Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-04-23
cHAPTER vI-lcontInued.l

CHAPTER Nl.-(ContinUed.l
well, then, who knows more on
that subject than. Jorls Hyde7 Was
not. last year, at Lady Betty SOmer's
splendid nuptials, and at Fanny Pa
gets, and tho Countess Of Csrlisie'sR
Indeed, / maintain that in such dis
cussion | am an absolute necessity.
And wish to know Madame Jacobus."
"So7 Well, then, here we are, At
her very door. know not what she
will say--you must make your own
excuses, SIR"
AS she was speaking, they assembled
che white steps leading to a very
handsome brick house on the west side
of Broadway. The door was opened
by a very dark man, who was dressed
in a splendid and outlandish manner
. scarlet turban above his straight
black hair, and gold-hooped earrings,
and a long coat or tunic, heavily en-
broidered in strange devices.
AS soon as the front door closed,
Joris perceived that he was in an I'M
usual house. The scents and doors Of
strange countries foated about it.
Strange tables of wonderful mosaic
work held ivory carvings of priceless
worth, and porcelain from unknown
lands. Gods and goddesses from the
yellow Gehenna of China and the ut
terable idolatry of India looked out
with brute cruelty, or sempiternal
smiles from every odd corner, or gazed
with a fascinating prescience from the
high chimney-piece upon all who en-
tered.
When the door opened and Madame
Jacobus, with soft, gliding footsteps
entered, Hyde understood how truly
the soul, If given the wherewithal,
builds the habitation 1t likes best.
Once possessed of marvellous beauty,
and yet extraordinarily interesting,
she seemed the very genius of the
room and its strange, suggestive be-
longings.
II was said that no man who came
within his influence had been able to
resist her power-no man, perhaps,
but Capt. Jacobus, and he had not re-
sisted, he had been content to exer-
else over her power greater than
her own. He had made her his wife;
he had lavished on her for ten years
the spells of the four quarters of the
world; and his worship of her had
only been equaled by her passionate
attachment to him. Ten years of
love, and then parting and silence
unbroken silence. Yet she still in
sisted that he was alive and would
certainly come back to her. She
kept his fine house open, his room
ready, and herself constantly adorned
for his homecoming.
She came in now with a smile of
welcome. She was always pleased
that her fine home should be seen by
those strange to it; and perhaps was
particularly pleased that Gen. Hyde's
son should be her visitor. And as
Joris was determined to win her
favor, there was an almost instan-
taneous birth of good will.
''Let me kiss your hand, madame"
said the handsome young fellow, lift
ting the jeweled fingers in his own.
Il have heard that my father had
once that honor. Do not put me be-
low him." and with his words he
touched with his warm lips the long
white fingers.
Her laugh rang merrily through
the dim room, and she answered:
@'You are Dick Hyde's own son-noth-
Eng else, / see that. But where is
COrnelia? / thought she would come
with you"
Even as she spoke Cornelia entered.
There was a little flush and
hurry on her face; but oh, how limo
cent and joyous It vast
"Am l late, madame? Surely your
clock is wrong"
my clock is never GrOng, Cor