The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-10-09
MADAME'S FRIEND.

eyes, but when, Dick-when?" anxious
II inquired Nine. Girardin.
"You must leave that to me, " replied
Dick Halston. "You must trust me i'm
plcitly We will seize the first favorable
opportunity, of course. More than that
cannot tell you now. We must conceive
some pretext for removing your husband
beforehand, until when my visits TO you
must be an inviolable secret or our plot
ting will revert 10 our own destruction.
And now III be gOing-in case monsieur
turns up unexpectedly"
You will come again tomorrow, Dick?
Dor she pleaded. II feel so nervous and
apprehensive when you are gone until you
return. You will come, Dick:"
Wisdom advises No But will.
Goodby, Winnier'
As Dick Halston walked from tho house
into the street NJ. Girardin walked in.
The latter turned quickly and eyed the re-
treating man with n questioning glance,
unsuccessfully striving to recall his fea-
lures. Just then the concierge emerged
from his sanctum.
II ought to know the man who has just
walked out of here" said NJ. Girardin re-
1iectively.
You ought to, monsieur" echoed the
concierge.
There was the suspicion q smile on
the portcr's face and moro than sus-
picion of meaning in his tone.
Howl calculated NJ. Girardin snap
pishly.
Pardon, monsieur. did but mean that
he calls oftsn to see monsieur.
Calls often to see me?''
Ln
OPP NJ. Girardin controlled himself
in the presence of the concierge. ''Ah, he
is a friend of madame's n' he calmly added
lone of Winnie's English friendsr' he
mentally exclaimed as he mounted the
stairs.
Madame was reclining looking pale and
detected She sprang to her feet as her
husband entered.
Victor! 1t is you, dearl How early
you have come home today!''
NJ. Girardin looked dxedly at her while
he wovc his own interpretation around her
remark; then he said:
Yes; l am earlier than you expected"
The constraint i'll his manner and an
iuferCutiGl something in his voice pricked
her sensibility to danger.
What is the mattcr:" she inquired. is
anything wrong, Victor"
Nothing, " he replied abruptly. "Noth
ing that know Of -
Then he SIT down and peruscd q paper
to give his wife an opportunity to explain,
but she remained silent, with her fears and
misgiyiaes and her longing for the NOR
row and Dick Halstons protecting pres
once.
NJ. Girardin was Il icwcler with n shop in
the Rue dc l.. Paix and a luxurious second
floor apartment in the Rue du Faubourg
st. Eonorc, the other side of the Made
lcinc, close by the English embassy and
the English church, for monsieur was u
Protestant and his wife an English wom-
an who had brought him "a considerable
fortune. His business, ever u failure be-
fore his marriage, took prosperous turn
Immediately his wife's money assisted him
in opening the shop in the Rue de Ia Paix
and had 1lo:rished ever since.
Now, monsieur had glided into tho habits
of clockwcrk regularity, leaving for bust
ness immediately after breakfast, taking
his dcjcuncr mt Il neighboring cafe and re-
turning home ut in the afternoon ready
for Il read, Il gossip, u little shopping or
IN idle stroll with his wife along the boule-
wards before dinner. Whatever had prompt
ed him that particular day to break through
Itcd from his mind the following day when
he searched for pretext to do likewise,
and he left his shop two hours earlier than
was customary with an excuse that drove
The blush of shame to his checks. He was
going to play the spy upon the one woman
lie ever loved, and whom he had honored
and trusted before all others.
As ne reached his house in the Rue du
FaubOurg st. HonorC the blush of shame
WIS suddenly overwhelmed by flush Of
anger when he saw man issue from the
house. spring lithcly into u waiting cab
and drive away at full speed.
1t was maGame's English friend.
A week passed. Dick Halston had con-
tinueu to visit Nlmo. Girardin at irregular
hours CT the day, varying between the
time Of N. Girardin's departure for bust
ness and his return. And in that week a
startling change in madame's appearance
and manner manifested itself to monseur's
obscrvant eye. Usually so placid and self
possessed, She had grown restless, nervous
and detected. She WAS suppressing n Sc
crct she dared not divulge, yet feared
would escape, vas monsieur S explanation.
He had asked no question, but had recall
ed to memory having met the Englishman
ut Winnic's home before their marriage
The rest was easily guessed, even if the
Surlnisc was not readable in his wifes face
md altered dcmcanor. The exaggerated
welcome with which she greeted his homo
coming each day, though fine bit of STRAIT
agom, did not blind him for moment.
And if the frigid attitude he had adopted
frightened her, as was apparently the case,
WAS it not the outcome of her own folly?
And each awaited the tide of events.
One day Il messenger knocked at ma
danes door, handed in note from Dick
Halston and departed. Madame tore open
the envelope and read the message; then
in haste she sat down and wrote upon a
blank telegram form which she had in
readiness for this emergency:
Meet IIc tomorrow at Metz. Best to travel
separately. WINNIE.
She directed it to Dick Halston, and,
walking to the window, glanced down into
the street. Satisfied with her inspection,
she descended the stairs to the street door
and waved her land to attract the attcn-
ton OF = man whom she had observed
from the window. The man answered her
sisnal with alacrity.
Will you take this to the telegraph
Slice fcr me:' she asked. lit is impor-
rant and urgent"
She gave him some coins and requested
i'll to pocket the excess for his trouble.
hen she returned to her apartments and
began 70 pack a small bag with the neces-
sArics for journey.
The man, having glanced at the writ
ing, walked briskly down the street, but
instead of entering the telegraph office he
continued his course along the Rue st.
Honore, through the Place Vendome into
thc Rue de In Paix and turned into jew
elcrs shop
NJ. Girardin was in his private office,
alone, and the man presented him with the
telegram form without comment Mon
sicur recognized his wife's handwriting,
and his brow clouded ominously; but, hay
ing read the dispatch, he instructed the
man to send it from the nearest telegraph
office without delay. For an hour after
ward he sat in his Office still and dumb,
driving his thoughts into a cool, practical
channel His plans natured, he called his
manager and made arrangements to be abb
sent few days; then he left the shop and
walked quickly to his bank, where he drew
substantial sum of money in a conven-
icGt form He was startled, but not other
wise surprised. mt the clerks statement:
Had you arrived three minutes earlier,
monsieur, you would have met Mime. Gil
rardin here
oh, he replied in as careless u tone as
the sudden announcement would permit
him to assume. Mime. Girardin has been
on IL similar errand TO mine, dare say2'
Only on u larger scale, monsieur"
smiled the clerk. Madame exhausted her
account"
Abr repeated NJ. Girardin as he pock-
cted his money. He made no further re-