The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-20

form you. for the time being, into a re-
spectacle lady. Stop there in the palm
OF my great big hand, my dear. and
listen.
You marry the poor man whom you
love, Mouse: and one-half your friends
pity and the other half blame you. And
now, on the contrary, you sell yourself
for gold TO man you don't care for:
and all your friends rejoice over you
and minister OF public worship sane
tions the base horror of the vilest OF all
human bargains: and smiles and snnirks
afterward at your table, IL you are polite
enough to ask him to breakfast. Hey!
presto. pass Be a mouse again. and
squeak If you continue to be a lady
much longer. / shall have you telling
me that society abhors crme-and then,
Mouse, | shall doubt If your own eyes and
ears are really of any use 10 you. All
am a bad man, Lady Clyde, am I not?
| say what other people only think: and
when all the rest OF the world Is In a
conspiracy 10 accept the mask for the
true face. mine Is the rash hand that
tears all the plump pasteboard. and
shows the bare bones beneath. I will
get up on my big elephants legs, before
! do myself any more harm in your ami
able estimations-I Will get up. and take
little airy walk Of my own. Dear ladies,
as your excellent Sheridan said. / 60
and leave my character behind me-"
He got up: put the cage on the table,
and paused, for a moment, TO count the
mice in II. "One. two, three. four Ha?"
he cried. with look OF horror. where
in the name OF heaven, is the flfth-the
youngest, the whitest, the most amiable
of all-my Benjamin OF mice!"
Neither Laura nor / was In any favor
able disposition to be amused. The
counts glib cynicism had revealed a new
aspect OF his nature from which we both
recoiled. But It was impossible to re-
sist the comical distress OF so very large
a man at the loss OF so very small n
mouse. We laughed. In spite OF our
selves and when Nine. Fosco rose to sci
the example OF leaving the boathouse
empty. so that her husband might search
II to It's remotest corners, we rose also
to follow her out.
Before we had taken three steps the
counts quick eye discovered the lost
mouse under the seat that we had been
occupying He pulled aside the bench,
took the little animal up In his hand,
and then suddenly stopped. on his knees,
looking ntently at particular place on
the ground just beneath him
When he rose to his feet again his hand
shook so that he could hardly put the
mouse back in the cage. and his face was
OF a faint, livid. yellow hue all over
'Pcrcival!" he said. in n whisper
"Percival come here
Sir Percival had paid no attention to
any Of us for the last ten minutes. He
had been entirely absorbed in writing
figures on the sand. and then rubbing
them out again, with the point OF his
stick
whats the matter now?" he asked.
lounging carelessly into the boathouse
do YOU see nothing there?" said the
count. catching him nervously by the coll
lar with one hand. and pointing with the
other TO the place near which he had
found the mouse.
II see plenty of dry sand" answered
Sir Percivsl. and a spot OF dirt in the
middle of IT,"
ening the other hand suddenly on Sir
Percivals collar. and shaking IL In his
agitation. Blood"
Laura was near enough 10 hear the
last word softly as he whispered II. She
turned to me with look OF terror.
Nonsense my dear" I said. There
Is no need To he alarmed n Is only the
blood Of a poor little stray dog"
Everybody was astonished and every
bodys eyes were fixed on me inquiringly.
How do YOU know that2' asked Sir
Perclval, speaking nrst.
II found the dog here dying, on the
day when you all returned from abroad.
i replied. Inc poor creature had
strayed into The plantation and had been
shot by your keeper"
Whose dog was it7" inquired Sir Per-
cival Not one OF miner"
Did you try to save the poor thing?'
asked Laura. earnestly. surely you
tried 10 save n. Marian"
Yes ! said: "thn housekeeper and
both did our besf-but the dog was NOR
tally wounded and he died under our
hands
Whose dog was IT." persisted sir Per-