Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-24

THE 1ONSTER:
OR, AN INTERNATIONAL MATCH.

two out OF Hartford, on rising ground,
above pretty tributary OF the Con.
necticut. He is an excellent fellow,
and though his establishment is on a
simple scale, because lie happens to
prefer it, he has made his pile.
His wife is dead, aud he has only
one child, pretty daughter AT
present Dorothy was acting as cook,
her cook in fit of wrath having taken
French leave and her waitress having
her hands full caring for the house.
II was warm summer afternoon,
and Dorothy was alone in the kitchen,
the ingredients for q sponge cake
neatly laid out before her. The clock
struck three, and just as IL struck the
electric train stopped before the house
and dropped young man. He was
fair, his eyes blue, his mOustache
light, but II was not the fairness Of
the Anglo-Saxon race. In fact, Max
de Resal had only very lately arrived
In America.
Opening the small wicket near the
larger entrance, through the high red
paling, he walked up a white pathway,
Swallowed by tall trees, and took in
the character Of the house he was APP
preaching at picturesque, ivy-cov-
cred angle.
A Lapland wolf-dog, aroused from
his slumbers in an armchair on the
verandah, broke the intense stiffness
that hung like 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 aud
said, interrogatively: "Mr. Corbins'?"
but the maid, seemingly misunder-
standing 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 place,
wasting my time"
A little farther on door was open
with a screen drawn across ii inside,
aud Max, without any ceremony, walked
in. The shutters were half closed to
keep out the light and flies, but he
distinguished woman's figure.
~ have an introduction for Mr.. Cor
bins, he said, addressing her.
Miss Corbins took the envelope
from his hand, pulled out the card IL
contained and, to the horror of Max,
calmly read IL:
"The Marquis de st. Cybars begged
70 remind Mr.. Corbins of their &C.
quaintanceship and to introduce his
great friend, the Vicomte de Resal,
who was travelling in America for a
few months.
While Dorothy read the letter, Max,
becoming accustomed 10 tue dim light,
was making up his mind that the |
beauty of American cooks was quite
as uncommon as their manners, and |
Dorothy was turning over in her mind |
schemes for battling this would.be for
tune hunter. She spoke French fair
ly, and her next speech was in that
language.
80 it's not on business You want
TO see Mr.. Corbins?"
Up went Maxs hands as il words
were inadequate to express his amaze
ment.
''She speaks French, tool" he cried.
"Madamoiselle, in my country l should
think you disguised princess. But |
here have sworn that, after all the |
strange things have seen in the last |
month, nothing shall astouish me.
Still, Unjust confess / think Mr.. Cor
bins cook breaks the record, as you
say. Yes, IL have still any vestige |
Of sense left, / think may say only
wanted to pay Mr.. Corbins visit of
courtesy.
Travellers like You" she snid, a
spice OF malice in her tone, ''are not
very common in America. French /
men, especially don't generally visit
us just for the pleasure of it,"
"But," he went on, seating himself
on pitch-pine chair, Il give you my
word i am neither an engineer, a
painter, a writer nor a singer"
"Well, then" said Dorothy, using
tho egg-beater vigorously, 81 know
what has brought you here. You
want TO catch an heiress! Obi You
may rs we'll tell the truth to poor SER
want like me-"
when young man wants wife, ="
said Max, ''of course it's an heiress."
Then you had better 60 TO New
port, sir. It's the season there just
now. But stay, Newport is perhaps
too grand for a viscount Such very
rich girls go there. What a pity,
now, you're not marquis, like Mr.. de
St Cybars. He managed his affair
quickly, ] can tell you'll might al
most say / saw the bargain struck.
Servants do see so much, you know,
and guess more. Poor Lily Everson,
I'm afraid she knows by this time that
u does not make girls life happy
Just to be marquisev'
''St. Cybars hasn't behaved WE'LL"