The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-19

and projects to the convenience Of others.
lie was evidently relieved at finding any
excuse for delaying the business formal
ity in the library. TO which his own
words had referred. Nv heart sunk within
me as / drew the inevitable inference.
The Count and his wife Joined us at
that moment. The lady had her husband
embroidered tobacco pouch, and her store
| of paper in her hand, for the manufacture
OF the eternal cigarettes. The gentleman.
dressed, as usual In his blouse and straw
hat carried the gay little pagoda-cage.
with his darling, white mice In IT, and
smiled on them and on us. with bland
amiability which II was impossible TO re-
sist.
with your kind permission" said the
! Count. II will take my family here-my
| poor title harmless pretty y-Mouseys, out
| for an airing along with US. There are
dogs about the house. and shall i leave
| my forlorn white children at the mercies
| OF the dogs? All. never!"
He chirruped paternally at his small
white children through the bars of the
| pagoda; and we all left the house, for the
! lake.
In the plantation, Sir Percival strayed
| away from us IL seems 10 be part OF his
restless disposition always to sepa-
| rate himself from his companions on
| these occa sions. and always TO occupy
| lls
walking sticks for his own use. The
mere act OF cutting and looping, at haz-
| ard, appears to please him.
\ He has filled the house with walking
| sticks Of his own making. not one of
\ which he ever takes up a second time
| When they have been once used his in
| terest In them Ia all exhausted. and he
thinks OF nothing but going on and max
| ing more.
| At the old boat-house he Joined us
again. ! will put down the conversation
| that ensued, when we were all settled
| In our places, exactly as Il passed. 1t Ia
| an important conversation. so far as /
am concerned. for IL has seriously dis
posed me 10 distrust the influence which
Count Fosco has exercised over my
| thoughts and feelings. and to resist 1t.
for the future. as resolutely as ! can.
The boat-house was large enough 20
hold us ALL but Sir Percival remained
outside. trimming the last new stick with
his pocket-ax. We three women found
plenty OF room on the large seat. Laura
took her work and Nine. Fosco began
her cigarettes. |, as usual. had nothing
to do My hands always were. and al
ways will be. as awkward a mans
The Count good-humoredly took n stool
many shes too small for him. and al
anced himself on IL with his back against
the side OF the shed which creaked and
pagoda-cage on his lap, and let out the
mice TO crawl over him as usual. They
are pretty innocent-opklng little crea-
lures; but the sight OF them, creeping
about a mans body, Is, for some reason
not pleasant 10 me. II excites a strange
responsive creeping in my own nerves
and suggests hideous ideas of men dying
I'm prison. with the crawling creatures
OF the dungeon preying on them unds-
turbed
The morning was windy and cloudy
I and the rapid alterations OF shadow and
sunlight over the waste OF the lake made
; the view look doubly wild. weird, and
gloomy.
; : some people call tina, picturesque
said Sir Percival pointing over the wide
; prospect with his half-flnshed walking
. stlck II call Il blot on n gentleman!
property. In my t-Rrandfathe
time the lake flowed to this place Lool
at IL now, II Is not four feet deep any
where. and Il Is all puddes and pools
wish | could afford 10 drain g. anC
plant n all over. My bailiff (a supersti
. has curse on It. like the Dead Sea Wha
; do you think. Fosco7 II looks just tn
I place for murder. doesn't it2''
MY good Percivall' demonstrated tn
Count What Is your solid Englisl
sense thinking or The water IL too shal
: low 10 hide the body; and there IL san'
everywhere to- print on the murderer
footsteps. II is. upon the whole. the yer.
worst place for n murder that | ever se
, my eyes on
: "Humbug." sald Sir Percivsl. cuttini
: away herccly at his stick. You KNOW
= what I mean The dreary scenery -th
!. lonely situation. II YOU choose 10 under
. stand me. YOU can--n : ou don't choose
: ] am not going 10 trouble myself TO ex
> plain my meaning"