The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-09-02

Thomas p. Corbins lives mile or two
out of Hartford, on rising ground above
Il pretty tributary of the Connecticut He
is an excellent fellow, and, though his
establishment is on n simple scale, because
he happens to prefer it, he has made his
pile.
His wife is dead, and he has only one
child, q pretty daughter. At present
Dorothy was acting as cook, her cook in a
fit of wrath having taken French leave
and her waitress having her hands full
caring for the house.
1t was a warm summer afternoon and
Dorothy was alone in the kitchen, the in
gradients for n sponge cake neatly laid out
before her. The clock struck 3, and just
as it struck tho electric train stopped be-
fore the house and dropped young man.
He was fair, his eyes blue, his mustache
light, but it was not the fairness of the
Anglo-Saxon race. In fact, Max dc Resal
had only very lately arrived in America.
Opening the small wicket near the larger
entrance through the high red paling, he
walked up n white pathway, Swallowed by
tall trees, and took in the character of the
house he WAS approaching at Il picturesque
ivy covered angle.
A Lapland wolf dog, aroused from his
slumbers i'll an armchair on the veranda,
broke the intense stiffness that hung like
a spell over the house, and his noisy alarm
brought lousy mop of hair to one of the
Queen Anne windows in the roof. Max
felt he was expected to explain himself
and said intcrrogatively: Mr.. Corbins,"
but the maid, seemingly misunderstand-
ing him, waved him around to the kitchen
Let us find the kitchen, them" he said
to himself, but Pierre shall hear of this,
sending me to such u place, wasting my
time.
A little farther on o door was open, with
Il screen drawn across it inside and Max,
without any ceremony, walked in. The
shutters were half closed to keep out the
light and flies, but he distinguished
woman's figure.
II have an introduction for Mr.. Cor
bins" he said, addressing her.
Miss Corbins took the envelope from his
hand, pulled out the card it contained,
and, to the horror of Max calmly read it:
THE Marquis de St. Cybars begged to
remind Mr.. Corbins of their acquaintance
ship, and TO introduce his great friend tho
Vicomte dc Rcsal, who was travelling in
America for few months
While Dorothy read the letter. Max, be-
coming accustomed to the dim light was
making up his mind that the beauty of
American cooks was quite as uncommon
as their manners, and Dorothy was turn
ing over in her mind schemes for battling
this would be fortune hunter. She spoke
French fairly, and her next speech was in
that language.
80 it's not on business you want to see
Mr.. Corbins:''
Up went Max's hands as if words were
inadequate to express his amazement.
she speaks French too" he cried
"Mademoiscllc, in my country l should
think you Il disguised princess. But here
l have sworn that, after all tho strange
things have seen in the last month, moth
ing shall astonish me. Still l must con-
fess | think Mr. Corbins' cook breaks the
record, as you say. Yes, if have still any
VcStige of sense left, think l may say 1
only wanted to pay Mr.. COrbins a visit of
courtesy"
'Travelers like you," she said, spice
of malice in her tone, "arc not very com
mon in America. Frcnchmen especially
don't generally visit us just for the pleas
urc of it. "
But" he went on, seating himself on
pitch pine chair, II give you my word
l am neither mn engineer, Il painter, o
writer nor IA singer"
"Well, then, said Dorothy, using the
egg beatcr vigorously. Il know what has
brought you here. You want to catch an
heiress. Oh, you may as well tell tho
truth to u poor servant like me. "
when Il young man wants wife"
said Max, 'ot course it 5 an heiress. "You
see, Pm poor myself, and what's more, in
capable of earning my own living, 50 1
must have u rich wife. But why shouldn't
rich wife love me? l shall never marry
any one don't love"
"l'll tell Miss Corbins everything you've
said, " she said. But when you sec her
you won't want her. She's a monster.
Her neck is down between her shoulders,
and as to figure-weli, she has none"
Max took from his pocket IL French gold
piece. "Look here" he said, would you
mind not mentioning my visit at all? I'll
go back to New York and not SEQ Mr..
Corbins. wouldn't like to spend my life
with such woman as you describe"
Don't be in too great a hurry" she
said. IF you are, you will make mis-
takes, as the author of 'Oterc- Mcr' did"
Il might have expected that" cried
Max. You know Bourgct, theng What
q country. And to think I'm not likely
to ever see you again.
why not? You can see me tomorrow
if you find mo interesting"
Next day he had not to invent even the
mildest of stratagcms to carry out his pur-
pose. For reasons of her own Dorothy
made things easy for him, and, thanks to
an exciting baseball match in the neigh
borhood, he found the house as empty rs
tho day before.
well, you've come for the answer to
your card?" she said. Here it is Miss
Curbins wrote it before she had to go out.
You really are unfortunate about her
But she has invited you to dinner tomor-
row. s."
He interrupted: "Just now am more
interested in something else. You have
read Bourget, J. know. Do you remember
what no said about girls in America
alean girls who haven t much money, and
Eho are so anxious to be well educated,
That to go ON with their studies they hire
themselves OUT in the holidays as servantsi
That at any rate was true, / suppose.
"Oh, yes" sle answered; "there was
girl here once who read Virgil and Keno
phOn, a housemaid, but she had to go, she
was really too fond of books. "
"Mademoiselle, said Max, faltering,
81 am sure you are one of those interest
ing girls.
You are paying mo a compliment
don't deserve" she said presently. 81
shall always be what l am now. And
don't you think" she went on, with n
charming smile, that IA good cook has
her valuc?"
Then Dorothy turned to the table and
went on with her Jelly making She tried
to pull the cork from n sherry bottle, and
the vicomtc took it from her and drew it.
This is not tho sort of work you were
intended for, my poor child" he said
"With your mental gifts you ought to do
something more suitable" But Dorothy
only smiled.