero for pleasure. eh?' and
then he vulgarly dug me in the ribs. Now.
look here, Cap said Mr.. Van Spool, famil-
iarly, you're just the chap to snow Cynthy
round. My hands are full: Pm up TO my
eyes III work. You show Cynthy round;
you trot her out; you'll be the very boy for
her. We've got ten days here, you see, and
Cynthy has to see the shows
"'Did Mrs. Van Spool suggest this?' /
asked. with some curiosity.
''Waal. no. replied the husband: IT'S
my idee. There amt no harm. is there?' he
asked, and he seemed to grin fatuously.
II accepted the position at once, for l
confess to you, Pumper, that I was smltten
with Mrs. Van. We were congenial spirits.
She admired Longfellow-so did |; l read
Shakespeare-so did she, and she was a
dear, delightful Observation-Disclosures
sort of a little woman. But you've seen
her and so / needn't talk of her complexion,
her figure. her wealth of golden hair and
ner eyes-ah, those treacherous eyes!" and
then Loyelace took a big Rulp at his brandy
and soda.
fastened to assure him that l had seen
her and that she was a remarkably pretty
woman and generally admired.
she's a dead sea apple, Pumper, that's
what C%ynthia-I mean Mrs. Van Spool
is"' he cried; ITO me, at least" he added,
with u deep sigh.
Il personally conducted Mrs. Van during
her ten days in the American paradise.
Cooks tourists were nothing to her. She
cav everything. We visited all the churches
and went to the top of all the steeples. We
into the catncombs; we in
spected the moreue; we went to the Louvre,
the Luxembourg and. the Salon. We
rushed to Versailles and the ruins of St.
Cloud. We breakfasted and dined at
a different restaurant and patronized
a different theater every day. We
drove in the Bots and we went to the
races, the Eden theater and the cafe CON
certs. 1t nearly killed me, Pumper. ex-
planned. / translated. l bnraained, and in
the interyals-the shortest intervals laid
siege to Mrs. Van Spool.
"'Now, Capt. Love'-she always called
me Capt. Love, the minx!-'now, Cart.
Love- she would say. 'you really mustn't.
lts playing it very low down upon Daniel
poor little me, Capt. Love- and then she
would hold up her we'll Rloyed hands in
mock alarm and insist on asking some in
sane question which had to bs answered
from the guide book. But | felt that l had
touched her heart, for IN the
Paris, just as I was abou, to
suggest that she should fly with me-for
they were leaving France for New York the
next day-she suddenly buried her face in
her handkerchief and declared that
frightened her,
"'Cynthia.' / said. we love each other
Unpropitious fate has linked you to {
wretch who fails to appreciate you at you
proper worth. l, Cynthia, on the Other
hand, am your slave for life. Darling.'
cried, warming up and preparing to quote
poetry.
1.-The e's Dan'lln almost screamed Mrs
Van Spool, and sure enough, there he was,
advancing to us with a self-satistiad smile.
~ will come for your answer tomorrow
at j., l whispered. and then / rose to gree
the poor contiding husband.
~ ordered a third leo, for VIC were sitting
In Iortoui's at the time, and triea to look
Us unconccrne0 as possible.
II succeeded. Van Sroof. poor, simple,
hucksterinQ soul, suspected nothing.
Next day at IL ! presented myself Mt the
Van Snoofs' apartments ut the Bristol. ]
was evidently expected. CYNTHIA Was pale
and her eyes sparkled with Il fogerish light.
There wore open trunks lying about IL
every direction. They were getting reNdy
for the start to New York. | lost no dime.
take the place with u rush is my motto.
~"'Cynthia,' l cried, as l fell upon IN,
knees and placed her tarer fingers to my
lips.
"'Cartain Love- said Mrs. Van Spool. il
4 choking voice, 'he-Dan'N is in tho mex
plpte you 10 leave me-
AZ that moment there was IN lmperioui
knock at the door-a huaband's knock.
Save yourselfr cried Cynthia, as sht
held open the lid of an immense S~aratos,
trunk. ono Of those huge Golfers Withou'
which no American lady ever travels.
III her sake. Tor tho sake OF this trans
Atlantic lmogen, I. a modern IUchimo
stepped into the great trunk. 1t WASH
iesr Of the man Van Spool, pumperi 1t wa
iove-love for the treacherous little fair,
haired viper. his wife.
The lid closed upon mo and l heard th,
oInlnous click Of the spring lock.
Come in. Dan'll,' cried Cynthia Van
bpoof, and before | heard the fellows voic,
L bnielleG tho nipr nf tho rnpk p5narc Tho