The Bourbon news., 1912-01-30
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
He opened his eyes again, alone on
the cool, damp, earthen floor, but as
sured that the feminine element in his
adventure had been no hallucination,
after all; for he could see the girl
standing little to one side and look
ing down upon him, her face so deep
in shadow that he could gather moth
ing from its expression, whether it
We're of displeasure or of perplexity
From this and that, however, he de-
duced that she, discovering herself
lavishing endearments on the wrong
man, was not utterly delighted with
the situation. The circumstances TAX
en- into consideration, such a state Of
mind he thought not unreasonable;
and being now to some extent recov-
cred, he saw no profit in making her
suffer more. So with a show of
faintness not wholly assumed, he
rolled his head TO one side, opening
wide his eyes and looked the woman
in the face, inquiring with his faint,
thin brogue: whats this, now, me
dear?"
The girls face darkened. She shook
her head impatiently. Il have no Eng
lish," she told him in excellent French.
who are you? Why do you come
here? You are not Danny!"
"Oho" commented O'Rourke know
ingly, "and that's the explanation, is
it?" He sat up, embracing his knees
and drawing a rueful face Faith, me
dear" he admitted, 81 concede ye the
best Of the argument, thus far l am
not Danny-'tis true as Gospel"
She frowned. "Then what are you
doing here, monsieur? How did you
learn-who told you-the signal?"
Faith, from no less a person than
Danny Malone himself He showed
me the way and bade me knockout
niver a word said he of yourself, me
dear"
Monsieur does not recall that 1 ad-
mitted him." she persisted, but with
tightening face, nor anything that
happened thereafter?''
Not the least in the world What
did happen, now?''
b. But she flanked that embarrassing
question adroitly, evidently much re-
lieved by O'Rourke's reinsurance
Which was just what he wished her
frame Of mind to be. Nothing that
matters" she replied, continuing to
employ the French tongue, and that
very prettily, with a fetching little ac-
cent 81 think you tainted. Then-but
you know my Danny?"
Your Danny" said O'Rourke his
mood quizzical. None better, me dear.
I've known him since he was so high,
or thereabouts And he held palm
some six inches or so above the floor.
And he-he brought you here?"
WHO else? How else would | be
knowing the signal? Ye see, there was
a bit of a shindig down the street and
me in the middle thereof and getting
all the worst of tiff ye must know
when along comes Danny and lends
me a hand and whips me off here and
says he'll be back in a moment. He'll
tell ye the details himself but p
he eyed her quizzically now
ask ye to overlook the unceremonious
manner Of me entrance and certain
lack of dignity as to me attire, which
| beg We to believe is not me ordinary
| evening dress, and-and faith! me
throat is baked entirely, if me clothes
are not. May l ask for a drink at
mademoiselle's fair hands,"
! He was on his feet now and en-
| joying the situation hugely. "And 'tis
the Irish eye for beauty Danny has.''
he told himself 81 commend his TASTE
| the rogue!"
For the girl was exceedingly fair to
see; slender and straight and girlish
and sweet; ssGreek, if he were to
! judge of her features and her dress
and in that odd light, with perturba
tion in her pose, smile half-perpleXed
trembling on her lips (because OF
O'Rourke's conceit) and the shadow ot
anxiety clouding her eyes, she made g
charming picture indeed.
/ She was quick to grant his request
Danny will explain" she agreed with
conviction. This way, then, if yoI
please, monsieur, and"-as they passed
through a low doorway-''if you will
have the patience to wait here, will
fetch wine"
She smiled enchantingly, dropped
him a bewitching little courtesy will
a Difference evoked, no doubt, by thu
mans subtle yet ineradicable air o
distinction, and left him wholly capt.
waited. "Bless her heart and prett.
facet" he murmured eyeing her re
treating figure. "'Tis Danny who
the lucky dog not that he
not deserving. -
He reviewed his refuge summarily
discovering that he stood in one col
rer of a small courtyard, the cente
of hollow cube of masonry; a dwell
ing of two stories, round whose uppe
floor ran an inner gallery to whic
steps led up from the court and froI
! y, til, L. ~ -