The Portland daily press., 1895-11-06
A PLOT FOILED.

plOyment of mine seemed to last long. Al
ways a new struggle to obtain my daily
bread lay darkening before me.
But the month was unfavorable. At
tho beginning OF August work, at any
rate in London, is scarce. looked over
| the advertisements in the penny morning
papers, but could find nothing which even
| promised well.
One afternoon, however. I obtained the
| loan of The Times. and in it l found the
following advertisements
Wanted Cultured lady (under 80 preferred)
to take charge of valuable domestic pet dur
ing owners absence in country; caretaker
left in house; liberal honorarium. Apply to-
day (Fridayj to Nine. Lebrun, -.
And here followed the address of house
in one of the old fashioned squares in the
north of London An omnibus landed me
within about ten minutes walk OF the
square.
The exterior of the house which was
seeking was at first sight plaia then
saw that the handles of the bells were of
sphinxes' heads and each knocker a bronze
cats head. 5
An old manservant asked me my bust
ness, and on hearing it admitted me with
out moments hesitation.
A bronze sphinx stood sentinel on either
side of the great chimney piece, and the
walls were covered with paintings such as
are found in Egyptian tombs.
But all was changed when the wide door
of the drawing room was thrown open.
Here was France; France of the beginning
of the century was seen in the deep Grim
son satin hangings; France of today in the
small wood fire which smoldered on the
hearth, for the evening was chill, in the
vanished boards and in the very places of
the furniture.
NY attention was fixed by a figure
standing in the middle of the rooIc. The
figure was small slight and fragile. draped
in long gray folds and crowned by a bushy
mass of gray hair. Its arm was out
stretched, and on the wrist sat perched an
old parrot.
This old bird and it's older mistress
seemed to understand each other perfectly.
81 called, madame, l began when seat
ed, Gin answer to your advertisement
which saw in The Times this morning"
"Ah! ma fol, yes. That announcement
what trouble it has given mel You can
not figure to yourself the persons have
seen today who all declared themselves
ladies of cultivation But for you. made
moiselle, it is different thing. I could
not leave you alone in this great house;
you are too young, too pretty. 1t would
how shall say it?-it would walk out Of
the conveniences
81 implore you, madame not to let con-
siderations like these influence you. am
entirely dependent on my work, and there
is so little work can dc"
"Ah, we shall see. My doctors tell me
I must positively have change of air.
NY parrot, Gustave, like other old people
for he is older still than I-cannot bear
to be deranged in his habits. He is mis-
cradle if he quits this house. I cannot
leave him to servants, SO thought if I
could get some lady to see to him, to talk
to him during my two months absence
Gustaye, dost thou think thou couldst stay
with mademoiselle?"
Gustave, with great solemnity, f1uttered
to the floor and, to my alarm, began SOL
emnly hopping round me in ever lessenlng
circles. At last he stopped in front of me,
and looking straight up into my face
emitted a sound like drawing a cork and
screamed out in high, fast, monotonous
shrek:
'Pretty girl pretty girl! Don't cry, my
dear Don't like being kissed? That's
what pretty girls are made for. Ha! ha!
hap
Nine. Lebrun was apparently quite sat-
isfied, and then and there we settled our
business arrangements, salary, which was
indeed liberal, included. AS rose to go
Nine. Lebrun said:
1.-TWO last injunctions must give you.
You will not, will you, leave Gustave for
more than two hours at a time? And you
must not permit him to go into the Gel
lars mademoiselle He is curious bird.
He belonged, as did this house, to M.
Beckford."
"The great Beckford, the author of
sVathek?' - cried.
"Ah, you have heard Of him? Yes, to
him. My mother rented the house from
him.
A week after found me comfortably es
tablished in the house, in the care of the
old manservant and his wife, who found
was superexcellent cook.
One day the manservant asked me if he
and his wife might go that evening to
some family gathering and festivity to
which they were hidden. gladly consent
ed. At o'clock they left me. 1 was alb
sorbed in book and hardly noticed what
happened till the clock ON the mantelpiece
chimed Z.
"Gustaye,' 1 called. No answer.
searched in vain for him. Then conviction
flashed across me. He had run away into
the cellars / took candle and a box Of
matches and started on my quest, down,
down, through: the hall, the kitchen, till l
reached the great yaulted cellars. went
through then, ;:ni,lei by the sound of
Gustavc ch;.i teri ANA swearing excitedly.
At last. il The farthest vault of ali,
found him. He WAS hopping excitedly
found and round in circle in the middle
Of the floor.
Suddenly, as 1 sprang after him, | felt
The paved floor beneath my feet tremble.
The stone on which 1 stood was giving
| turning I sprapg off it, unconsciously
giving it further impetus as did SO. 1t