Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-01-31

"The DlvvIe!" He Said Bene7'h His
Breath.
self around his feet and all but threw
him headlong; only frantic clutch at
the footrail of the bed saved him.
Kicking the thing savagely off he
flung himself upon the door and threw
1t open. His jaw dropped.
The lift shaft was directly opposite.
Before it, in more or less patient wait
ing, stood a very young and beautiful
woman in a gown whose extreme can
dor was surpassed only by the perfec-
tion of its design and appointment
both blatant of the Rue de la Paix;
a type as common to the cognoscenti
of Monte Carlo as the Swiss hotel por-
tiers. But O'Rourke did not know her
from Eve.
"The divvle!" said he beneath his
breath.
He was mistaken; but the young
woman, at first startled by his uncer-
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 displeasure.
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
chambre on duty in the corridor, re-
marking O'Rourke's pause of stupefied
chagrin, hoped and believed he need
ed her services. She bore down upon
MIN accordlngly.
"M'sieu' 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 name?"
"Her name, m'sieu'? Ma'm'selle Vol
taire."
"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 1 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'Rourke fumbled in his pocket and
found golden ten-franc piece, surren-
dering it to the woman as heedlessly
as though 1t had been as many CEN
times. 'T'll be leaving me room in five
minutes, now. And do we, 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 forty-hve If day, promised
miracles-with bob OF courtesy.
But 30 dlsgruntled was O'Rourke that
he shut his door In her face.
"Tis meself that's the fool" he
said savagely enough, ITO think for
moment that ever again I'll set me
eyes on her pretty face-God bless it,
wherever she may be! For
why should deserve to-, the pep
niless adventurer?"
again he had won; this time, however,
he did not turn, but, frowning in
speculation, stared back at the two.
Stared? Indeed and he did just
that. II it was impertinent, sure and
were they not staring at him? And
who should gainsay an O'Rourke the
right to stare at anybody, be he king
or commoner? Furthermore, who
might these men be, and what their
interest in himself?
The one was tall and slender, sat-
urnine; an elegant, owing as much to
the art Of his tailor and upholsterer
as to his own indisputable, native dis
tinction; a Frenchman-at least of a
type unquestionably Gallo. His face
was very pale, his fine, pointed mus
tache very precise, jaw square, fore