“AN EVIL ANGEL”

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20495, 11 May 1938, Page 4

“AN EVIL ANGEL”

(By JOHN MIDDLEMASS.)

An Exciting Mystery Story.

CIIA1 J TEK VIII. — .Continued) | While she was talking, she waved her hand in her off hand style to the Baron do Briac, who immediately re- ] moved his hat, and Joined her, but information about Comtesse Feodore was scant. lie did not know her ; himself—was doubtful whether any- J one—especially a lady, would be •granted an introduction. The Com- i tesse's circle of acquaintance was most ■ restricted, and she herself exceedingly j reserved and proud. These difficulties only served to make Marie the more resolved by some means to become acquainted with the lady. A woman, who was so hedged in with formality and etiquette, must be almost royal,-Marie thought. “Is she French? What language does she talk? Why has she got black servants? and can she speak English? In fact Marie so overpowered Monsieur de Briac with questions, that he scarcely knew which to answer first, and his English and Marie's French being alike poor, it was only by Nina’s help that any comprehension was arrived at. The lady was French, in so far that her forbears were inhabitants of that portion of India that lies round Pondicherry, and belongs to France, hence not only was her exceeding wealth accounted for, but the dark tint in her skin, and the coal blackness of her eyes and hair. At least,, this was what the habitues of the Cftub were saying, and they were the Baron’s informants. About speaking English he did not know, but as one of the maids was English, he thought it was probable that the Comtesse was not unacquainted with the language. “Wife or widow?’’ was the next question. • “Ah, ca, he did not know—her eople called her Madame—yet every unmarried man in the Club cotorie hoped to marry her. Voila tout —he could reveal no more—Chance and Time must work out the rest. “Exactly, Chance ancl Time do a good deal,” thought practical Marie, “but they get along faster if the lever of action is occasionally applied.” “If not by the front door, which of course would be preferable, Marie had every intention of getting into the fortress so carefully guarded by this exclusive 'Comtesse, by the back entrance. Socially she expected that this acquaintance would be most beneficent to her, and help her up society's ladder, which she had a great wish to climb. Although she herself was on the verge of becoming a Countess, yet Marie Cooper had by no means passed within the pale, so carefully guarded by the Upper Ten. and though Lady Alice Paxton was always ready to accept Nina’s services, when offered in connection with good works, she was, since her brother’s untimely death, no longer to be relied on for mere social help. Marie must hew her way , as her father had done before her, and she intended to do so now; an opportunity for making an Important and powerful acquaintance might never again occur. Several times during the hour that succeeded her conversation with the Baron de Briac she saw the Comtesse, whose acquaintance she so much coveted, walking about alone with her dog, but not a chance of approaching her was possible. In the dining-room at the Hotel Splendide she did not appear, and Marie was told by the waiter, whom she questioned, that Madame la Comtesse always dined in her own salon, and was waited on by her black servants. She seldom went to the Kursaal in the evening, only when it was a very special night., and then she was accompanied by Madame Florizel, i a lady who had a chateau in the neighj bourhood- Altogether the account of this quiet looking little lady was so

fascinating to Marie from its exceeding exclusiveness, that she was more than ever determined to break down barrier, that slood between them i !b so much apparent firmness. What thou doest do quickly, ’’ was j ever Marie's motto. Now more than she must aet up to it—being desirous | to make this acquaintance before her two English friends should arrive, lest their coming might put fresh difficulties in the way. Not a word of what was passing in her mind, did she say either to her mother or to Nina—Marie generally acted first and talked afterwards. Nina, however, saw that some unusual event was brewing, and, annoyed though she was at the thought that Hamilton Browne was coming on the morrow, full of plottings on her own account as to how she could avoid his society, yet she was watching Marie. Especially when Marie became tired at the Kursaal —much as till now she had enjoyed the evenings spent there—and gave it as her intention of going back to the hotel to bed—did Nina have a suspicion that bed was only another name for some prank. They got back to the hotel about nine o'clock—passed the Comtesse’s rooms, and went up to their own which were above them. Marie took off her toilette de fete, and replaced it as she usually did by a luxurious satin dressing gown. She let the maicl take down her beautiful hair, and brush it out over her shoulders. Nina was beginning to think that her suspicions had been falsely awakened, that Marie really was preparing for early slumber. She went into the adjoining room where she slept, and sat down in an arm chair by the open window to think out in solitude l'or a while the intricate and troublesome complications of her own chequered life. After a while she heard Marie’s door open, and then she thought there was a cry. What could be the matter? At once she herself went on to the landing, just in time to see Marie’s blue satin tea-gown lluttering round the staircase on to the lower flight. “Marie 1” cried Nina, but there was no response—Marie had gone to a door on the lower passage—the door of a room which she had ascertained from the waiter was that of the English maid. She knocked at this door, and It was—as she hoped it would be—opened by the individual in question. “All my people have gone to bed, and I am so frightened,” she said. “I believe there is someone in my roomI can't make Nina hear, and 1 don’t want to go to mother, she is so timid. 1 heard you were a kindly English woman, so I thought I would come to you.” The maid was a respectable looking woman of about thirty. She had a pleasant, genial face, and she looked amused. She had no time, however, to take Marie under her sheltering wing, for Nina arrived on the scene, that is she reached the bottom of the stairs, where, having uttered a cry of pain and astonishment, she stood clinging to the banister, her eyes fixed on the Comtesse’s maid, who in her turn gazed into Nina’s face with a bewildered stare of recognition. No words, however, passed between them; for the ;Comt<3sse, disturbed by the unusuaf commotion, opened the door of her room, and stood looking at the group, while in fluent French she asked what was amiss, and whether she herself could be of any use. CHAPTER IX. Bworn Friends Nina Fonblanque was packing; that is she was tossing things into a large trunk. As a rule she was a daintily dressed little person, very tidy in her habits and tastes. To-day,’ however, pretty toilettes were being thrust into a box pell mell with shoes, books and any other hard substance that came to hand. It was Nina's intention to make a speedy move, and leave Mrs 'Cooper and Marie to fight out the battle of life without her assistance. So taken up was she with the work on which she was engaged, and the necessity that had occasioned it, that having let in the chamber maid who had brought early breakfast, she had forgotten to lock the door. The sensation that someone was there made her look round—the woman, to whom Marie had been talking on the previous evening,' was standing beside her. To a casual observer she would be called a pleasant loo'krng woman; one more accustomed to peer into a face for signs of character would have murmured “Mephistofelian.” Whether she had come as friend or foe Nina did not know, but the coming at all gave her no satisfaction. She sat down on the edge of the trunk she was filling, and, while her face was white and troubled, she looked at the woman with querying* wide open eyes. “You arc going away?” asked the visitor, as she looked round at the hasty preparations. “What else can I do? Y’ou are here, and lie is coming to-morrow.” “So. Y'ou have seen him?” “He is a friend of Miss Cooper’s.” “And you ancl lie?” "Are quite formal—as though “Then why should you go away?” “Because 1 am frightened. I do 1 not feel as if I could face a scandal.” "What has become of your pluck—your courage—you had nerve enough (To be continued.)