Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-24
soNc.
THE T1ONSTER;
OR. AN INTERNATIONAL MATCH.


Aren't your she said. ''Oh, dear,
is it O poor American girl you want to
marry, monsieur? There are plenty
of that kind"
"Well," said Max, "you see I'm
poor myself and, what's more, inca
pable OF earning my living, so I must
have rich wife. But why shouldn't
a rich wife love mep / shall never
marry anyone don't love-"
"I'll tell Miss Corbins everything
you said" said she. "But when you
see her you won't want her--she's O
monster. Her neck is down between
her shoulders, and as to figure, we'll,
she has none"
Max took from his pocket French
gold piece. "Look here" he said,
"would you mind not mentioning my
visit at all? I'll 60 back to New York
and not see Mr.. Corbins. I shouldn't
like to spend my life with sucA .
woman as You describe"
Don't be in too great hurry"
she said. IF You are you may make
mistakes, as the author Of 'Outre- Mer'
did"
~ might have expected that!" cried
Max. "You know Bourget, then?
What countryl And to think I'm
not likely ever to see you againF'
"Why not?" You can see me to-
morrow IL you find me interesting"
He paused moment, not sure
whether some other adjective might
not be more expressive, but he could
think of nothing better than every
Interestingly" Then he looked straight
into the honest, clear eyes that met
his and, leaving the money on the
table, went away.
His curiosity had been aroused, he
had been amused, interested; more
than this, charmed. She was very
handsome, OF this there was no ques-
ton; figure, eyes, features, expression,
all were good, and she was remark
ably intelligent. Still, she was but a
cook after all, who wore white apron
and beat eggs like any other cook.
Next day he had not to invent even
the mildest Of stratagems to carry out
his purpose. For reasons of her own
Dorothy made things easy for him,
and, thanks to an exciting baseball
match in the neighborhood, no found
the house as empty as the day before.
"Well, you've come for the answer
to your card?" she said. ''Here it is.
Miss Corbins wrote II before she had
to go out You really are unfortu-
nate about her. But she has invited
You to dinner tomorrow.
He interrupted: ''Just now am
more interested in something else.
You have read Bourget, l know. Do
you remember what he says about girls
in America mean girls who--haven' I
much money and who are so anxious
to be we'll educated that, to 60 on
with their studies, they hire them
selves out in the holidays as servants :?
That, at any rate, was true, sup
poser"
"Oh, yes," she answered; ''there
was q girl here once who read Virgil
and Xenophon, housemaid; but she
had to go; she was really too fond of
books"
MADAM oiselle, said Max, faltering-
ly, II am sure you are one Of those in
teresting girls"
"You are paying me compliment
I don't deserve" she said, presently.
II shall always be what am now.
And don't you think" she went on,
with charming smile, 'that good
cook has her value?"
Then Dorothy turned to the table
and went on with her jelly making.
She tried to pull the cork from bottle,
aud the vicomte took IL from her and
drew it.
"This not the sort Of work You
were intended for, my poor child, he
said. "With your mental gifts You
ought to do something more suitable. "
Then she said: 81 presume you
will accept Miss Corbins' invitation to
dinner?"
IF do, what good will it 90 for
either you or me? shall not so much
as see you."
"Only come" she said; ''you will
see me, promise YOU"
An hour or so later Miss Corbins
received the Vicomte de Resars for
NAL acceptance of her invitation.
, Before going to dinner the next
day Max made all his preparations for
leaving Hartford on the midnight
train. When he reached the house
the fiaxen-haired Nova Scotiau let him
in aud conducted him through large
) folding doors to the lair of the 'mon.
ster."
Apparently the room was empty,
and Max thought he was too early.
Just then, through a half-glazed door,
he caught sight of soft pufis Of tobacco
smoke aud heard the tones Of mascu'
!, line voices.
| ] L. Al. Z. ...,,,