Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-02-09
LOVERS LETTER BOX.

I had had C. duel the preceding au.
tumn In consequence of n little adven.
ture which has nothing to do with the
present story, and was In fair way
20 get into another. for ] was paying
SQUIRT In furious fashion to u fair 1tal.
fan, whom we shall call, II you like,
Princess Millcnore.
The princess was a very beautiful
woman. dark as night; but 1t was not n
starless night. for she had eyes about
which one could write volumes. She
was about 30, aud had q ferocious hus-
band.
He could not abide me. She, on the
contrary. deigncd to evince toward me
an affection that was scarcely ma.
ternal, though she was my senior by
some seven or eight summers. After
having vcnturcd. without sustaining
serious injury, to tell her that thought
her very beautiful, and that her smile
was simply mnddening, I had come 10
the stage where one repeats such nvow.
ais In writing. The difficulty lay, not
In writing, but In delivering the letters
under the very nose of her husband, u
bearded rufilan who never left her side.
Well, on n certain winter night, while
oil Paris was skating In the most august
company, I took advantage Of mo-
ment when the princess had laid her
magnificent blue foxskIn mum down on
o bench beside her to slip my eplstle
into It.
The princess saw my maneuver plain
", and the glance she gave me made 1t
apparent to me that need not fear she
would dcnouncc mic to the police. Then
We separated, for I saw the princes
eyes fixed on me with 80 queer IN ex.
preston that I wondered seriously II
he did not suspect something.
Nine. de Millehore, tall, supple
woman-a little slender, perhaps-was
an unequalled horsewoman and IN in
defatigablc dancer; but, like true Ital-
ian, she did not shine on the Ice. She
even had q fall once that made me
shudder; but she was on her feet again
at once, safe and sound. She had not
struck her head. However, though the
victim Of an apparently ordinary acci.
dent, she disappeared for O moment
Into the ladies' dressing room. Was
she badly hurt? No. Five minutes
later she glided out on the icy mirror
again, more intrepid than ever.
During the evening managed to get
near her for moment, and murmurcd
70 her In voice tremulous with emo.
ton:
"Take care! II you should fall again
-"
She looked at me with eyes full Of
mischief.
"Have no fear" she replied, II have
taken precautions" and she was swal.
lowed up again In the throng.
An hour later supper party was
made up. The fair Italian was Of tho
number, and. as you may imagine,
had arranged to be one, too. Presently
we were ensconccd In a salon Of tho
Cafe Anglais. In our salon, which was
lighted up as bright as day, everybody
was In the jolliest humor possible, the
princess above all. remember that al
she stood Mt tho crate warming hcl
adorable little foot ut the blaze, some
one nudGcd me and murmured:
II say, old man, Nine. de MillefiOre Il
not SO thin, after all."
And to tell the truth, was surprised
and charmed at certain opulcnce OF
figure which had never observed he
fore. But was torn from my dreami
by the princes voice.
my DEAR" he suddenly called out (,
her, "where have you left your NUM-"
That animal was the very incarnation
Of order.
Now that was simple question, ant
perfectly legitimate In the mouth of hin
who asked 1t. But the princess blushe,
to her ears. while felt my almos
beardless face grow pale. was evel
30 imprudent as to glance at my accom-
plice, and thought read In her eye
an anguish easy to explain. The mui
was trihe-tut the note!
After a seconds hesitation she replies
with a certain embarrassment: 81
do not know. Perhaps 1t Is still In til
carriage"
Without d word the Prince Wen
downstairs. I would have given a bal
of fox skins, of no matter what colo
to have had the accursed note In NJ
pocket. As to the Princess, even at til
moment Of peril she smiled. Oh, thes
women! what nerve they have In til
very face Of death! l was already r.
hearsing In my minds eye the episod
of Francesca and Paolo, and confe'
the role of Paolo had few attraction
for me. Just then the Prince returne
with an ominously impassiye face.
"The mum Is not In the carriage"
announced In solemn tone.
l brearhed again. 1t meant o fe
minutes respite.
"Then." said Nine. de Millefiore, n
preaching the table with more CIR
less air than ever, II must have left
Mt the lake. In the meantime, while
In the head. but the one had that d.
exceeded the limits Of belief.
MADAME" / said, smiling like Il
waste pipe Of bath, II have pass
the night searching for 1t, or, at lea'
preventing your husband from findil
II. The horse Is foundercd, the driv
is probably dead, and IL fear, am II
long for this world. All that the mo
devoted forethought could-cOu-"
j sternutatOry cataclysm that made I
very strings Of the princess pial
dance cut me short. Astonished, I
princess started.