The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1898-05-06

| Sou9u naruiy conceal my CNuitat{Ou.
had, however, to keep my delight 20
myself for fear lest he should suspect.
so relit my cigar, which had goao out.
and then s,iid. with us muon careless.
ness rs | could assume:
- don't know altogether whether I'm
| sufficiently intimate with her to take
the liberty of Introducing yon, but as |
said Just now, she seems jolly sort of
girl and not inclined to be standoflish,
so If ever get an opportunity | don t
mind risking it. Now, l think, if You'll
excuse me, III say good night. That
wretohed old bucket of steamer rolled
SO NIL the way up from Tanjong Prick
that have hardly had wink of sleep
these three nights past. -
Good night aud thank You very
much for your company. Glad to have
met yon, I'm sure"
Next morning. as soon ms breakfast
was over went down into tho town,
shopping. When l returned about IL
O'Clock, discovered Allie and her chan.
eron sitting iii the veranda, waiting for
Adouble rickshaw which one of tho ho-
tel boys had gone out TO procure. Eb.
bington was seated in chair near by,
and evidently seemed to consider this a
good opportunity for effecting the intro
duction he bad proposed the night DO.
fore. | entered into conversation with
him for few moments, and then,
crossing the veranda, asked the ladies
in which direction they contemplated
going.
"Whero do you Think" said Allie,
with her best New York accent. "Woll,
first ! guess wore going to look for
dry goods store, and then reckon we'll
just take pasear round the town. F"
You should go and see Whampoa's
garden" said, hoping sho would un.
derstand what, was driving at. ..They
tell mo it's ono OF the sights of the
place. +"
But how do you get there?'' asked
Allie, her quick perception telling hor
my object. 1--WE must know the way, |
reckon, before wo start, or we'll Just
get lost, and then you II have to call out
all the town to find u.s. -
"Cne moment and I'll inquire ="
Ebbin2ton, having overheard what
had passed between us, as intended he
should do, had risen, and now approach
ed us. turned to him, and said:
MY friends want to find the way to
Whumpoa's garden. Mr.. Ebbington.
Could You direct them? But first per-
haps ought to introduce you. Mr. Eb-
bington. Mrs. Beeoher, Miss Sander
SON.
They bowed politely to each other
and then Ellington, having begged the
ladies' permission, gave instructions in
Malay to the rickshaw cody, who by
this time had drawn up ut the steps
rendering their thanks to him, they
stepped into their conveyance and were
drawn away.
When they had disappeared round
the corner, Ebbington crossed the
veranda and, sitting down beside me,
favored me with his opinions. Even in
this short space of time the charm of
the heiress seemed to have impressed it.
self upon him. Though inwardly with
ing at tho tone he adopted, had to pre-
tend to be interested. 1t was difficult
matter, however, and l was more re-
lieved than / can say whea he remem-
bered business elsewhere ana betook
himself off to attend to it. So far all
had gone we'll. The bait was fixed, and
it would be surprising now If the vic
tim did not walk into the trap SO art
fully oontrived for him.
That evening after dinner fell into
casual conversation with the proprietor
of the hotel, and it was not until nearly
half an hour later that l managed to es-
cape from him and get into the veranda.
When did, to my surprise found the
ladies reclining in their chairs, listen
ing to the conversation of Mr.. Ebbing-
ton. He was RECALLING them with high
ly colored account Of his experiences in
the east, and from the attention his re-
marks were receiving it was evident he
was doing ample justice to his subject.
| pulled chair up beside Allie and lis
tened. Within five minutes, however.
| of my arrival he introduced Mr.. Vesey's
name, and instantly she stopped him by
saying:
Now, whefe have heard that name
before? 1t seems somehow to be very
familiar to me.
"Perhaps you've heard the story of
| his abduction by the Beautiful White
Devil. " said Ebbington, who saw that
was about TO speak and was anxious to
forestall me-
mo, guess not. (" answered Allie.
II reckon was thinking of Klener ".
Vesey Of Wall street, who operates con-
siderable in pork. But tell me. who il
this beautiful White Devil one hears
SO much about anyway"
There was pause, but / held my
peace and let Ebbington's tongue run
! riot with him.
"Ah, there you have me at disad-
vantage" he began. pluming himself
for the big speech could see was i'm
minent. "Some say she's European
lady of title gone mad on Captain Mar
ryat and Clark Russell. Others ayei
that she's not woman at ALL but o
man disguised in woman S clothes. But
the real truth, Pm inclined to fancy, Ii
that she's the daughter of drunken ole