Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-11-16
MADAME'S FRIEND.

eyes, but when, Dick-whenf" anxious
ly inquired Nine. Girardin.
"You must leave that to me" replied
Dick Halston. "You must trust me i'm
plicitly. We will seize the first favorable
opportunity, of course. More than that 1
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 to our own destruction.
And now I'll be going-in case monsieur
turns up unexpectedly.
"You will come again tomorrow, Dickp
Do!'' 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, Winnie!''
AS Dick Halston walked from the house
into the street M. Girardin walked in.
The latter turned quickly and eyed the re-
treating man with a 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 M. Girardin re-
fectively.
"You ought to, monsieur, :" echoed the
concierge
There was the suspicion of smile on
the porter's face and more than a sus-
picion of meaning his tone.
Howl calculated M. Girardin snap
pishly.
Pardon, monsieur. 1 did but mean that
he calls often to see monsieur
''Calls often to see me?"
"Or madame" added the man.
Cor" M. Girardin controlled himself
In the presence of the concierge. "Ah, he
is q friend Of madame's!' he calmly added.
lone Of Winnie's English friends!' he
mentally exclaimed as he mounted the
stairs
Madame WAS reclining, looking pale and
detected. She sprang to her feet as her
husband entered.
s'victorl It is you, dear! How early
you haye come home todayp' =
NJ Girardin looked f1xedly ut her while
lie wove his own Interpretation around her
remark; then he said:
eyes; am earlier than you expected. :"
The constraint in his manner and an
inferential something in his voice pricked
her sensibility to danger.
"What issthe matterf'' she inquired. SIS
anything wrong, Victore"
Nothing" he replied abruptly. "Noth-
ing that know Of"
i Then he eat down and perused a paper
| to give his wife an opportunity to explain,
but she remained silent, with her fears and
misgivings and her longing for the NOR
| row and Dick Halston's protecting pres
| ence.
| M. Girardin was jeweler with shop in
the Rue de la Paix and a luxurious second
floor apartment in the Rue du Faubourg
| St Honore, the other side Of the Made
leine, close by the English embassy and
the English church, for monsieur was a
Protestant and his wife an English wom-
an who had brought him a considerable
fortune. His business, ever failure be-
fore his marriage, took prosperous turn
Immediately his wife's money assisted him
in opening the shop in the Rue de la Paix
| and had flourished ever since.
Now, monsieur had glided into the habits
Of clockwork regularity, leaving for bust
ness Immediately after breakfast, taking
| his dejeuner at neighboring cafe and re-
turning home at 4 In the afternoon ready
for read, gossip, little shopping OF
| AL lU1o burOll WlUli Ills WHO dAou8 UAo bOuAO-
Yards before dinner. Whatever had prompt
ed him that particular day to break through
his established routine was quite obliter-
ated 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 cheeks. He was
going to play the spy upon the one woman
he ever loved, and whom he had honored
and trusted before all others.
As he reached his house in the Rue du
Faubourg St. Honore the blush Of shame
was suddenly overwhelmed by q flush Of
anger when he saw q man issue from thu
house, spring lithely into a waiting cal
and drive away at full speed.
1t was madame's English friend.
/ A week passed. Dick Halston had con
tinued to visit Nine. Girardin at irregular
hours Of the day, varying between the
time Of N. Girardin's departure for bust
ness and his return. And in that week 9
startling change in madame's appearance
and manner manifested itself to monsieur
observant eye. Usually so placid and sell
possessed, she had grown restless nervous
and detected She was suppressing q se
cret she dared not divulge, yet feared
would escape, was monsieur explanation
He had asked no question, but had recall
ed to memory having met the Englishmar
at Winnie's home before their marriage
The rest was easily guessed, even II th,
surmise was not readable in his wife's fac,
and altered demeanor. The exaggerated
welcome with which she greeted his home
coming each day, though fine bit of STRAIT
agem, did not blind him for moment
And II the frigid attitude he had adoptet
frightened her, a. wns apparently the case
was II not the outcome Of her own follyf
And each awaited the tide Of eventa
One day . messenger knocked at ma
danes door, handed In note from dol
Halston and departed. Madame tore opel
the envelope and read the message; thel
in haste she sat down and wrote upon
i blank telegram form which she had II
readiness for this emergency:
Meet mo tomorrow at Meta. Best to trave
Il separately. WINNIE.
She directed IL to Dick Halston, and
walking TO the window, glanced down int
the street. Satisasd with her inspection
she descended the stairs to the street doc
4 and waved her hand to attract the atten
i tion Of o man whom she had observe,
from the window. The man answered he
signal with alacrity.
! Twill you take this to the TELEGRAPH
ONCE for mei" she asked. ut is impor
tant and urgent"
She gavs him sons coins and requestes
him 10 pocket the excess for his trouble
Then she returned TO her apartments AMI
s