The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-09

a mysterious note from lady asking IL he
could be seen on the embankment, near
Cleopatra's s needle, on Christmas eve. At
first he resolves to destroy the note and
forget the incident entirely, but a strange
impulse impels him 10 act upon its sugges.
tion on the night and at the time indi-
Gated he IL at the needle and Is met by a
beautiful woman who conducts him 10
cab, which is in waiting. Without definite
explanations they enter and are driven
away.
1t was only after the cab was in mo.
ton that Ames seemed 10 realize the
popularity of his position and the
whimsicality, 20 say the least, of the
whole amazing expedition. With the
rapidity that thought permits in mo-
ments of extremity he contrasted two
pictures-the one of Philo Ames seated
in the comfort of the ST. Stephens club
with delicious memory of green cura
Goa stimulating his fancy and the at
mosphere of Amber Pasha's wonderful!
cigarettes charming his mind; the
other, of Philo Ames on this raw, wind.
whipped night, driving in hanson cab
along a course which seemed the very
abomination of desolation, by the side
of a woman whom he had never seen five
minutes before, and who, if she was
lcertainly strangely beautiful, was nc
less strangely eccentric, andwho opened
casual acquaintance by perpleXin9
questions as 10 the price her companion
set upon his life Philo felt that il was
his duty as more or less sensible and
more or less reputable citizen TO come
10 some understanding with the divine
enigma by his side. IL was, he assured
himself, absurd, and worse than absurd,
TO be thus drifting about London in the
society of "a creature as lovely as
vision, yet who might be either n dan.
gerous lunatic or a no less dangerous
decoy.
His heated mood fired his tongue to a
fantasy that seemed apt to the hour and
the woman.
"Well, sweet minion of the moon," he
said, with a laugh, docs your driver
know the way to the Brocken? Your
witchhood might at least have offered
me lift on a broomstick."
The woman had her face turned 70
him; he could see her quite plainly in
the lamplit cab, and he saw that her
ieyesShd her lips gaze back his laughter
and that If she was lovely in austerity
she was yet more lovely in mirth.
This common cab will serve our
turn" she said, softly, and her voice
now sounded sweeter with the assur.
ance il seemed TO derive from the de
meanor of her companion. "We shall
If0l fare far tonight"
"May i not at least know whittier
the wind of your whim will watt our
spirits?" Ames began, in tone which
he intended to be wholly playful, but
into which, in spite of himself, he could
not help allowing a suggestion o.
anxiety TO intrude. ''To what star dc
we steer our course?"
The woman shook her head.
Surely" she said. $50 loyal cava-
llier and so courageous a gentleman as
you is content 10 follow unquestioning
the lady who honors him with her com
mands?" Her voice suddenly changed,
and was almost disdainful as she went
on. "But If you are not, you have but
to say the word and we can part here
and now, Stop the cab if you wish.
I shall have lost an illusion, and you will
have lost one of those opportunities OF
adventure which you are tabled to de
lsire--perhaps something more. But
in life we are always losing illusions
and opportunities. Shall L set you
DOWN."
! Spurred by the sneer in her speech,
Philo's fancy galloped out of sight of
hesitancy, out of sound of the call OF
prudence,
LET us say no more about it," he said,
coolly. Lead on, I'll follow thee.
Please consider that l am your most
humble bbedient servant TO com,
mand."
/. Then she leant her face towards
thfm whife sfe whispered her thBnks,
and he, fascinated by her pallor, and
the perfume in her hair, and the msi.
ness of the moment. murmured wild
words In praise of her beauty, whilc
the cab wheeled swiftly along through
a blaclness that was broken every now
and then by the passing fash of lamp.
. fash that showed him for the second
more distinctly the mouth and eyes
and the smile OF his companion. It
was like a drive in a dream, and Ames
was never afterwards able 20 piece TO
gether the threads Of that bewildering
conversation. Suddenly the cab swung
20 the left and came TO a stop. Ames
saw from the expression of the WON.
an's face that they had reached THEN
destination.
: He leaped out of the cab and assisted
his companion to alight. She instantly
ran up a short flight of steps and put
key into O latch. AS he turned from
watching her movements he saw that
the cab had left them, and was driving
rapidly away up the narrow street in
the direction of the Strand. Ames
looked up at the lady. 1T is all right"
she said. "The cab is paid. Come in
Ames glanced round him, He knew
that he was in one of the little cluster OF
closely resembling streets that run in