Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-06-07

H. ~ 4
H1C9SES AN est considering their
ETCSA T6gM means, but exceed
IGQhT%N "a ingly comfortable and
&lS&A2-S convenient They were
people of a wide ac-
Quaintance, and their home had shell
tered many guests, mostly Americans
making brief visits to the French
capital At the time of the Incl
dents herein described there were but
two. Darrell and Miss Edith Lorrimer.
The young woman was cousin to Mrs.
Gordon and. like that lady herself. n
student of art Mrs. Gordon. indeed.
was something more than a student.
having won the beginnings Of a name
among painters. AS to Miss Lm,rimer
and Darrell the Gordons had enter
tanned hope that had recently taken
on the color of fear, for a match i'm
plies the desire of two. and the worst
that can happen is that the woman
alone shall feel it.
When Gordon and Darrell returned
to the villa sitter the incident lust de
scribed, they learned that Miss Lori
mers uncle and aunt had arrived In
Paris earlier than they had been ex-
pected and that the young lady had
gone TO take mp her abode with them
In one OF the big hotels. 1t was in the
nature of flight, and not even Darrell
himself could be blind to the fact He
suffered the pangs OF remorse-sthat
particularly distressing remorse which
does not permit q man to mention his
tault TO his own soul, since the confess
sion must be tainted with presumption.
Indeed, gentleman cannot even Mead
complete Innocence, for to say 70 his
conscience that he has won a heart
without attempt is to fiatter his own
vanity and slur the lady as too willing.
The party OF four for the ball was
broken up. The Gordons attended.
upon their guests insistence, leaving
the house about 10 o'clock, and Darrell
rode with them In their carriage a lit
tie way. alighting near club, which,
upon second thought. he did not visit.
Instead he spent some hours roaming
aimlessly about the city, prey 10
great discomfort and full OF the best
resolutions concerning the avoidance OF
all communications with women that
should go beyond the yea. yea and nay,
nay approved in holy writ.
1t may have been about midnight
when he wandered into q dark street
which attracted him because II seemed
to be deserted, though the boulevard
from which he had just come was all
alive a carriage passed him at a smart
pace, and he looked after # with a
vague notion OF something unusual
The impression gradually became more
definite, and he perceived that his at
tention had been attracted by the pc
cuIiar noise made by the equipage or.
TO be more accurate, by the lack of
noise. The wheels rolled silently, and
the beat OF the horses hoofs was muf-
fled. Stepping down from the sidewalk
Ia front OF one OF the few lamps upon
the way, Darrell discovered that the
street was paved with wooden blocks.
and then he remembered having read
that an English company was endeay-
orlng 80 introduce new pavement and
had furnished sample gratuitously.
As he stood staring, with true Amer
lean curiosity for anything partaking
OF the nature Of an invention, a span
Of horses drawing a closed carriage
>~ung around from the boulevard. and
Some small outcry was raised. Then
from within the vehicle there came a
single sharp scream as OF terror. q
woman's voice raised and almost in
stantly checked. Obviously here was a
runaway, and In two seconds Darrell
was hanging upon the horse5 brides.
dragged and trampled and very nearly
impaled upon the pole, for the animals
mad RVQPVa6 fVrcA no 10 49,.
ward them, bringing him much more
squarely In front Of them than he had
intended to be. However, he succeed
ed IN hating the team without sustain
Ing serious injury, and as they showed
no desire to bolt again he stepped away
from their heads and back toward the
vehicle.
de was about to speak when sudden
~ the coachman leaned far forward
from his seat and struck violently with
heavy whip. The lash cleared Oar
reifs head as he lodged forward under
il and came down with great force up
on his back. The sharp pain and, above
all the unexpected and unnatural act
itself inspired Darrell with a purely
instructive wrath. He leaped to one
sioe' avoiding a second blow. and then
sprang up in such way as to get a
momentary footing on the forward
wheel, whence he passed on upward
as II upon wings. alighting against the
coachman. who, rather from surprise
perhaps than from the force OF the
shock, lost his balance and fell to the
street.
1t was lucky for Darrell that the Eel.
low did not carry the reins with him.