LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2498, 10 April 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

CAUGHT IN THE TRAP. [By Jasper Jyvecote ] ( Continued.) Chapter 11. ‘Look out for the child !’ cried de Malmette, as the curricle sprung out of the alloy, the horses going at a topping pace. ‘ Ha I you little urehin !’ growled Holcroft, as Fifine ran across the road. ‘Great heavens, the girl!’ shrieked De Malmette, springing to his feet, while the American lay back, pulling ou the reins as though he would break the jaws of the horses. It was not so close a shave, after all, for Margurlte, having plnrged about half way across, suddenly halted, and, nttering a cry, turned and limped back—the limp indicating the uttermost agony, while the beautiful face was clothed with an expression of intense distress. ‘ Hold the reins, De Mai 1’ said Holcroft, hurriedly, as he sprang to the earth, and removing his hat, approached the suffering girl. ‘Art, yon hurt, mademoiselle 7 I trust not!’ Marguerite lifted her long lashes, gave him one prolonged glance, th»n allowed the lips to fall slowly; but she said never a word, ‘Oh, you are hurtl’ ‘Marguerite!’ cried Fifine, ‘ma chore Marguerite—ma bien aimee !’ ‘ De Mai !’ shouted Holcroft, ‘drive to the Gate Avenue de la Grand Armee, and fetch a carriage, telegraph for Surgeon Bicardot, send ’ ‘ Do not, I Implore yon, monsieur,’ murmured Marguerite. 1 I —l feel much better now.’ She had seated herself on a grass border, and by accident, of course, revealed a tiny foot, encased in a low shoe, such as French women alone know how to wear. A coquettish rosette of black satin adorned the shoe, and hor stockings were of black silk, striped with narrow stripes of white; * f-hall I get you some water ?’ asked Holoroft * Could you ?’ again raising her eyes to his ‘ De Mai, dash over to the Case ode and fetch some water, and champagne, and brandy.’ In a finish the curricle was off. 4 Oh, Marguerite, ma chore Marguerite, ma lien, aimee, tu es malade !’ cried the child, in obedience to a whisper from her companion. I Do not cry, mignonne —l am better. My foot is, I fear, sprained ’ —here she thonght it prudent to draw it back. ‘ Oh, my God !’ she added, flinging her neatly-gloved hands up to her face, as if to shut out the terrible sight, ‘ The horror of that moment—can I ever forget it, I thought yon were under the -wheels.’ Holoroft stood gazing at her in spellbound admiration. Her attitude was grace itself. She had studied for days, hence its perfection. ’ Mademoiselle must permit me to offer her a carriage,’ he said in a tone as pleading os it was earnest and respectful. ‘Monsieur is too good ; but * * You cannot walk ?’ he burst in. *T—I will try.’ 'Oh, it were madness.’ ‘Will monsieur have the goodress to assist me to yonder bench ?’ pointing to a rustic a little off the side-walk, embowered in trees. In his eagerness to comply with the re quest, Holcroft flung away bis hat, and, with the tenderness of a woman, assisted Marguerite to rise.

She leaned upon him, not heavily by any means, bnt with a pressure that thrilled him. It is a knack which some women possess, and a very pretty accomplishment. It seems to say—• Oh, you great big strong man, protect me, a weak, confiding girl—you see how I lean on you. ’ She stood, Holoroft. supporting her. He did not see her bestow a kick on Fifine, wh > instantly commenced — ‘Oh, Marguerite, ma cherc Marguerite, ma Men aimee tu es malade\’ ‘ Oh, I am over so much bettor !’ exclaimed the sufferer. •Do not let mo incommode you with Fifine. I ’

‘Good heaven, mademoiselle!’ what do yon take me for ?' interrupted Holoroft. ‘ Incommode I Why you do not lean on me at all. I am pretty strong, mademoiselle, and just do you pull on me as much as you can.’

By slow degrees he led her to the seat, and just as sho sank upon it, De Malmette arrived with the wine and water.

‘No wine,’ she pleaded, as Holoroft impetuously knocked the head off the champagne bottle. ‘ A little, mademoiselle—ever so little! Yon are faint.

She allowed herself to take a few sips, knowing that the wine would color her, cheeks, and color became her to perfection. ‘ De Mai, go to the nearest railway station, and telegraph to Brionne to send my brougham. Go, like a good fellow, as fast as you can.’ * Oh, monsieur, yon are too good, too generous ?’ exclaimed Marguerite, * Why, what on earth are yon talking about, mademoiselle?’ be cried ‘I am doing nothing. You will not let me do anything, I was the cause of all this ;

‘ Do not blame yonreelf, monsieur ; that 1 will not permit. It was my foolish anxiety for my dear litttle cousin here hss brought all this about. Bnt,' she added with a bright smile, ‘it has done one thing—it has shown .me that there is at least one Good Samaritan left in the world. ’

‘ Will yon let me take a drive with thee ?' asked Fifine on taking a gentle reminder from her consin’a heel.

‘ Why, my darling, cf course 1’ oried Holoroft. ‘Oh, Fifine 1’ ‘ Please allow her, mademoiselle.’

‘Do,’ added Do Malmette, who dearly loved children. ‘ I’ll bo accountable for her, and be back in no time. ’

The child settled the question by climbing into the box seat beside rhe Parisian danry. who instantly fastened her with a trap, and touching the horses, sent them off at a spanking trot. ‘ Can all this be real ?’ exclaimed Marguerite. 4 Has my little cousin been snatched away in a fairy chariot ? Am I in the Bola de Boulogne, or in Fairyland ?’ 4 I am in Fairyland mademoiselle,’ laughed Holoroft. 4 I do believe my good fairy was at work to-day when she was so gracious as to enable me to give pleasure to that exquisite little child.’ 4 She is delicious,’ said Marguerite. * Poor child 1 She ought to have carriages and horses of her own; but —’ hereshe stopped. * I will not boro monsieur with a very sad story.’ Holoroft was silent.

4 Perhaps it is better to tell it How is it, monsieur, there are some people—very few —whom one meets In the world that one Is inclined to tall everything to ? They must be good and honorable and true. I feel as if X should like to tell you all about thia child—about myself ; and yet, ten short minutes ago I did uotjknow of your existence, and your name may be royal, for aught I know to the contrary.’ And she opened her great eyes upon him. 4 1 come from a country, mademoiselle, where the royalty of brain and enterprise only is acknowledged—America ’ ; ‘ Oh, how I do love that country, monsieur I’ cried Marguerite, clasping her bands enthusiastically. * Franca and America have ever been allies—sisters. It is one of my dreams that I shall visit America before I die.’

* A dream singularly easy of fulfilment nowadays, mademoiselle. Twelve days from Havre lands you in our Paris, New York.’ Marguerite shook her head sadly. 4 As regards my name,’ continued Holoroft, ‘I am Herbert Holoroft, a man with nothing to do, who finds Ufa every day becoming more and more of a bore.’ ‘ At your age ?’ 4 At my age. I leaped into its waves before I knew how to swim.’ 4 Poor fellow !’

7his was said so natnrally, yet so compassionately, that it tonched t’le man. ‘ Yourpity may ba the commencement of a new chapter in my life,’ he said, gallantly. ‘ Who knows ?—but your story, mademoiselle.’ * Am I to tell it ?’ ‘As it pleases yon’ * But it seams to me that I must.’ ‘ Then do not struggle against the Inevitable. Mademoiselle ’ r,‘ D’ Esterre de Moulinquerello. That is my name, monsieur. A name that in the Eelgn of Terror would have cost me my bead.’ * And a prettier one never fell to the dreaded Mere Guillotine,’ laughed Holoroft. Without pretending to notice his gallantry, Mademoiselle Monllnquerelle proceeded: ‘Yes, it would have cjst me my head, as it coat my family their fortunes and estates. I am alone in this wide, wide world, monsieur, my little cousin and T, with the bluest blood in Prance in onr veins ; we are alone ; for all our near relations are dead and gone, or scattered, aud I—oh, I am proud of it I —l teach for bread and coffee and cutlets to support myself and that cherished infant.’ ‘ Brava girl!’ said Holcrcft, his enthusiastic admiration displaying itself In his handsome eyes' She looked at him full into his eyes, and let her gaze remain in his—it’s a way some women have. ‘ Rat courage,’ she murmured. 1 One must fight when one is put to the wall,’ fhe then turned the snbjsot aside, and entered into half a dozen others. She had read a good deal,of that froth which is quite sufficient to delude in general conversation. Her experiences, too, had been real, vivid, consequently the forty-five minutes preceding the arrival of the brougham and of De Malmette parsed for the American like so many seconds.

Up dashed the curricle, followed by a double brougham, driven by a coachman fit to * tool’ an emperor. Fifine, who still sat beside De Malmette, held in her arms a gigantic bouquet. ‘ Oh, Marguerite,’ she cried, * It fa for you. We stopped at Bertrand’s, in the Avenue de I'Opera, and ce chor monsieur paid sixty franca ’

• Oh, ycu little telltale 1’ laughed Da Maimette, stopping her /osy lips with a kiss. 4 And we stopped at Tortlni’s, cried tho excited child, 4 snd had, oh I such ices and snoh cakes. Mon Dieu! such cakes 1 And here, Margue-ite, behind me, is a big, big ever so big- box of bonbons that oe divine monsieur bought for you at Bignoa’s ; and also ’

4 Shut up your little rosebud month,’ cried Do Malmotte, lifting her gently in his arms. ‘ Jules, take the young lady.’ The gorgeous flunky deposited his precious bundle on the side walk.

‘1 dare not enter so startling an equipage as that, ’ cried Mademoiselle de Moulinquerelle. 4 Why, my quiet street would never recover the shock if. I rode home in it.’

Nevertheless, she did enter it, and became it to perfection. She looked as though It was her everyday eqnipage, and as she sank back in the luxmiona cushions they seemed to caress her.

Fifine kissed both the gentlemen, and frantically begged of them to come and fetch her for another drive.

‘With permission of mademoiselle, your cousin,’ said Holoroft, gravely. 4 Sans permission,’ laughed De Malmette. Holoroft helped Mademoiselle d’Esterre de Monlinqnerolle into the bsongham, and, maoh to her disappointment, closed the door upon her and Fifine.’ 4 Whore shall I direct my man to drive V he asked.

‘ Are you not coming Mr Holcroft ?’ ‘ I shall do myself the honor of calling to Inquire for Mademoiselle d’Esterro de Monllnquerelle to-morrow.’ ‘ A thousand thanks. You’ll find a whitewashed room, a bare floor and any amount of hooks. And oh! these lovely flowers. Come and see the flowers.’

As both vehicles drove off, an elderly lady stepped from behind the trees. ‘Well played, ma mignonne! Well played both,’ she exclaimed, as they turned in the direction of the city. {To be continued,')