The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-10-10
THE YELLOW DOMINO.
BY KATHARINE lyman.

eager for it.
The others thought on the madcap
prank it was, and that their empty
paunchcs should soon be filed on
Kings meat and drink. And for this last
l do not blame them. seeing that the
gentlemen of the Irish Regiment more
often than not went supperless to bed,
since glory was more plentiful in the
French kings service than louis dor; and
arrears of pay seemed likely but to grow
greater.
Terrence dEsterre held hat for the
money, and we each cast in what we
could, he who had been lucky of late at
the gaming table more, he who had lost
less. We kept no count of the sums,
but, in the end, we had enough to pay
mask, and for yellow domino.
The thing that gave us our opportunity
was that that night the gentlemen Of
the Irish regiment were on guard at the
palace. The mask was given for char
ity by the Queens wishes; hence it was
called the Queens mask, and all of FASH
ion, of beauty and of wealth in the CAPT.
tai would pay for it's admittance, and so
swell the Golfers Of St. Vincent de Paul.
W AA4C may GULL AuCS AuU JOhCu
about me, l thought upon the last time
| had seen Eleanor, when she and l had
litten down from our horses in the Vale
of Arlo, and, while the beasts cropped
the sward near us. I had taken her into
my arms and her golden head had lain
upon my heart. l remembered how the
blackbird sang, and the smell of whit
thorn all in bloom close by that it seemed
to intOxicate me with ecstacy.
that t;roo fbnro CT
in Sir Maurice Desmond lifting his eyes
to Lord Lahinch's daughter. Why, we
had been brought up in neighboring
houses, and out families had always been
friends and allies. If the money dwin-
died at Bunclody while Lahinch fattened.
that was but the fault of the trou b]ous
times, for l gave with both hands, as
my father gave before me, to the cause
OF King James and his son. Whereas
be the winner before he flung up his cap
for the Dutchman or the Stuart. I have
maryeled often upon how Eleanora came
to be his daughter.
When we brought our tale to Lord La
hinch the first shadow Of trouble fell
upon our love.
am all old man, not fighter, and I
can protect my girl. When the blood
and fire OF war burns. the country up,
only an old man like myself, who am out
of the fight and have stout castle to
boot, can protect women. When King
James is on the throne again it will be
time to talk Of marriages."
word, for though he conveyed his daugh-
ter and his money bags privily from the
country before the war broke out and de-
posted them at the French court, where
he had a kinswoman high in favor with
the Queen, yet he returned and held
Lahinch Castle for King James against
King William, and had his head blown
off by a cannon ball, for which I forgave
him many things, believing that he was
an honest man at last.
AS for me, when it was over l was
the poorest man between the four seas
OF Ireland, for my house was in ashes,
my land seized and sequestrated. and l
had lost Eleanora. Rumor had it that
she was great heiress and betrothed
to the son Of the Due de Picardy. But
she could not be further from me though
she were welded, and so said Of her to
myself, vet could not keep from being
light-headed with joy when we came
home from the Low Countries to Paris,
and all because might by chance happen
to see the Lady Eleanora.
We gentlemen Of the Palace Guard
were chosen for our height and size. I,
Maurice Desmond, am six-foot-four. and
lean as hound. Hardships had told on
me as we'll as love. But I was not the
greatest Of the troop. There was An
drew MacManus, two inches greater, and
Laurence Mcguire an inch. That night
the Yellow Domino was higher than any
gentleman at the Mask, and it was not
likely he should pass unnoticed.
1t was a matter Of honor with us that
VIC should eat and drink as fast as might
be, seeing that there were thirty hungry
gentlemen to be fed before morning
broke. We cast lots for the order of
precedence, and, as it CHANGED. came to
be the last Of all, wherefore Luke Mon
roe clapped me on the shoulder and con-
graduated me that I was not likely to
have an indigestion from too speedy feed
ing, if I ran the risk of getting no supper
at all.
would have bartered many suppers to
catch but one sight Of Eleanora, where
fore it chafed me that my lot should have
been cast last. Nor could I ask any ia
change with me; seeing that all were SO
to have as full a meal as this was like
to be for many a year, if, indeed, they
had it ever; for it is not every day that a
plain gentleman is cooked for by NJ. Paul,
the Kings chef de cuisine.
The first cock had crowed before the
LlckeC was thrust ID my land and the
Yellow Domino over my head and Shout.
ders. But the ball was still at its
height. The court was dancing a minuet.
AS pushed my way through the masks,
someone plucked at my domino.
looked down, to see a sharp-faced man
wearing a cooks cap and white apron.
Come with me-" he said; II have
something worthy Of so distinguished a
gourmet. You have done me honor to,
night, monsieur"
knew not if it were jest or not, but
L allowed him to draw me into the sup
per room. The place was no such ruin
as | had expected. Many servants car.
RED away empty dishes and replaced
them by full.
Fall to, most excellent gentleman; fall
tor said the little man, rubbing his
hands and gazing at me with his head
to one side, and his sharp black eyes
gloating upon me.
How long does the court stay?'
asked.
"Why, it will dance in the dawn" he
responded; perhaps two hours hence the
| coaches will be called for
l fell to then, realizing that I was q
hungry man, and, faith, I cleaned the
platters with a vengeance, but, as fast
as l ate, other delicacies were laid be-
fore me as though by magic. And
drank great draughts Of the most excel
lent wine, which seemed to take the cold
from my heart that had lain there sc
long-lndeed, since Eleanor had left il
omntv ~ ~