Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-07-24
THE RED DOMINO.

LID hED DOIMlNOs
"Botherationp' said Captain Hugh
Walters to himself as the express. train
from Nice drew up with sudden jerk
at the station of M. some six hours
from Paris.
The guards presently came to the door
of the compartment to inform messieurs
les voyageurs that serious collision
had taken place between M and the
next station, and that the traffic would
er 10 that night 1t was then 2.
The captain determined to seek the
best hotel in the place and console him
self in the meantime with good din
ner. And in very short time he was
seated at the table d'hote in the Hotel
des Ehangers.
Captain Hugh Walters was young
officer, only recently promoted to his
present rank. He had paid n short visit
to Monte Carlo among ether places, and
having plenty of money to throw away
had, of course, essayed his fortune at
the gaming tables.
His luck had been extraordinary. IAe
very fact that money was no objrcs TO
him seemed, strangely enough, to have
| gained him all the moro the smile of
tickle fortune.
Most of the money he carried in the
shape of notes in the pockets of a leath-
ern belt.
He had received telegram which
had greatly disturbed him. Itwas from
the mother OF his fiancee in London and
4
pneumonia. Come home at once -
He was barely seated at the table be-
fore he had discovered couple of ac-
ntances-Americans whom he had
met at Monte Carlo, and who had left
that place a few days previously for
M. In their society he was COM
PEELED to Danish his grief and to con-
ceal his anxiety. That very evening
they said there was to be a grand mask
ed ball at the Casino. Would he not
como to it2
The captain was in no mood for dane
ing that evening, but he could allege
no good excuse.
\ AS he was about to mount the steps
of the Casino Thought struck him,
and he turned toward the driver of the
cabriolet. Just at that moment he no.
ticed his two fellow travellers, the Ital-
ians, pass by the Casino, arm in arm.
He fancied that they also recognized
him.
However, the incident did not strike
him as remarkable, and calling out to
the cabman, 'Call for me at 11:4G
punctually, - he passed into the Casino.
AT any other time such scene would
have had its charms for the captain.
He had been well looked AFTER by his
friends, who had left him small time to
himself and had dragged him from part
ner to partner. At last he was left for
a short time to his own devices. The
clock was striking the hour of IL when,
although it was yet so early, he finally
decided to go. BE would go to his hotel
on foot, and the walk, he Thought.
would do him good.
Fate decreed otherwise, however. Be
fore he had reached the exit of the ball
room he was buttonholed by one of his
American friends.
What. going already? This will
never doF' he exclaimed. ''There is q
lady just arrived whom 1 am deter.
mined you shall dance with. She seems
q great beauty, and the Comte du Val,
one of the stewards, says she is the best
dancer IN M.
AS he finished the Comte du Vel came
up with the lady in question. The lady
wore domino of a deep silk, which
effectually concealed her identity. When
she was introduced to Walters, only hen
eyes were visible. These were of ex.
ceptional beauty-the color of. a very
dark blue SO deep that it approached tc
black The captain was Immediately
drawn to her by their fascination
So far he had only known one person
with such eyes as these. and that was
his faraway fiancee, the girl on whom
all his anxious thoughts were now cen
tered
he at once begged that he might hay,
the next dance The lady gracefully
bowed her assent, her manner plainl,
indicating that for the present at leas
it was her pleasure to maintain her in
cognito by an absolute silence
Not a word fell from the lady's lips
notwithstanding that the captain hat
felt it incumbent upon him to speak oc
casionally, and they continued to dance
in complete silence-on her part Al
least
| For all this the time passed, as ii
seemed to him, like a pleasing dream.
He forgot all about his journey, the
hour of his departure and his order tC
the cabman-forgot everything, II
fact. even Ethel, while under the spell
that the eyes Of his companion seemed
to have weaYed about him.
He was suddenly recalled 70 himself
by the Ginning of the great clock oi
the Casino as heiwas leading his part
ner to her seat at the end of an enioya'
tble waltz