The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-02-16

with excitement ana tum Dled pdVh
whence he had come. Regardless OF
the fact that he was still In his shirt
sleeves he rushed madly for the door.
On the way a shooting Jacket on the
door, perhaps In revenge for neglect
and ill.treatment, maliciously wound II.
self around bis feet and all but threw
him headlong; only frantic clutch at
the footrail of the bed saved him.
Kicking the thing savagely of he
flung himself upon the door and threw
II open. His jaw dropped
The llft shaft was directly opposite
Before II. In more or less patient walt
ing. stood very young and beautiful
woman in a gown whose extreme can
dor was surpassed only by the perfec
ton OF its design and appointment
both blatant OF the Rue de la PaiX;
type as common to the cognoscenu
of Monte Carlo as the Swiss hotel por
ters. But O'Rourke did not know her
from Eve.
THE divvle!" said be beneath his
breath.
He was mistaken: but the young
woman. at first startled by his uucer'
emonious appearance, on instantan.
eous second thought decided to per
nit him to discover that twin imps.
at least, resided in her eyes. And
when his disappointment prevented
him from recognizing them, her dawn
ing smile was swiftly erased and her
ascending eyebrows spoke eloquently
enough Of her naughty dispeasure.
Synchronously the lift hesitated at
that landing and the gate changed
wide; the young woman wound her
skirt about her and showed him a
back which at any other time would
have evoked his unstinted admiration.
Then the gate shot to with a rattle
and bang, and the lift dropped out Of
sight. leaving the man with mouth
agape and eyes as wide.
A beaming but elderly femme de
chambIe on duty in the corridor, re-
marking ORourke's pause Of stupehed
chagrin. hoped and believed be need.
ed her services. She bore down upon
him accordingly.
"Msieu Is desirous Off
He came out OF his trance. Moth,
ing" he told her with acid brevity.
But. yes." he reconsidered with
haste. THAT lady who but this mo-
ment took the lift-her Manner
Her name. m'sieu'? Ma'm'selle Vol
talre"
'Impossible!" he told himself aloud.
utterly unable to forge any connecting
link between the lady in the lift and
her whose voice had bewitched him.
But assuredly. m'sieu' Do | not
know who have waited upon her
hand and foot these three days and to
whom she has not given as much as
that" The woman ticked a finger
nail against her strong white
teeth. "Ma'm'selle Victorine Vol
taire," she asserted stubbornly.
- O'Rourk- fumbed in his pocket and
found a golden ten-franc piece. surren
dering it to the woman as heedlessly
as though It had been as many ecu
times. "T'n be leaving me room in five
minutes. now. And do ye, for the love
of Heaven. me dear, try to set me
things the least trife to rights. Will
ye now, like the best little girl in
the world?"
The best little girl in the world
who was fortyfve if day, promised
miracles-with a bob of a courtesy
But so disgruntled was O'Rourke that
4 he shut his door in her face
"Tis meself that's the fool" be
said savagely enough Ito think for d
moment that ever again I'll set me
eyes on her pretty face-God bless it
wherever she may be! Fol
why should deserve to-, the pen
niless adyenturer?"
CTO BE CONT1NUED)