Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-22
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THE DOOR WRITE Trrr ppovr>


RES winch haunt an ancient French
pension. could not keep two travel
weary girls from sleeping. AT nine
O'Clock in the morning Arthem-se
with coffee and rolls. knocked twice
before they Weakened.
Presently they burst into the han
enthusiastic and s'n~ing: for the e,-n
shone hright. Carnival had come and
the heautifll world was fun OF things
FOR them 90 DO.
"Aiy love is ~ rover vvffror. g. o,-o
'aN as robin. and Gaet as n hare
Alice sang g-yiy as she raced along
the ball and stopped a. her mothers
door. She tapped lightly: there was
no rerly.
Don't wake her yet" Anita sug-
gestsd, Tets explore
"Al right" Alice eagerly agreed
They tripped out. one behind the
ether like dimo-uovel horoines. to the
balcony. The girls leaned over the
railing and looked down upon AN
oval courtyard It was dull and dim
below, a sanctuary OF perpetual tvri-
light Stiff green palms in r~eene~
barrels ranged themselves with math-
ematica regularity. one az the base
or each column. Heavy green benches.
that no one ever came TO sit upon.
stood between. A solemn parrot
marched back and forth on the back
OF a bench
some one had been 90 breakfast
The two girls looked curiouslv down
az the little table 90 see what sort OF
breakfast these people would have
Cohee. smoking in the cup. some fun
ny little twisted rolls. a box OF ciear-
cites, spaper-that seemed 90 b,
all But whoever il was had eaten
and gone.
a fountain spIcshed in the center
OF the court. choking like "a child with
the whooping-corgh. then snutterine
out again. Two love-making pigeons
strutted along thc coping with their
peculiar "coo-coo-cOo" The parrot
nearly burst his throat trying 20 imi-
tate. then scolied az them.
Just like some or those queer ola
places that Balzac writes about
Alice whispered as 90 she were afraid
TO talk aloud. Aren't you glad we
came2"
yes; hut it doesn't look like the
same place we came 10 last night:
I'm all turned around"
Alice glanced at her bare hands.
and sprang mp. I"ve left my rings
let me run and get them" She dart
ed back 90 their room. leaving Anita
TO wander aiuicssly around The bal
cony.
Al tho head OF the stair Anita
stopped and leaned on re rail again
Watchlns TIE fountain Sho had much
20 think about ana thts was very
quiet place
Without meaning 90 listen she be-
came conscious Cf mumbling OF
voices. somewhere down the stairs
IL was such uuocrly constructed
house. SO archel onl vaulted, so fun
OF bafiing echoes fhat She became curl
Gus 20 know where the sounds really
came from. At FIRST She thought they
came from directly acr..s the court
out or that quecr iit'o passage-way
which looked as th7Crh 20 might lead
20 crypt Then the sounds seemed
20 be risht ~ her fcc,. directly under
meath.
There was a little room 90 the foot
OF the stair; Anita could see that the
door was not sAnt tightly. the men
"uuSt oe IN tAefa- Sir listened, quite
as nesleeniy as She listened 20 the
FOUNTAIN or me parrot suddenly she
started ana ST. PEG the rail She
heara quite PLAINLY IN a louder and
ahsrler tone. b1t / tell you won't
wat can you uniefs and plain Eng
llAh! must leave New Orleans at
once
Disguised as it was by the hollow
echoes or the house. Anita felt sure
that she recognized the voice OF Noel
Duke.
Then she heard the Frenchman.
Monsieur Nictor-she was sure it was
~ 90.
-, e., - '''' 90 monsieur II
49,. -, II vi my MUSE
~'~ "1 -i4o4- 10 come mere;
CD. "i""'S tIo,ec-