Evening star., 1896-01-02

heAVlly Against HIM.
White Shoulders. From where I stood
watched this man until he turned to CO.
and then drew nearer. AS he passed Rays
Tout va bien." and then he lost himself
in the crowd I saw him go in and out
among the throng. looking unostentatiously
but carefully about him, and managed for
time to keep in his wake Then I lost
him entirely. For an hour I searched
hither and thither. cursing my own stu
pidity, but without avail I was growing
desperate fearing that. after all. I should
be too late, when again that voice came to
my straining ears. 1t was in the supper
room. where the jingling glasses were play
hastily forward. This time was not dis
appointed. could not but recognize her.
| though l had never seen her face uncov
| cred before. Perfect in outline as a statue
lighted by those glorious eyes which had
flashed upon me through the mask-eyes I
had seen matched but once. ard then by
those Of the boy had just SO ciumsily lost
sight of. Her superb, squarely nodded
| shoulders cleaned richly in the well-ar-
ranged lights. For the merest instant her
| eyes rested upon mine and their pupils
widened. 1 feared that she had penetrated
my disguise. Then she turned again to her
ccmpanion-ncne other than the illustrious
guest in the interest of whose safety 1 was
working. I was very near them. Looking
| about saw both the men who had been in
| the House with the Green Blir DIS lowering
| near the doorway. Behind them lowered
Rays well-set head. I signaled him to-
| close in. His orders were to arrest them
/ as quietly as they would permit 1t to be
| done. and to await in the carriage which
had been provided. my arrival with
madam.
She was standing with her companion,
near one Of the tables, and saw him pour
| glass Of champagne ard hand it to her.
put 1t to her lips. and then turned to find
one fer himself. AS he did so / saw
madam's hand go steadily into the bosom
Of her gown. and. taking out a small silver
over her glass.
The great man turned to her again and
lightly touched her glass with his own.
May fortune bring you everything which
has not already escaped her." he said gal,
lantly.
'To a health like that, monsieur" re-
piled her marvellous voice.. "in my country
it is custom to change glasses, that each
may drink the good fortune Of the other"
"a very pretty CUSTOM" he said. with
heavy laugh. Let us follow it."
swallow that deadly thing-good heavens!
I threw myself forward, falling heavily
against him. Half the wine went trickling
down his coat. and he turned about with a
savage imprecation. seized the glass and
poured what remained through my fingers
Until they touched the hard little pellets it
contained. Knowing that they had not
been there long enough to soften. and that
there was no danger from them, I put
them in my pocket, and, with what sang
froid I could muster, turned to madam
and offered her my arm.
Madam" I stammered, "is forgetful and
mistaken. In her country no way Of treat
ing toast is SO unlucky."
The great man looked dazed. but I saw
his anger growing. strange light had
come into madam's eye, and I heard her
murmur an apology to him.
For few minutes-pardon mean old
friend whom I have not seen-since-last
night"
She allowed her hand to rest lightly upon
'For a moment" she said, "come in
here" and led me toward the conservatory
I thought no better place could be found
for the quiet performance Of my duty, for
wished to avoid a scene.
A maid could be dispatched for her
wraps, aid for my own as well. and could
conduct her, as secretly as she would al
low, to the carriage which was awaiting
her.
and motioned me to chair which stood fac
ing It, A strange desire to humor her took
possession of me. For a moment she let
her eyes rest quietly upon my own.
Your disguise becomes you," she said,
critically.
"And yours" replied, 'becomes you very
ILL"
Her lips kept their seriousness of outline
and her eyes remained fixed on mine There
was short interval of silence and then she
rose to her feet, standing over me. I start
ed to follow her example, but she mOtioned
me back, and some thing impelled me to
obey. I saw that she had unfastened
splendid tiara of diamonds and sapphires
from her hair and was turning 1t over and
over in her hands, where the light from
above incessantly toyed with 1t. The glitter
OF the thing fascinated me; my eyes followed
every movement. tried to turn away, and
could not. A drowsy sensation came over
me- the soft tones Of her voice droned in my
ears, sounding far away and sweet and
sweeter still.
And then came dull, monotonous rattle.
A newspaper rustled at my elbow. A mans
vctce-Ray's-was cpeaking My eyes were
opened q could not remember unclosing
them) and was gazing about stupidity. The
surroundings were familiar enough. An or
dinary passenger coach, jorneying swiftly
along through the sweet air Of a summer
morning. A lot Of strange people about;
Ray in the place beside me. reading the
paper.
eff there was such plot afoot here" he
was saying, 'ft seems to have slipped up