The evening times., 1895-08-16
One Cent !'', !s5'
THE DESPERATE PLOT FAILED.
No sdvsrtissmeut less than iOs.

"Over there" said my uncle. "you win
live In q pension, Anthony. Beware Of
the folding doors between the rooms"
Even in a Tespectable.house? Surely
there are no thieves?"
There might be worse than thieves,
boy, unless the world has changed since
my time"
My uncle was giving me some last words
Of advice on the eve of my going to study
in Germany, where. forty years back, he
had been student himself. With the air
of a man entering ON serious business he
lit cigar and proceeded:
You shall hear my experience WheuI
went TO Berlin was nineteen, ignorant of
life, impulsive, sef-confident, in short, just
what you are now, a young fool At the
pension where put up there were good
many women from the Prussian provinces.
who had come TO the capital to shop aud
gossip, and also, nine-tenths of them, TO
look out for husbands for themselves or
theirdaugh;crs. Somehow, notthrough me,
a r,imor got about the house that I was rich,
and a dozen beauties were beginning TO
spread their tolls of grace, when a certain
heard afterward, to pay Frau Pol, the mis-
tress OF the pension, two marks day ohave
me seated between her daughter nd herself
a meals, practically secured monopoly of
the first attempt on me.
This enterpristng person was sharp
featured, bantam-like widow, with rest
less eyes. a crooked cap, and passion for
discussing religious metaphysics; she also
displayed her cleverness by handling her
daughter Louisa, girl Of about eighteen,
as easily as a marionette. The worst
point in the daughter was that she took SO
much handling 1t seemed really doubt
full whether she had any mind or VIII
of her own. Her n other pulled just what
string and put her through what move
nents she chose, and the girl worked with
mechanical complacency.
Louisa, i'll spite of her sluggish char
acter, was far from ugly. She was badly
dressed, but she had wonderful hair-light
gold and a perfect cloud OF it-iarge,
dreamy, blue eyes, healthy complexion,
and q smile on her lips that made plenty OF
boys, and neu, roo, turn to loot after
her in the street.
AT all events, spent so much time in
the Won Schneiders' society that before
the end of a week every spinster in the
house was deciaiming aga inst their art
fulness, and pitying ME, as If marriage
had been the height of male misfortune.
1 sat between them at all meals, walked
with them in the afternoon, and generally
found myself between them again at night,
on a sofa in the drawing room, where. gaz-
ing up into my face, they would listen
sit-t ahnnf the world
and many other subjects, of which, at
nineteen, Anthony. man is sure to know
everything, that my friend had several
times been guilty of most disreputable con-
duct. and that her only son, spendthrift.
dueiling officer of hussars, was now IN a
terrible fix, from which, as everybody
knew, the baroness meant to deliver him by
finding wealthy husband for Louisa.
This revelation gave ME such a shock
that at once dete rnlined to break off all in
tercourse with the Won Schneiders. The
baroness could not doubt my deliberate
retreat, and the da Y but one after my conver-
sation with Frau Pol she determined to
stake everything on single throw As
preliminary step she telegraphed to her
son F Frederick, and the same evening Louisa
appea red in the drawing room. How beau
tiful!' said every one. Yes said the
haroness Herr Fitzniaurice Is So very kind
Louisa, dear, show the lovely bracelet he
has given you On a round wrist Louisa
displayed broadish bal nd of gold or some
thing resembling gold. The pension stared.
Had il been mistaken? Was the baroness
going to win after all? She has managed
then to coax back the poor gull?
THE poor gull, meanwhile, confirming
himself for the evening to his bedroom,
was absorbed in the 'Contes Droiatiques'
of BaIZac The bedrooms were on the
floor above the rawing room. On one
side 1 had the Won Schneiders for neigh
bors, and their homes communicated with
mine through folding doors, which, for
want OF warning, I had not Thought Of
boiling or locking.
About half-past nine the Won Schneiders
came upstairs. The 'Contes Drolatiques'
kept me oblivious of the fact. l read
away, lounging In an armchair, conscinueof
nothing but Balzac's mischief, until the
creaking noise reused me with a start.
The folding doors had been opened, and
some one, indistin guishable at first in the
twilight produced by my lamp shade, was
advancing through them. 1t was Louisa
The doors were at once locked after
her from the outside. Dropping Balzac,
/ jumped. What did she mean by coming
in at this hour; and then-the locking of
the doors? Too much astonished to ask,
l stared in silence, while the girl faced me
without a blush. Presently, in her usual
gentle voice, she began: Good evening,
Herr Fitgmaurice, have come to ask you
to be engaged to me-
~ shall make you a good wife, she
pursued, quietly. Mamma says SO. And
you need not give ME an answer at once
The large eyeslooked straight and kindly
at me, and L swear, Anthony, pretty
creature was paying me her addresses. L
am sure, Fraulein, said, wishing to re-
turn the compliment, you would make the
most charming of wives, and you flatter
me infinitely. But will it not be best If
speak to Frau Won Schneider first about
it-to-morrow morning?'
NO. she replied, with the same un-
natural matter-of-factness; mamma wishes
an answer tonight r.7
~ can hardly say we are engaged
when we are not
81 1T will do if you answer o little later
on, when the other boarders come up.
Mamma will call out then that I am in here,
and you must say we are engaged, or my