Evening star., 1897-01-02
THE PINK SHEEP


party sitting there were enjoying them
selves. Some of the other people In the
room wished they could have heard the
mirth-provoking remarks: and yet there
wa.s no great display Of wit. Mr.. and Mrs.
kIbble White were in high spirits, for 1t
was the second day Of their holiday. and
they were prepared to laugh at anything
Mrs. Yates. with madame" had arrived
| In Boulogne only on the previous day, but
she had a knack Of making personal re-
| marks about the other visitors at the hotel
that had quickly established a sort of in
| timacy between her and her neighbors at
| table.
They were discussing a man of five-and-
thirty who sat rather near them.
L think he's English said Mr.. Kibble
White.
Impossible!' remarked madame. He is
LOO SOLO, too unintelligent, to belong to
your great nation: he is a German"
NO, he can't understand English said
MRS. Yates. for l am sure he must have
heard our conversation, and his face has
never changed
Il hope he doesn't understand it. for YOU
| have been rather rough on him; let us lis
ten to his accent when he speaks to the
waiter" suggested Mr.. Kibble White.
NO need, cried Mrs. Yates: II am sure
1 d,
Sheep p'"A
The party all laughed, and the stranger
was nicknamed the Pink Sheep from that
| At the table d'hote that evening the
lacgnter was almost entirely subdued Mrs
rates and madame soon adjourned to the
| drawing room, whence they were followed
by the kibble Whites and by the Pink
Sheep, who ensconced himself behind a
1ook. You have no doubt noticed that Mrs.
Yates Is somewhat depressed" said ma
came and am not surprised at that for
she has had her pocket picked and lost
| more than f25''
The kibble Whites expressed their deep
sympathy, and after describing the manner
| III "nlcn the loss had occurred while she
| stood watching the arrival of the English
| poat, MRS. Yates grew communicative and
| told or her great disappointment 1t was
,lnposslole mp TO continue her journey. She
| was on her way to E.rindisi to meet her
huspand, who was coming home from India
seriously ILL., Her anxiety to meet him was
,Ee greater, for she had parted from him
| IN anger caused by jealousy. She had Just
learned her suspicion had been entirely un-
| founded.
And now she could go no further, for.
| actng on madame's advice, she had taken
| ucket only as far as Paris and, being
| very badly off, she could not afford to Dor.
| row the necessary money even had there
been time to do So
| why didn't you let her take a through
| ticket, madame?" asked Mrs Kibble White
Indeed wish 1 had. for now she could
| have gone on, but 1 feared the people N
| London would cheat her, and since 1 know
the manager Of a tourist agency in Paris
| felt she was sure to be properly treated
! If she took her tickets from him"
| you are over suspicious madame" said
! Mrs Yates. Last night, when we went to
| the Casino, you wanted me to give You NV
| watch ard jewelry to take care of, and yet.
you see. no one attempted to take them"
| And you are, perhaps too confiding,
| Mrs Yates. You see. if you had given me
your money to keep for you you would not
| have lost it,
| Il am not so sure of that" said Mrs
Kibble White, looking hard at the last
| speaker.
| What do you mean by that remark?'
| asked madame, Indignantly.
L mean that l do not see why the money
| should have been safer in your keeping
| than in Mrs. Yates"
There was an uncomfortable silence.
Madame rose and went out As soon as
| she had left the room Mrs. Kibble White
| asked:
DO you know her very well? 1 don't
! like her eyes at all. 1 should not trust
her. Who is she?'
"oh. think she is all right. She is the
Marquise de Montereau."
Then why has she put her name in the
visitors book as Madame Camboux?"
she said she liked to travel incognito
because If people knew her rank they
would charge more at the hotels"
her dress Is so untidy, and have you not
noticed the high-water mark on her neck ?''
oh. these foreigners have such odd
characters
Lad none" said Mrs. Kibble White.
Then Mrs. Yates explained how she had
answered an advertisement In the Morn
ing Post. in which foreign lady of rank
asked another lady to join her in journey
to Naples She told how madame had
promised TO give references to two or three
well-known members of the English aris-
tocracy, but they were all out of town.
Il think you were lucky not to have
given her your jewelry last night or prcb-
ably you would have lost that. as well as
your money" remarked Mrs Kibble White
Then began a discussion as to what could
be done to discover whether their suspi-
cions were well founded but it seemed i'm
possible to take any steps without some
thing more definite to go upon. Meanwhile,
the Pink Sheep who had finished his chan
ter, took cigar from his pocket and was
cutting Off the end.
Il believe that -beastly German Sheen ia
going to smoke In the drawing room! Tell
him we won't stand it, dear" cried Mrs.
kibble White
Defense de fumer." said her husband.
eXcitedly. pointing to a notice on the wall.
The Pink Sheep smiled, bowed and left
the room Crossing the passage. he walk
ed upstairs. His football was silent upon
the thick carpet. and, on reaching the first
Landing, he saw female figure turn out
u
then. walking cautiously. he went to his
room. In the doorway he met a woman.
and Selling her by the wrist, forced her
back, locking the door after him. When he
had struck a light. he recognized madame
Il beg your pardon" she said in French
1T Is so dark in the passages I have mis-
taken my room; must complain that they
are so economical of the light"
IF you dislike the darkness, why did
you turn out the electric light?'
Il turn it out! What idea! You are
dreaming"
And yet my eyes are very wide open:
but 1 am glad you have comei l want
few moments conversation with you"
with me! You evidently mistake.
am the Marquise de Montereau, and 1 do
not know YOU"
That is possible. but 1 know YOU and
what 1 want to tell you is that you must
return to Mrs. Yates the twenty-five
pounds. I suppose the purse is not now
recoverable
How dare you accuse me of such an
action? You must be madman; for surely
no sane man could be guilty Of such inso-
Ience.'
She rose to go. but, with a gesture, he
stopped her.
call the hotel keeper he said quietly,
"and If you are aggrieve1, make formal
complaint against me. In the meantime.
YOU may know that Won will not leave tbis