Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-29
CHAPTER XIV.
The Other Woman.
The world is the book Of women.-
Rousseau.

|
entity there would be meeting of some
of the leading men of the Hudson Bay
Company at the little gray stone, dor
mer-window building on Notre Dame
street. For myself it was out of the
question TO gain admittance.
In those days all Montreal was IRON
shuttered after nightfall, resembling a
series of jails; and tonight it seemed
doubly screened and guarded. None the
less, late in the evening, l allowed
seeming accident to lead me in a GER
tain direction. Passing as often as
might up and down Notre Dame street
without attracting attention. l saw
more than one figure in the semi-dark-
ness enter the low chateau door. Oc-
casionally a tiny CLEAN showed at the
edge of a shutter or at the top of some
little window not fully screened. As
TO what went on within l could only
guess.
passed the chateau, up and down at
different times from nine o'clock until
midnight The streets of Montreal al
that time made brave pretenSe or llght-
ing by virtue of the new gas works; at
certain intervals flickering and wholly
incompetent lights serving to make the
gloom more visible. None the less, as
| passed for the last time, plainly saw
a shaft of light fall upon the hall dark
ness from a little side door. There
emerged upon the street the figure OF q
woman. | do not know what led me to
cast a second glance, for certainly my
business was not with ladies, any more
than would have supposed ladies had
business there: but victim of some I'M
pulse of curiosity, l walked step or
two in the same direction as that taken
by the cloaked figure.
Careless as l endeavored to make my
movements, the veiled lady seemed 10
take suspicion or fright. She quick
ened her steps. Accident favored me.
Even as she fled, she caught her skirt
on some object which lay hidden in the
shadows and fell almost at full length.
This I conceived to be opportunity
warranting my approach. l raised my
hat and assured her that her flight was
needless.
She made no direct reply to me, but
as she rose gave utterance to an eX-
preston of annoyance Mon Dieu!' l
heard her say.
I stood for a moment trying to recall
where l had heard this same voice!
She turned her face in such way that
the light Illuminated it. Then indeed
surprise Smote me.
Madame Baroness" said l, laugh
ing, lit is wholly impossible for you to
be here, yet you are here! Never again
will say there is no such thing as
chance. no such thing as fate. no such
thing as a miracle!"
She looked at me one brief moment;
then her courage returned.
"Ah. then. my idiot" she said, "since
il is to be our fortune always To meet
of dark nights and in impossible ways,
give me your arm"
treaty If you run again. l shall only
follow you"
Then / am again your prisoner"
Madam, l again am yours"
AT least. you improve" said Sne.
Then come"
Shall 1 not call a caleche?-the
night is dark"
No, no." hurriedly.
pnnrSp that
took us quite across the old French
quarter of Montreal. At last she turn
ed into a small dark street of modest
one-story residences, iron shattered,
dark and cheerless. Here she paused
in front Of a narrow iron gate.
Madam" l said, you represent t"
me one of the problems of my life.
Why does your taste run to such quar-
tcrs as these? This might be that same
back street in Washington"
She chucklcd to herself, ut length
laughed aloud. But wait. If you en-
tered my abode once" she said. why
not again? Come"
Her nand was at the heavy knocker
as she spoke. In a moment the door
slowly opened, just as it had done that
night before in Washington. My COM
panion passed before me swiftly. AS
she entered | saw standing at the open
ing the same brown and wrinkled old
dame who had served that night before
in Washington.
For an instant the light daZZlcd my
eyes. but, determined now t" see this
adventure through. | stepped within.
Then. indeed. found it difficult I"
stine the exclamation of surprise which
came to my lips. Believe it or not,
as YOU like, W" were again in Wash
ington!
I say that l was confronted by the
Identical arrangement. the identical OBJ
iects of furnishing. which had marked
the luxurious boudoir of Helena Won
Ritz in Washington, The tables were
the same. the chairs, the mirrors. IN"
consoles. ON the mantel stood the
same girandOlcS with glittering crES-
tails The pictures upon the walls. so
far as | could remember their themes
did not deviate in any particular OF
detail or arrangement. The oval-back-
ed chairs were duplicates of those l
had seen that otnrr night at midnight
Beyond these same amber satin cur
tains stood the tall bed with its canopy.
as could see: and her" at the right
was the same low Napoleon bed with
its rolled ends. The figures of the
carpets were the same. their deep-piled
richness. soft under foot. the same"
The lowered cups of tn" sc"nc"s were
identical with those | mad seen before
You are good enough I" admir-" my
modest place" said a laughing v"ic" at
my shoulder.
| turned to her then. pulling myself
together as best could. Yes. she too
was tn" same. although in this case
cnStumcd somewhat differently. The
wide ball gown of satin was gone. and
i'm it's place was Il less prctenti"uS rob-
ing of some darker silk. y" pale blue