The morning times., 1896-06-07
AN lMPR0MPTU DINNER
BY JEAN NIDDLEMAS.
Copyright. 1850

Let us go to Argentcuil to eat friture and
asparagus. To ArgenteCil as If v @ were dies
petits gems? What fun. | should ike 1t
above everything"
Aud Lady BurEe, great lady IN her own
country, CIapped her bands and looked
thoroughly delighted
Dear old Henry, you always were the
hest brother III the wOr!d-nOt a Tit changed
after your long sOjourn in the East-w hile
/"
While you-have had one husband, are
going to take another, and foreigner,
tool am ashamed oil you, Annie. That iS
" ny am going tu lure you out OF the beaten
constitutional track"
wait TIL you see Count Tolma, Henry.
lie is
Half Hu hour later Lady Burke and hef
brother. Sir Henry Lamont, haG reached the
gate st. Lgzarc aud We're Off 10 the little
grecucry on the Seine, which is one OF the
favoritc resorts ofthc pleasure loving French
DOuTgeOiSe.
That Argenteuil was no new hunting
ground 10 him was evident frOIa the way
he as soon as they arrived there. ma'ie
straight FOR u restaurant by the river, where
there was long alice OF gTecEery leading
down To the water and on ea ch side or iU
little ''bUsquets, green and fresh and cool
looking each with white clothed table,
mostly laid for two people and at which
s.bosquets'' were divided from one another
by trellis work SO ky covered by leaves
that To see into the next com EaTtment was
impossible. unless, indeed, you Were q
giant or took the trouble 10 stand on Some
thing that would render You seven feet high.
But Lady Burke did not think about the
next ..bosquet." She was enchanted with
her own. and while Sir Henry ordered din
ner, delighted with everything and in glad
spirits she looked atsOu; 1T he people CpPO.
site. This was quite new experience for
her.
On a sudden Annie cIutChed her brother
by the wrist. aud laying the forefinGer of
her other hand on her lip, rs though to
recommend silence looked scared and white.
be was amazed aud. in spite OF her AZ
Junction. asked in a hoarse whisper:
what the deuce has happpeueIr'
''Jeau-Jean de TOlima is in the next hos
quet' = she said, dropping her voice 10 u
stage whisper.
Sir Henry Lamont saw she was IN ten
tcrhoUks. So lie very SoCn saunteFCd off.
cigar i'll mouth, along the alice. only to re
turn n very few minute Is III fits OF laughter.
just shows where a wCman's Uaginl-
ton Will lead her. he said No foreign
count al all, but my old friend. Jack Mason,
who is regallng himself with an elderly
party and sweet-iOaking girl OF seven
teen. However. really du think that we
had better he on the move, Annie, for it
looks TO me as ir We were going TO have u
thunder storm"
They passed III front Of the 'bcSquet,"
down the alice, Sir Henry going on quickly
in hurry 10 be off, as the sky looked very
black, and large drops We're already falling
But the weather at that moment had no
interest for Lady Burke; she walked slowly
aud bestowed long, lingering glances on the
tho W hC had dined in the neiShhoring
ut-Ift n ffSf ffnI =al Sf.f
rushed after her brother.
1t is the Comte de Tn!ima. II is. tell
you, Henry,
For goodness sake. Annie, don't gp on
like that OF / shall think you insane. As
if did not know Jack Mason! Come nU 70
the train, do: We shall Dc drenched. What
idiots we were to come without umbrellas
She dd as he bade her but she was ny no
means convinced. ana they reached the sts-
tion without much OF a wettiGg.
The people were, however. era mined in
in wonderfully rapid manner, and juSt as
the train was moving Off a man jumped into
the carriage with Anuie and her brother.
There was not much light, but enough 10
see who he was.
Great Scott" said Sir Henry. Il aIn
glad to see you, Jack, my hoy, and theu
he looked across triumphantIy at his sister.
Lady Burke was Disconnected: so was the
newcomer, though he answered Sir Henry
Cheerily
He was wondering what Lady Burke meant
by dining out alone with Sir Henry Lamont,
while she was wondering who the pretty
girl was with whom she had dined-
She it was who irritated by her brothers
triumph, took he initiative.
''Mybrother. Sir Henry Lamont the COinte
de TOlinla, she said, Introducing them as
if she had not noticed tbatthey knew each
other
Shehad given herself away. The ccOmte's
taliaS Jack Mason brow cleared d once,
and he laughingly explained 20 Sir Henry
that the Jack Mason of their old soldier
days had inherited from his mothers
brother 4 title and u property.
by JOve! and you've become French
man. OF course, you Were always good
at the parleZ-vOuS. and YOU are going TO
rob me of my little sister, who was to
have comfOrted my Old age. Never mini,
Jack, I'm delighted. She could not have
found better mate-eh, Annie?
But Annie did not answer The menhad
decidedly get the best of it, and she was
still suffering the pangs OF Jealousy ON ac-
count of that girl.
1t was not till they had all three
reached the hotel that Sir Henry. noticing
that she was quiet and vexed, guessed the
cause, and remarked, as though casually;
Pretty girl, that, Jack. Where did yOu
pick her up? Lucky dog"
oh, my little cousin, who, with her
demoiseIle de Compagnie, was dining with
me. She is my ward. She lives close 10
ArgenteuiI. / had to go there today about
business connected with er money. took
her on the river, md the poor child pleaded
so hard to dine in one OF those bOsquets'
/ could not refuse. You See, i, too have
relations, Lady Burke"
Annie bowed her head in acknowledgment
Of this truth, but felt none the less Jealous
Thus peace was thoroughly re-establisEed
aud ere long the trio returned together to
England. They left, however. one poor
little aching heart at Argenteuil Before
her departure Lady Burke had been To see
Jacks cousin, and, no longer Jealous, had
declared in herimpetuous way thatshe was
the sweetest aud daintiest OF damsels. ShG
too-Yvonne Latieille by name-had been
not a little fascinated by Lady Burke and
was SO glad that Jean was going 10 make
this charming woman his wife.
She was not in the least in love with ''le