The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-26

i
| THE house overlooked the river and
the shipping. One saw always
/ through the windows delicate
tangle of spars and cordage. There was
a courtyard in front of the house with
orange trees in tubs, a high stone wall
and barred gates shutting out the world
! The bars We're necessary. A great many
/ idlers haunted the roadway outside and
/ spent themselves in useless endeavors to
/ hribe Matthew, the surly old porter, to
carry messages or bouquets or, Jewel
! cases to his mistress
Mrs. Peggy is an honest woman" he
would growl, IF she is a stage player
Put up your guineas, sir
1t was true that Mrs. Peggy was an
| honest woman, and that piquant and un-
expected fact but whetted the desires and
ambitions OF her adorers-and they num-
I bered all the towns pretty fellows Dis
| appointed in bidding low. some of these
admirers were prepared to bid the high
est. Rumor had it that one of Mrs. Peg
| gy's rejected addresses carried a duchess
! coronet. What if the duke was old and
| padded and wicked and had a glass eye,
Liner stage sisters, to say nothing Of more
! reputable ladies, would have given the
/ world for her chances Mrs Peggy.
| though fate had made her a stage PLAYER.
| hardly saw the world she lived in Even
though they called her the Comic Muse
ana on the stage she was the wittieSt
! gayest, most irresistible thing alive
sparkling and glancing in the wild. wick
! ed comedies of Vanbrugh and Mrs. Aphra
Behn-she had no more of sin about her
IMAM child or daisy, and knew as lit
| tie of the world.
she was learning a new part this gray
day OF November, when the short after
noon was turning to evening. The can
| dies had not yet been lit in the great
drawing room and the fire had sunk low.
Such small, pale, tired face it was on
which the gray light from the windows
felI. The eyes were glorious and would
nave made a palmer woman than Mrs.
Peggy beautiful. The nose was short and
straight, the chin full and white R11t
| Mrs. Peggy had forgotten her rouge and
the face amid the brilliance Of the now
dered ha1r showed wistful and coIorIess.
one mad the part nearly by heart. When
she was uncertain she had to incline her
mead to the light to catch the reflection
upon the pages of her book There was
NOT sound outside. Snow was coming
ana a tense stiffness hung on everything
Suddenly the gate in the COURTYARD
opened and was shut to with a violence
OF sound which startled Mrs. Peggy
She stood an instant listening. The
lFe lell IN in the CRATE and flames fol-
lowed the shower of sparks There were
| Ioolsteps on the stone stairs outside Mrs.
/
ana III rushed Matthew painting and blow
ing. With him came a stranger in a
COAX, whom he half led. half sunnorted
Mrs. Peggy. Mrs. Peggy" he stan-
mefed IN his haste, "see whom r have
mere and the soldiers are after him. Hide
nun Tor heavens sake, Mrs Peggy
MRS. Peggy flung down her book.
My lord my 1ord!' she cried raoeiv-
| ing the stranger almost on her mink satin
BOSOM you are wounded And there ie
the knocking at the gate Keep them in
pafley as long as you can, Matthew INTO
me poWder1ng closet with Won NV lord
ana take care You do not sneeze for vo,1r
me. shaH be ready to receive them ;,
ohe htted the hangings of the wall
opeheo door which no one would have
suspected III the paneling and pushed tha
wounded man inside with gentle has+a
1hen she flew to her makeup hoy Her
nlald came in and began to light the can
| dies. e"' me YAH
All, all Elizabeth she said. II want
you "a, 70 make me an illumination. ~
me mad went on quietly lighting the
cdndles IN all the sconces and candeIabra
before the girandoles on the wall I'm. az
room room, spanked and shone lighter than dav
Inc parley at the gate had ended Moi
new TENT OF deafness. which had serv-
eu MN OFTEN with Mrs. Peggy's adorers
was done We'll The gates were flung wide
ana tnefe was the steady tramp of armed
men, the clanking of swords in the court
yard below :
Do l look my best, child?n Mrs Pago-r
| chances. startled
On; madam said the girl, you are
more beautiful than ever.
a., men go and pray, child. PRAY hard
that L may be successful in NV To,+ it cru.
T. Iali shall kill myself
Sne was alone When the officer came
lll.o the room; alone, and studying her
~ M a1I looked over his shoulder. with
all the rosy hueS of his face gone Y',,rnI
1t is another lover. madam, - he LA ia
or so would conjecture, for. can hear
hothlng but their bawlIng 1 told him vo,,
were busy, but he would force his Wav
| INTO your presence.
She stood about the center of the room
/ smlllng The white and gold train of her
rose-plnk satin stretched out stif1y he
hlnd her Her stomacher was of diamonds
| and above 1t her breast, like white Vel
vet. was half hidden, half revealed bv
lne embroidered scarf, which f1oated airiIv
WIN her every movement. Her eyes were
bright as her diamonds, her lips scarlet.
Inc rouge famed in her cheeks
we are IN pursuit or a rebel madam -
| the ohcer said. blinking as though he
had come into the strong sunlight.
A rebel!' shrieked Mrs. Peggy. and
AAOA .'iAA lOh was IKE d uttIe arrow of sill
yer in the air. But we are loyal people.
/ am devoted to the king. Is it possible
my servants
We have no warrant for any of your
household, madam, but we have orders
| to arrest a notorious rebel, who was about
to make his escape from the harbor. In
person (reading from the warranty agree
able, height five feet ten inches brown
eyes, brown hair, which he wears unpow-
dered. His name.
| Mrs. Peggy uttered a second shrek.