THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 J( 

 
 CHIM: HIS WASHINGTON WINTER
 
 CHIM 
 
 HIS WASHINGTON WINTER 
 
 BY 
 
 MADELEINE VINTON DAHLGREN 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 CHARLES L. WEBSTER & CO. 
 1892
 
 Copyright, 1892 
 MADELEINE VINTON DAHLGREN 
 
 (All rights reserved} 
 3 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 JENKINS & McCowAN 
 
 NEW YORK
 
 THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLY 
 
 DEDICATED 
 
 TO 
 
 MRS. ROBERT ANDERSON 
 
 IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 
 ENDURING FRIENDSHIP THAT HAS EXISTED 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 OUR HONORED FATHERS, OUR PATRIOT 
 HUSBANDS, AND OURSELVES 
 
 1702013
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I PAGE 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION n 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 CHIM ARRIVES i.\ WASHINGTON 34 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 57 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 ALMA TINDS A HOME THROUGH CHIM 81 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 CHIM'S DEBUT 105 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 CHIM AND THE LA FAVETTE DE Noo's 132 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 CHIM'S Loss AND WHAT CAME OF IT 163 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 CHIM AT THE DE Noo BALL 186 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 214 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 238 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NE\V MASTER 265 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 290 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 314
 
 CHIM 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 
 
 ALMA AYLWYN taught music in a pretty 
 Pennsylvania town, sometimes called " Little 
 Washington," in contradistinction possibly to 
 the national city of that name. 
 
 She was a capital girl, however, even if she 
 did not live in a capital city. 
 
 " Little Washington," as it was designated 
 in its early life, is a spot favorable to the out 
 growth and the indwelling of much that has 
 made itself known, for it boasts a college of no 
 small renown, and a " Female Seminary," long 
 
 and well established. 
 
 ii
 
 12 CHIM 
 
 Some men, world-renowned, as, foi instance, 
 the magnetic statesman Blaine, "drank deep" 
 at this Pierian spring in youth, at a time when 
 the venerable father of a president's wife was 
 a professor at this " well of learning undefiled." 
 
 And this same place has also given to the 
 nation other cabinet ministers and public men; 
 also its philanthropists, like Dr. LeMoyne, 
 and, in fact, an unusual number of clever men 
 and women, who have more or less assisted to 
 regulate the affairs of this spread-eagle nation. 
 
 And now we wish to make it known as the 
 picturesque home of a brave, talented, hand 
 some, musical girl, and her adored and ador 
 able dog Chim. 
 
 Alma possessed various qualities that fitted 
 her to be the heroine of a realistic novel, al 
 though as this story progresses it may be 
 thought that she was not matter-of-fact enough 
 for the absolute requirements of a prosaic age. 
 
 But Alma's character rather transcended in 
 its various aspects the present school of fic 
 tion, because, in defiance of set rules, she com-
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 13 
 
 bined the requisites needed to fill pages and 
 pages of the trivial, inconsequential, common 
 place events of that every-day life it is so much 
 the fashion to describe with tiresome particu 
 larity, combined happily with at least a Prome 
 thean spark of fancy, idealism, and soul. 
 
 It may seem very strained to say so, but if 
 Alma had not been endowed with this higher 
 nature, which set her apart as something rare, 
 she would not have been the worthy mistress 
 of the wonderful Chim. 
 
 It was formerly laid down as a rule, that 
 every well-written novel must have its hero 
 and its heroine, so this story, in that respect, 
 opens well as will presently be seen, amidst 
 the entanglement and disentanglement of the 
 narration, that Chim as the connecting link be 
 tween the human and the divine element, was, 
 if not Darwinian, at least heroic. 
 
 At the tender age of six weeks Chim was 
 presented to Alma by a Virginia gentleman, 
 who, whatever else he may have failed to ac 
 quire, did know the points of a good dog.
 
 14 CHIM 
 
 Chim's education was at once commenced, 
 and \ve use the word advisedly and declare 
 emphatically that this extraordinary being was 
 not merely trained, but he was educated. 
 
 Where the breed has been preserved in 
 greatest purity, dogs are as a matter of course 
 carefully trained, and their finest points duly 
 brought out. 
 
 Now Chim. being of an inborn noble strain, 
 was capable of an astounding measure of de 
 velopment. 
 
 He was of the terrier kind, small and elegant 
 in shape, and his little frame was almost con 
 cealed in the masses of long, soft, silky, bluish- 
 gray hair that covered him from head to foot. 
 
 He held his fluffy, feathery tail curved back 
 with much spirit. 
 
 But the grace and beauty of Chim's form 
 culminated in the exquisite contour of a small, 
 finely rounded head, with long pendulous ears, 
 and large expressive eyes, whose mild intelli 
 gence seemed to take note of everything. 
 
 It was curious, for when one looked at Alma,
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 15 
 
 one was conscious that she had a history, and 
 her dog, either by reflection or in reality, gave 
 the same impression. It is plain to see that 
 they were two very interesting beings. 
 
 Perhaps the name of this dear doggie may be 
 deemed to be an unfortunate one, but Chim 
 had been so named at his birth, by a capricious 
 master, on account of a fancied resemblance to 
 the chimpanzee. 
 
 The likeness to this creature, if likeness there 
 was, doubtless existed in the canine's peculiar, 
 almost human look of astuteness. 
 
 Could the wee thing have been consulted at 
 the start, a far better name would have been 
 given, but in this our hero shared the common 
 fate of mortals who have to go through life and 
 are ushered into eternity under names not of 
 their own proper choosing. It does seem a lit 
 tle hard, nevertheless, to be born all right, and 
 yet to be named all wrong. Alma at first tried 
 in every way to make Chim answer to a more 
 euphonious name, but without avail. He was 
 docile and loving, obedient and faithful, but for
 
 16 CHIM 
 
 some good reason he had concluded to abide 
 by the name of Chim. Alma thought that he 
 ought to be called " Rainbow," with his silky 
 hair of a bluish-gray sheen and ever-varying 
 tint, but he was too smart to submit to such a 
 fantastic appellation. 
 
 "Ah, Chim, thou art wise in thy dog clay ! 
 it is strange to see with what strength of 
 mind thou resistest temptation," she said to him. 
 
 They sat together in Alma's little room, by 
 the window. 
 
 " Dear Rainbow," sighed Alma, letting a 
 pearly tear drop on the top of his curling, shin 
 ing pate. He was irresponsive. 
 
 " Darling Rainbow," she whispered into his 
 fluffy ear, stroking gently the long masses of 
 hair. 
 
 He looked grave and meditative, almost half 
 jealous, as if, perchance, some other creature 
 were being addressed. A cat would have 
 purred its own requiem under such magnetic 
 strokes. 
 
 " I will try it once again," thought Alma.
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION I/ 
 
 " Beloved Rainbow," she urged, resting her 
 damask cheek caressingly on his head. 
 
 But the little fellow lay inert, and seemingly 
 unconscious of the endearment. 
 
 " It's no use," she said. " He has a right to 
 his own name, as it defines his individuality. 
 Chim, sir," she cried, rising with a somewhat 
 displeased air. 
 
 At once he responded and the whole of his 
 little form grew instinct with virile life. He 
 seemed 1 to be one big nerve, and each particu 
 lar hair was electrified. He bounded, rolled 
 upside down, yelped, shook himself, and al 
 most articulated his delight. Then Alma's 
 quick, musical ear, at once caught in Chim's 
 voice a reflex of human tones. 
 
 She gazed wistfully into his soulful orbs of 
 eyes 
 
 "How deep they are," she soliloquized; "not 
 painted eyes, or surface eyes, like those of so 
 many people, whose lives from the cradle to 
 the grave merely skim along on the surface 
 froth and foam of an irresistible tide."
 
 18 CHIM 
 
 What indeed was the peculiarity of those big 
 eyes that made them a riddle, and yet a blank 
 that defied penetration ? They were so mys 
 teriously veiled, like a prophet of Khorassan. 
 
 " Is he ne-coiffc?" thought Alma ? " Is he 
 a mascot ? " 
 
 And Chim mentally answered, " I am your 
 mascot." 
 
 Who can lift the tantalizing haze that hangs 
 over those eyes ? 
 
 " Chim," she says, " I command you, see as 
 I sec! " 
 
 He barks " yeh ych." 
 
 " It is very human," mused she reflectively 
 "it means assent. It means 'yes.' It is 'j>i~s,' 
 a lisping yes, such as a child might give," she 
 presently exclaimed. " Come my darling, try 
 again," she urged " slow plain 'y-e-s.'" 
 Chim certainly had it stammered perhaps 
 but said " y-e-h." 
 
 So the morning lesson closed with one word 
 of the diapason of sound reclaimed by the 
 canine tongue.
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION IQ 
 
 " I have," thought Alma, " spanned by a 
 threadlike bridge reason and instinct, and ' yes ' 
 is the connecting link it is affirmation. And 
 yet the chasm itself is not bridged, for my rea 
 soning faculty is conceptive, while my dog's 
 power must be imitative. Ah, Chim ! I fear 
 we are as far apart as ever." 
 
 Chirn barked "y-e-h." 
 
 "My darling." said Alma, bending intently 
 over him, "cannot the ethereal film that cov 
 ers your eyes be brushed away ? Is it the 
 cobweb bars of your prison, dear ? Why 
 are you thus encaged ? Is there no help, 
 Chim ? " 
 
 Chim articulated distinctly a yelping " y-e-h." 
 
 "Lovely," said Alma, squeezing him tight 
 in her arms. "You are, as the world goes, a 
 dog nothing more. I am a woman. You 
 are born to perish. I am born to life everlast 
 ing ah, dear, must you be blotted out utterly? 
 Is there no immortal spark of life ? " 
 
 Chim looked dreamy, shut his eyes, con 
 centered himself, and was silent, being too
 
 2O CHIM 
 
 wise to grapple with the infinite. It's queer in 
 how many ways the antithetical occurs ; for 
 instance, silence is alike the refuge of the wise 
 and the idiot. 
 
 "Ah, doggie," continued Alma, "I'm afraid 
 you're automatic, or only at best a galvanized 
 force of some kind. Chim, did you evolute ? " 
 The dear little thing winked, blinked, shook 
 out the masses of hair, yawned, stretched out, 
 got up and turned round three times, then 
 calmly settled himself for what is called a 
 " catnap," which dogs are very fond of tak 
 ing. 
 
 " Ah, dear, I understand you," said Alma, 
 "you mean that my talk is tiresome, you little 
 rascal. I am but teaching you the origin of 
 your species and you end all in sleep; well, 
 that may be the end of all for you." 
 
 After a time they took a walk over the 
 green hills that environ Little Washington. 
 Alma was meditative Chim was frisky. 
 
 The next day and the next, and the next 
 after that, and so for five successive days, there
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 21 
 
 were music lessons to be given. Oh, the mor 
 tal fatigue of it all ! Has no one ever thought 
 of the torturous fate of a music teacher? Of a 
 being whose ears are trained and sensitive, 
 and whose greatest happiness is in concord of 
 sweet sounds, yet who is doomed day after 
 day, month after month, year after year yea, 
 for years covering a lifetime to be jarred by 
 discord, always to hear the quavering notes of 
 beginners. Never to be able to listen to 
 really good music. To know that so soon as 
 the favorite pupil can play well, that your task 
 is over. Then to begin again, only to shudder 
 anew over failures. What invention of purga 
 torial pain is this ? 
 
 "Yes," mused Alma, " in my grandfather's 
 old home, I remember to have seen some won 
 derful bronzes. 
 
 " What could have become of them ? They 
 represented three musical devils. The big 
 demon sits astride of a huge drum, the face of 
 which represents time as a clock. He tries to 
 quench eternal fires by clamor. He bends
 
 22 CHIM 
 
 fiercely over, beats his devil's tattoo until the 
 very nails of his toes lengthen into talons, and 
 the skinny, batlike hands take on the sem 
 blance of claws, yet never for an instant can 
 he cease. 
 
 " A second imp stands bending an aching ear 
 to a violin, from which he draws double dis 
 cordant tones, and the hard lines of his eager 
 face contract in pinched dismay as the sensi 
 tive sense is forever lacerated. 
 
 " Yes, forever, without pause, intermission, or 
 rest, must he be thus tortured. And his long 
 fingers convulsively wind themselves in 
 agonizing tension over the finely waxed bow. 
 
 " The third doomed one shows his endless 
 pain as he bends over the relaxed and broken 
 strings of a lyre. Eternally his hands are 
 bruised by snapping cords, and the echo of 
 the jarring sound pierces his brain. Again and 
 again he clasps with swollen, forceful fingers 
 the aimless octaves. Naught for him but ever 
 lasting collapse. 
 
 " Quivering with extremest nervous tension,
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 23 
 
 the attenuated feet are transfixed into the 
 yielding molten earth." 
 
 And Alma's musical soul shivered as she re 
 called these bronzes that had made such a 
 deep impression on her when a child. 
 
 "Can this be," thought she, "the special 
 hell of the .lover of music, who has put the 
 heavenly art to base uses in life ? Can there 
 be a sheol, where there is the ocean's ebb and 
 flow, of surging, lapping, tumultuous waves of 
 inharmonious sound without rhythm without 
 surcease? Ah, let me not then complain if I 
 suffer from discord now, but, embracing my 
 cross with patience, make of it ascending scales 
 to Heaven." 
 
 Then Alma recalled that past when, as a 
 flaxen-haired child, she had always loved mu 
 sic, and later on her talent was developed. 
 
 Now her gift was the resource upon which 
 she must depend. 
 
 Oh, what memories came with the faint rec 
 ollection of that clear rambling old house ! 
 
 It all seemed so unreal, so like the fever-
 
 24 CHIM 
 
 ed and inconsequent events of a nightmare 
 dream. 
 
 First, there was her father's death. Up to 
 that time there had been a broad sunshine in 
 which one might have bathed, it was so tangi 
 ble yet she was so young then that she rather 
 remembered the sudden shadow through her 
 mother's pain. 
 
 After that loss and the leaving the big house 
 there came the wasting away of the dear moth 
 er, and the well-remembered sorrow of her 
 loss. 
 
 She was aroused from the stupor of this great 
 darkness by the cousin who now lived in her 
 grandfather's big house sending her to a board 
 ing-school to be educated for a music-teacher. 
 
 Just to think of it not for the joy and the 
 love of her art, but for grinding work ! 
 
 How it all came about she never could un 
 derstand. Her cousin was cold and stern, and 
 had written her that "there were business 
 complications." But except through his letters 
 he was a stranger to her.
 
 CIIIM'S EDUCATION 25 
 
 After all, Alma had the instinctive philoso 
 phy that youth and beauty give. 
 
 And way down in her heart she knew intui 
 tively that is, she knew without knowing 
 that she knew that she must sooner or later, 
 on some fine day, draw one of the big prizes in 
 the lottery of life. 
 
 Nor was she far from wrong, because there 
 does always seem to be a wheel turning out 
 prizes for the young and the fair. 
 
 " After all," laughed Alma, pinching Chim's 
 car, " I have you, my pet, and more docile, 
 obedient, sensitive and faithful than any hu 
 man friend." 
 
 And as Chim nodded approval, she added: 
 "But you need education. That I will give 
 you, and you shall go down in history as the 
 most learned of your race. Through you, 
 dearie, the canine nature shall reach a peg 
 higher through the canines the equines 
 through the equines the felines will stretch up 
 to a higher plane. Yes, attain it through 
 Chim and myself."
 
 26 CIIIM 
 
 One sees at a glance what a brave girl Alma 
 was how very intelligent, nay, learned- al 
 most the equal of a Vassar girl, indeed, if she 
 did have to teach music to earn her daily 
 bread. 
 
 " In fact," said she, standing, not before her 
 mirror, but beside her window, " I have my 
 ambitions; let fate do her worst, I shall not 
 succumb. So, courage I place my hope in 
 Chim." 
 
 Succeeding this revery, and the resolve that 
 grew out of it, Chim was taught daily. He 
 went to school. What may not be accom 
 plished with such a teacher ? 
 
 It is said that cultivation expands the hu 
 man brain. 
 
 Even educated pigs become interesting. In 
 fact, we know quite a number that are more or 
 less so. 
 
 It is a solemn fact, although not a scientific 
 one, perhaps, that so great was the magnetic 
 rapport established between Alma and Chim 
 that the positive pole of her brain found its
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 2/ 
 
 negative pole in his noddle, and there was 
 thus existing a free current of communication 
 by which a seeming intelligence was transmit 
 ted. 
 
 It is said that the particular method of 
 transmission discovered by Alma was, the 
 rubbing the dog between the eyes with the 
 forefing.er, which digital pressure always had 
 an hypnotic effect. But after a time, so busy 
 was Alma in her otherwise unoccupied hours, 
 so absorbed and interested in experimenting 
 with Chim, that she absolutely forgot to re 
 member how lonely she ought to feel. 
 
 And right here, one may as well confide it, 
 Alma had a little secret, which was valuable; 
 it was this: that outside of religion there is no 
 surer road to positive content than to ignore 
 one's self. She had observed that more than 
 half the desolation, the excessive grieving, the 
 morbid sufferings of men and women come 
 from this never-ending thinking about one's 
 self. 
 
 It is the hibernation of the ego that sucks
 
 28 CHIM 
 
 out all the fresh juices of life and leaves even 
 the young stranded on the shores of time, as 
 crouches the lean and gaunt bear, recumbent 
 in his darksome lair. 
 
 Chim looked forward to his lessons with 
 eager pleasure. 
 
 There was so much to attract in the paper 
 bag of crackers, the saucer of milk and the 
 lumps of sugar that at the end of the lesson re 
 warded this apt scholar. 
 
 The dog's improved articulation, under the 
 daily tuition of this dear, accomplished vocal 
 ist was surprising. He could readily bark 
 "yes " and " no." His bow was Chesterfieldian 
 just the accepted form for good breeding a 
 slight, slow inclination. His snarl, like that 
 of the man of fashion, conveyed the most point 
 ed rebuke, while his welcome to those who 
 were worthy of it, was diffuse and generous. 
 Should he by any mischance have met a poor 
 relation, he knew how to pass him by with a 
 sniff. Was he properly introduced he could 
 scent the air with cordial approval. Did he
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 29 
 
 happen to be among strangers, he knew how 
 to become totally indifferent to their presence. 
 This educated whelp had every fine point of 
 fashionable society at his toes' ends even to 
 the sheathing of his claws, until he could 
 scratch with effect. It is not to be denied that 
 the puppy is admirably qualified to take a high 
 place in the beau monde ! His attitudes are 
 Delsartian and expressive of easy grace, his 
 mdods capricious and senseless, his reasoning 
 powers in abeyance, his impulses those of his 
 breed, and his conversation refreshingly unin 
 telligible. 
 
 Evidently, art had assisted nature to make 
 Chim a great social success. Was he destined 
 to waste those remarkable powers in a restrict 
 ed sphere? We shall see. It is the part of a 
 wise dog to prepare for greatness, as it may, 
 inevitably, sooner or later be thrust upon 
 him. To be sure, with the human race the 
 thrusting is apt to come in another world, 
 which is a great advantage, inasmuch as it 
 comes upon a higher plane. But our hero,
 
 30 CHIM 
 
 being only a dog, had to look more to present 
 results. How was this brought about how ? 
 Mark my words, that is, if you can understand 
 them. Alma had intuitions, owing, probably, 
 to the big old house of her grandfather in Vir 
 ginia and the early perceptions resulting from 
 her training when she was a little tot. She 
 knew that to be well received Chim must be 
 just the least bit of an Anglomaniac, and so 
 she taught him to take a thimbleful of high 
 tea at 5 o'clock. Naturally, being, after all, 
 only a puppy, he didn't take kindly to slops, 
 but he was persistently squeezed into this re 
 fined taste, by being tied tight in a small arm 
 chair, where, posed judiciously and firmly on 
 his hind legs, he was taught how to hold a cup 
 and saucer daintily 'twixt the forepaws, and 
 sip tea scalding hot, without a tear or a gulp. 
 
 But the culminating triumph was the dawd 
 ling way in which Chim shook hands. 
 
 Oh, Jupiter ! what a graceful dip and curve 
 he had ! Slowly twisting a forepaw by a 
 seeming dislocation from the shoulder-blade,
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 31 
 
 the limb, rigid to the first joint, suddenly be 
 came flexible from that intersecting point 
 downwards, then hung for one brief instant 
 limp, before it darted into a jerk. It was some 
 thing immense ! 
 
 And still the little wonder literally grew, al 
 though neither mistress nor skye-terrier were, I 
 fear, understood by their immediate circle, as 
 they deserved to be, as indeed usually happens 
 with the meritorious. Columbus was not un 
 derstood in his time, nor is Shakespeare to 
 this day ! And perhaps it may have weight 
 to state here, that Chim let Alma know, dur 
 ing the hypnotic process, that he was a Baco 
 nian. But let that go: we have now to deal 
 with a certain law of nature, that where there 
 is light, a shadow falls. So, out of the bright 
 dawning light of a new era for all dogs, all 
 beasties, over one miserable dog there fell a 
 deep shadow. 
 
 It came about in this wise. Near where 
 Alma boarded was a green meadow, through 
 which ran a silent brooklet, and here the dear
 
 32 
 
 girl loved to take her pet, where, reclining on 
 the gentle slope of its verdant bank, she 
 amused herself with the playful but surprising 
 pranks of the canine. 
 
 On this woeful day, Alma was sent for, to 
 see some one about music lessons, and when 
 Chim would have followed her, she bade him 
 remain where he was in the open air, until her 
 return. At first the dog ventured to go with 
 her, but Alma would not tolerate disobedience, 
 and spoke sharply to him, when with an ap 
 pealing look, and a pitiful whine he fell back 
 upon the grassy sward, and Alma went on 
 without him. 
 
 Had he no premonition of danger? no finer 
 sense of coming evil ? 
 
 Be that as it may, when Alma, who was de 
 tained somewhat longer than she expected, 
 returned Chim had disappeared. 
 
 The most prolonged and careful search gave 
 no clue to the missing treasure. 
 
 Alas, the last glimpse poor Alma had had 
 of her darling was the sorrowing gesture, the
 
 CHIM'S EDUCATION 33 
 
 faint whine, with which he had collapsed upon 
 the grass. 
 
 Alas, alas ! Chim, with the superior prescient 
 ken of his race, had foreseen the impending 
 peril and tried in vain to avert it. 
 
 Alack-a-day ! He had preferred obedience 
 to ruin and fallen a martyr to duty. 
 
 What can be more painful than to have to 
 chronicle the perfections of an amiable being, 
 who by an inexorable chain of events is thus 
 suddenly snatched from view ! 
 
 Yet not wishing to impair digestion, or har 
 row sensitive hearts ruthlessly or needlessly, 
 I can at least draw a kindly veil over the sharp 
 sorrows of Alma, and perchance likewise over 
 the unmerited sufferings of Chim, at this most 
 dolorous, most unforeseen interruption of their 
 united loves and lives.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 
 
 THE course, not of true love, but of this 
 true story, now transfers us from the pleasant 
 town of Washington, to the enchanting capital 
 of that name, where various things transpire 
 of moment to narrate. 
 
 Here we find Lennox Montague, a youthful 
 practitioner, amid the pleasurable excitement 
 of opening an office for the transaction of busi 
 ness, and the satisfaction he experiences is 
 something akin to that of the debutante when 
 she is first ushered into the bcan-monde. 
 
 Both are just emerging from a chrysalis 
 state, and coming into new conditions, involv 
 ing success or failure. 
 
 This captivating young lawyer was fair to 
 look upon, and slight, but in no wise effeminate, 
 
 34
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 35 
 
 because he was mild of aspect and of graceful 
 appearance. In a word, he was slender but 
 not shallow. 
 
 His amiable expression was inherited from a 
 gracious and charming mother, and his allur 
 ing address the result of careful domestic 
 training. 
 
 The _fmest school of manners comes from 
 the successive training of three generations, 
 although more may be permitted, and this 
 advantage Lennox Montague had had. This 
 gave him what might be called a fascinating 
 intelligence. He had grace, ease, strength, 
 with quick intuitions that led to prompt action. 
 The desire to please inherent in refined na 
 tures made him a decided social favorite, and 
 he blended the rare qualities of being exact in 
 business and punctilious in society. 
 
 It may seem strange to say so, but in reality 
 both these characteristics have precisely the 
 same basis: that is, close attention to little 
 things. In business this habit is of first impor 
 tance, and it does not seem to be generally
 
 36 CHIM 
 
 understood what very momentous matters oc 
 cupy society. 
 
 One readily agrees to entrust one's affairs to 
 a person who, besides being otherwise compe 
 tent, does not neglect the smallest detail. 
 
 These admirable traits and his mental gifts 
 caused this youth to be alike trusted by men, 
 and a favorite with women. 
 
 He had been a diligent student at Harvard, 
 and graduated at her law-school, well equipped 
 for the career he had chosen, and old family 
 ties had induced him to come to Washington. 
 
 At first he had entered a leading law firm, in 
 order to familiarize himself with local legal 
 forms, and now, having well served this ap 
 prenticeship, he was ready to launch out for 
 himself. 
 
 Of course his office was on F street, and a 
 very modest room it was, for it takes a mod 
 erate income to meet an F street rent, and al 
 though Lennox Montague was what is aptly 
 called " well off," yet he was not wealthy. 
 
 The old families of Washington were always
 
 CIIIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 37 
 
 taught to pray, " Oh, Lord, give us neither 
 poverty nor riches," and Lennox belonged to 
 that honored and honorable ticrs-ctat. 
 
 But every one predicted that in the near fu 
 ture he would be rich, he was so clever. 
 
 As yet, Washington is not too spoiled to re 
 fuse to take an interest in trivial things, and at 
 times the more trivial the deeper the interest, 
 and so it made quite a little stir that one of her 
 so'cial favorites had taken an office for himself, 
 and really meant business. 
 
 So rare a thing could scarcely be credited, 
 except upon inspection of the premises, and 
 not a few society women called upon the young 
 attorney as soon as he was established in his 
 cozy office. 
 
 Miss Featherweight came to have an im 
 portant codicil of a forgotten ancestral piece of 
 old blue Canton china, willow pattern, added to 
 her will, and she declared that the aforesaid 
 office was "just too cute for anything," and she 
 was a good judge of cuteness and china. While 
 Mrs. Akme, who called as an old friend of his
 
 38 CIIIM 
 
 mother, in order to encourage him, remarked, 
 that " the place had an air of reserved force, 
 as if work would be done there," and even the 
 inordinately rich Mrs. La Fayette de Noo, hap 
 pening to hear at some " tea" that Mrs. Akme 
 had been there, descended from her carriage, 
 and as she stood in the doorway of the minute 
 room, took in, as she thought, the situation at a 
 glance, and in her most condescending, patron 
 izing way, said to Mr. Montague, " Although 
 I find the room miserably small, it is, I am 
 sure, quite big enough for you, and, Mr. Monta 
 gue," she added, as she sailed out in a stately 
 way, " pray say to Mrs. Akme that I, too, have 
 called, and that, so far as being your friend 
 goes, we are in a rapport'" 
 
 It was a way Mrs. La Fayette de Noo had, 
 when she wished to be particularly impressive, 
 that she always improvised scraps of bad French. 
 
 The truth is that this worthy lady's conver 
 sation was a picturesque bit of mosaic work of 
 modern Europe; where, again to use her own 
 words, she " had for several years incontinently
 
 CIIIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 39 
 
 rambled." It was so good of her at last to come 
 home, and again we quote " furbish up 
 Washington a bit." 
 
 General Alibi had jauntily sauntered in, and 
 Dr. Mensana came to inspect the spot, and see 
 if it "harbored microbes," and to suggest 
 " fumigation as a prophylactic." 
 
 Then a rich widow had asked him to look 
 after "some troublesome complications that 
 pressed upon her, as she came to Washington to 
 enjoy society, and these affairs were tiresome." 
 
 And all this came to pass before he had had 
 time to do more than place two or three chairs, 
 a table, and a hat-rack in the office, for while 
 lie was thinking about getting a revolving arm 
 chair and a suitable desk, he found himself a 
 busy man. 
 
 It seems to be an understood thing, that in 
 the beginning one must wait for clients, so it 
 is pleasant to be able to mention that in this 
 case, from the very outset, clients waited for 
 Mr. Lennox Montague. 
 
 And this happened in dear, delightful, tra-
 
 40 CHIM 
 
 ditional Washington, that is ready to pin her 
 faith to the representative of her three past 
 generations, in case the man himself is of any 
 substance to pin onto. 
 
 It was cheering to see a good name, a good 
 education, a good head, and good morals ap 
 preciated. 
 
 Almost at once he had to have a typewriter, 
 and it was refreshing to find a homely boy and 
 not a pretty girl employed to fill that function. 
 
 Mr. Lennox Montague was really wise be 
 yond his years. 
 
 The question of a comfortable arm-chair had 
 been satisfactorily settled, but Mr. Montague 
 still pondered over the more difficult problem 
 of a roomy revolving desk. 
 
 Happily, any revolver of a dangerous nature 
 was not to be an article of needed furniture. 
 We have outgrown that and the demijohn of 
 whiskey, in the inventory of Washington of 
 fices. Now we have patent refrigerators and 
 Potomac' water-filterers in their places. 
 
 Finally, all was complete except that ample
 
 CIIIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 41 
 
 old desk with pigeonholes and secret draw 
 ers and revolving top that shut down upon 
 its lore when not needed, just as a lawyer 
 should. 
 
 Such a desk as was wanted had not yet been 
 found. 
 
 " I tell you what, Montague," said Dr. Men- 
 sana, whose specialty was giving advice, 
 li you'll never get a grandfather's desk, except 
 at an auction or at Zimmerman's." 
 
 "A hint to the wise" is enough, and just 
 such a desk as he had a mental vision of was 
 purchased the very next day at Latimer's, hav 
 ing been shipped for sale by a Baltimore com 
 mission merchant who had sent word it was an 
 heirloom of an old Virginia home. 
 
 His dream had at last materialized, and the 
 desk was put in position so that the light from 
 the one front window should fall upon it. 
 
 The happy owner was arranging his files of 
 papers therein with gleeful contentment, when 
 Mrs. Akme, who had a most friendly interest 
 in his success, came in to ask him to formulate
 
 42 CHIM 
 
 a charter for a new club for her, and to consid 
 er it as "business." 
 
 " Give me legal phrasing, Lennox," she said, 
 " for I like precision." 
 
 But as she spoke she stopped, and, looking 
 at the desk and then at her young friend, who 
 was beaming with satisfaction, she said: 
 
 " I see you have found a desk to suit you." 
 
 He flushed a little as he replied: 
 
 " It is really curious, my dear Mrs. Akme, 
 that I should be so elated over the finding an 
 old piece of furniture. I know it's foolish, but 
 this quaint old desk stirs me as strangely as if 
 it contained the family archives." 
 
 Mrs. Akme looked very grave as she said to 
 him: " Do not wonder at it. There must be 
 a correlation of forces somewhere: an occult 
 ism about this seemingly inanimate thing which 
 will probably at some future period develop 
 into a potent factor in your life when least 
 looked for." 
 
 Lennox Montague, in spite of himself, felt 
 the influence of these words so earnestly
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 43 
 
 spoken. He had a great respect for Mrs. Akme. 
 lie knew her to be a woman of a singularly pen 
 etrating intelligence and of high aims. There 
 was nothing narrow-minded about this man, 
 and because he did not happen to understand 
 a thing was with him only a reason for think 
 ing it over. 
 
 What could she mean ? He felt that the ex 
 planation would involve much that did not 
 appear on the surface. He now remembered 
 that when he had last met this lady she had 
 told him that she was " reaching a higher 
 plane, and daily becoming emancipated from 
 prejudice." So he supposed, which was correct, 
 that she was applying new tests to things 
 around her. 
 
 Therefore he answered: " It may well be 
 that there is an occult reason why I should be 
 so in love with my desk. Now, if indeed it was 
 a beautiful young lady the occultism would be- 
 readily understood." 
 
 And he laughed. 
 
 Mrs. Akme smiled and said: " That's just
 
 44 CHIM 
 
 it, Lennox allow me to call you by your 
 mother's name, for I loved her well. Ysoldc 
 Lennox was a woman to love." 
 
 "Ah, do, do call me Lennox," he said, ear 
 nestly, his emotional face full of feeling. 
 
 " Well, my dear Lennox, as I said, how do 
 you know but that this desk that moves you 
 now so strangely may in some way be connect 
 ed with a charming girl who will one day make 
 you happy ? " 
 
 "The suggestion is delightfully romantic," 
 said he. " I shall hug my fancy the closer 
 and sigh for future developments." 
 
 " Do not be impatient," she said, calmly. 
 " Through repose of soul we unravel myste 
 ries. Happiness is relative; it is alone found 
 by the wise." 
 
 Again Lennox looked puzzled. Mrs. Akme 
 caught his expression, and knew that he was 
 mystified. 
 
 "I perceive," she said, "that you do not 
 understand me. Come to the society that 
 meets once a month at my house, and the
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 45 
 
 wisdom-religion will make itself more man 
 ifest." 
 
 " Thanks, dear Mrs. Akme, for the privilege. 
 May I ask if your society has a name ? " 
 
 " As to that we are as yet undecided," she 
 replied. " It is truth we seek, and all ways 
 are alike to us that lead to this end. We 
 ventilate our theories without restriction, and 
 out of this mind attrition we expect to evolve 
 light." 
 
 "Why," said Lennox, startled by what was 
 to him a new idea, "the casting off of mind 
 trammels is the dawning of a new era." 
 
 " You are quite right," she said eagerly. 
 "Only think of the freedom. Each one may 
 proclaim his own theory. There is no limit. 
 For instance, I myself have been led into a 
 train of speculative thought, connected with 
 theosophy. In fact I am philosophically led 
 to believe that the canine race marks the real 
 progress of civilization." 
 
 " The canine race ! " exclaimed Lennox, in 
 undisguised amazement.
 
 46 CHIM 
 
 " It may seem absurd," replied Mrs. Akme 
 calmly, "and this is not the place or time to 
 defend a thesis. Nevertheless my theory may 
 be logically defended. You see at once, 
 Lennox, one of the uses of our society. We 
 sift all things. It is the alembic through 
 which we filter truth. But your morning hours 
 must be given to business, not philosophy. So 
 for the nonce good-bye." 
 
 Really Lennox Montague had a half head 
 ache as he saw her graceful retreating form 
 finally disappear from view, as she sank 
 back amid the cushions of her luxurious car 
 riage, and drove off. 
 
 He felt as if he were living in a nondescript 
 age, that was, perchance, about to be hurled 
 into chaos, with all the old moorings cast off, 
 and the world afloat without foothold, as was 
 Noah's ark. 
 
 Lennox Montague's mother had been a 
 Catholic, and although at her untimely death 
 his tender years had left him uninstructed in 
 her faith, yet he had always rested in the con-
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 47 
 
 viction that she was right, without indeed 
 knowing anything about it, more than the 
 general idea, that truth must rest in unity, and 
 could not be hydra-headed, and speak with a 
 confusion of tongues. 
 
 In the midst of this painful revery, he me 
 chanically seated himself at the magnetic 
 desk, which had in a certain way given rise to 
 a conversation fraught with somewhat indis 
 tinct recollections of his mother. 
 
 Never before had such a yearning to receive 
 her blessing filled his soul, and as he buried 
 his face in his hands, she seemed to stand be 
 side him as his guardian angel, and without 
 her loving care the world was very lonely and 
 empty. 
 
 But at noonday in a business office on F 
 street, the hour and place are totally unsuited 
 for other than matter-of-fact routine, and so, 
 indeed, he was presently recalled to himself by 
 the somewhat jarring strains of a hurdy-gurdy, 
 turning off a lively tune, which was accom 
 panied by the alternate chirping, whistling,
 
 48 CHIM 
 
 and singing of an odd little old man, who ap 
 peared heartily to enjoy his Bohemian mode 
 of life. 
 
 His involuntary, meditative mood, being thus 
 rudely broken in upon, he got up and stood at 
 the window, looking out at first in an absent- 
 minded way. 
 
 But his attention was speedily arrested by 
 the strange antics of the thick-set, white-hair 
 ed, \vhite-bearded, and precise figure, who 
 had the solemn air of a Turkish dervish, and 
 yet cut the most absurd prim pirouettes, to 
 mark each musical roulade of his organ. 
 
 The stolid face of the slovenly boy who 
 turned the crank, and stood as unmoved and 
 seemingly as uninterested as if he were throw 
 ing potatoes in a vegetable bin, or doing any 
 other merely mechanical work, was in sharp 
 contrast with the comical whirling of the 
 dancer. 
 
 It is surprising how very quickly a crowd 
 gathers in a city, for almost in the time it takes 
 to tell it, the trio were surrounded, the third
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 49 
 
 performer being a wee dog 1 , who might have 
 been a monkey, so nimble were his movements 
 as he carried around in his teeth a basket, into 
 which jingling pennies were thrown. 
 
 As each coin rattled in, the queer creature 
 made an inclination of his woolly head meant as 
 a bow, and hugely appreciated by his audience, 
 who greeted them with shouts of laughter. 
 
 The intelligent canine understood and was 
 exhilarated by the wild applause as a human 
 being might have been, and when his master 
 said to him in broken English " Cheem zay 
 yees, I give Cheem dis " holding up a dry 
 mouldy-looking biscuit, the wretched puppy, 
 evidently hungry, or kept so to better enact 
 this tour-de-force > leaped for it, making leap 
 after leap, barking a chorus of distinctly en 
 unciated " yes, yes, yes." 
 
 A street crowd, after all, is a critical audience, 
 and detects shams more readily than a fashion 
 able crush, and this was a genuine novelty, 
 and no mistake, and was greeted by clapping 
 of hands, and cries of " Bully for you !"
 
 50 CHIM 
 
 " It's a comfort," thought Lennox Montague, 
 "that the masses know a good thing when 
 they see it, and have none of the hateful nil 
 adniirarc about them of the world of fashion;" 
 and so thinking he clapped too, observing 
 which the curious little old man, very ungrate 
 fully breaking through the admiring circle 
 around him, commenced a special series of 
 capers under the window for the young law 
 yer's particular benefit. 
 
 Both master and dog knew assuredly that 
 they were now performing for a trained eye, 
 and they both did their very best for their 
 selected critic. 
 
 "The old man," thought he, "is equal to a 
 whole curiosity shop, but the being he calls 
 ' Cheem ' half mesmerizes me ; he is positively 
 weird." The dog, as if divining his thought, 
 stopped an instant, and gazed at him in a 
 yearning, wistful way with his wonderful wade- 
 open eyes, and it did look as if tears filled 
 them. So might an enchained captive implore 
 from his prison-barred window to the passer-by.
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 51 
 
 " Ah," thought the youth, " the appeal is all the 
 stronger because it is unite. Anyhow, I can't 
 stand that sort of look," and suddenly he re 
 membered the original remark of Mrs. Akme 
 about the canine race, that had led to their 
 strange conversation that very morning and 
 induced his recent meditation, which was in 
 terrupted by this very dog. 
 
 The concatenation of circumstances struck 
 him as uncommon, and he suddenly decided 
 to try and secure this surprising "canine," as 
 a present to his mother's friend. 
 
 Acting upon this impulse he beckoned to 
 the pair to come in, which they instantly did. 
 
 If one wishes to see an "allegro" in celerity 
 of movement, just try asking a street beggar 
 or a hurdy-gurdy man, or a scissors-grinder to 
 walk in. Their breezy mode of entrance puts 
 to shame the tired, blase QZ\\, of the pleasure- 
 seeker. There are so many novel sensations 
 one never gets because one plods on in the 
 old ruts ! And so one makes life stupid, be 
 cause one is selfish.
 
 52 CIIIM 
 
 " Gooda day," said the Italian, as he stood 
 bowing very low. 
 
 "All right," said Lennox Montague, drily, 
 as much as to say to the quaint object before 
 him, " Listen to me and keep quiet." 
 
 The tone told on master and dog, and they 
 both stood perfectly still. 
 
 "Tell me, fellow," said he, "how much do 
 you ask for your clog ? of course you will sell 
 him ? " 
 
 " Per monish, yees," answered the organ- 
 grinder with a scraping bow, " Cheem one 
 vara, buen' cagnolino." 
 
 "Well, if I buy this dog you call ' Checm,' 
 how much ? Be quick about it I'm in a hurry." 
 
 The man looking quite unconcerned, said, 
 " Feefty dollare." 
 
 " Nonsense," said Lennox; "where did you 
 get him, anyhow ? " 
 
 The thrust some way went home, for there 
 was a slight wincing, which the quick eye of 
 the young attorney noticed, as he added, " Is 
 he yours to sell ? "
 
 CIIIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 53 
 
 " Durty dollare," was the dogged reply. 
 
 "Not at all," replied Lennox. " Is he yours, 
 I say ? " 
 
 " Den ten dollare," was the sulky answer. 
 
 " Here it is," said Lennox Montague, hand 
 ing this true specimen of the conscienceless 
 lazzaroni the money. 
 
 " Bcnc, bene" he said, chuckling, and thrust 
 ing the price of " Cheem " deep down in his 
 pocket, walked out, whistling, without a word 
 or even a parting glance at the dog. 
 
 " Why has he sold his performing dog so 
 cheap ? " thought Lennox ; " evidently he wish 
 ed to escape detection in some way, or I'm no 
 judge of human nature, or lawyer either." 
 And the dog ! He certainly bore no love for 
 his master, and if ever actions which "speak 
 louder than words," meant anything, the des 
 perate joy of the poor little skye-terrier said, 
 " I am saved." 
 
 During the bargaining for the price set upon 
 his curly head, he had looked from one to the 
 other with wistful earnestness, and when finally
 
 54 CHIM 
 
 the man disappeared, his ecstasy knew no 
 bounds. He crouched at the feet of his new 
 master, and laid his head caressingly against 
 him. 
 
 For the first time Lennox then perceived a 
 dainty collar around the creature's neck. It 
 had been covered over by masses of long hair 
 pulled down. And on this collar was engraved 
 
 "As I supposed," thought Lennox, "the 
 terrier was picked up. He is some fair dam 
 sel's pet, who doubtless is inconsolable with 
 out him." 
 
 " Well, Chim, you shall have a good mis 
 tress until the lost one is found." 
 
 At 5 o'clock that afternoon Lennox Monta 
 gue sent up his card to Mrs. Akme, who was 
 sipping a cup of tea, meditatively, beside a 
 glowing samovar. 
 
 He had had Chim carefully dressed for the 
 visit ; that is, lie had hired a barber to have 
 the clog properly bathed, combed, curled, 
 cleansed, and perfumed.
 
 CHIM ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON 55 
 
 So Chim was as presentable as any well- 
 bred puppy could be made, and feeling very 
 lively in consequence of the needed ablutions, 
 when he made his bow to Mrs. Akme. A so 
 ciety training is invaluable, and Chim was at 
 last and again in his proper sphere. He at 
 once put on his company manners, and when 
 Lennox Montague quietly introduced him as 
 " Mr. Chim, just arrived from the celestials," 
 the well-bred darling made a very graceful 
 bow. 
 
 " The best bow-wow I have ever seen," said 
 Lennox laughing, but his smile died away to 
 an expression of dazed wonder, when Mr. 
 Chim, scenting the well -loved beverage to 
 which he had been accustomed at that very 
 hour, quietly leaped into an arm-chair beside 
 Mrs. Akme, and posing upon his hind legs 
 extended his forepaws, and, taking hold of her 
 cup carefully, drained it daintily to the last 
 drop. 
 
 Mrs. Akme turned deathly pale, and Lennox 
 Montague sprang to his feet, fearing she was
 
 56 CHIM 
 
 about to faint but in a moment recovering 
 herself, she embraced Chim lovingly, exclaim 
 ing, " Is this a waking vision ? Have I indeed 
 found the connecting link ? "
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 
 
 BUNCOMBE HEREFORD belonged to an old 
 Virginia family, and that was the best there 
 was about him. Detached from his ancestry, 
 he was essentially a man to be avoided, but 
 unfortunately, when in the general plan the 
 current of his life ran counter to the specific 
 object he had in view, and any unlucky wight 
 got caught in the glittering meshes of his 
 frauds, there was not much left of his victim 
 by the time this bloated spider relaxed his 
 hold. Yet his webs were mathematically 
 spun in the sunshine, athwart the highways, 
 and were very fair to see, and being held legal 
 ly, one could not escape their toils without 
 inanition and complete exhaustion. When he 
 made ready to spring upon an object, fastening 
 
 57
 
 53 
 
 down upon him, and closing in the transaction, 
 the wretch was inevitably ruined. But while 
 his small dealings kept him well in practice, 
 and had, by their uniform success, enlarged his 
 perceptions of the possible, yet these attempts 
 were as mere by-play compared with the dar 
 ing of his big deals. He was a ruthless finan 
 cial Napoleon, a scourge, as have been some 
 generals called great, who strode onward to 
 their goal over the trampled dying and dead. 
 
 Several of his operations bordered or, the 
 marvelous, for he had mastered the art Oi fi 
 nancial levitation, or walking upon air, know 
 ing, as well as Simon Magus did, how to hold 
 himself up on nothing, or perchance he worked 
 his marvels by producing an hypnotic effect on 
 other minds. 
 
 It is said that he commenced his astounding 
 career by having an entire paper town laid 
 out, buying the land he speculated with, not, 
 as stupidly honest people might imagine, with 
 money, but giving his notes therefor, these bits 
 of paper secured by a deed of trust on the land,
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 59 
 
 with a small cash payment to confirm contract, 
 borrowed from a friend. Then he had a really 
 excellent picture made, paying the artist with 
 one of his worthless notes, of a flourishing 
 manufacturing town, with volumes of dense- 
 smoke issuing from the tall tops of many fac 
 tory chimneys, and there was a vista of a fine 
 water power, hinting at limitless capabilities 
 in that direction. It is surprising how many 
 people like attractive pictures and Quixotic 
 windmills, and all such investments ! Then, 
 with the rapidity of an able commander, turn 
 ing the enemy's flank when he foresaw that the 
 inevitable collapse must come, he hastened to 
 scoop in the thousands invested upon his repre 
 sentations, let the trust deeds revert the land 
 to their owners, and promptly took advantage 
 of the bankrupt law. 
 
 Under this protecting ajgis he rested and 
 recruited, meantime manipulating the gullibil 
 ity of those who seek rapid methods of getting 
 rich, and when the time had come, got himself 
 elected president of a syndicate for the build-
 
 60 CHIM 
 
 ing of an air-line railroad, to be run by a motor 
 upon a new principle. 
 
 Having had some experience regarding the 
 stability of real estate, his first aim, before the 
 road was built, was to buy up all the land at a 
 low figure, adjacent to the proposed route ; 
 again his notes were issued in payment, but 
 being backed by a syndicate, this little affair 
 was readily managed. 
 
 It is amazing what power this cabalistic 
 word " syndicate " has. One would suppose it 
 was the initiation pass-word of a terrible, oath- 
 bound secret society. 
 
 It really is a hideous car of Juggernaut that 
 rolls over the length and breadth of the land, 
 with that vacuum inside that nature abhors, 
 and its relentless, sharp - edged scythes of 
 wheels cut a clean wide swath of desolation. 
 
 Mr. Buncombe Hereford had now become 
 this mysterious Adonhiram, with the secret 
 symbols. 
 
 His fiat went forth that the thousands upon 
 thousands of acres of worthless land that bor-
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 6l 
 
 dered upon his imaginary air-lines, were inex 
 haustible mineral lands, worth at a low figure 
 a thousand dollars an acre, and the endless 
 thousands of American dollars were paid for 
 them. 
 
 At this opportune moment, he deserted bod 
 ily, bag and baggage, to a real built railroad 
 company, that, getting frightened at the clam 
 or of the air-line, bribed Mr. Buncombe Here 
 ford by the offer of its presidency. 
 
 The astute managers of this rival road ig 
 nored the risk of installing a traitor over their 
 company, being more than pleased at the boom 
 given their stock by the crash of the so-called 
 syndicate. 
 
 The retiring president kicked the bucket of 
 the syndicate that had brought him up out of 
 his hole back again to the bottom of the well, 
 and at last, with real millions in his coffers, be 
 came a distinguished citizen a punctilious, 
 church-going, phylacteried Pharisee ! 
 
 Any villain, be he behind prison bars in this 
 world, or fallen into the bottomless pit of the
 
 62 CHIM 
 
 next, is disagreeable to contemplate, but not 
 so exasperating as when he swings aloft, astride 
 his beam of success, having secured a tight 
 grip on the good things of this world, as had 
 Mr. Buncombe Hereford. However, there is 
 always a limit to the finite, and no one could 
 insure him against renewed insolvency in the 
 future. But we have now explained far enough 
 to be ready to observe that everything in this 
 narrative must be subordinated to Chim, and 
 that if we have, with perhaps tiresome minute 
 ness, hinted at the colossal manipulations of 
 Mr. Buncombe Hereford, it is because of their 
 being of some interest to us, as incidental to 
 the dog. Otherwise it would be quite unpar 
 donable to introduce such a monstrous sham 
 into these pages. 
 
 Now about the time that Chim arrived in 
 Washington, trotting along on his little four 
 legs, or the proverbial "shank's mare," behind 
 a hurdy-gurdy, our very successful ex-syndi 
 cate, now railroad, president, arrived in a lux 
 urious special car. He came in solitary state,
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CIIIM 63 
 
 inasmuch as poor Mrs. Hereford had been, so 
 it was whispered, confined in a lunatic asylum 
 for several years. 
 
 It was openly said that our magnate might, 
 at any time that he so wished it, easily procure 
 a divorce on the ground of wilful desertion. But 
 then, he was so chivalric, and she, only a woman! 
 
 For some time previous to his coming, the 
 principal real estate agents of Washington had 
 been looking for a very big house, for this very 
 big man, who had bottled up a very big plan 
 to help the government of the United States 
 of America build an elevated rapid -transit 
 railroad that was to make a direct run to Du- 
 luth. Of course it would be nothing to Croesus, 
 but it might be very much to the North Amer 
 ican continent. 
 
 It was a merciful thing that the hypnotic 
 spell he exercised did not cause the White 
 House to be offered for his occupancy. 
 
 With coy coquetry and sensational acumen, 
 this magnificent showman did not put in an 
 appearance during the initial proceedings of
 
 64 CHIM 
 
 the early winter, but he waited until the so- 
 called " season," congressional and social, was 
 fairly under way. But with the onrush of the 
 New Year, he arrived. 
 
 It is perhaps mortifying to have to say so, 
 but Washington is merely beginning to build 
 palatial homes, and the only furnished house 
 that could be procured was, of course, very 
 inadequate in many ways, although in some 
 respects it suited very well, for, as we at first 
 mentioned, this chevalier d' Industrie, if one may 
 be allowed to hint plainly, was a real born 
 cavalier. 
 
 Being thus to the manor born, he knew that 
 the best way to entertain was the exclusive, or 
 dinner-giving method, and that the mahogany 
 round which he would place his guests must 
 be old, the pictures on his walls must be of ex 
 ceptional merit, and have an actual or an in 
 vented history. The china and glass must 
 have been well cared for by successive gener 
 ations of butlers, and the wines must have the 
 aroma of choice old vintages.
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CIIIM 65 
 
 He knew very well that there was a magnetic 
 effect in the antique, skillfully manipulated, that 
 could be effectively applied whenever he was 
 ready to pull the wires and set his mannikins 
 to work. 
 
 Thus bent on making use of family prestige, 
 he remembered that in a certain spacious 
 home that he had wrested from a widowed 
 cousin, through some hocus-pocus of a tax sale, 
 orpretencled sale, there was precious store of 
 carved and chippendale furniture, some fine 
 paintings, old bronzes, china and glass dec 
 orated and engraved with the family crest, and 
 rare wines. He had written an order to have 
 various of these evidences of former grandeur 
 shipped on to Washington, and placed in the 
 house he had taken there. 
 
 Now, unscrupulous men are very apt to have 
 faithless menials to do their bidding, and the 
 fellow in charge of this fine old place, who 
 was underpaid anyhow, had, after a logic his 
 employer would have perfectly understood, 
 indulged now and then in selling to curiosity
 
 66 CHIM 
 
 dealers such pieces of furniture as could be 
 conveniently packed and sent away. 
 
 The creature satisfying his conscience by the 
 reflection that he was thus making his own pay 
 about what it ought to be. 
 
 He had only recently sent a very curious old 
 desk up to Baltimore that had been used by a 
 former proprietor for his private papers, where 
 its sale brought him quite a handsome sum. 
 But, happily for him, Mr. Buncombe Hereford 
 only gave a general order, and, in fact his rec 
 ollection of his uncle's old house dated back 
 to his early childhood, when he on several oc 
 casions had gone there with his mother, who 
 was an only sister of the proprietor. 
 
 He had therefore a very indistinct remem 
 brance of any particular pieces, which was a 
 lucky circumstance for his dishonest agent. 
 
 As it was, there was quite as much shipped 
 as was needed for the already furnished Wash 
 ington house, in order to produce the desired 
 effect. 
 
 It seems very inappropriate, when writing
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 67 
 
 about this supposed-to-be-many-times-a-mil- 
 lionaire, to mention these little things, and we 
 have only done so by explaining that these 
 arrangements were simply as means to an 
 end. 
 
 Having thus pleasantly domiciled Mr. Bun 
 combe Hereford, whose expected arrival had 
 produced no little commotion in certain quar 
 ters, one must for the present leave him and 
 those who were interested in him and his 
 movements. 
 
 Miss Featherweight, for instance, was always 
 on the qui vive for distinguished arrivals. Also 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo, who had not breathed 
 the rarefied air of upper-tendom long enough 
 to escape, on a trying occasion like this, heart 
 flutter and brain muddle. 
 
 This lady had for so many years of her early 
 life been subjected to the penetrating odors of 
 boiled cabbage and stewed onions, that she 
 never could exactly tone down to the mild 
 fragrance of the violet, or the delicate bouquet 
 of some rare vintage. Her trouble was what
 
 68 CHIM 
 
 the philosophers would denominate " a want 
 of adaptation." 
 
 It is a queer thing how each poor mortal 
 makes a voodoo of what he or she don't un 
 derstand, and we all stand quaking under the 
 shadows of our own fetich. 
 
 Let us pray for strength to come boldly out 
 into God's glorious sunlight, so as to see things 
 as they are. Then we could lay aside our inch- 
 worm measure. 
 
 We left the lovely Alma Aylwyn disconso 
 late and lachrymose over the mysterious dis 
 appearance of her dog. The human heart is 
 so constituted that just in proportion as one is 
 poor and lonely the affections cling all the 
 more closely to whatever of comfort remains. 
 
 Thus Alma, who was quite alone in the 
 world, had lost a loving friend in Chim. 
 
 There was much sympathy expressed and 
 felt for her loss, and there were various con 
 jectures as to what could have become of the 
 wonderful skye-terrier.
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 69 
 
 Some boys for boys see everything re 
 membered to have noticed an organ-grinder 
 pass through town, and go away on the na 
 tional road that day, but no one could aver 
 that he had a dog with him. 
 
 Certainly his loss left a sad blank in Alma's 
 life, and some months wore away heavily 
 enough as the summer faded into autumn. 
 
 There is a proverb, " It never rains but it 
 pours," although why such an untruth as to the 
 physical world should be proverbial is strange. 
 
 But as applied to that grouping of events 
 that forms the thread of human destiny, it is 
 more apt to be true. 
 
 So it came to pass with Alma that, in the 
 midst of her mourning for Chim, she was told 
 that after the Christmas holidays that is, at 
 the close of the term two of her best scholars 
 would leave town; and while she was much 
 worried at the loss of pupils who greatly inter 
 ested her, and also at the serious diminution of 
 her means of support, she received a short, 
 curt letter from her only relative.
 
 /O CHIM 
 
 This relative was the cousin who had, as he 
 told them, paid their debts, and taken her moth 
 er's home as payment, and who had, besides this 
 considerate act, borne the expenses of her edu 
 cation at school after her mother's death, until 
 she was sufficiently instructed to teach. 
 
 Although, since leaving school she had not 
 received any direct aid from this relative, yet 
 she always had the feeling that if the worst 
 came to the worst she might apply to him; and 
 to know that one has a staff to lean upon is 
 restful, even if one never leans. 
 
 But this harsh letter rudely dispelled all illu 
 sions in that direction. 
 
 It was written by the secretary of this un 
 feeling man, and simply had his signature at 
 tached, which made it all the more cutting. 
 
 In it he informed her that, understanding 
 she was now prepared to support herself in 
 consequence of the musical education he had 
 so generously given her, she must no longer ex 
 pect a continuance of his charity, but must in 
 future become self-reliant and self-supporting.
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 71 
 
 This was the substance of this unkind missive, 
 which closed with a formal " truly yours." Ah, 
 how cruel, how unfeeling, how heartless ! 
 
 And it was most galling for a high-spirited 
 girl to be so rudely reminded that she had been 
 an object of charity. 
 
 Yet this exasperating letter had this good ef 
 fect, that it caused Alma to take a very serious 
 and careful review of the situation in which 
 she was placed, and to weigh all the conditions 
 of her position. 
 
 The result was so discouraging that she felt 
 she must take counsel of some one more expe 
 rienced than herself. 
 
 In the midst of this painful perplexity she 
 suddenly recollected a benevolent old gentle 
 man who had at one time filled a conspicuous 
 position for his country, but had now retired 
 from active political life. 
 
 She recalled how kindly he had once spoken 
 to her, and told her that when he was in Wash 
 ington city he had, a score of years before, on 
 several occasions met her honored grandfather.
 
 72 CIIIM 
 
 At the time she thought with a heartache 
 how that word " honored," applied to her 
 grandfather by one who had himself held po 
 sitions of trust creditably, would have pleased 
 her dearest mother. Oh, how little a word is, 
 and yet how much ! 
 
 No sooner had all this come to her mind 
 than she reproached herself not to have paid 
 her respects to this excellent man before, and 
 she at once decided to take counsel of him. 
 
 Just here it must be observed how constant 
 ly it occurs in life that all the best things we 
 do, and the things most fruitful of good re 
 sults, are not of our own planning in any way, 
 but are sure to come to us when needed. This 
 takes place because we are in God's hands, and 
 there is His Providence that arranges for us. 
 
 Certainly Alma's visit to this philanthropist 
 was timely. 
 
 She was well received, her little story list 
 ened to with attention, and the letter read by 
 him with indignation. 
 
 The name of this unfeeling cousin was not
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 73 
 
 unknown to him, and he sat for some time, ev 
 idently thinking the matter over. 
 
 " I cannot understand, Miss Aylwyn," said 
 he very kindly, " how your mother could have 
 so entirely lost what must have been a very 
 handsome estate inherited from her father. 
 It was always understood that your grand 
 father -was a wealthy man." 
 
 "Ah, no ! " sighed Alma. 
 
 " And you tell me that your mother died 
 poor, that this cousin has educated you, and 
 that now, through his heartless desertion, you 
 are absolutely dependent on your own efforts 
 for daily bread ? it seems incredible." 
 
 Alma's tears, which, at this recapitulation of 
 her sad fate, she could not restrain, were her 
 sole answer. 
 
 " Oh, I beg of you, dear Miss Aylwyn, don't 
 cry," said he hurriedly; " I know it will happen 
 so, that women are left poor, and do really 
 lose everything. And yet," he added, " this 
 ought not to happen, nor does it often happen 
 without their being cheated
 
 74 CHIM 
 
 " Oh, pray, sir," interrupted Alma, "don't 
 say that ! There was no one who would have 
 cheated us, I assure you." 
 
 " Yet," said the old gentleman with a slight 
 elevation of his shaggy eyebrows, "you have 
 this cousin, who is very rich." 
 
 " Oh, yes," replied Alma; " but only see how 
 good he was to us." 
 
 "I see," said he, sarcastically; "very kind; 
 shows his big heart in this letter. Eh ? " 
 
 Alma again cried, for the letter had nearly 
 broken her heart. 
 
 "Oh, don't, don't cry!" begged he ner 
 vously. " I really can't think, if you will cry. 
 Nothing upsets me like a woman's tears." 
 
 "Pardon me," said Alma, half smiling 
 through her tears; " I am so sorry to distress 
 you." 
 
 " All right," said he; " now be a brave girl, 
 and, take my word for it, things will come 
 round just as they ought to be, sooner than you 
 think for. I'm no longer young, and I've often 
 seen this sort of thing happen."
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 75 
 
 " Oh," said Alma, "just the kind words com 
 fort me so ! " 
 
 "Never mind," said he. "There now, al 
 ready I have a bright thought for you. You 
 shall go right on to Washington City." 
 
 " To Washington City ! " she exclaimed in a 
 tone of such blank amazement, that the next 
 moment they both laughed. 
 
 " Yes, to Washington City," he repeated. 
 " You see, I have been retired from public life 
 these many years, for I'm no longer exactly a 
 young man." 
 
 "Men," thought Alma, "must be more ner 
 vous about their ages than women; if I were 
 as old as he is, I think I would just say I'm 
 old." 
 
 " But," he added, " I certainly have influence 
 enough left to set afloat into smooth seas such 
 a small craft as you are, and one so trim." 
 
 " How nice he is ! " thought she. 
 
 " My idea is this," he continued; " you must 
 get a clerkship under the Government. You 
 are, in a way, entitled to ask it, for your re-
 
 76 CHIM 
 
 spected grandfather was well known as a pub 
 lic-spirited, patriotic man. Go, pack your 
 trunk, my dear Miss Aylwyn, and come to me 
 to-morrow, when I will have some letters for 
 you, and give you any needed instructions." 
 
 " What a proof," thought Alma, "that it is 
 always the unexpected that occurs," as, ex 
 pressing her thanks warmly, she hastened back 
 to her room, to follow his advice implicitly. 
 
 Yet it loomed before her as a huge and peril 
 ous undertaking. " Will it end in shipwreck ? " 
 she could not but ask herself. " Oh, mother, 
 mother, come back, and be my guardian 
 angel ! " she prayed. And the wide world is 
 full of motherless girls, with desolation and 
 yearnings for a mother's love in their hearts. 
 
 Counting over the small sum of money which 
 was her worldly all, her heart sank. Yet she 
 was fortunately too innocent, too ignorant of 
 snares, to measure the perils of her future. 
 
 The succeeding day, when she called upon 
 her kind friend at the appointed hour, he had 
 several letters written to influential people who
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 77 
 
 had political influence; but, most thoughtful of 
 all, one addressed to a woman of social posi 
 tion, whom he had known from her childhood 
 in fact, he had been her father's friend. He ex 
 plained to this lacly exactly who Alma was, and 
 precisely how she was situated, and he begged 
 of her such protecting care as she could so 
 perfectly extend to an unprotected girl, who 
 had to fight life's battle under such pathetic 
 circumstances. 
 
 These letters were handed unsealed to Alma, 
 one by one, with very explicit instructions. 
 
 "Go," he said; "the moment you arrive, to 
 present your letter to the lady. She will ad 
 vise you where to get a safe boarding-house, 
 and I am sure she will allow you to refer to 
 her, which will enable you to get a comfortable 
 home. Then present these other letters. These 
 gentlemen will help you, but it may take some 
 little time before they can procure you a clerk 
 ship, for a situation under the Government is 
 like a cheque on a banker. In order to draw 
 upon it there must be a quid pro quo." And
 
 78 CHIM 
 
 he laughed just a little, as if mentally review 
 ing various official quids he had known about. 
 
 " Well," he continued, " if at the end of, say, 
 three months, you fail to get an office, come 
 back here. Miss Aylwyn, and we will manage 
 another year to have a regular place provided 
 for you in the ' Female Seminary,' as a teacher. 
 Meantime, you must live, and you must be 
 freed from the carking care for daily bread, 
 which kills the young, I believe, quicker than 
 the old, so here, my dear young friend, is a 
 letter of credit for you on Riggs & Co. 
 
 "A what, sir?" said Alma in undisguised 
 astonishment. 
 
 " Oh, a mere business form ! " replied the 
 beaming philanthropist. " Go to the bankers, 
 Riggs & Co., with it, and they will let you draw 
 upon me for fifty dollars a month, for three 
 months; you see it's a mere nothing to pay 
 your board bill." 
 
 " Oh, no, no ! " said Alma, now shedding a 
 flood of tears. "Really, I can not I can work 
 for this money, my dear, good friend
 
 INCIDENTAL TO CHIM 79 
 
 " Tut, tut, child ! " stammered he, getting 
 very red in the face; " didn't I tell you it wor 
 ried me to see you cry? take it, and good-bye." 
 
 " But I can't, I can't," said Alma, wringing 
 her hands; "what would mother have said ? 
 I love you, good, kind friend, for this thought 
 I'm grateful it's not that " 
 
 "The fact is," said the old man in a husky 
 voice, "you have to take it. Well, it's a debt 
 I owe your grandfather. Eh ? do you see now? 
 Good-bye, and God bless you," and so saying, 
 he opened the door, and fairly hustled her off. 
 
 Amid Alma's excitement, she had sense 
 enough to know that the only "debt" that 
 existed was that due to humanity, and she ac 
 cepted the aid with a heart glowing with grat 
 itude, and the firm resolve at some day to re 
 pay it as a loan. 
 
 As the noble-hearted man abruptly closed 
 the door to conceal his own embarrassment, 
 she did not hear his soliloquy of, " The Lord 
 forgive me if I told the poor child what Mrs. 
 Opie would have called ' a white lie.' A debt
 
 8o CHIM 
 
 to her grandfather ! Ha, ha ! I call that a 
 good joke. I well remember the stately old 
 gentleman, whom I met at a dinner atOgleTay- 
 loe's in Washington. Why, it's enough to make 
 that proud cavalier turn over in his grave, to 
 have me send his daughter's child to Washing 
 ton, and pay her board-bill. There's been ras 
 cality somewhere. Ah, what of that villainous 
 rich cousin ? "
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME THROUGH CHIM 
 
 THE year was very old, and Christmas near 
 at hand. Congress was in session, and Wash 
 ington, -the capital of manifold attractions, was 
 now in the heyday of her charms. Her po 
 litical, her official, her fashionable, her literary, 
 her artistic, her scientific life was in flower, and 
 this brave city, the central point of statesman 
 ship, of intrigue, of the commonplace, of orig 
 inal thought, of abstruse investigation, of art 
 culture, of earnest search after truth, was now 
 in full panoply, having put on the whole armor 
 of a leading factor of civilization. 
 
 No wonder that the sayings and doings of 
 this city of bewildering contrasts, representing 
 alike the nation and the age, should be given 
 first place in the news columns of the country. 
 
 Yet, apart from these news notices, and shel- 
 Si
 
 82 CHIM 
 
 tercel from the casual gaze, as are wheels 
 within wheels, may be found inner circles pe 
 culiarly and distinctively typical of the freedom 
 of thought audits expression, that characterize 
 this people, and in these reunions may be 
 found, as in the kernel of the nut, the real pith 
 and substance of the outside movement of the 
 times. 
 
 One of these centres existed in Mrs. Akme's 
 drawing-room, which had long held an ac 
 knowledged preeminence as a nucleus, where 
 every thinker was welcome to ventilate his 
 thought. 
 
 Mrs. Akme represented much that was para 
 doxical, and herein, perhaps, was the power 
 that she undoubtedly wielded over others. 
 
 As to lineage, she readily counted several 
 generations of estimable people, each of whom 
 had been looked up to in their day, and this 
 gave her the advantage of being quite sure of 
 herself, so that she was not in the least afraid 
 to recognize or even cultivate the acquaintance 
 of those whom she fancied. As the world
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 83 
 
 goes, this special privilege accorded to birth is 
 inestimable and a talent to be accounted for, 
 received from the Lord. It enables one fear 
 lessly to give social rights to merit, and to go 
 beyond the narrow boundary line, within which 
 so many cringe. 
 
 Then Mrs. Akme had, in addition to a highly 
 respected name, inherited considerable means, 
 which enabled her to be independent. Having 
 money enough for her purposes she could 
 afford to give this adjunct its proper place in 
 the social scale. 
 
 Everyone bears a cross in this world, and 
 Mrs. Akme's was loneliness. 
 
 She was a childless widow, and felt her situa 
 tion all the more keenly as the recollection of 
 the good husband and interesting little daugh 
 ter she had lost were lasting and at times 
 painfully vivid. 
 
 Not having faith in any religion, but being a 
 woman of strong and deep feeling, these sor 
 rows had impressed her manners, which were 
 grave and serious.
 
 84 CHIM 
 
 But she was of an active temperament, true, 
 in earnest, seeking for light, and from her 
 habit of striking out in all directions for infor 
 mation without an assured guide, she had 
 amassed a surprising conglomeration of half- 
 digested theories. 
 
 During several years she had been passing 
 through successive phases "planes," she 
 called them and her conclusions of to-day 
 by no means indicated what they might 
 be to-morrow, because her creed was " prog 
 ress." 
 
 At the particular time we are writing about, 
 although she disdained to be pinned down and 
 classified under any name, like a dissected but 
 terfly, yet in the various conclusions she had 
 adopted, others might have called her a bit of 
 an agnostic, slightly a theosophist, wholly a 
 mctempsychosist, and having a leaning toward 
 the Christian scientists. 
 
 So it may be seen that this excellent lady 
 was holding her mind and soul like a sieve, 
 ready for the reception, the careful straining,
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 85 
 
 the percolation and the infiltration of the ac 
 cumulated theorems of the ages. 
 
 Such is the rarefied height of this nineteenth 
 century, from which the long-despised femi 
 nine mind, like the weird SJie, images in seem 
 ing youth and freshness the decay and the 
 effete problems of a buried past. 
 
 Mrs. Akme, it cannot be denied, had her weak 
 points, and yet such a paradox was she, that in 
 h'er very weakness was a sort of strength. 
 
 For instance, she was inclined, without know 
 ing it, perhaps, to be very exclusive, yet her 
 quite special tastes ran counter to everything 
 conventional. 
 
 Access to her drawing-room was difficult, 
 yet there were points that proved an " open 
 sesame." 
 
 If an invitation was desired on the score of 
 wealth or fashion, she would decline w 7 ith the 
 remark that such a person could give nothing 
 that she desired to have; but if she was told 
 that any one was clever and original, she would 
 not fail to make them \velcome.
 
 86 CHIM 
 
 The motive for her selections may have been 
 all right, but the result was a collection of the 
 most dissimilar and, at times, incongruous ele 
 ments. 
 
 Once a month, on Sunday evening, this so 
 ciety had a meeting in Mrs. Akme's parlors, the 
 object of which was really, so far as she was 
 concerned, the diffusion of knowledge. 
 
 But the real outcome was to bring together 
 minds holding the most advanced opinions. 
 
 Curiously enough, these meetings were look 
 ed forward to with infinite zest, not only by 
 the members of the association, but also by 
 the society people, whom they affected to ig 
 nore. 
 
 It is a queer thing that the fashionable world 
 is so perverse as to unmercifully snub those 
 who show an anxiety to cultivate them, but at 
 the same time they knock at the doors of those 
 who affect an utter indifference to their move 
 ments. 
 
 So, in spite of Mrs. Akme's expressed wish, 
 that merely fashionable people should not
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 8/ 
 
 come, they made a point to make her salon a 
 society event. 
 
 She was aghast to find that it was a craze to 
 be literary. 
 
 Yet, as Mrs. Akme was very kind-hearted, 
 she tried to find consolation by reflecting, that 
 although these unfortunates could in no wise 
 benefit them, yet perhaps they might raise the 
 tone of their social life. 
 
 But she overlooked the fact of the brainless- 
 ness of fashion, and that one might as well send 
 tracts to Timbuctoo, as to reclaim frivolity by 
 literature. 
 
 On this particular Saturday morning Mrs. 
 Akme was sipping a cup of cocoa at high noon, 
 admiring Chim, who sat beside her, also hold 
 ing a tiny cup of this nourishing beverage, and 
 chatting with Lennox Montague, who had 
 brought her a business paper to sign. 
 
 " To-morrow evening, Lennox, at 9 o'clock," 
 she said, " I shall expect you, for I wish then to 
 thank you, before our society, for the priceless 
 gift of this wonderful creature, whose rare en-
 
 88 CHIM 
 
 dowments illustrate and confirm my most cher 
 ished theories. Chim, too, wishes to thank you 
 for rescuing him from a terrible captivity ' 
 
 Chim, upon hearing his name, made a very 
 sedate little bow of assent. 
 
 At this moment the door-bell rang, and 
 presently the butler handed her a note and card 
 upon a silver salver. 
 
 Mrs. Akme disliked to be disturbed during 
 those hours that she deemed she had a right to 
 claim as her own. We suppose every one has 
 the same feeling. 
 
 " Harman," she said, as she took the note, 
 " I have several times explained to you, not to 
 permit my mornings to be invaded; " and, ad 
 dressing Lennox, she added, "this is one of 
 the trials of a Washington life." 
 
 Meantime the door by which the lackey 
 entered was ajar. 
 
 What was it that seemed so strangely to 
 agitate Chim ? The dog, a moment before 
 so placid, now hastily put down his cup, sniff 
 ing.
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 89 
 
 His mistress instantly noticed his movement, 
 for it was her latest fancy to make this creature 
 her inspiration. 
 
 "There is something occult in this uneasi 
 ness," she said to Lennox, who began to have 
 a suspicion that she was 11011 compos. " Par 
 don, if I read this note, it may be a missive 
 from one of the Silent Brothers." 
 
 Chim had now put his finely pointed nose 
 between his forepaws, and was quivering in 
 every limb. 
 
 Mrs. Akme, agitated by his agitation, read 
 the note hurriedly. It was the kind letter from 
 the dear old gentleman of Washington, in 
 troducing Alma, and commending the unpro 
 tected girl to her good offices. 
 
 " Strange this should be needed," she said to 
 herself, "for I knew her courtly grandfather 
 when I was a young girl, and he was thought 
 to be a man of family and fortune." 
 
 Harman still awaited orders. "Show the 
 lady in," said Mrs. Akme. 
 
 Another instant, and Alma entered.
 
 90 CIIIM 
 
 With one piercing cry, that was human in its 
 intensity, Chim bounded from his chair, with 
 a sudden spring, and rolled over and over at 
 the feet of his beloved, long-lost mistress, 
 fondly licking her hands in an ecstasy of joy 
 while she, poor child, in amazed delight, 
 called out, "Chim! Chim!" and, kneeling 
 down, pressed her darling, long-lost pet to her 
 wildly beating heart. 
 
 This affecting scene lasted some moments 
 before Alma arose trembling, but still clasping 
 her treasure in her arms. 
 
 Mrs. Akme was exceedingly pale. 
 
 Never before had Lennox experienced such 
 mingled emotions of surprise and admiration, 
 for Alma was a beautiful girl, and the scene 
 made a picture for eye and heart to dwell upon. 
 
 What peculiar sensations overcame him as 
 he instantly realized the astonishing circum 
 stance, that he, too, was one of the actors in 
 this little drama, he having found and rescued 
 the dog, and thus prepared the way for this 
 rapturous meeting. And now he was the wit-
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME QI 
 
 ness to their happiness. He felt for the first 
 time in his life as if he might be the hero of a 
 fairy tale, to whom was confided the clue that 
 threaded a labyrinthian maze. 
 
 But Mrs. Akme was ecstatic, as one who is 
 suddenly transported beyond the boundary 
 line, and ushered into another world. 
 
 The visible faded away, and she grasped at 
 the invisible. 
 
 'To her highly exalted imagination this 
 meeting was not only a revelation from the 
 spirit world, it was a positive command. 
 
 Her penetrating intelligence connected the 
 links of the mysterious chain of events, and 
 her generous heart at once conceived a project. 
 
 It was evident that the wonderful dog be 
 longed to this fair girl, who now stood before 
 her, a beaming, lovely picture, with the ador 
 able creature nestled close to her heart, as he 
 peered out at her from underneath his over 
 hanging silken curls, with a kindly but yet a 
 defiant air. 
 
 Fidelity is the sublime attribute of the dog;
 
 92 CHIM 
 
 the virtue his race typifies, and she knew that 
 his first lealty belonged to his mistress. 
 
 Yet this being meant more to her soul-life 
 than any joy or sorrow that could come to her, 
 for he was the exemplification of that which 
 she had eagerly sought. 
 
 He was the embodiment of a principle. 
 
 She felt sure that she alone had divined his 
 secret; she alone knew him to be a wonderful 
 incarnation, and she alone must guard this 
 astounding evidence of metempsychosis. At all 
 hazards all sacrifices she must keep him near 
 her; he must be watched over for the sake of 
 truth, and out of her reverential belief in the 
 wisdom-religion. 
 
 There was so much awaiting proof that could 
 only be solved through this marvel of trans 
 migration. 
 
 A thousand, thousand, incoherent thoughts 
 were hers, which formed themselves, more 
 rapidly than can be conceived in the telling, 
 into one firm resolve. 
 
 That was, that she would never, never part
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 93 
 
 with this being-; and in order to retain Chim, 
 she would adopt Alma, to whom he belonged, 
 as her own daughter. 
 
 The young lady was interesting and very 
 lovable, and it would be nice anyhow. 
 
 Fairly trembling for fear of a refusal, Mrs. 
 Akme approached the homeless orphan, and 
 embracing her, said in the most captivating 
 way: 
 
 *' Dear child, I welcome you as my own 
 daughter stay with me, and be mine." 
 
 As she uttered these persuasive words, the 
 poor lady was overwhelmed with an overpow 
 ering recollection of her own fair child, always 
 mourned for, although lost years ago. This 
 lamented child would, if living, have now 
 reached Alma's age. 
 
 Subdued by these conflicting emotions, the 
 proud, the collected, the self-reliant, thought- 
 leader rested her head, as if for solace, upon 
 the shoulder of this beautiful girl, with a pro 
 tecting arm thrown lovingly around her waist. 
 
 " Madam, dear, dear madam " was all that
 
 94 CHIM 
 
 Alma could say, as she felt as if her heart 
 would burst; and Lennox Montague, under 
 standing with the quick intuition of a refined 
 nature that the improvised scene was too sa 
 cred, the reality too extraordinary for any 
 witness, quietly withdrew. 
 
 The last glimpse he had of the delightful 
 trio was that of Chim huddled in a heap in Al 
 ma's arms, but softly and approvingly licking 
 Mrs. Akme's hand that encircled the waist of 
 his mistress. For Chim, too, was giving her 
 thanks. 
 
 " Really, it is sublimely ridiculous, and at 
 the same time awfully touching," said Lennox 
 to himself, as, seizing his hat and forgetting 
 his cane, he hurried away. "I suppose " 
 thought he, as he rushed through the streets, 
 half upsetting a baby-carriage and half upset 
 by a dog that ran between his legs " confound 
 it," thought he, " I believe that frizzled dog is 
 bewitched, and I am under the spell. What a 
 beauty she is ! Heavens ! but that is a lucky 
 dog! I wish I were in his place. Fie, my dual,
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 95 
 
 I'm ashamed of you. I ought to laugh at the 
 scene I've witnessed; but I can't, for dear Mrs. 
 Akme has the magnetism of sincerity, and you 
 are dragged along as you protest against the 
 absurdity. And what a lucky fellow I am to 
 have saved that dog, that found that home, 
 for that angel ! " 
 
 Thus assenting, dissenting, protesting and 
 affirming, Lennox Montague became that woe 
 ful* bundle of contradictions, that capricious 
 antithesis, that most unreasonable of all rea 
 soning animals a man in love ! He did not 
 know what was the matter with him; but he 
 returned to his F Street den the victim of 
 new sensations. 
 
 The two fascinating women, now seated on 
 a low divan, talked long and earnestly in sub 
 dued, silvery tones, with Chim resting between 
 them, all curled up in a fluffy coil, his dreamy 
 eyes squeezed tight shut, sleeping serenely in 
 sweetest slumber, overcome by the excess of 
 his great happiness. 
 
 He, the hero, who, like knight-errant of old,
 
 g6 CHIM 
 
 had gone forth to do battle with the ogre in his 
 den, who had been victorious, and gained par 
 adise for her whom he adored, as well as a lux 
 urious home for himself, and a true matron's 
 protecting care for them both. 
 
 What dreams do all those little twitching 
 movements, watched by four loving eyes, be 
 tray ? 
 
 Chim dreams of the green hills of Washing 
 ton, of the lonely hours while his mistress gives 
 her daily lessons for bread, of his sympathetic 
 tears for her sorrows, of the lessons that made 
 him an educated clog, of the rewards given, of 
 the verdant meadow beside the brooklet; then 
 the scene changes, and the terrible nightmare 
 of the hurdy-gurdy oppresses him ; he feels 
 the weary trotting on all day, day after day t 
 footsore, heartsore and hungry ; fleas disport 
 themselves in his unkempt hair, and torture 
 him; he moans, for he is beaten; he shivers, 
 for he is cold, oh, how cold ! Then the street 
 performance, the having to earn his bread by 
 those straining leaps, tired and faint as he was.
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 97 
 
 Ah, the sun shines at last upon his blank de 
 spair, the manly youth rescues him, a loving 
 woman shelters him, and these dawning 
 glimpses of a brighter future now open into the 
 glory-flooded light of reunion with her; and in 
 the midst of his great content his senses dis 
 solve into dreamless sleep. 
 
 Oh, Chim, when perchance mortals sink into 
 sleep like that, they awaken revivified, having 
 been strengthened by the elixir of life. 
 
 What a mystery is here unfolded, that obliv 
 ion is needed to build spent forces anew. Yet, 
 let neither dog nor man seek to unveil the fu 
 ture. 
 
 Ah, Chim, not even in dreams' magic visions 
 can you foresee the dawning glories of the ris 
 ing sun ! 
 
 To-day you are but a skye-terrier, but to 
 morrow you are to be a pundit ! 
 
 The foregoing may appear rhapsodical, but 
 it is simply incidental to the theosophic belief 
 of a transmigration of souls, as we shall pres 
 ently realize.
 
 98 CHIM 
 
 The doing of a good deed, even if the mo 
 tive is not flawless, brings a reward. This Mrs. 
 Akme experienced, as this hitherto lonely 
 woman was comforted by the lovable Alma 
 Aylwyn, and she felt a profound happiness to 
 which she had long been a stranger. 
 
 These two women intuitively knew and un 
 derstood that they needed each other. Which 
 one had really gained the most ? The world, 
 the dollar-counting world, exclaims : " The 
 gain is for the orphan girl." 
 
 Mrs. Akme knew better how to measure the 
 real with the unreal. She knew how little 
 money counts, beyond the necessity of living. 
 
 How natural the situation was, after all. They 
 had similar family traditions, with a unison of 
 tastes and cultivation, while the contrasting dif 
 ferences only held them the more closely to 
 gether, for the experience of the matron sup 
 plemented the inexperience of the maiden, and 
 there were no points of dissimilarity to make 
 discord. 
 
 And this learned woman, usually so indiffer-
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 99 
 
 ent, except as to literature, and theses, and 
 philosophy and progress, had the deep foun 
 tains of her affections touched, and an upspring- 
 ing love of this artless girl, who was henceforth 
 to be as her very own, overshadowed in its hu 
 man intensity for the moment even her en 
 thusiasm for the wisdom-religion, and for Chim 
 as an illustration of its creed. 
 
 At her earnest request, Alma gave the his 
 tory of her life, and the story was all the more 
 pathetic because of its simplicity. 
 
 While this recital was being made Chim slept, 
 but as the monotone of her voice ceased, he 
 awoke, and barked for something to eat, which 
 suddenly reminded Mrs. Akme of the bodily 
 needs of her newly adopted child. Her lug 
 gage, which had been left at the station, was 
 sent for, a tempting lunch spread before her, 
 succeeded by a delightful drive to the Soldiers' 
 Home, for it was one of Washington's balmy 
 winter days. The invigorating drive was fol 
 lowed by a quiet dinner, and Alma's piano play 
 ing made the evening pass pleasantly. Mrs.
 
 100 CHIM 
 
 Akme, although not herself a fine musician, 
 had a cultivated ear, and could appreciate the 
 accuracy and delicacy of Alma's touch. 
 
 Finally Mrs. Akme took Alma herself to a 
 beautiful room, only separated from her own by 
 an artistic boudoir, which was draped in sky 
 blue, in compliment to the skye. As they en 
 tered the charming apartment together, Mrs. 
 Akme embraced Alma, and said, " My dear 
 child, this is your own room, I beg you will 
 feel at home in it, and find it restful. It is your 
 sanctum, for no one can grow mentally with 
 out setting apart some time each day as sacred 
 to solitude. It is willed, my dear, that your 
 struggle for subsistence is ended, and that our 
 fates shall henceforth be united, but," and she 
 hesitated, " I beg of you one favor in return 
 for all I hope to do to make you happy." 
 
 Mrs. Akme was always very composed, as 
 one accustomed to society, and no formal oc 
 casion of conventional life could have embar 
 rassed her, but she felt deeply now, and almost 
 ashamed too, to place such stress on a slight
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME IOI 
 
 thing, and she was visibly embarrassed as she 
 added, " This boudoir that connects our rooms 
 is his adytum I wish that he should occupy it 
 alone. Thus he will belong to us both, and 
 well, I beg you to teach him to share his love 
 for you with me." 
 
 It is said reluctantly, yet truth compels the 
 avowal : This seeming nothing that Mrs. Akme 
 asked in return for a luxurious home, and a 
 loving reception in it, was really the greatest 
 sacrifice this excellent lady could have requir 
 ed of her ward. Alma yearned so to have Chim 
 to herself, to place him as he was placed in 
 their simple room in a village boarding-house, 
 where he used to curl himself into a downy 
 ball, and sleep divinely. It is not the only in 
 stance where an humble home has given some 
 real happiness in its homely comforts, that the 
 gilded cage of a palatial mansion cannot offer. 
 
 Alma was truly and deeply grateful, and so 
 she at once checked the nascent selfishness. 
 " It shall be quite as you wish, dear madam," 
 she said. Then turning to Chim, who had
 
 102 CHIM 
 
 stood beside her, looking from one to the other 
 during the course of the conversation, she said 
 in a tone of authority which Chim had been 
 trained to heed, " Here, sir, is your room, and 
 here you must sleep," putting him down on a 
 triangular blue satin-covered canopied couch, 
 with eider-down quilt and pillows piled up, 
 and snugly fitting in a corner sheltered from all 
 drafts. Mrs. Akme looked on. The dog feign 
 ed not to hear, and sliding off the low couch 
 ran into Alma's room, where he lay down on 
 the rug at the foot of her bed, putting his head 
 between his forepaws, after a way he had when 
 he was taking note of things around him. He 
 
 o o 
 
 kept his weather-eye wide open, and the only 
 sign he gave of life was an almost imperceptible 
 movement of his tail. But he had to deal now 
 with the firm will of his trainer, and she was 
 not to be thus deceived. " Chim, sir!" she re 
 peated in a severe tone of displeasure, pointing 
 to the next rcom in the direction of his bed. 
 
 The poor little creature recognized the in 
 evitable, and straightening himself out, he
 
 ALMA FINDS A HOME 103 
 
 slowly and abjectly dragged himself along on 
 his stomach, letting his hind legs stretch out 
 limp. Now and then he made short pauses as 
 if for reprieve of the hard sentence, but finding 
 from the inflexible attitude of his mistress, that 
 he must obey, he finally reached his couch, 
 and with a feeble hop, as if it were an expiring 
 effort, he settled himself down, with a low whine. 
 But as Mrs. Akme now came forward to cover 
 him with the quilt, he gave decided evidence 
 of renewed vigor, as he quickly tossed it off, 
 with a wicked red gleam in his angry eye. 
 
 Then Mrs. Akme, who had perfectly meas 
 ured it all, again embraced Alma as she bade 
 her " good-night." 
 
 " Thanks, my dear," she said, " you are good 
 and true." 
 
 But Chim, the little rascal, was revengeful 
 for once, and did his best to disturb them both, 
 for he had an uneasy sleep, in which he cer 
 tainly did snore, at intervals twitching and 
 giving undoubted symptoms of heartache or 
 indigestion. And so naughty was he, that
 
 104 CHIM 
 
 once, indeed, Alma, who could not sleep that 
 night, caught the recreant puppy actually 
 sneaking into her room; but upon her decisive 
 " Cliiin, sir!" he guiltily slunk back. 
 
 " What did he do ? " called out Mrs. Akme, 
 who had also left the door of her room ajar, 
 and who was passing a sleepless night. 
 
 "He tried, madam, to come to me." an 
 swered Alma. 
 
 " An astonishing proof," soliloquized Mrs. 
 Akme, "of the conflict of the antagonisms of 
 transmigration. Here we have the aura of the 
 pundit imprisoned in the shell of a dog. The 
 principles are at variance, and yet it is but a 
 phase of successive reincarnations."
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT 
 
 THE two ladies breakfasted at a late hour 
 the next morning. Mrs. Akme looked some 
 what careworn, and Alma a trifle pale. She 
 was a typical American beauty, this lovely 
 wild rose, of a good old stock. In stature 
 about medium height, svelte, and her move 
 ments had a willowy grace suggestive of sup 
 pleness and strength what, indeed, might 
 aptly be described as facile force. One felt 
 that she was amiable enough to yield, and at 
 the same time was firm where resistance was 
 needed. As to her complexion, it was simply 
 faultless; fair, and with coloring of roseate, 
 vivid, changing tints. 
 
 Mrs. Akme looked at her admiringly, with 
 the thought that " beauty was captivating, but 
 
 when allied with goodness, was lovable," for 
 105
 
 106 CHIM 
 
 already had she experienced the healing power 
 of this companionship. 
 
 Chim sat between them, none the worse for 
 the uneasy slumbers of the past night, and 
 quite restored to good humor over his lamb chop, 
 as, indeed, many people are during the appre 
 ciative discussion of a satisfactory breakfast. 
 
 The butler, careful for the napery, had tuck 
 ed a napkin round his neck as best he could, 
 for Mrs. Akme had absolutely forbidden the 
 use of a pin as dangerous. 
 
 " This is a precaution," she said, " that heed 
 less mothers are apt to neglect. Their babies 
 cry because they are scratched, then they yell 
 because, when they wriggle, the pin sticks the 
 deeper. I know," she added, apologetically, 
 " that it is bad form for Chim to have this nap 
 kin under his chin." 
 
 "Yet," suggested Alma, gravely, "I am 
 told that English well-fed aldermen do it, and 
 even the Lord Mayor of London when he 
 dined with Whittington's cat, and Chim comes 
 of Anglo-American stock."
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT 107 
 
 " True," said Mrs. Akme approvingly, " it is 
 probable he was an Anglican alderman in one 
 of his life-cycles." 
 
 " He may have been Mother Goose," said 
 Alma laughing, not realizing the profundity of 
 her friend's remark. 
 
 " My dear child," replied she with dignity, 
 " the apparently incoherent recitals of this 
 nursery book, especially these rhymes regard 
 ing animals, have a deep allegorical meaning, 
 some of them archaic, and can be traced back 
 to Plotinus." 
 
 Alma never having heard of Plotinus, felt 
 her ignorance, and so very naively answered, 
 " I don't know : I have so much to learn." 
 
 The most expert courtier could not have 
 better pleased Mrs. Akme, who knew society, 
 was tired of its pretentious ways, and found an 
 infinite charm in unaffected simplicity. Then 
 the role of superior acquirements, thus grace 
 fully conceded her, was to her liking. 
 
 This winter breakfast-room, in which the trio 
 were, was cozy and had the glow of the south-
 
 IOS CHIM 
 
 east light so cheering of a winter morning, when 
 Washington is irradiated by her brilliant sun. 
 
 Just then a broad, bright ray like a warm 
 welcome, rested on the rich abundance of the 
 soft brown and golden hair of the young girl, 
 and flitted around her figure, investing her 
 with a sort of diaphanous atmosphere. 
 
 " A benison has fallen upon my lonely 
 home," thought the matron: "this dear child 
 is a pleasing neophyte to instruct." 
 
 At that moment Lennox Montague's card 
 was handed in. Mrs. Akme liked Lennox 
 
 
 
 very much, but she did not like being disturb 
 ed at all hours. 
 
 However, she said," Show Mr. Montague in," 
 and as he entered, she said kindly yet pointed 
 ly, " Good-morning, Lennox ; I thought these 
 were your hours for church." 
 
 This little speech was perfectly understood 
 by the youth, and acted as a useful tonic for 
 the future when he was tempted to seek Alma 
 at other than visiting hours. The fact was, 
 his desire to meet Alma again had been irre-
 
 CHIMS DEBUT lOQ 
 
 sistible, but he had the savoir-faire to collect 
 himself, and with the hurried air of a man 
 who has no time to lose, declined the proffered 
 chair, though it cost him a pang to do so. 
 
 " I have ventured to call at this unseason 
 able hour," he said affably, " wishing to find 
 you at home, Mrs. Akme, and to offer my ser 
 vices in case you need them for this evening." 
 
 " Thanks," said that lady with a twinge of 
 self-reproach, " you are very thoughtful." She 
 paused a moment, then added : 
 
 " I had intended writing a note to Professor 
 Wissy-Wassy, who is to introduce Chim to our 
 Society of Adepts, in order to acquaint him with 
 the remarkable coincidence of the arrival of 
 Miss Aylvvyn in that connection, but if you will 
 kindly call upon that gentleman and inform 
 him of all the facts you will greatly oblige 
 me." 
 
 There are some things in occultism difficult 
 to put upon paper, and better explained in a 
 conversational way. 
 
 Alma's mind was confused by this mode of
 
 HO CHIM 
 
 speech so new to her " introduce Chim to 
 the Society of Adepts, "and "occultism," con 
 necting Chim and herself. She began to feel as 
 if it were all some strange hallucination, and 
 Chim perhaps the genie that rubbed Aladdin's 
 lamp. 
 
 Just then Chim jumped down out of his chair, 
 pulling the napkin off, and hopped up into 
 Alma's lap, looking in a half jealous way at 
 Lennox who had noticed him with repressed 
 merriment. 
 
 Almost as if divining Alma's thought, Len 
 nox said, " Perhaps, Miss Aylwyn, Chim is 
 good enough to mistake me for the prince of 
 the fairy tale, and he asserts himself." 
 
 Conscious of an undefined sentiment she 
 wished to repress, the eyes of the beautiful girl 
 took on the hue of the deep blue sea, and her 
 cheeks were aflame as are the glowing sunlit 
 waves. 
 
 Lennox in his turn wondered "how much 
 more such loveliness would upset his reason," 
 while Chim, as if taking in the situation from
 
 CHIMS DEBUT III 
 
 his vantage-ground, glared round the table in 
 a very spoiled way. 
 
 Suddenly his mistress, recalling the request 
 of Mrs. Akme, said to the dog, "Down, sir." 
 As he did not stir she quietly arose, letting 
 him slide to the floor. Chim would have been 
 miserable indeed could he have known of an 
 almost imperceptible heart-throb of his fair 
 tyrant, which, like a shadow half-concealed, 
 foretold that she might some day live, move, 
 and have her being, with another object reign 
 ing supreme in her affections. Ah, Chim, thou 
 knowest not yet how lamentably fickle is a 
 woman's heart ! 
 
 Petted children sometimes pretend to be 
 hurt when they are not, if it is attempted to 
 punish them, and Chim, like a spoiled child, 
 cried when he was put down. 
 
 " Oh," said Mrs. Akme with solicitude, " can 
 he be hurt ? " 
 
 ''Not at all hurt," replied Alma quietly; "he 
 is only naughty," and she stooped down and 
 gave him a smart slap.
 
 112 CHIM 
 
 This punishment did him good, for he 
 stopped crying, and moved his tail in a suppli 
 cating way. 
 
 "Go back to your chair, sir," said Alma. 
 
 Chim obeyed the command. Lennox was 
 delighted to see that much common sense left 
 to womankind. 
 
 Ah, Chim, you were unwittingly pointing a 
 moral, for before this day closes you are to 
 have an apotheosis, but the foundation is laid 
 in your first being humbled ! Such are the 
 lights and shadows of a life ! 
 
 Lennox then said, "I will at once go and 
 see the professor, who, I fancy, can be found 
 in his study at this hour." So bidding the 
 ladies and Chim "good morning," he went 
 away. 
 
 After he left, Mrs. Akme remarked to Alma, 
 " I quite forgot to mention to you, clear, in 
 connection with the day, that I have no form 
 ulated creed that takes me to any church. I 
 have long ago emancipated myself from thral 
 dom, and thought-freedom in the largest sense
 
 CHIMS DEBUT 113 
 
 is what I seek. Yet I desire that others should 
 also have the same liberty. But I fear it is 
 now too late for any of the morning services, 
 for I heard the church bells ring while we were 
 at breakfast." 
 
 Alma said, " Thanks, Mrs. Akme; unfortu 
 nately I am not a professing Christian, although 
 I love to go to church, especially I enjoy the 
 ceremonies of the Catholics." 
 
 " I have a friend," replied Mrs. Akme, " who 
 has a pew at St. Matthew's, and I will ask her 
 if she can spare you a seat. After this, go 
 whenever you are so inclined. And now, dear, 
 shut Chim up in his room, or you may walk 
 out together do as you will; but I shall find 
 it needful for my spirit-growth to be alone till 
 dinner. This evening at nine o'clock the So 
 ciety of Adepts will meet in my drawing-room. 
 Chim will then be introduced, and you will 
 greatly oblige me, dear, if you will see that the 
 maid pays proper attention to his toilette. A 
 perfumed bath, for instance, will be pleasant for 
 him, and make him attractive to others."
 
 114 CIIIM 
 
 Alma was very careful to prepare Chim for 
 the evening, and while she was amusing her 
 self with the intelligent little creature, who 
 was very frisky and vivacious, she made him 
 rehearse all of his old tricks, much wondering, 
 while she did so, what part he was destined to 
 play among the Adepts. 
 
 Shortly before nine o'clock Mrs. Akme came 
 to Chim's boudoir where Alma was, and they 
 then accompanied her to the drawing-room. 
 
 The house presented a charming picture of 
 quiet elegance, as the cheerful blaze of wood- 
 fires, subdued by lamplight and shaded wax 
 candles, suggested the dreaminess of contem 
 plative thought, rather than the glare and ex 
 citement attending the usual society enter 
 tainments. 
 
 Alma thought she had never seen anything 
 " so enchanting," and she never had, so she 
 told Mrs. Akme a candid avowal that pleased 
 that lady, for however sublimated her soul may 
 have been, she liked the recognition of success. 
 
 Punctually at nine the Adepts arrived, who
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT 115 
 
 were nine in number, including the hostess. 
 And here let it be remarked that everything 
 the Adepts did and said was supposed to be 
 symbolical and to have a hidden meaning, ac 
 cording to the complex laws of the Secret 
 Science. 
 
 So that, although they preferred to be left 
 alone, yet it made little or no difference who 
 was present of the uninitiated, inasmuch as no 
 one could understand them. 
 
 They had the polished wit of Talleyrand, in 
 making language conceal thought, for with 
 them thought was the Saracenic scimitar, 
 and words the sheath to keep the blade from 
 rusting. 
 
 Alma, arrayed in spotless white, stood just a 
 little back of Mrs. Akme, holding Chim in 
 leash by a blue ribbon, while Lennox, who 
 had availed himself of the invitation to "come 
 early," stood beside Alma in order to assist 
 her, if need be, in the care of Chim, and he was 
 dazzled by Alma's white dress, which seemed 
 to him marvelously becoming.
 
 Il6 CHIM 
 
 That morning he had duly made known to 
 Professor Wissy-Wassy, in compliance with the 
 request of Mrs. Akme, all that had transpired, 
 but to his surprise that gentleman took the 
 matter very coolly, merely remarking that he 
 had, " the night previous, when in a lucid, clair 
 voyant state, been made aware of what had 
 taken place ! " 
 
 It seemed to Lennox, upon hearing this state 
 ment, that this gentlemen was not a comfort 
 able person to know, if he had the power, like 
 Asmodeus, the renowned devil on two sticks, 
 to inspect what people were about, without 
 their being at all able to protect themselves 
 against such ubiquitous espionage. 
 
 When all were assembled it was a most not 
 able symposium ! 
 
 Professor Guatama lamblichus Wissy-Wassy, 
 Mahatma, and teacher of hermetic philosophy 
 and Orientalism, was a host in himself, enough 
 possibly to have purified the air of Washington 
 during a whole session of Congress, had that 
 erratic body only had the mystic sense to make
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT 117 
 
 the needed appropriation for the cleaning of 
 the Augean stables under his direction. This 
 suggestion may seem irrelevant, but in it is 
 sufficient material for the publication, at public 
 expense of course, of a public document, ir 
 reverently often alluded to as " Pub. Doc." for 
 short. 
 
 The. clear olive complexion, languid dark 
 eyes, and ascetic figure of the professor gave 
 an indefinable inkling of his leading an inner 
 life of concentrated contemplation, removed 
 from transitory, terrestrial scenes. 
 
 Had he only enwrapped his massive head in 
 the folds of an Oriental turban, and draped 
 himself in a flowing white woolen garment, the 
 illusion would have been enhanced. 
 
 Yet, even in a well-fitting dress-suit of Hei- 
 berger's make (and surprising to add, for a 
 dreamer, it was paid for, too), he had a strange, 
 weird, haggard look, which made an impres 
 sion that the grave, deep, sepulchral tones of 
 his voice increased. 
 
 This gentleman and Mrs. Akme were evi-
 
 118 CHIM 
 
 dently the leaders who gave cohesion to the 
 society. But Mrs. Akme's delight was to give 
 everybody a free lunch, and a free ride on his 
 or her hobby. 
 
 This was what this dear lady called, " need 
 ed thought attrition" and " progress." 
 
 It has been said that many people call the 
 act of going " progress," forgetting that if one 
 goes wrong, movement becomes retrograde. 
 
 Mrs. Odic had been received as an Adept by 
 Mrs. Akme with some hesitation, not because 
 she was a spiritualist, as it would have run 
 counter to the grand idea of freedom, to forbid 
 any one's initiation on account of their theories, 
 but unfortunately for general society, Mrs. 
 Odic, who was no longer young, had put her 
 theories into vigorous practice, left her husband 
 and their children, and was spiritually married 
 to Augustus Odic, a wavering boy of twenty, 
 whom she had discovered to be her soul's affin 
 ity. This startling application of a theory was 
 very distasteful to Mrs. Akme, who was a very 
 proper society woman: after much hesitation,
 
 CHIMS DEBUT 119 
 
 however, it was conceded that Mrs. Odic could 
 come, unattended by her spirit-complement, 
 which was rather unfair. But she made up for 
 two, any day, although she was, as it were, 
 only tolerated; one might say, "on trial" or 
 "good behavior." 
 
 Mrs. Turvey-Topsey was a very able 
 Christian scientist, who had published a mon 
 ograph on the all-sustaining effect of the will 
 power, and its transcending potency over dis 
 ease, which is only an expression of weakness. 
 Her doctrines led her directly into the specu 
 lations of the Adepts; and she had no difficulty 
 in accepting their conclusions. 
 
 Miss Featherweight held that the universal 
 panacea for all the ills mortals fall heir to is 
 fasting, which was alike good for flesh and 
 spirit, and that the mind triumphed just as the 
 body wasted. Her belief harmonized with 
 that of the Adepts, who found no objection to 
 her affiliation in their midst. 
 
 Dr. Mensana, who pooh-poohed at the very 
 unprofessional opinions of both Mrs. Turvey-
 
 120 CHIM 
 
 Topscy and Miss Featherweight, only consented 
 to become an Adept in such company because 
 he expected to convert them, with the rest of 
 the ,\vorld, to his wonderful discoveries con 
 cerning the origin of microbes and the Elixir 
 of Life. He felt that these additions to the 
 sum of human knowledge were rather in the 
 nature of revelations, and were destined to 
 revolutionize the present order of things. Of 
 course, when there was a sure prophylactic for 
 the prevention of disease, and a life-giving 
 fluid that would prolong existence beyond the 
 allotted days of Methuselah, conditions must 
 change. He had not the slightest doubt that 
 the Mahatmas could live a thousand years in 
 a state of perpetual youth. 
 
 General Alibi's theories of the mode of con 
 ducting war, so as to evolve out of threatened 
 dangers a state of perpetual peace and bring 
 about a millennium of brotherly love, he exem 
 plified in his own proper person. He was 
 mild, persuasive and suave, and so necessary 
 to keep the wheels of government well oiled,
 
 CHIMS DEBUT 121 
 
 that he had for many years been stationed at 
 Washington, where he was constantly needed 
 to explain the art of war and sit on court- 
 martials. 
 
 He certainly was an adept at holding the 
 scales of justice evenly balanced, without tips. 
 
 Then there was Mr. Epicene, who had gov 
 ernmental theories that the world's progress 
 was retarded by the exhibition of too much 
 masculine power, and that the vital magnetic 
 influence should rather proceed from the 
 female sex. He held that the best way to 
 neutralize disturbing forces and restore the 
 needful equipoise, was to let the women rule 
 the state, so as to leave the men more at lib 
 erty to exercise the higher faculties of con 
 templation and scientific development. 
 
 Now, curiously enough, Mrs. Epicene illus 
 trated his theory as she came in, as the ninth 
 Adept, having, as such, a casting vote, and cre 
 ating in the management of the society a pre 
 ponderance of femininity. 
 
 Mrs. Epicene wore her hair short; Mr. Epi-
 
 122 CHIM 
 
 cene wore his hair long. She affected natty, 
 trim, tailor-made suits, and he liked slouch}- 
 clothes, which, touching him nowhere, did not 
 distract him in his reveries. His features were 
 mild and composed, and hers pronounced and 
 aggressive, so that when they were both seated 
 in any company, this peculiar effect was pro 
 duced, that people were incessantly mixing 
 them up, and mistaking Mister for Mrs. and 
 the one It for t'other It. 
 
 This confusion of identity caused no little 
 merriment outside of the circle of Adepts, and 
 among the scoffing because ignorant Unil- 
 Iniuinatcd, if a new word can be coined to ex 
 press that circle and sphere of the uninitiated. 
 
 When this assembly was seated it was in 
 deed a goodly company, and one representing 
 as many divergences as the points of the com 
 pass, or the emblems that do environ the 
 grades of Adonhiram. 
 
 Professor Wissy-Wassy claimed that their 
 order of Adepts was most ancient of the an 
 cient, and could be directly traced to the very
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT 123 
 
 root of the genealogical tree: even to Phaleg 
 who was the son of Heber, whose father was 
 the son of Arphaxad, who was the oldest son of 
 Noah. 
 
 Therefore this society represented Shem, 
 Cham, and Japhet. 
 
 Now when these archaical Adepts were all 
 seated in a mystical horse-shoe shape, and 
 Mrs. Akme was about to ask the professor 
 properly to introduce Chim, much to her dis 
 gust the giddy wheel of fashion rotated their 
 way, and sent them a score or more of its vo 
 taries. Amongst the number, there came a 
 carriage full of the interesting family of mil 
 lionaires who needs must run after every new 
 sensation, and who had left their own dinner 
 table, asking their guests to excuse them, and 
 amuse themselves playing billiards, while they 
 met an engagement at Mrs. Akme's. 
 
 So there entered Mr. La Fayette de Noo, a 
 genial, somewhat bald-headed, oldish man, Mrs. 
 La Fayette de Noo, of an age impossible to 
 conjecture, Miss Marie Jeanne La Fayette de
 
 124 CHIM 
 
 Noo, and the young son, Mr. Marquis La Fay- 
 ctte de Noo, and following this family ava 
 lanche, besides those already arrived, were a 
 western member of Congress, and a foreign 
 minister who was desirous of learning English 
 "as she is spoke," and several others who 
 sauntered in trusting to be entertained, and sure 
 anyhow of obtaining a good supper, which was 
 about all the cultivation of the inner man these 
 miserable grovelers aspired to. 
 
 At last quiet being restored, for it is impossi 
 ble for any deliberative body except the House 
 of Representatives to effect important results 
 in a hubbub, Professor Wissy-Wassy stepped 
 upon a small raised dais in an alcove, and gave 
 Mrs. Akme to understand that he was now 
 ready formally to present Chim. 
 
 There was a discrowned marble pedestal in 
 this alcove, upon which it was intended to 
 place the skye-terrier, during his little speech. 
 But Chim, who was apt to be wilful, and have 
 a mind of his own, finding the marble hard and 
 cold, at once jumped down and ran back to
 
 CHIMS DEBUT 125 
 
 Alma, taking no more heed of the Mahatmas 
 than if he were an ordinary mortal. But Alma, 
 with perfect tact, at this awkward juncture, 
 quietly taking him in her arms, firmly replaced 
 him on his undesired pinnacle, and standing 
 back of him, she held him down in a way that 
 made him quite understand that he was to stay 
 where she placed him. 
 
 So, at last, without further loss of time, the 
 Professor had cleared his throat to begin, when 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo, who had been mali 
 ciously informed it was "a performance," and 
 who was over-anxious to keep the diplomat 
 who sat next her duly informed, tapped him 
 on the arm and said in a distinct undertone, 
 " The show, Monsheer, is about to begin." 
 Whereupon she leveled a big opera glass as 
 straight at poor Chim as if it had been a gun, 
 when her promising son and heir, Mr. Marquis 
 La Fayette de Noo, rose to his feet and brought 
 his glass to bear upon Alma, exclaiming, " Ton 
 honor, she's a daisy." 
 
 Lennox started, but Mrs. Akme,who had also
 
 126 CIIIM 
 
 heard it, put her hand upon his arm, holding 
 him back. The Professor glared at the offend 
 ers, and every Adept turned round and frowned 
 them down, and they accordingly subsided. 
 Now, amidst awful silence, the Professor said: 
 " Mahatmas and Adepts, it is my privilege, in 
 compliance with the request of our hostess and 
 worthy Adept, to call your attention to a mar 
 velous embodiment of the law of successive 
 reincarnation. Here is an astounding instance 
 of the Karmic complication, in the earth-life of 
 the occult being before you, at present bearing 
 the name of Chim. He represents the Nemesis 
 of the previous existence of an absolute mate 
 rialist, one whose materialism \vas so gross that 
 no spiritual ray could penetrate; and it will now r , 
 as we have reason to know, require at least 
 one hundred centuries of cyclic changes, which 
 Chim is now undergoing, in order to revive the 
 latent spirit of the once conscious soul. Un 
 der this all-prevailing Karmic law, behold this 
 shell" 
 
 " I bet anv one in this room a thousand dol-
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT I2/ 
 
 lars to one, and will put the chink down, that he 
 is a dog," vehemently interrupted Mr. La Fay- 
 ette de Noo, jumping up. 
 
 " Fere " (pronounced pare], said Miss La Fay- 
 ette de Noo, who had been educated in Paris, 
 pulling her impulsive parent down, and whis 
 pering acutely right into his unwilling ear, 
 " shut, up, and don't make a fool of yourself, as 
 mere (pronounced mare) and Marquis have 
 just done " whereupon the pere, turning very 
 red, so effectually did " shut up " that he never 
 spoke another word that evening. 
 
 " This shell" repeated the Professor, em 
 phasizing the word, " may require one hundred 
 thousand cycles to develop it into a Buddha, 
 for the constantly recurring danger exists, that 
 upon each reincarnation, some vicious ele 
 ment may be introduced that may cause the 
 astral eidolon to disintegrate. Occultism 
 teaches us that the element called instinct, 
 which this very intelligent skye-terrier possess 
 es, is a thinking principle, which we must respect. 
 Owing to the entire loss of memory incident to
 
 128 CHIM 
 
 successive reincarnations, we can have no accu 
 rate knowledge of the previous personal ego of 
 Chim, so as to ascertain why he should at pres 
 ent be thus potentially ensouled in the canine 
 physical body. Yet we have every reason to 
 hope, that by the time he will have had one 
 million lives " at this, the disgusted Marquis 
 interjected a very significant "Bosh /" 
 
 Lennox again started, but Mrs. Akme, who 
 was very pale, whispered to him, " It is intol 
 erable, but beneath our notice." 
 
 " Yes, I say, one million lives," repeated the 
 professor emphatically, " before he may be re 
 stored to Devatchan, and aspire, out of this state 
 of mental bliss, finally to reach Nirvana by the 
 time another million million cycles shall be run. 
 The ancient sages confirm us in this opinion 
 Plato, Pythagoras and a procession of others. 
 Meantime, our present duty is to treat this in 
 teresting being with respect, for I have vari 
 ous reasons, which I am not at liberty to di 
 vulge, for the assertion that it is my belief 
 that at one time during his previous planes of
 
 CHJM'S DEBUT 129 
 
 existence he was a learned pundit, and yet, 
 to this day, his poor phantasmal body bears 
 some semblance of it." 
 
 At this, the prolonged constraint, the Pro 
 fessor's deep voice, and the chilling cold mar 
 ble upon which he sat, so acted upon Chim's 
 sensitive nerves, that he set up a loud, pro 
 longed, most dismal howl. 
 
 This discordant sound reacted upon the 
 super-sensitiveness of Mrs. Odic, who called 
 out in a still louder voice, " I feel within my 
 higher nature the dual principle and the an 
 tagonisms of the masculine and the feminine, 
 for I was once in a previous incarnation a great 
 warrior; then I was Cleopatra, and I also have 
 a dreamy reminiscence, approaching to an ab 
 normal vision, that in previous births I was an 
 eagle." 
 
 " A real, live, American flap-doodle eagle ? " 
 asked the irrepressible Marquis. 
 
 Giving the unlucky wight a look as piercing 
 as the talons of that bird of prey, the lady 
 stalked up to Chim, who was now curled up in
 
 130 CHIM 
 
 Alma's arms, and stroking him, said, " my last 
 incarnation," when Chim, who was not in affin 
 ity, simply scratched her, and growled, saying 
 plainer than words, "hands off," whereupon 
 she mentally ejaculated, "the nasty wretch," 
 but checking herself, turned to the audience 
 and announced that "a phantom hand beck 
 oned her to the supper room," adding, " when 
 the double in that dog is once separated from 
 his present unworthy vehicle, every unpleasant 
 remembrance, as in my own case, will be ob 
 literated. Such is my terrestrial experience." 
 
 The professor now offered his arm to Mrs. 
 Akme; Lennox Montague was happy in secur 
 ing Alma, who, leading Chim by his blue rib 
 bon, went into the supper room. And Chim's 
 phosphorescent eyes fairly gleamed as he be 
 held the feast. 
 
 After Mrs. Akme had retired to her room 
 that night, a desperate spiritual combat was 
 hers. An understratum of common sense in 
 her nature rebelled against the absurd conse 
 quences of theories, whose illusions were suffi-
 
 CHIM'S DEBUT . 131 
 
 ciently captivating, until some attempt was 
 made to put them into practice. 
 
 The bold statements of Mrs. Odic were too 
 palpable when asserted as facts, for they be 
 longed rather to the domain of philosophical 
 speculation, and the brazen manner of the wo 
 man was repellent to her finer perceptions. 
 
 Nor had the meeting been characterized by 
 tjiat breadth and repose of philosophical dis 
 quisition she had expected. 
 
 It was true that the De Noo's had unexpect 
 edly introduced a plebeian element, for which 
 she was not prepared, which had chilled all 
 enthusiasm. 
 
 But even this she could better overlook than 
 the manifest great material enjoyment of the 
 supper by the Adepts, which scandalized her. 
 Would it not be better to disband the society 
 and pursue her investigations under the guid 
 ance of Professor Wissy-Wassy ?
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 CHIM AND THE LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 
 
 THE La Fayette de Noo family, who attend 
 ed the meeting of the Adepts, must be spoken 
 of with great respect, for they were awfully 
 rich. It quite takes one's breath away to men 
 tion how rich they were, but millions and mil 
 lions of American dollars which are more than 
 billions and billions of French francs, or tril 
 lions and trillions of German pfennigs were 
 scraped together out of an original nothing by 
 the head of the family. 
 
 When this extraordinarily lucky man first 
 started to " make his pile " his only capital was 
 a pile of bricks, of which he was the strong, 
 hefty hod-carrier. 
 
 At that time his fellows familiarly dubbed 
 him Larry Noo, nor was he, poor man, in any 
 
 way responsible for the heavy weight of name 
 132
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 133 
 
 his family later on forced him to carry, as the 
 result of their Parisian training. 
 
 That infliction was rather his misfortune than 
 his fault. 
 
 The daughter had been called Mary Jane, 
 after her mother, and the one boy was chris 
 tened Mark, but during quite a prolonged stay 
 in France, the ladies, preparatory to their re 
 turn to America, made various changes, need 
 ed to give expression to their changed circum 
 stances. 
 
 They knew that Larry Noo would always 
 stick to his surname, but that was so decorated 
 under their hands as to give it a really distin 
 guished sound. Mr. La Fayette de Noo, Mrs. 
 La Fayette de Noo, Miss Marie Jeanne La 
 Fayette de Noo, and for the crowning point, 
 Marquis (alas, poor Mark !) La Fayette de 
 Noo. These ancestral names could be rolled 
 out in euphonious waves of sound by flunkies, 
 and could be appropriately illustrated by the 
 strictest heraldic law. 
 
 It was one of those felicitous changes which
 
 134 CHI.M 
 
 suited everybody for the incumbents liked it, 
 and the world had its laugh. 
 
 It was the old story, of people suddenly 
 raised to a height, forgetting that society is 
 sure to get accurate information as to their an 
 tecedents while they are strutting in borrowed 
 plumage. No stupidity equals it but that of 
 the ostrich, who, with his head craned into the 
 sand, imagines that he has hidden his ungainly 
 bulk of frame from view. 
 
 The talent of money-making, which is not a 
 very high form of intellectual development, 
 but which is, nevertheless, a peculiar gift inhe 
 rent, for instance, with the Jews, is also given 
 to a wonderful extent to many Americans. 
 
 A large number of our citizens actually do 
 carve out princely fortunes by their own indi 
 vidual force, energy and sagacity, and at times, 
 too, distribute these earnings in munificent 
 charities. 
 
 In a country where the theory is that labor 
 is honorable, one would suppose that the rich 
 who have risen from the obscurity of poverty
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 135 
 
 would be anxious to have the extent of their 
 efforts appreciated, yet this is rarely the case. 
 
 Then, too, by a certain law of compensation, 
 the very people who have amassed riches, 
 when they aim to get a social standing, are apt 
 to expose themselves to ridicule by their igno 
 rance of the laws of good breeding. 
 
 And what makes their lapses in this direction 
 ajmost hopeless is, that they really don't know 
 that they don't know. 
 
 Yet the intuition of Americans is surprising 
 ly quick, and the children of these blundering 
 parents grow up to understand social forms, 
 while their children often have the most refined 
 perceptions. 
 
 This, then, is literally what is meant by the 
 accepted tradition that it takes three genera 
 tions to make a lady or a gentleman. 
 
 But now, again, the law of compensation 
 comes in, and as we happily have no binding 
 law of primogeniture, by the time a big fortune 
 has been divided so many times these refined 
 descendants are no longer rich.
 
 136 CHIM 
 
 Let us be thankful that among us there is no 
 hope of permanency outside of personal effort, 
 and no place, as in monarchical countries, for 
 generations of drones. 
 
 But while we are taking our turn in this 
 merry-go-round, there is nothing to prevent 
 our laughing at those who ride on top if they 
 make mistakes. 
 
 It is just as well, when the breeze blows 
 strong, not to let too many streamers fly to 
 the wind ! Mais revenons a nos moutons. There 
 is no husband so indulgent as the American, 
 and Larry Noo was no exception to the gen 
 eral rule. 
 
 While his wife and two children remained 
 abroad several years he was hard at work, en 
 gaged in various enterprises, and always roll 
 ing up money with a sure judgment that never 
 missed its aim. 
 
 His instinct, like that of the ferret, was in 
 born, and when he failed to unearth, it was 
 not worth the trying. 
 
 And Larry had a talent, still rarer than
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 137 
 
 money-making he knew when to stop, for just 
 as he had gained life's meridian he decided to 
 quit work and enjoy himself. 
 
 But now he was about to try something 
 more difficult than "the rule of three" and 
 compound interest. 
 
 Let us see how he managed. 
 
 His- family had then been five years in 
 Europe sight-seeing, shopping, and always 
 moving about, without knowing or caring 
 much where they went, or what they saw, 
 when the summons came to return home, that 
 he had bought a big house in Washington, and 
 wanted them in it. He had gotten in the habit 
 of writing in a business way, and with no waste 
 of words. 
 
 The family were " doing " Rome and plan 
 ning an expedition to Palestine, when Mrs. 
 Noo received her recall it read as follows : 
 
 Dear Mary Jane : 
 
 When you get this, mother, make a bee-line for 
 home, and pack up your duds and the children along 
 with them.
 
 138 CHIM 
 
 I'm tired watching the market and scooping in 
 money, and am ready to stop and have a good time, 
 and give a chance to the under fellow to make his pile. 
 
 I've bought a house in the capital of this biggest of 
 nations, and I've given you credit enough with my 
 London bankers to buy all the knick-knacks and gim- 
 cracks, and pictures by the yard, and statuary by the 
 foot you have a mind to. 
 
 But do be quick about it, for I'm lonesome now, and 
 I don't wish to go to Europe, as you ask me to, for I 
 don't care a rappee what they are doing over there, or 
 how those fellows of noblemen are getting along in 
 their musty palaces. Why, mother, me and you and 
 Sis and Mark are better off than the lot of them. 
 Yours and yours always, 
 
 Larry. 
 
 "Sure enough," said Mrs. Noo reflectively, 
 when she read this epistle, " Larry's losing his 
 head to write such a long letter, but children, 
 when pop says it, he means it, and we must 
 hurry up home." 
 
 " I shall take my time, all the same," replied 
 Miss, tossing her head. 
 
 But straight to Paris they went, for there 
 was no end of selections to make, as Mrs. Noo 
 felt quite sure they could get " nothing decent "
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 139 
 
 in America. Only yesterday she had over 
 heard the Count Champsfleurs declare it was 
 " a land of savages ! " 
 
 One day in particular, after some hours' shop 
 ping in a certain etablissenient, the purchases 
 were so enormous, and so far exceeded any 
 thing in the experience of the house, that there 
 was a- consultation at headquarters about it, 
 and the proprietor thought it safest to cable 
 very quietly to J. S. Morgan & Co., the London 
 bankers of these Americans as to the genuine 
 ness of their credit before filling their orders. 
 
 But there is a limit to the good nature of 
 even an American millionaire, who perhaps 
 scarcely knows, himself, how much he is worth, 
 and when these energetic shoppers had drawn 
 upon a credit of some $200,000, they got a 
 cablegram signed " Larry." 
 
 " Come home no more credit." 
 
 " I'm only half dressed," complained Mary 
 Jane. 
 
 "That's all the fashion, Sis," suggested Mark.
 
 140 CHIM 
 
 "I'm glad of it," said the mother, "for all 
 this shopping business is tiresome." 
 
 The next steamer brought them to New 
 York, but at one time it looked as if they 
 would have to spend their first " season " at the 
 Custom House. In fact, it required the busi 
 ness training of the father to extricate them 
 from the huge mass of their luggage. 
 
 " You may thank your stars, mother," said 
 her affectionate husband, giving his wife a hearty 
 hug of welcome, "that the house in Washing 
 ton is big enough to hold all these fixings." 
 
 "But what's up with Sis ?" said he; "she's 
 mightily changed." 
 
 " She's not foreign born'd," said his wife, " but 
 Sis's traveled." Sure enough she was, for to 
 send a young girl abroad with plenty of money 
 and not much education is a sad mistake. The 
 young lady was shocked at the plain ways of 
 her father, and at once " made up her mind to 
 keep him clown to where he ought to be." " It 
 is easy to see," she said to Mark, "that his 
 rough talk will upset our gentility."
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOG'S 14! 
 
 Well, they were a trio of conspirators against 
 poor Larry; all determined "to teach him 
 manners." 
 
 Let those who complain of restricted means 
 remember that there is no end to the worries 
 of the rich. 
 
 From the outset of our millionaire's trying to 
 enjoy -his gains, he was like a fish out of water. 
 He loved his wife and children, and during all 
 these long years had toiled and planned to 
 place them where they were, and yet he had 
 only brought about a state of incredible loneli 
 ness for himself. 
 
 Before his family joined him, and while he 
 was still busy rolling up wealth, as he once 
 fell asleep over the endless rows of figures, he 
 could remember having dreamed that he was 
 in a vault, about to be crushed by toppling 
 money bags filled with silver oh, how heavy 
 they were ! while he could hear the sound of 
 feasting and merriment in his palatial halls 
 above. 
 
 Was there no premonition of his future suffer-
 
 142 CHIM 
 
 ings in this dream ? And yet for genuine hos 
 pitality no one gave of his substance more 
 freely than he, for he was the typical American 
 money-spender of the riches that come easily 
 and go easily. 
 
 After the shock of the first meeting follow 
 ing their long separation, so changed did he 
 find them all that it was a relief to let them 
 hurry on to Washington and take possession 
 of the new home, while he remained in New 
 York for some ten days, to attend to ten thou 
 sand and one things. 
 
 As he saw them off in the cars, he stood in 
 a daze, segar in mouth, and hat slouched over 
 his eyes. " Where's the dear mother? (it was 
 his old habit to address his wife as mother); 
 where's my Mary Jane, who used to bounce 
 into my arms for kisses when I came home ? 
 where's my free and easy-going Mark ? Why, 
 they've come home from their travels as stiff 
 as if they'd stood under that Mt. Vesuvius I've 
 read about, and got covered with its lava and 
 stuck. Larry Noo has a great mind to throw
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 143 
 
 his money to the bottom of the sea and begin 
 again," and as he thus spoke of himself in the 
 third person, he laughed a bitter laugh. 
 
 Some ten days later a Washington cab drove 
 up to a splendid house in the West End, and 
 a tired man, holding a satchel in his hand, got 
 out, and rang the door-bell. 
 
 It was early evening, and the mansion was 
 ablaze with gaslights. A liveried flunkey, 
 wearing a powdered wig, blue coat with crim 
 son facings, knee breeches, and low shoes with 
 silver buckles, opened the door. He bowed 
 low, for the master was expected. 
 
 " Lord bless me ! " thought Larry, somewhat 
 taken by surprise, " this must be at least one 
 of them foreign dooks Mary Jane wrote me 
 about. But I'm told they're as thick as black 
 berries where there's a rich girl around ; and 
 he sha'n't have her, that's flat. But I'll be 
 polite in my own house as the best of them." 
 So thinking, he at once exclaimed: 
 
 "How do you do, sir? I beg your pardon, 
 Mr. Dook ! " shaking him effusively by both
 
 144 CHIM 
 
 hands. " Glad to see you, hope you'll come 
 again." 
 
 The flunkey bowed still lower, but said not 
 a word; not even "Mon Dieu /" or "Sacre !" 
 
 " Confound the fellow," thought Larry, flush 
 ing; "has he no tongue in that big head he 
 wags so ? " 
 
 At this moment the inner hall door opened, 
 and the French butler in full dress suit, white 
 cravat, white gloves, and patent leather pumps, 
 bowed low, saying as he did so, in deferential 
 tone, " Monsieur." 
 
 " Ho, ho," thought Larry. " There's a brace 
 of them ; this is the French Minister for certain, 
 who's heard that mother's just come over with 
 a ship-load of things from Paris." So he again 
 shook hands warmly, and was just saying, 
 " Don't stand on ceremony," when Mary Jane, 
 who was sweeping past in a rose-colored silk, 
 trainee, catching a glimpse of what was going 
 on, and divining the rest, made a dash for the 
 head of the family, and too angry to speak, 
 fairly dragged him after her, to mother's room.
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 145 
 
 As they entered Madame sat before a huge 
 cheval-glass, enduring some last touches, or 
 crowning frizzles to her hair, at the hands of a 
 neat French maid, who wore a dainty cap which 
 was Mark's admiration. 
 
 Madame looked around, and there stood her 
 husband, actually trembling like a culprit he 
 who could have " made a corner," and ruled 
 the Stock Exchange while her daughter, as if 
 fearful he might escape, had not relaxed her 
 hold. 
 
 The son, hearing a movement of some sort, 
 had stepped out of the smoking-room, where 
 he was lounging, and followed them in. 
 
 " Allez-en-voos" said Madame to the maid, 
 pointing to the door, and she went. Madame's 
 French was mythical, peculiar, and pantomimic, 
 but it was a luxury she would indulge in. 
 
 " Pop's disgraced the family," Sis blurted 
 out, "and I don't care to live." 
 
 " Fudge!" said Mark, "what's the tomfool 
 ery ? The governor's all right. Let him alone, 
 I say."
 
 146 CHIM 
 
 "God bless you, my boy," said Larry with 
 a tear in his eye; that clear gray eye that may 
 have grown dim, but never hard, counting dol 
 lars. 
 
 " Larry, what did you do ?" asked his wife 
 kindly. 
 
 "The clean thing, mother," said he honestly. 
 "I shook hands with two foreign ministers 
 when I came in, or leastwise one fellow may 
 have been a dook." 
 
 " My husband ! " she groaned, " we are a dis 
 graced set them's our French servants, our 
 valleys ! " 
 
 "Ha, ha," roared the son, "that's the best 
 thing out. Bully for you, governor ! " and he 
 patted him on the shoulder approvingly. 
 
 " French be d d ! " cried Larry as he took 
 
 in the situation. 
 
 " All our people are French in this house," 
 said she firmly. 
 
 " Horrible ! horrible !" groaned Larry, sinking 
 into the first chair, " I shall starve outright." 
 
 " You must polly-voos" said she.
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 147 
 
 " Never a word of their frog-splitting palav 
 er !" shouted he vociferously. 
 
 " I declare, "interjected Mark, " this'll be the 
 death of me." 
 
 " You'll have to," said mother decisively, 
 slowly, " from now, henceforth and forever, for 
 you've got to be a polly-voos your own self." 
 
 " Mother, "he said seriously, "don't abuse me 
 before the children." 
 
 " Larry," replied she, " don't take on so, but 
 it has to be. This family has had a decision, 
 and to start right from the first fundamentals 
 in this here society, we've got to be born again 
 as it were." 
 
 " Did you all get religion ? " interrogated 
 Larry in a pitying tone. 
 
 "I shall die," giggled the son hysterically. 
 " Did I ever expect to live and see such raring- 
 tearing fun ? " 
 
 "You shut up, "said Sis, who was recovering. 
 " Mother, don't keep Pop on tenter-hooks." 
 
 " Out with it, then," groaned the victim. 
 
 " It's just this, Larry," she said coaxingly.
 
 148 CHIM 
 
 " We've all got to air new names to suit our 
 new social atmospheres. Now don't disremem- 
 ber after you're told, but you are Mr. La Fayctte 
 de Noo." 
 
 Larry rose and stood before her solemnly. 
 " So help me God," he asseverated, holding up 
 his right hand, "if my mother played me true, 
 I came into this world plain, honest, Larry 
 Noo." 
 
 " No, you didn't," chimed all three in chorus, 
 Mark with a merry twinkle in his eye, "we 
 are, every mother's son of us, La Fayette de 
 Noo's." 
 
 "The Lord help us, then, in the midst of our 
 afflictions," ejaculated Larry devoutly. He 
 had not felt so pious for years. 
 
 "Let me introduce my noble parents to each 
 other," interrupted the jesting youth. "Mrs. 
 La Fayette de Noo this is Mr. La Fayette de 
 Noo, or, familiarly, the governor, and this is 
 Miss Marie Jeanne La Fayette de Noo, for all 
 she don't look it, and I am, ladies and gentle 
 men, Mr. Marquis La Fayette de Noo."
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 149 
 
 "It's lucky," said Larry, with a half woe-be- 
 gone, half comical look, " that we all changed 
 together." 
 
 " Out, Pere" said Sis. 
 
 "And am I a pear, too?" groaned Larry. 
 "A green one, I suppose." 
 
 " Tell him, Mere," said Sis, superciliously. 
 
 " Don't call your mother names," said the in 
 dignant pere. 
 
 Again the son was in roars of laughter. " It's 
 better'n a play," said he in great glee. 
 
 " You're a fine young puppy for a French 
 dog " said Larry approvingly, and they shook 
 hands. 
 
 " Perhaps, guv'nor, I'm the French minister," 
 suggested the dutiful son. 
 
 " Now, none of that," said Larry, getting red. 
 
 " But say, mother, when may a man call 
 you 'mother,' and Mary Jane 'Sis' and this 
 young popinjay ' Mark' ? I can't forget these 
 dear names." 
 
 Said the mother, "These names, Larry, are 
 to be strictly private."'
 
 150 CHIM 
 
 "One more thing," added the daughter; 
 " if Pop won't or can't talk French, at least he 
 ought to promise, on account of the family dig 
 nity, to say nothing." 
 
 "I'd rather be deaf and dumb till dooms 
 day," said Larry, "than wag an oily French 
 tongue in my head." 
 
 So the family council was over. 
 
 Mr. La Fayette de Noo was made to offer 
 his arm to Madame, and Mr. Marquis to Miss, 
 and they dined in solemn, silent state, after 
 which Larry Noo put on his hat, stuck his se- 
 gar in his mouth and went to Welcker's, where 
 he got all he wanted for the asking, which he 
 never could do at home on account of the con 
 versational language, or want of language, of 
 the family. 
 
 Mary Jane builded better than she knew, for 
 after this, society never suspected what a good 
 roystering, boon-companion it had lost. Now 
 and then, to be sure, under great excitement 
 he forgot himself, as at Mrs. Akme's when he 
 had to splurt out against that brazen lie of
 
 CHIM AM) LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 151 
 
 calling a dog "a shell." But Sis watched this 
 root of the family tree, and was at hand to pull 
 him back behind his cruel iron mask of silence. 
 So senators and cabinet ministers and society 
 at large admired him as a wonderful man who 
 was so weighed down by the fabulous fortune 
 he had amassed, that he was always absorbed 
 in thought. He became known and spoken of 
 as " the silent man," and one who knew too 
 much, only no one could draw him out. Well 
 he was wise, for there was a family secret, and 
 he hid it. 
 
 Yet, now and then, some spark of the old 
 humor glinted out, and he had his own joke, 
 "in spite of 'mother' and 'sis,'" and that 
 huge Kraken that overshadowed his life the 
 family dignity. 
 
 One of these practical jokes of his came 
 about in this wise: 
 
 The La Fayette de Noo ladies, who "on 
 principle " brought everything over from 
 France (they were not Anglomaniacs but 
 Frenchmaniacs), had imported some superb
 
 152 CHIM 
 
 carriages, with the panels emblazoned, as Ma 
 dame explained, "with their own devices." 
 
 Some days after the arrival of \\\& paterfamil 
 ias, the family were about to drive out in a splen 
 did clarence, when just as Larry Noo had one foot 
 on the carriage-step, his attention was arrested 
 by the heraldic delineation on the door-panel. 
 
 He stopped point-blank, and designating 
 the object with his forefinger, inquired of Mark, 
 "Say, what's that?" 
 
 " Get in," called out his wife, "and let the 
 footman shut the door." 
 
 But in place of getting in he got out, and 
 Mark encouraged him by slamming the door 
 shut, and telling the man to mount the box, 
 which the fellow did, of course. 
 
 " Now, "said Mark, lowering his voice, " that's 
 our coat-of-arms." 
 
 It was a device with sixteen quarterings sur 
 mounted by a cock for a crest. 
 
 " He's a fine cock," said Larry approvingly. 
 " I suppose Sis got one of them old masters 
 she talks about, to paint him."
 
 CIIIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOG'S 153 
 
 The unconscionable son replied, "Just so." 
 
 " I see the rooster," again interlocuted the 
 father, " but where's the coat-of-arms ? " 
 
 " It's there, guv'nor," said Mark, " only it's 
 painted in the background of the cock, and 
 you can't see it." 
 
 " I can see well enough to see you're a 
 young- cockscomb," said Larry, who felt that 
 his son was amusing himself. 
 
 "No sir," said this incorrigible boy; "it's 
 painted there to show that you are cock of the 
 walk. It's called a crest." 
 
 "The crest for me is money bags," said 
 Larry. " We'll have one full of American silver 
 dollars and tumbling out on the crest of the cock." 
 
 Mark liked a joke any day better than even 
 the family dignity, and it was painted in ac 
 cordingly. The whole town had its laugh be 
 fore the ladies de Noo noticed the addition. 
 Since then the family have been familiarly 
 designated as " money bags," and when one 
 gets a nickname neither paint nor money can 
 rub it out.
 
 154 CIIIM 
 
 Unlike Mr. Buncombe Hereford, who hap 
 pily understood the art of giving exclusive din 
 ners, by which his aims were imperceptibly but 
 surely reached, and his social prestige en 
 hanced, the La Fayette de Noo's made the 
 usual mistake of the parvenu, in at once daz 
 zling the social mind by entertainments on a 
 very magnificent scale. 
 
 The social conditions of Washington are so 
 intertwined with the social- official life, and the 
 large receptions of official magnates are so 
 regulated by an abnormal growth, which had 
 its origin under the Jackson dynasty, that 
 Washington is the most hazardous of all cities 
 \\hich the wealth of Croesus may choose for its 
 exhibition. 
 
 The crushes that follow promiscuous invita 
 tions defy the limits of any building other than 
 the Capitol. 
 
 The old residents, who dispense unceasingly 
 the most graceful hospitality, understand where 
 the quicksands are, and how to avoid them, 
 and they look on the outside hurly-burly of
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 155 
 
 heralded and advertised pageants with amused 
 comment. 
 
 One goes to the window and sees the circus 
 as it passes, but the show does not enter your 
 house. 
 
 But these fine distinctions of the extrinsic 
 and the intrinsic were precisely those that the 
 La Fayette de Noo's failed to discriminate. 
 
 And then, as has been said, when one don't 
 know, they don't know that they don't know. 
 
 With culture at a low ebb, and notions of 
 fine manners that were original if not elevating, 
 they read the wonderful descriptions in all the 
 papers of what they had done, were doing, and 
 were going to do, with unbounded delight. 
 
 Every morning they gave audience to re 
 porters, who dilated most felicitously regarding 
 all their movements, chronicled their gowns, 
 their sumptuous surroundings, and, as the time 
 drew near, described with skilled particularity 
 their arrangements for the coming big ball. 
 
 " Money can do a heap," said Mrs. La Fay 
 ette de Noo, and it did purchase beauty of
 
 1 56 CHIM 
 
 form, and color, and contrast, and effect, all 
 but one lonely height which it could not reach. 
 
 It placed this family amid the enchantments 
 which the brain of the gifted could create and 
 produce, but, having done this, that was the 
 consummation and the lirfiit; and this treach 
 erous money-demon, having carried the De 
 Noo's to a pinnacle, and set them thereon be 
 fore the world's gaze, could do no more. 
 
 The creative work of redeeming them from 
 themselves must come from a higher plane. 
 Then the world, being asked to look up, mock 
 ingly worshiped from afar, bowed the cringing 
 knee, and as they did so laughed them to scorn. 
 
 The two thousand sent no regrets to their 
 ball, for they \vent to be amused. 
 
 They ate their terrapin, guzzled their seas of 
 champagne, and while doing so toasted them 
 as upstarts, and ridiculed their unpardonable 
 gancJicrics. Oh, poverty of money ! oh, deep 
 abasement of that wealth which is God-given 
 for the uses of suffering humanity ! oh, desola 
 tion of worldliness, thus to reach your climax !
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 157 
 
 And oh, ineffable discourtesy of fashion ! oh, 
 rudeness of so-called refinement ! oh, distor 
 tion of superior intelligence, to descend to the 
 littleness of abusing that hospitality one ac 
 cepts ! 
 
 The Arabs do better than the spoiled circles 
 of fashion, for, having once broken bread within 
 the tent-door, that precinct is sacred. 
 
 All the details, even to the elaborate and 
 profuse floral decorations were now completed 
 for the ball of the season, and yet, such is the 
 contrariety of the feminine fancy, Mrs. La Fay- 
 ette de Noo was not content. 
 
 There was one object that she craved, and 
 could not obtain. To explain: That evening 
 when, in defiance of all the proprieties, the La 
 Fayette de Noo's had left their own dinner- 
 guests to amuse themselves as best they could, 
 and precipitated themselves uninvited into the 
 salon Mrs. Akme was holding, Mrs. La Fayette 
 de Noo determined, if money could do it, to 
 own a dog like Chim. 
 
 She had been told that Mrs. Akme belonged
 
 158 CHIM 
 
 to a very old family, and when s<he went home 
 that night she at once talked it over with Mary 
 Jane. 
 
 She said : " You see, Sis, it's the very pink 
 of elegance to dress in white, like that Miss 
 did, and hold a dog tied with a blue ribbon, 
 and we'll copy after that when we give our 
 party." 
 
 "That's so," said Sis, "only I won't wear 
 any such plain white go\vn, and no jewelry, like 
 she did catch me doing it." 
 
 " We'll not fuss about the gown," said the 
 mother ; " but the dog we must have." 
 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo had been deeply 
 impressed that evening. She went there to 
 " take notes as to how gentility acted," as she 
 confided to Sis, and she " came home in a 
 muddle." 
 
 The learned jargon she had not understood 
 one word of, and no one could blame her for 
 that ; the quiet dignity of Mrs. Akme, the sweet 
 simplicity of Alma, and, above all, that ex 
 traordinary dog, had their influence with her.
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S 159 
 
 So she set about in earnest to try and get just 
 such a dog. She went to Schmid's ; she sent her 
 valet on to explore New York. Then she cabled 
 to London and Paris, but all in vain. Nothing 
 could be found at all like her description. She 
 wanted a dog that was " a shell," (> that had had 
 more lives than a cat," that "sat upright at table, 
 drank tea, assisted to receive, and conversed." 
 
 Her cablegrams on the subject were almost 
 as voluminous, if not so expensive, as those of 
 our late verbal war with Chili, and, like it, 
 without aggressive result. 
 
 When all else had failed, she bethought her 
 self to advertise in the Washington Star, 
 which the city takes. 
 
 Some kind friend suggested it, so the follow 
 ing advertisement appeared : 
 
 "Wanted, at Hotel La Fayette de Noo, a 
 trained skye-terrier, like Mrs. Akme's. The 
 price no consideration." 
 
 Poor Mrs. Akme did not read the advertise 
 ments of the Star, although she greatly en-
 
 l6o CHIM 
 
 joyed that well-conducted paper, and her aston 
 ishment was great the next day to find her 
 house an object of the intense interest of a 
 motley crowd. At first she feared a fire, and 
 sent Harman out in the street to inspect the 
 building. The man came in smiling, but re 
 ported " all safe." 
 
 The next surprise was, that when she and 
 Alma and Chim attempted to drive out for an 
 airing, such a lot of loafers rushed to the door 
 steps that they all three precipitately retired, 
 taking shelter within. 
 
 "Really, Alma, I must send for the police 
 and clear the street," she said. " I believe the 
 world's agog." 
 
 Alma looked frightened. " Perhaps they are 
 Mafias," she suggested, "and don't like the 
 Adepts." 
 
 Mrs. Akme was prudent, and she thought a 
 moment. " We will keep within doors, to-day, 
 dear," she said, " but let Chim amuse himself, 
 if he can, looking out of the window, since the 
 poor little dear must stay in."
 
 CHIM AND LA FAYETTE DE NOO'S l6l 
 
 So they let Chim look out, who got very 
 much displeased and barked violently. 
 
 Being of an aristocratic breed, naturally he 
 disapproved of tramps. It's queer how dogs 
 discriminate. Later he got sleepy, and did 
 not dine with them; in fact, they had never seen 
 him so drowsy as he became after Harman had 
 given him five o'clock tea. 
 
 "A wonderful creature," said Mrs. Akme, 
 " he looks like an opium-eater." 
 
 So he was put to bed, and they dined with 
 out him. 
 
 That evening Mrs. La Fayette de Noo, be 
 ing at dinner, received a mysterious message. 
 
 She at once hurriedly arose, without think 
 ing to excuse herself, which was a courtesy 
 she ignored at all times. A man enveloped 
 in a long cloak stood in the hall. 
 
 " I bring you, madame," said he, "the twin- 
 brother of Chim. His name is the same, and 
 so is his education. At present he sleeps from 
 fatigue. By morning he will be all right."
 
 162 CHIM 
 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo trembled with de 
 light. "The price?" she said, taking Chim in 
 her arms. 
 
 " He is priceless," answered the man," "but 
 to you, madame, who will treat him kindly, I 
 will sell him for five hundred dollars." 
 
 "Alceste" she called, " /c grand bourse 
 inteT 
 
 In another moment, the maid Annette had 
 handed the lackey a fat porte-monnaic, when 
 the money was quickly paid the fellow, for 
 fear he might change his mind, Mrs. La Fa 
 yette de Noo meanwhile holding on to the 
 dog. 
 
 The man counted the money, and without 
 saying another word went away.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 CHIM'S LOSS AND WHAT CAME OF IT 
 
 MRS. AKME and Alma dined alone on that 
 eventful day, made all the more gloomy by 
 the absence of Chim at the prandial feast, to 
 which he always added a zest; as, like most 
 people of fashion, he was at his best while dis 
 cussing a good dinner, for it is an acknowl 
 edged fact that there is an "upper ten," and 
 "a four hundred" among dogs as well as in 
 "high life." 
 
 "I am unable," said Mrs. Akme, " to account 
 for the crowd in the street to-day, who seemed 
 to make this house their objective point." 
 
 "It alarmed me," said Alma nervously. 
 
 " If the annoyance is repeated to-morrow," 
 resumed Mrs. Akme, "the police must be sent 
 
 for. Washington has not the disorderly mobs 
 163
 
 164 CHIM 
 
 of some other cities, and I cannot imagine 
 what it means." 
 
 Had she looked in the large oval mirror that 
 hung over an old pier-table, she would have 
 noticed a strange smile upon the usually cyn 
 ical face of Harman the butler. 
 
 But Mrs. Akme was absorbed in painful con 
 jectures, and Alma was really frightened. 
 
 The evening that Professor Wissy-Wassy 
 had presented Chim in a way so astonishing to 
 her, she had received the impression that the 
 Adepts were a secret society with a sign-man 
 ual and symbolic language of their own, and 
 she was apprehensive that dear Mrs. Akme, 
 whom she could not help but love in return for 
 the unbounded kindness received at her hands, 
 was, in some way unknown to herself, en 
 tangled by the machination of these odd peo 
 ple. 
 
 She said to herself, " Can it be the beginning 
 of some trouble a disturbance preluding a 
 more serious outbreak ? Can they take us for 
 mafias ? " she asked with such an undisguised
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 165 
 
 look of dismay, that Mrs. Akme laughed 
 heartily and rising from the table said, " Dear, 
 we will take our coffee in Chim's boudoir, and 
 see if he is yet awake." 
 
 " That was another curious thing," said Al 
 ma; "did you notice that our skye suddenly 
 grew drowsy ? " 
 
 "It is no wonder," responded Mrs. Akme, 
 " that he was exhausted, for he got very tired 
 barking at that unmannerly crowd." 
 
 "The cute little dear," said Alma, "has a 
 great dislike for ragged or even common peo 
 ple, and is sure to snap at them. How much 
 he must have suffered when he was made the 
 performing dog of the organ-grinder ! What a 
 debt of gratitude we owe Mr. Montague, or 
 rather do I, dear Mrs. Akme, for through Chim, 
 whom he rescued, I have found a loving moth 
 er in you." 
 
 " Do not except me," said Mrs. Akme, " from 
 the grateful recognition to Lennox. He has 
 given me my treasures," and placing her arm 
 around Alma's waist, she added, " upon sec-
 
 166 CHIM 
 
 ond thought we will not disturb Chim, but you 
 will make music for me, will you not ? " 
 
 Alma was really a musician. She had in 
 part received her musical education at a con 
 vent near Wheeling, West Virginia, where 
 there were two nuns, who were remarkably 
 gifted, and who had surprising success as 
 teachers. It is said that some of their pupils 
 were told in Europe that their method of in 
 struction left nothing to unlearn. 
 
 After they had been forced by pecuniary 
 stress to leave the old Manor House, Mrs. 
 Ayhvyn, who was at that time a very sick wo 
 man, had boarded in Wheeling and sent Alma 
 as a day scholar for harp and piano lessons to 
 these ladies. But, as we have already men 
 tioned, after her mother's death her cousin had 
 sent her to another school, as he said he dis 
 approved of convents. However, the founda 
 tion had been well laid, and Alma's talent and 
 industry did the rest. She had splendid tccJi- 
 niquc and rendered Chopin and Liszt admira 
 bly, had conscientiously studied Bach's fugues
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 167 
 
 and both Beethoven and Mozart, while at times 
 she had even the inspiration of a composer. 
 But she had had sharp trials, for, being poor, she 
 could never buy a harp, which every one knows 
 is a very expensive instrument, and thus she 
 was deprived of a great joy and solace, as well 
 as of a means of livelihood. However, she 
 tried to overcome the pain of this deprivation 
 by. reflecting that, after all, the piano gave 
 greater scope, and that there was a wider range 
 of score written for its adaptations. But yet 
 her delight can be more readily imagined than 
 described, upon finding in Mrs. Akme's music- 
 room a superb double-action, grand concert 
 harp of Brown's best make, by the side of the 
 fine Steinway grand upright piano. 
 
 Mrs. Akme had cultivated musical taste and 
 played passably well, and it was like a glimpse 
 of Paradise for Alma, to be able to play and 
 play and play, to meet her own desires. As 
 they walked into the music-room together, Al 
 ma said to her friend, " My happiness with you, 
 dear Mrs. Akme, is greater than I can express.
 
 l68 CHIM 
 
 Just to think of the joy of finding this harp a 
 something I had so longed for, but never dared 
 to hope I could have." 
 
 " The deprivation," said this lady, " must in 
 deed have been torture. I rarely touch the 
 harp any more, and I shall have greater pleas 
 ure, Alma, in hearing you, if you will accept 
 the instrument from me." 
 
 " My friend, my generous friend, "said Alma, 
 overcome with emotion, " was ever anyone so 
 thoughtful ? " 
 
 " My dear," said Mrs. Akme, quietly, " I am 
 only trying to imitate a lovely, large-hearted 
 woman in New York, one of those rare beings 
 whom wealth has not spoiled, and whose heart, 
 like a fragrant bud, has expanded not dried 
 up under prosperity's sun." 
 
 " What did she do ? " asked Alma. 
 
 " Presented her teacher a magnificent harp," 
 answered Mrs. Akme, " for one thing." 
 
 " Enough," said Alma, half weeping as the 
 rush of recollection of what such a gift would 
 once have meant to her; "the sympathizing
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 169 
 
 and appreciative heart that could do that, must 
 be capable of diffusing happiness in all direc 
 tions." 
 
 It so happened that no one came in during 
 the evening, not even Lennox, who was the 
 favored Jiabituc among Mrs. Akme's visitors, 
 as he had been called out of town to attend to 
 some' business matters. 
 
 , So they played several duets, Alma embrac 
 ing her harp with a loving caress. It required 
 some little time to adjust the two instruments, 
 and after they were in accord they exhausted a 
 varied repertoire. 
 
 So it was at a late hour that they entered 
 Chim's boudoir and stood arm-in-arm beside 
 his silken couch, as if the strains of melody 
 they had evoked had united them the more 
 closely. 
 
 A low light was dimly burning. All was still. 
 
 " Can he yet be sleeping ?" whispered Mrs. 
 Akme, with an undefinable uneasiness. 
 
 Alma bent over the divan and uttered a lit 
 tle cry of surprise.
 
 I/O CIIIM 
 
 " He is gone ! " she said; " we must look for 
 him." 
 
 Mrs. Akme hastily raised the light and 
 looked first as every woman does when in 
 search of the burglar she never finds under 
 the bed. 
 
 Meantime, Alma carefully searched all the 
 nooks and corners of his and her room. The 
 dog could not be found. 
 
 " How naughty and spoiled he has grown," 
 said Alma, half aloud; " I do hope Mrs. Akme 
 will let me properly punish him." 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Akme, catching at her 
 words with a twinge of self-reproach, " I know 
 he must, for his own good and his future status, 
 be made to obey." 
 
 The household was now aroused, and per 
 sistent and careful search made. 
 
 At last Mrs. Akme, when the night was far 
 advanced, gave it up in despair. 
 
 " He is lost," she said, tearfully, " and some 
 careless person, who has left open some door 
 of exit, is to blame. Our Chim, allured by the
 
 CIIIM'S LOSS 171 
 
 beauty of the night, has wandered out. I must 
 set a night-watch. He will return." 
 
 Each one of the domestics was in turn ques 
 tioned, but they, one and all, protested that 
 they had been very careful. 
 
 Ah, the dismal blank ! the void ! Chim was 
 gone ! 
 
 Mrs.-Akme, standing beside the low, empty 
 bed, with cla-sped hands, noticed that the blue 
 satin eider-down quilt was missing. A sudden 
 suspicion broke upon her, and she called to 
 Alma, saying: " He is stolen ! They have 
 stolen him ! " 
 
 "Who?" asked Alma, running in from her 
 room, looking very frightened. 
 
 " Why, some one of that crowd, of course," 
 said she. " How indiscreet we were to let our 
 treasure be seen from the window ! " 
 
 Alma's heart sank, and she grew very faint, as 
 she thought of the probable sufferings of Chim. 
 
 Mrs. Akme was seated in the boudoir of the 
 lost darling, absorbed in contemplation, and 
 presently she slowly soliloquized:
 
 1/2 CHIM 
 
 " Perhaps, indeed, the Silent Brothers have 
 removed him, his canine life-cycle having 
 closed." 
 
 Alma shuddered, for at such times Mrs. 
 Akme always impressed her as one bereft of 
 reason, and her ignorance of the terminology 
 of the various systems, philosophies, oriental 
 isms and theories now being discussed and 
 even accepted by our Christian civilization, 
 was a puzzling mystery to her. 
 
 In her perplexity, and thinking that per 
 haps it might console Mrs. Akme, she said: 
 
 " My dear music teacher, Sister Eulalia, once 
 told me that if a loss was sustained, and the aid 
 of St. Anthony invoked, if it were for the best, 
 the lost would be found." 
 
 Mrs. Akme in her turn looked amazed. 
 " Pray, Alma," she inquired, " who was this 
 saint ? was he a theurgist ? I will send for 
 Professor Wissy-Wassy in the morning and 
 consult with him. He is very learned in oc 
 cultism." 
 
 " And I," said Alma, " will try the dear sis-
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 173 
 
 ter's suggestion, for she was a very intelligent, 
 clear-headed woman, who received nothing up 
 on hearsay." 
 
 "That's right, clear," said Mrs. Akme. 
 " She may have been a mystic. I never reject 
 a thing because I don't understand it. There 
 is so little, if anything, indeed, one really 
 knows. We live in a land of dreams, and all 
 our studies only bring us face to face with the 
 unknowable." 
 
 "I suppose so," answered the young girl, 
 "and what you say reminds me hearing the 
 Sister teach, ' that it was impossible for human 
 reason unaided, to find absolute truth, which 
 must come to us as a direct gift from God 
 
 " But what are the signs of having received 
 the gift ? " asked her friend, greatly interested. 
 
 " Pardon me," said Alma, " I am ignorant. 
 I can teach nothing, but I got the impression 
 that what they called the sacraments were 
 channels for the mysterious grace to operate 
 upon the soul, and through these divinely ap 
 pointed means the gift was received."
 
 174 CHIM 
 
 " How very remarkable ! " answered the ma 
 tron. " I must confer with the Professor about it." 
 
 Then they embraced each other, and sepa 
 rated for the night. 
 
 In the early morning the Professor received 
 a note from Mrs. Akme, requesting an early 
 visit, and saying that she would be happy to 
 have him breakfast with her at twelve o'clock, 
 if he could do so. 
 
 Now, the Professor was really more genial 
 than his appearance indicated, and he burned 
 the midnight lamp, not only as an Adept in oc 
 cultism, but likewise as one skilled in the con 
 cocting of oyster and terrapin stews, and the 
 mixing of hot, pungent punches, and other tit 
 illating compounds addressed to the lower 
 sense of the palate, the aroma of which, pene 
 trating the brain, often left a residuum of head 
 ache in the morning. He was essentially an 
 orientalist, in thought and modes of non-ac 
 tion, but so strong are the binding ties of our 
 surroundings, that when he did act, his habits 
 were those of a Californian.
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 175 
 
 As the astute Marquis La Fayette de Noo ir 
 reverently remarked of him, on his return 
 home after that salon, " That lantern-jawed 
 chap showed up great on theories." 
 
 " But," said the governor, " my son, he was 
 big in action with his knife and fork." 
 
 " And," added Mrs. La Fayette de Noo, " I 
 notice J that he was complected like a Brahman 
 Injun." 
 
 " P'raps," suggested Sis, " he don't know 
 'bout Pears' soap." 
 
 But there is no reason why these vulgar com 
 ments should be repeated, other than the con 
 trariety of the memory that often stores away 
 silly things, when wise sayings are forgotten. 
 But one thing was certain about this scholar 
 that much of the time he was absorbed in a pro 
 found contemplation of the Ego, or, in plain 
 parlance, of himself. In this he was one of 
 many. 
 
 Now when he received Mrs. Akme's note, he 
 was just saying to his inner self, that he " would 
 prefer to remain quiescent, so as to amplify the
 
 176 CHIM 
 
 sweep of his spiritualistic vision, did not inflexi 
 ble fate compel him to fall to the plane of the 
 illusions of the clay;" or, in common words, the 
 Professor meant, that he " would rather lie In 
 bed, but was forced to get up." 
 
 We crave pardon for such shocking vulgar 
 ization of science. 
 
 Now, for some time past, the Professor had 
 evolved out of his thinking principle the very 
 sensible resolution, in the near future, to pro 
 pose to share his present life-cycle with Mrs. 
 Akme. It is true, that the vanity of vanities 
 is the vanity of man, that surpasses all under 
 standing. It has outlived the ages, is fed by 
 perennial Adamic sources, is a universal law of 
 his being, and, as a summing up, may be said 
 to be Cosmic ! 
 
 It may be that Mrs. Akme had unwittingly 
 encouraged this decision of the Pundit, for she 
 had lavished much time and given deferential 
 consideration to one whom she regarded as a 
 Mahatma, and she desired to receive illumina 
 tion by the reflection of his spiritual light.
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 177 
 
 But to descend to so low a plane as to link 
 their life destinies or karmic complications 
 together, never once suggested itself to her. 
 
 The soul cannot gravitate downward, and 
 hers were spiritual aspirations that tended up 
 ward. 
 
 She sought Nirvana, while he was so recreant 
 as to- suffer himself to be dominated by the 
 animal-soul, or Kama-rupa! 
 
 So when he got Airs. Akme's note he re 
 ceived it as a direct reply to his own thoughts, 
 and being given over to his own devices, he 
 said, forgetting to express himself in an occult 
 way : 
 
 " Ha, ha ! it seems she cannot live without 
 me. Of late I am sent for almost daily, and 
 now it has come to such a pass that she cannot 
 breakfast unless I am there. Although I am 
 such a great philosopher," and here he viewed 
 his reflection in a big mirror, " I must also be 
 kind and considerate and spare her embarrass 
 ment. She is a widow, and of course sighs for 
 my companionship, and, what is more to the
 
 1/8 CHIM 
 
 purpose, she has a fine large house, and a 
 handsome income to enable her to live well in 
 it. I know this, for in the pursuit of knowl 
 edge, ha, ha ! I have found it out. As to that 
 hideous little skye-terrier and his mistress, 
 that shilly-shally but remarkably pretty girl, 
 her latest fad, I will, so soon as I am master 
 of the house, make short terms with them both. 
 They must work for a living." 
 
 Accordingly, the learned doctor hastily, but 
 carefully, arrayed himself, and at the appointed 
 hour made one of three at Mrs. Akme's break 
 fast table. 
 
 That lady, who had perfect tact as a hostess, 
 did not mar the pleasure of proffered hospital 
 ity by any allusion to the loss of Chim, al 
 though her guest deplored his absence, but 
 when they rose from the table, she led the way 
 to her study, saying to Alma as she did so, 
 " We will excuse you, dear, as I wish to have 
 some private conversation with the Professor." 
 
 The knees of the great Teacher fairly knock 
 ed together, he was so afraid that she was
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 179 
 
 actually going to propose to him, then and 
 there. 
 
 What arrant cowards men are ! one never 
 heard of a woman who would be alarmed if a 
 score of men proposed to her. Of course not, 
 for they know how to say no, with enchanting 
 grace. And the art of a soothing refusal is a 
 fine'art. 
 
 They entered the coziest room, where Mrs. 
 Akme retired when she wished to be absorbed 
 in contemplation and uninterrupted. 
 
 There are chosen spots that assist to develop 
 thought, just as moisture and sunshine promote 
 the growth of plants and cause their germina 
 tion. 
 
 Mrs. Akme closed the door and seated her 
 self in a large easy chair, motioning to her 
 companion to occupy a similar one near her. 
 
 And now at last, after this prolonged self- 
 control the reaction came, and she became 
 agitated as all the possibilities connected with 
 the strange disappearance of Chim flashed upon 
 her, and she had called to her aid the one
 
 ISO CIIIM 
 
 Master, who had traveled far and wide seeking 
 wisdom ; who had explored the dreamy orient ; 
 had seen and conversed with the Mahatmas of 
 Thibet, and who was conversant with the lore 
 of the Kabalist, and familiar with much that 
 was known of the ancient Aryans. 
 
 " I have so many questions to propound, my 
 dear Professor," she said; " I know not where 
 to begin." 
 
 He smiled benignantly with the thought that 
 never before had she addressed him as " dear." 
 
 " These queries," she continued, " are con 
 nected with the strange disappearance of the 
 reincarnated Pundit Chim." 
 
 " I was aware," said he, with an expression 
 of calm wisdom, " that he had been removed; " 
 but mentally he simply ejaculated, " Hang the 
 dog ! " 
 
 "Why," she exclaimed, with unfeigned sur 
 prise, " did you, then, inquire about him just 
 now at breakfast, noticing his absence ? " 
 
 "Certainly I did," he replied with impertur 
 bable repose; " do you suppose I would permit
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 181 
 
 the uninitiated Miss Ayhvyn to have an inkling 
 of our secret wisdom ? We of the inner section ?" 
 
 " But I thought," said Mrs. Akrne, much dis 
 concerted, "that truth was a foundation-stone 
 of the temple of Solomon." 
 
 " Madam," he replied grandiloquently, "par 
 don me, but a neophyte, who is only initiated 
 in the first degree, cannot know of the uses of 
 ( symbolic language." 
 
 "True," she said, but she was not satisfied; 
 " but since you already knew of this present 
 phase of Chim's exit from our corporeal vision, 
 can you not tell me if it defines in any way the 
 doctrine of the evolution of the species ?" 
 
 " Most assuredly," said he pompously. 
 
 " Oh ! " said the disciple, fairly catching her 
 breath; "and can one trace through Chim, or 
 obtain the slightest clue that will bridge over, 
 if only by a thread, that 'impassable chasm' 
 between mind and matter ? " 
 
 "All difficulties may be overcome," answer 
 ed he. But he thought, " what an infernal 
 curiosity women have ! "
 
 1 82 CHIM 
 
 "And can even negative proofs be given ?" 
 she inquired, "and what is the teaching of 
 esoteric philosophy on this subject ? " 
 
 "A regular daughter of Eve," thought he. 
 " She must needs pluck the apple from the tree 
 of Paradise, and eat it whole forthwith, and then 
 be surprised if she have an indigestion. I must 
 impress her with the impossibility of attainment." 
 
 So, orating very slowly, he said, " Madam, 
 I am pained to have to say that a long and 
 rigorous preparation is needed before the ma 
 terialized spirit can be properly prepared to 
 receive the illumination you desire." 
 
 "Preparation of what kind?" she asked, 
 nothing daunted. 
 
 " Of contemplation, silence, solitude, and 
 fasting;" and he mentally said, " that will deter 
 any woman." 
 
 As was Mrs. Akme's habit when deeply 
 moved, she remained silent. 
 
 The Professor watched the effect uneasily, 
 and he misconstrued her seeming passivity into 
 shrinking from the prescribed ordeal.
 
 CHIM'S LOSS 183 
 
 " Now is the time to show her the more at 
 tractive picture of society and companionship," 
 thought he. 
 
 So thinking, he suddenly wheeled his chair 
 nearer, and bending forward grasped her hand. 
 
 Involuntarily she recoiled from its clammy 
 coldness, as if a snake had touched her, but 
 she was actually too aghast to move. 
 "Now or never, "was his thought, still mis 
 taking her mood, and releasing the hand she 
 had involuntarily drawn back, he fell upon his 
 knees at her feet, and cried out: 
 
 " Give me a ray of hope, transcendent being ! 
 It has been revealed that I cannot complete 
 this life-cycle without you." 
 
 Mrs. Akme pushed back her chair so quickly 
 that her suitor was still kneeling as she arose 
 and looked down upon him. 
 
 She had never before thought of him as other 
 than an etherealized abstraction, but now, under 
 this new and revolting aspect, regarding him 
 upon this lower plane to which he had suddenly 
 sunk in her estimation, how repulsive he was !
 
 184 CIIIM 
 
 He seemed so hideous and changed that she 
 wondered at the infatuation that had permitted 
 her to seek instruction from him. 
 
 Her lip curled, and she drew herself haughti 
 ly to her full height. He divined the movement, 
 and he angrily arose, and stood before her. 
 
 " And," she said with infinite scorn in her 
 voice, " your hope of Nirvana ? " He felt that 
 he was lost, but he could not retreat. So he 
 answered in a husky voice: " I abandon even 
 the hope of this glorious consummation for you." 
 
 " You are base," she said scornfully. "Your 
 soul is weak. You have no true indwelling 
 spirit. If the Brotherhood is of such, I must seek 
 for truth elsewhere. You have fed me with il 
 lusions, but the magic spell is broken. Hence 
 forth we are as strangers to each other." 
 
 So saying, she left the room, and the dazed 
 Professor, still standing on the tiger-skin rug, 
 a vanquished athlete on the amphitheatre of his 
 own choosing. Alternating chagrin and rage 
 overcame him, as he wended his way back to 
 his bachelor apartments, cursing, not loud but
 
 CIIIM'S LOSS 185 
 
 deep, the ill-fated day, but above all the ac 
 cursed dog, that had lured him to his ruin. 
 
 And the poor lady instantly locked herself in 
 her room to do battle with herself. " Ah," she 
 moaned as she walked the floor, ''Eidolons 
 shattered ! Idealisms vanished, fallacies dis 
 solved ! I begin to see myself as others must 
 have seen me, as one bereft of reason. And for 
 Avhat ? For eager seeking I was given chaff; 
 for substance, words; for progress, archaisms; 
 for Christianity, paganism. For the sublime 
 conception of the Holy Trinity, of the Holy of 
 Holies filling heaven and earth with symbolic 
 beauty, a pitiful exchange of a vague glimpse of 
 a creative essence, which like an Ignis-falnns 
 evades the grasp, and lures the unsatisfied 
 wretch into the final despair of utter annihila 
 tion, and I was so blinded as to accept this Nir 
 vana for the Great Jehovah ! I am as one 
 humbled to the dust, for the lesson has been 
 given me through the weakest of instruments 
 a dog was sent to abase my pride of intellect. 
 I accept the lesson taught, and oh, be he lost or 
 found, I shall be grateful to Chim."
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 
 
 AT first Mrs. La Fayette de Noo was sure 
 that it would be impossible to have any cards 
 of invitation suitably engraved in Washington, 
 for the stunning coming-out ball for Miss de 
 Noo, that she was about to give. 
 
 However, in view of the loss of time incident 
 to sending the commission to Paris, for she was 
 not at all in favor of depending on New York, 
 and finding out upon diligent inquiry that there 
 were several places that could be relied on in 
 the capital city, and in particular Brentano's, 
 where she discovered that Mrs. Akme, and sev 
 eral other ladies of the oldest families had their 
 engraving done, she rather reluctantly, and 
 with no end of injunctions and directions, in 
 trusted the order to them. 
 
 How artisans and others skilled in their spe- 
 186
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 187 
 
 cialties must be annoyed and discouraged, and 
 amused, too, at the various commands given 
 them in the line of their work by rich upstarts, 
 who afterward blame them for the results of 
 their own ignorant instructions ! 
 
 The card when finished was quite imposing. 
 Had it been tied with yellow ribbons it might 
 have been mistaken for that of the grand Mo- 
 .gul. The famous coat-of-arms with sixteen 
 quarterings (without money bags) and sur 
 mounted by a crowing cock done in gold, and 
 embossed admirably, was all that could be 
 done for Croesus. 
 
 Yet, as Mrs. Akme said to Alma when they 
 got their invitation: "Brentano's have done 
 their work all right, but the rest has the un 
 mistakable stamp of the parvenu. The de 
 vice, or whatever the nondescript may be 
 called, is in defiance of heraldic law, and aside 
 from that, ridiculous in itself, and the extraor 
 dinary size is vulgarly pretentious. It is curi 
 ous that these nouveaux-riches cannot attain 
 refinement."
 
 188 CHIM 
 
 " It must be, of course," said Alma, " because 
 they are somewhat upset by the great change 
 of circumstances, and they strain after effect, 
 so as to dazzle others." 
 
 " Only look at this superscription," said Mrs. 
 Akme, "addressed ' To Mrs. Akme and fam 
 ily /' It seems by this that we are an aggre 
 gation, Alma, and cannot be individualized. 
 There in nothing of bad manners more grating 
 than the overlooking, misspelling or mistaking 
 one's name in any way." 
 
 " And yet," said Alma, " this name has a de 
 prefixed, which is supposed to indicate savoir- 
 faire? 
 
 Mrs. Akme laughed sarcastically as she said, 
 " It is made de by act of legislature or act of 
 piracy. I am told the man is plain Larry Noo. 
 He is rich, as one sees; honest, which is remark 
 able, and he would be a useful and respectable 
 citizen were it not for the antics of his wife and 
 daughter." 
 
 "And the son?" asked Alma. 
 
 Mrs. Akme scanned her face for an instant,
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 189 
 
 but saw the open expression of the clear blue 
 eyes and was satisfied. 
 
 " The son, dear, is, they say, half elude and a 
 good-hearted fellow, but in no wise a refined 
 man. I fancy that the father is the best of the 
 lot. He had the wit to make the money that 
 the family squanders." 
 
 "What a queer history," said Alma. 
 
 " Not at all, dear," replied her friend. "This 
 thing happens every day in our midst so often, 
 indeed, that one ceases to be surprised. If you 
 wish an indulgent husband, my child, be sure 
 to marry an American." 
 
 " Oh!" exclaimed the ingenuous girl, catch 
 ing her breath, with an appealing look which 
 plainly said, "to have marriage thus alluded 
 to is not pleasant." " I suppose," she said, 
 " you are not going to this ball ?" 
 
 " I ought not to go," replied the matron qui 
 etly, "for I do not think it quite just to society or 
 one's own self-respect to visit people whom one 
 cannot but criticise. There is too much of this 
 sort of thing done by people of influence, and
 
 CHIM 
 
 who know better, and who are really responsi 
 ble for the general tone of society. Yet by 
 their presence at these entertainments they en 
 courage the underbred. But for once, my 
 dear adopted daughter, I am going, as I wish 
 to show you all phases of the world's move 
 ment." 
 
 "Thanks; you are so considerate," replied 
 Alma; but she could not help thinking how 
 changed Mrs. Akme was since the other day 
 when the Professor had breakfasted with them. 
 She seemed to have become so matter-of-fact; 
 less serious and stately, perhaps, and, above 
 all, to take such a common-sense view of 
 things. Then, she had not used a single word 
 that was incomprehensible to her. 
 
 Alma little dreamed that Mrs. Akme was 
 passing mentally through a transition state; 
 that she was shedding her chrysalis of isms, 
 and clone forever with the society of Adepts. 
 
 After having acquired Chim, Mrs La Fayette 
 de Noo was at first ecstatically happy, although
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 19 1 
 
 her gratification was not unalloyed, as will 
 happen with one's most longed-for pleasures, 
 because Chim behaved in such a disagreeable 
 way whining and discontented like a spoiled 
 child of fortune. 
 
 It must be confessed that the dog was far 
 from amiable; and, finally, one morning when 
 she. tried to overcome his ill-humor by love, 
 squeezing him in her arms, he snapped at her, 
 and tore her lace handkerchief. 
 
 " Take care, now," said Marie Jeanne, in a 
 warning tone, "that dog may have been bit, for 
 all we know, and is going mad." 
 
 " You scare, me, Sis," said her mother turn 
 ing red, and looking at the slight scratch on 
 her hand. 
 
 " Annette, le docteur" 
 
 " Oh," said the daughter, who had a very 
 pleasant recollection of Dr. Mensana, whom 
 she had met at Mrs. Akme's, " I will attend to 
 that at once myself." 
 
 Dr. Mensana received an urgent message 
 " to come as quickly as possible," and he went
 
 IQ2 CHIM 
 
 at once, although at some personal inconven 
 ience, muttering to himself: " I venture to say 
 it's only a scratch, for women always send word 
 that they are dying at least the rich ones do." 
 
 Miss de Noo received the gallant Esculapius 
 attired in a rose-colored silk morning gown, 
 which quite impressed his susceptible fancy, 
 and she explained to him volubly, that "Ma 
 dame Mere" had a wonderful trained dog the 
 twin-brother of Mrs. Akme's, and that the 
 little fellow must be sick, as he had snapped 
 at his mistress. 
 
 Dr. Mensana was not very well pleased to 
 be sent for on account of a dog, but he 
 thought the young lady quite charming, and 
 besides, since the puppy was of the same litter 
 as Mrs. Akme's wonderful dog, perhaps he 
 might be an interesting subject for scientific 
 investigation, and even illustrate his own theory 
 of microbes. 
 
 So they ascended to Madame Mere's bou- 
 doir. Miss de Noo herself condescending to 
 lead the way.
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO 15ALL 193 
 
 Mrs. de Noo was, likewise, very elaborately 
 attired for the reception of the doctor, and 
 Chim was being rocked in a canopied, lace- 
 ruffled, satin-lined cradle, but had to be held 
 therein, trying his best to work out. Evident 
 ly the dog was not artistic. 
 
 Marquis stood looking out of the window, 
 his hands clasped behind his back, and his 
 ,cheeks puffed out and his face actually mottled 
 with suppressed laughter, as he now and then 
 turned to ogle the maid, who smiled irrepress- 
 ibly, but otherwise did not encourage his 
 mirthfulness. 
 
 " Docteur" said madame, "we are, as you see, 
 an afflicted family. Can you give us a pre 
 scription for a dose ? " 
 
 The doctor bowed, looking round Miss de 
 Noo, who had him in special charge, handed 
 him a chair, also seating herself. 
 
 "This here Sheen," the mother continued, 
 " is the patient one. He has so far forgot his- 
 self as to snap at me. He done it this morning, 
 whilst I was ahugging of him, and Miss de Noo
 
 194 CIIIM 
 
 thinks he's a case of being rabies. He has a right 
 to be well conducted, as he belongs to an old 
 family stock, second to none in the land, being 
 he is twins to Mrs. Akme's performing dog, the 
 pair of them having one and the same name. I 
 don't like Chim for a name, but the Marquis 
 here, says, its dog's latin for Prince Coolly- 
 Woolly." 
 
 Hereupon Mark looked very hard out of the 
 window, spluttering out something that 
 sounded like " I'll be dog-goned, if 'tain't just 
 so." 
 
 The maid twitched and rocked the cradle so 
 violently that Chim took the chance to jump 
 up into the doctor's lap, who was seated near. 
 
 As he looked at him, Chim gave a quick lit 
 tle joyful bark, having evidently recognized 
 him as one of Mrs. Akme's Adepts, and doubt 
 less hoping that he had found a friend who 
 would take him back to Alma. 
 
 So the dog remained very quiet on his knee, 
 giving Dr. Mensana an excellent opportunity 
 to diagnose his case.
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL IQ5 
 
 A careful and minute search with a power 
 ful magnifying glass was at once made for 
 microbes, and notwithstanding the perfumed 
 baths, several well-defined ones were found 
 skipping about his wee, woolly body. Then 
 this astute physician examined the eyes of the 
 patient, which were unusually large, and re 
 garded him with an appealing, almost human 
 look. 
 
 It was one of Chim's magnetic attractions, 
 that mystic, veiled glance of his, but the doc 
 tor was not given to sentiment, and noticing 
 the peculiar look, thought it might possibly 
 indicate incipient cataract. 
 
 " I find, "said he sententiously to the attentive 
 group, " a complication of symptoms. There 
 are undoubtedly some well-defined microbes, 
 and the indications point to incipient cataract." 
 
 "It's all Greek to me," interrupted Mrs. de 
 Noo. "What I want to know is, what ails the 
 cur?" 
 
 " The doctor's just told you," answered her 
 son; "it's his hair and his eyes that worries him."
 
 196 CHIM 
 
 " Must an operation be performed, doctor ? " 
 asked Miss De Noo apprehensively. 
 
 " Not yet, Miss," said Esculapius, smiling 
 upon her very blandly. " Since Chim is of 
 interest to you, I will come again and watch 
 the case, although I must say frankly that it 
 is the very first time during an extensive prac 
 tice that I have been sent for to prescribe to 
 one of the canine race." 
 
 " But you must give him some medicine," 
 said Mrs. de Noo, who imagined, as people 
 always seem to do, that if one sees a doctor 
 there must be a disagreeable sequence. 
 
 An experienced practitioner, in such cases, 
 will administer a bread pill to satisfy the imag 
 ination, but Dr. Mensana was an inventor, and 
 he desired to experiment. So, taking poor Chim 
 with a strong grip that meant business, he said, 
 " I will give him one drop of my elixir, although 
 I have distilled it myself, with infinite trouble, 
 through an alembic of my own invention." 
 
 "Law!" cried Mrs. de Noo, "the French 
 doctors never make their own medicines."
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 197 
 
 " Nor take them, either," added Marquis. 
 
 "Nor am I a pharmacist," said the doctor, 
 irritated. 
 
 " Oh, dear doctor ! " said Miss de Noo coax- 
 ingly. Dr. Mensana, addressing her with a 
 mollified tone, said, "This elixir is my own 
 scientific discovery, and destined to revolution 
 ize tire world," and taking out of his inner vest 
 p,ocket a homoeopathic vial, he held Chim's 
 nose, and let one drop fall on his tongue. 
 
 Chim slid down to the floor, strangled, 
 squirmed, rolled over and over on his back, 
 bending his body bow shape, and wriggling 
 four protesting legs in the air. 
 
 Every one fled. They scattered to the four 
 distant corners of the room, the frightened 
 women holding their skirts tight round their 
 ankles, as if they had seen a mouse. 
 
 " He's gone mad ! " cried the mother. " He's 
 got a fit !" wailed her daughter. "He'll ex 
 plode ! it's dynamite ! " shouted Mark, rubbing 
 his hands in great glee, and making more 
 noise than all the rest put together, for,- like
 
 198 CHIM 
 
 the stormy petrel, he was at his best in a scrim 
 mage. 
 
 " Save yourselves ! " he yelled, catching 
 Annette round the waist. " We're being 
 blown up." 
 
 Annette extricated herself, and walked out 
 of the room. She was always dignified, and 
 not at all like a flirtatious Frenchwoman. 
 
 " She's pretty as a picture," thought Mark. 
 " I'll call her back." So he stepped out and 
 called, " Annette, the Madame wants you." 
 She always seemed to understand his English, 
 and she returned. 
 
 Meantime the doctor was triumphant at the 
 marked effect of that solitary drop. Now Chim 
 had righted himself, but he eyed the doctor 
 suspiciously, and well he might, with a hole 
 burned through his tongue as big as a pin-head. 
 
 " It's a beautiful case. The animal is now 
 rejuvenated," said Dr. Mensana, solemnly. 
 " It is probable that if no extraneous causes 
 intervene, he will continue to live far past the 
 usual record of the canine race."
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 199 
 
 "You don't say so!" cried Mrs. de Noo. 
 " What's ' rejuntevated ' ? " asked she. 
 
 " Made young again," answered the doctor. 
 
 "Do you hear that, Sis? He's a doctor 
 worth having," bawled Mark. 
 
 The young lady blushed scarlet. "Behave 
 yourself, Marquis," enjoined his mother. " You 
 forget the family dignity. You acted shameful, 
 too, in that saloon of Mrs. Akme." 
 
 " Don't I know," said the exasperating boy, 
 "that my great-great-great-grandfather was 
 Larry Noo, second cousin to 
 
 " Hush up," said Sis, who was recovering. 
 Chim was now undergoing a reaction, and, 
 curled up on a sofa, had gone to sleep. 
 
 " Docteur" said madame, pointing she al 
 ways pointed to emphasize speech " look at 
 that there Sheen, he's cured ! Listen how hard 
 he snoozes. I'm ever so much obleeged. To 
 morrow night we give the tip-top ball of this 
 season. It won't be as select, though, as it 
 orter be, for we had to draw our line some 
 where, and so I may say to you, noos enter.
 
 200 CHIM 
 
 we only asked the mund-demy. So we'll be 
 glad to see you. It's Miss de Noo's debutante 
 coming out. Do you think the Sheen will be 
 well enough to appear ?" 
 
 "Be sure to come, doctor," added Miss de 
 Noo persuasively, " and you may dance with me, 
 fourth partner. My first is Count Hoppin, my 
 second Baron Hausgarten, my third the Chev 
 alier Stooper." 
 
 "You see," interlocuted mamma, "Miss de 
 Noo has to give first choice to the diplomatic 
 corpse." 
 
 " As I'm only a doctor," said he sarcastically, 
 " I won't mind that sort of thing in the least. 
 Good morning." 
 
 " Now be sure to come, doctor," repeated 
 Miss de Noo, attending him to the door. 
 
 " Sis has got a mash on that there longevity 
 man," observed Marquis. " She'd undergo 
 cremation to be made young again." 
 
 " For shame, Marquis," expostulated his 
 mother, "you reflect on me." 
 
 After the doctor went away Mrs. de Noo
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 201 
 
 sent word through Annette to the parlor maid, 
 that she must order the butler, who must order 
 the footman, who must order the coachman to 
 come round with the clarence. 
 
 " Does Annette go too, with Chim ? " asked 
 Mark, "for that was a pretty big order, Madame 
 Mere." 
 
 "Oui," she said. 
 
 Presently the big family carriage, drawn by 
 high-stepping, docked horses, covered with 
 heavy gold - mounted harness, and rattling 
 their gilded chains, rolled to the door, and 
 Madame, Miss, Mark, and Annette holding 
 Chim, got in. 
 
 Mrs. de Noo had made up her mind that 
 Chim should wear amber beads to strengthen 
 his eyes, and so she drove first to Gait's, where 
 a glittering amber necklace was fitted to his 
 neck, which Chim had the ill-taste to disap 
 prove of. He nearly shook his head off trying 
 to get rid of it, but all to no purpose, as it was 
 securely clasped, and, like the shirt of Nessus, 
 stuck on. They then drove to Zimmerman's,
 
 2O2 CHIM 
 
 where Mrs. de Noo had been told all the upper 
 ten went to get their furniture. 
 
 She was rather disgusted to find a lot of old 
 things, but Sis assured her " the older the bet 
 ter ;" so she began a tour of inspection, pric 
 ing each thing as she went along. " How 
 much is that grandfather's clock, mister, and 
 the shovel and tongs and andirons and brass 
 knocker and fender and silver waiter and can 
 dlesticks and snuffers and coasters and cracked 
 china and English glass, oh, and that dear 
 cute little teapot and the big samovar ? " all 
 in a breath, but she bought nothing. Mr. 
 Zimmerman, as always, was patient and 
 polite. 
 
 Presently she came to a corner cupboard, in 
 which were locked up some old Dutch silver 
 and an exquisite miniature on ivory. It was a 
 portrait of a lovely woman, framed in a gold 
 case set round with jewels. Mrs. de Noo, 
 pointing to the work of art, asked, "What's 
 the price ? " 
 
 " That," replied Mr. Zimmerman, " is a very
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 2O3 
 
 costly gem. It is said to be an Isabey, and is 
 the portrait of a court lady; probably a French 
 Marchioness." 
 
 " You don't say so ! " cried she. " I wonder 
 if she belonged to our family of the La Fay- 
 ettes ? " 
 
 " It may be so," replied he; " no name was 
 given." 
 
 "Just what I wanted," said the lady. The 
 purchase was made, and Mrs. de Noo drove 
 off in triumph. " Let the others, like Mrs. 
 Akme," she said to Sis when they got home, 
 " buy up the chipsofdale, and the Saint Do- 
 mingos, and the corner cupsboard, but I've 
 got the greatest bargain he had." 
 
 " How so ? " asked Sis. " I know you paid 
 a lot." 
 
 " It's worth it," said her mother, with a wink, 
 " for I've bought an ancestor, being your orig 
 inal first parent and greatest grandmother, the 
 old one of all the La Fayettes de Noos." 
 
 Now that the ancestral hall was swept and 
 garnished, the very next evening the mansion
 
 204 CHIM 
 
 was painfully ablaze with electric and gas lights, 
 and superbly decorated with floral and other 
 adornments, for the long-heralded ball. 
 
 The cotillion was to begin at midnight. 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo and Miss La Fayette 
 de Noo were rather fine-looking women, and 
 held themselves well, draped in superb gowns. 
 Could they have only posed as silent Galateas 
 all would have gone well. 
 
 Miss de Noo was especially noticeable, for, 
 as she stood beside her mother, held fast by a 
 long silver chain that was buckled to her 
 waist was Chim, in a decollete blue satin tunic 
 gaily decked with ribbons, and jeweled anklets 
 and amber necklace. He was assisting to re 
 ceive. 
 
 " He was gotten up," in common parlance, 
 " without regard to expense ! " 
 
 The guests were invited at ten, which, by 
 tacit understanding, means eleven, when they 
 all came in a rush. 
 
 They found the entire family drawn up in line. 
 
 The patcr-fainilias at first stoutly swore
 
 CIIIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 20$ 
 
 for he did swear under provocation and offer 
 ed to pay a big sum to be let off; but they all 
 three declared that " the family dignity was at 
 stake," and Mark loudest of all. 
 
 So he had to stand beside his wife, and hear 
 himself called by a name he abhorred, for one 
 hour, which seemed to him without end. 
 
 Chim was placed between the ladies, and 
 having been well fed previously, as also all the 
 family, to enable them to get through the fa 
 tigues of the night, he occupied himself indif 
 ferently, chewing up and fraying out, at odd 
 intervals of time, the Venetian lace furbelows 
 and flounces of Mrs. de Noo, now and then 
 pulling off the border of ostrich plumes from 
 Miss de Noo's art creation, called a gown. 
 
 Being thus intent he was quiet, and, as chil 
 dren often are, when not heard from, supposed 
 to be good. 
 
 The crush was all that the most sanguine 
 hostess could have desired. 
 
 It was said that one woman fainted, but she 
 could not have been used to routs, and should
 
 2O6 CHIM 
 
 not have come at all. The jam, the push, the 
 elbowing, the squeeze, made it brilliant. Ev 
 erybody said so. 
 
 The lackeys cried out the arrivals, announc 
 ing misnames so fast it was deafening and to 
 tally bewildering. 
 
 The Washington world, old-fogy residents 
 excepted, has a title, and the roll-call reminds 
 one of the naming of creation or, not to be so 
 grandiose, of the Bonapartes under the First 
 Empire, and that " beat all creation," as the 
 Westerner would say. 
 
 About half-past eleven Mr. Buncombe Here 
 ford shook hands warmly with Mr. La Fayette 
 de Noo. 
 
 They were well known to each other in a 
 business way, and when the two millionaires 
 clasped hands the stocks rose and fell again, 
 so it was telegraphed in Wall Street. 
 
 Obscure people, who make honest gains and 
 never speculate, have not the very faintest 
 idea of what it may mean or what might hap 
 pen when big guns go off.
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 2O/ 
 
 Now, Mr. Hereford, as has already been ex 
 plained, was exclusive in his tastes. 
 
 He merely intended to cover a prospective 
 point or two with Larry Noo, stay a few min 
 utes, and slip away to a terrapin and cham 
 pagne supper at Welckers. 
 
 When he shook Larry Noo's hand both 
 hands he knew the honest old man must dis- 
 ,like him; but that made no difference to Bun 
 combe Hereford, not the least. 
 
 The world saw the friendly meeting, and 
 after bowing to Mrs. de Noo, and paying a 
 quiet compliment to the young lady, he fell 
 back, with a slight nod to Marquis just a lit 
 tle back of the line, as invited exclusives do at 
 the presidential mansion receptions. 
 
 He was a man of imposing presence, and as 
 he stood a few steps back of Mrs. de Noo, calm 
 ly looking on, he really added greatly to the 
 dignity of the group. 
 
 Chim was so preoccupied that he paid no 
 attention to him. 
 
 Of course, Mr. Hereford's thoughts were
 
 208 CHIM 
 
 elsewhere; for how can men of untold, enor 
 mous wealth be other than absent-minded ? 
 
 Soon after the arrival of Mr. Hereford, to 
 Mrs. de Noo's great satisfaction Mrs. Akme 
 entered, having quite a regal aspect, and ac 
 companied by Alma. 
 
 Some one, feeling quite sure that Mrs. Akme 
 would not be there, had taken that considerate 
 pains the world often has, to tell Mrs. de Noo 
 that " of course she need not expect Mrs. 
 Akme, who only attended small and select 
 companies;" so her entrance was a social tri 
 umph for the hostess. 
 
 Mr. Hereford at once accosted Mrs. Akme, 
 as society seems to have a very quick insight 
 as to the desirable acquaintances it must cul 
 tivate. 
 
 Like the instinct of animals, it may be call 
 ed a sixtli sense. It is cousin-german to tact, 
 that indefinable essence well-bred people have. 
 
 A moment before, this aristocrat had an air 
 of lofty indifference as he gazed over the heads 
 of the crowd, doubtless at some higher invisi-
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 2OQ 
 
 ble goal; but now he bowed low, and as he at 
 once perceived that a lovely girl was with Mrs. 
 Aknie, he advanced a step forward. 
 
 Alma's graceful bearing and gracious smile 
 were most alluring, and the simple elegance 
 of a perfectly fitting white muslin dress would 
 have marked her as a woman of superior re 
 finement. 
 
 .She wore no jewelry, no furbelows, no rib 
 bons, only a few natural flowers, and one mag 
 nificent rose amid the heavy coils of her Gre 
 cian coiffed hair. 
 
 " She is," thought this hardened man of the 
 world, " statuesque, classic, fresh, and delicate; 
 ah, what a rose to pluck and wear ! " 
 
 He was hastening to beg an introduction 
 when suddenly he saw the bound of a skye- 
 terrier almost under his feet, as with repeated 
 yelps of delight, he rolled over and over before 
 the fair being, who, in her turn, utterly forget 
 ful of her surroundings, knelt down, embracing 
 him again and again and yet again: " Chim, 
 Chim, darling Chim," she kept repeating.
 
 210 CHIM 
 
 An electric thrill ran through the crowd, for 
 what is most appreciated, because most rare in 
 society, was being enactod a scene ! Every 
 one pressed forward. 
 
 Miss de Noo was utterly indignant. " Please 
 pass on," she said, "or we shall be literally 
 crushed." 
 
 But that was easier said than done. If Alma 
 retreated, Chim tugged frantically at his chain. 
 
 Mark, at once taking in the situation and 
 entirely captivated by Alma's beauty, with ad 
 mirable presence of mind quietly unbuckled 
 the chain from his sister's waist, and placed the 
 dog in Alma's arms. 
 
 They at once retreated from the room. 
 
 " What shall we do ? " whispered Alma; " it 
 is Chim." 
 
 " I know it," said Mrs. Akme, in deepest in 
 dignation. " But now, we can only leave him 
 here and get out of the house as quickly as pos 
 sible." 
 
 Mark took the dog and ran with him, strug 
 gling, barking, and snapping, to a remote attic
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 211 
 
 room, where, removed from society, he could 
 meditate at leisure upon the ephemeral nature 
 and the nothingness of social prestige ! 
 
 And so ended the ball for Alma, and all 
 through the persistency of Chim. 
 
 Mr. Hereford was greatly chagrined at the 
 unexpected turn things had taken, but he very 
 placidly inquired of his hostess who the young 
 lady was. 
 
 "A very pert girl," said that lady, whose 
 temper was ruffled. " She is a niece of Mrs. 
 Akme." 
 
 The gentleman offered her his arm, saying 
 it was now midnight, and that she needed 
 a little promenade. 
 
 " You see," said Mrs. de Noo, confidentially, 
 " they may think it's their dog, for it's one of a 
 pair of twins, and I saw the first Chim at Mrs. 
 Akme's, and was determined to have one like 
 him, and so I advertised that money was no 
 consideration, when sure enough, a man came 
 to me with this twin of the same name, and I 
 bought him at a great bargain for five hundred
 
 212 CHIM 
 
 dollars, although the man said he was worth 
 more. This Mrs. Akme may think he is hers, 
 but he's no such thing. I bought the Sheen and 
 mean to hold on to him. Voos-comprcncz ? " 
 she added, giving his arm a pinch. 
 
 "Perfectly, madam," said that gentleman, 
 smiling in his sinister way. " Pray, excuse me 
 now, as I happen to have a pressing engage 
 ment." 
 
 Soon after midnight the german commenced. 
 
 The Duke di Svelto-Sveltazza led, and long 
 Avill that ball be chronicled in social circles, 
 for its peculiar and bewildering arrangements, 
 for the favors were silken purses, and in their 
 netted depths were pieces of money. 
 
 This was the bright, original idea of Larry 
 Noo, who, when his wife had asked him for a 
 check to buy favors, had said, " Nonsense, 
 mother, give them the Simon Pure, according 
 to their needs." 
 
 And so it was decided to distribute to the 
 foreigners gold, to the Americans silver. 
 
 The only exception to the rule being Dr.
 
 CHIM AT THE DE NOO BALL 213 
 
 Mensana, to whom Miss de Noo presented a 
 twenty-dollar gold piece. 
 
 But the Washingtonians threw their purses 
 at the flunkeys as they passed out, and what 
 became of the rest is as secret as the archives 
 of the State Department. 
 
 No one knows, and, what is more, no one 
 cares -to know. 
 
 At the supper, there was the placing of the 
 court circle, and then a quick closing of the 
 doors. 
 
 Mrs. de Noo remarked to the duke, " Not 
 one of the Corpse is left out in the cold. I 
 took care of that." 
 
 Dr. Mensana was smuggled in behind a 
 screen by Miss de Noo, and as to the Ameri 
 cans, the descendants of the Bunker Hill men 
 and the Cincinnati, they heard the popping of 
 champagne corks and were cheerful. 
 
 It is probable there will never be a repeti 
 tion on the same scale of a similar festivity, for 
 the air of Washington is unfavorable to the 
 cultivation of a continuous mushroom growth.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 
 
 MR. BUNCOMBE HEREFORD had obtained 
 the desired information through the garrulity 
 of Mrs. Lafayette de Noo, and as that was all 
 he wanted, he quietly hastened away. 
 
 He met with no detention, as he had taken 
 the very sensible precaution in such a crowded 
 reception of having his footman stand at the 
 door .with his wraps. 
 
 The engagement to meet some members of 
 a syndicate at a midnight supper at Welcker's 
 had to be met, and during this Lucullian re 
 past, the various aspects of a trust, that was 
 not being handled in a very satisfactory way, 
 were discussed. 
 
 The magnificent and unscrupulous daring of 
 Hereford was what was needed to give its 
 
 combinations an impetus, and so, disguised by 
 214
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 21$ 
 
 the most formal and guarded language, the 
 scheme of wholesale robbery was matured. 
 
 A band of bandits may plan to stop a stage 
 coach or a railroad train, with the tacit inten 
 tion of murdering any man, woman, or child 
 who may resist their lawlessness, and yet not 
 expose by set forms of words their cruel de 
 signs". 
 
 > Petty thieves in their turn make use of slang 
 expressions that cast an air of bold bravado 
 over their sneaking villanies, even among 
 
 themselves. 
 
 u 
 
 And each and every nefarious enterprise 
 wears its own special mask, behind which it 
 cowers to strike the fatal blow. 
 
 And so this monstrous and iniquitous trust, 
 whose machinations were destined to smother 
 honest industry, destroy all hope of success 
 for private enterprise, deprive the toiling 
 masses of men of the well-earned fruit of their 
 labors, then dictate to a pillaged people its 
 own terms of enforced serfdom, this wholesale 
 scheme of corrupt and tyrannous measures, was
 
 2l6 CHIM 
 
 the Machiavellian plot of these leaders of men. 
 As everything that Midas touched hardened 
 into gold, so even the forms of speech among 
 these master minds were cold, polished, molt 
 en, glittering and compact. 
 
 And no vein of sympathy for suffering hu 
 manity weakened their callous hearts; no ray 
 of benevolence could be detected in their im 
 passive manner; no tear of pity ever percolat 
 ed through the fissureless solidity and iron 
 strength of their resolve, but they held on 
 their way with relentless will, never heeding 
 the wide-spread ruin they effected. 
 
 So this evening, seemingly yielding to con 
 vivial enjoyment, with approving smiles, and 
 well-chosen phrases, under the decorous con 
 cealments of the apt uses of words, one of 
 those gigantic iniquities, that in its disastrous 
 monopoly overrides freedom even in this God- 
 chosen country, reached its culminating aims. 
 And so these scourges of the human race 
 parted, with the mark of Cain upon their souls. 
 
 The night was far spent, and leaning into
 
 CIIIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 2I/ 
 
 early dawn when Hereford retired, and in sad 
 need of rest. 
 
 But that teeming brain, filled with vast pro 
 jects, had revolted against the demands of its 
 slave, the body, and refused to sink into the 
 lethargy of sleep. 
 
 There was no rest for its overtaxed energies, 
 but rather it was called upon to do battle with 
 -the accusing soul. 
 
 Doubtless, during the eternity of hell's tor 
 ments, in the retrospect of the probation period 
 of human existence, it will be clearly under 
 stood that in this life were presented succes 
 sive opportunities to turn off from the broad 
 highway that leads to ruin, into paths of peace. 
 
 And that night, when sleep was in vain 
 courted, the memories of his past thronged 
 upon him with heavy weight. 
 
 And first there stood before him, like a 
 presence, that fair young orphan girl whose 
 heart and hand he had won, and whose for 
 tune he had used as a stepping stone, much 
 needed at the time, to attain other ends.
 
 2l8 CHIM 
 
 But now she moaned, a jibbering lunatic, im 
 mured these many years in a maniac's cell. 
 But was it not his cruelty that had bereft her 
 of reason ? He had had the power to ruth 
 lessly send her away, to relegate her to a 
 hopeless incarceration as one insane, and when 
 that dread doom had first overtaken her, how 
 had it been ? Was reason at that time really 
 dethroned ? He alone knew the cause of her 
 apathetic, deep-seated melancholy, which was 
 nursed into madness. Had not the heartbreak 
 of neglect and ill usage been hers, in cruel re 
 turn for trusting love ? 
 
 And what had Satan, for his trembling soul 
 knew the presence of its Master, although in 
 visible to mortal vision, what had he given him ? 
 Naught but ashes of bitterness and presaged 
 torture of despair. 
 
 Pleasures fatigued him; power had a leaden 
 weight; the senses exacted more than the body 
 could grant; siren voices had lost their fascina 
 ting power to sated ears, but the tempter whis 
 pered, "There remains one gratification to seek,"
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 2 19 
 
 The time has come to throw off the burden of 
 a crazy wife, and, once divorced and free, find 
 solace in the artless innocence of the beautiful 
 girl whose captivations are so alluring. And 
 through this enchanting companionship, a 
 fresher, purer life will be gained. 
 
 "Of course," he soliloquized, "there can be 
 no difficulties of real moment to overcome. 
 .Mrs. Akme will be pleased to have her niece 
 make so brilliant an alliance, and no inexperi 
 enced girl can resist all the inducements I can 
 offer and all this aside from my personal mag 
 netism." 
 
 It was soothing at last to have had his fever 
 ed fancies turned into pleasing channels, and 
 toward morning he fell asleep. 
 
 But with the day's stir and movement he 
 awoke, dominated by the influence of the last 
 wish of the night, and determined at once to 
 use means to obtain his end. 
 
 It first occurred to him that Mrs. La Fayette 
 de Noo had asserted that Alma should never 
 have her dog, but he would quickly secure Chim
 
 220 CHIM 
 
 for his mistress, and earn her gratitude, for he 
 knew she would be grateful, he having witness 
 ed the affecting scene of their unexpected meet 
 ing, and the strong love they bore each other. 
 
 He felt quite sure that the thief, who had for 
 a published compensation been induced to 
 steal Chim from Mrs. Akme, would find means, 
 if the temptation was repeated, to steal him 
 once again from Mrs. de Noo. 
 
 Prompt action always, with Hereford, waited 
 as a handmaid upon resolve. In that Morning 
 Post, and in that Evening Star, was an adver 
 tisement : 
 
 }\'anted. A skye-terrier like Mrs. La Fayette de 
 Noo's, for which a most liberal price will be paid, if 
 promptly procured. Address, B. H., this office. 
 
 These advertisements despatched, he recol 
 lected to have been told that Mrs. Akme's 
 niece had wonderful talent both as a pianist and 
 harpist, and he thought it must please her to 
 have an opportunity presented for the exhibi 
 tion of these accomplishments. 
 
 So an invitation was at once sent to Mrs.
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 221 
 
 Akme, and to Miss Akme, to attend a small 
 uuisicalc, the next evening at nine o'clock, at 
 his house. Having written these notes, he in 
 structed his secretary to attend to all the details 
 for such a soiree, reminding him that in the 
 selection of guests, the talent to be engaged, 
 the supper to be ordered, he must direct so 
 that every arrangement should be faultless. 
 
 Thus having spread his meshes to catch the 
 unwary, and feeling quite sure of success from 
 past experience, he calmly turned his attention 
 to the vast projects in hand, with that intense 
 power of concentration and abstraction that 
 marked the strength of his mental grasp, and 
 made him always a dreaded factor in whatever 
 he undertook. But to revert to the previous 
 night: Marquis La Fayette de Noo, had, as a 
 spectator of the thrilling scene that evening of 
 the meeting between Alma and Chim, quite lost 
 his heart. And it was with much emotion that 
 he had placed the beloved little creature in the 
 arms of his beautiful mistress, assisting her to 
 leave his mother's crowded drawing-room,
 
 222 CHIM 
 
 while the pretty French maid, who had taken 
 a deeper hold upon his fancy than he him 
 self was aware of, underwent a temporary 
 eclipse. 
 
 At the close of the ball, and toward morning 
 he had sought his room, the last guest, except 
 Dr. Mensana, having departed. 
 
 That scientist was deep in the explanation 
 of the theory of his Elixir of Life, to Miss La 
 Fayette de Noo, and she was evidently so in 
 terested in the discoverer as to be willing to 
 embrace the discovery. 
 
 By the time Marquis reached his chamber the 
 house had become quiet, and he could hear the 
 barking of Chim from the attic, where he had 
 taken him for temporary imprisonment. 
 
 So he concluded to liberate the skye from 
 where he was, and shut him up in the dressing- 
 closet attached to his bedroom. " As to my 
 self," he thought, " I am tired enough to sleep 
 if a pack of hounds were let loose around me." 
 
 But Marquis was mistaken. He had yet to 
 learn that the sharp continuous bark of one
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 223 
 
 little clog might develop mental aberration. 
 Being thus unexpectedly kept awake by this 
 musical discord, his fancy again reverted to 
 Alma, and he made up his mind to please that 
 lovely girl at all hazards, but he was also 
 ready to hang the dog rather than spend another 
 night within ear-shot. 
 
 Thinking over the situation, a masterly 
 gourse of action was decided upon. It was ev 
 ident that the dog was Alma's, and no less so, 
 that his mother, by her inconsiderate advertise 
 ment, must have unwittingly induced some one 
 to steal him from her. This idea as it flashed 
 upon him, greatly tickled his fancy, and he grew 
 very hilarious at the mere conceit as he said to 
 himself, "It's the best thing out: mother has 
 paid five hundred dollars to some thief who has 
 stolen the dog for her, and Sis had the beast 
 buckled to her waist at the ball ! " Thereupon 
 the youth laughed so long and so loud that his 
 father came to the door, thinking he had lost 
 his senses. 
 
 " What's up now, Mark ?" he said. " Letup
 
 224 CIIIM 
 
 and give a man a chance to rest, will you ? 
 I've not had one wink of sleep this night, al 
 though I went to my room at one o'clock, and 
 took a hot milk punch, but the infernal hulla 
 baloo all over this house would have waked the 
 dead. Then, just as all was still, the howling 
 of that horrid dog began." 
 
 " I've been kept awake, too," said the son. 
 
 "Suppose we choke the wretch or drown 
 him," suggested Larry Noo. " Mother need 
 never be the wiser." 
 
 " We can't have that pleasure, governor," 
 answered Mark, " because he ain't ours to choke 
 or drown : mother bought him of a thief who 
 stole him." 
 
 "You don't say so ! " gasped honest Larry, 
 his face turning purple mottled, as if he were 
 about to have an apoplectic fit. 
 
 " But I do say so," reiterated the youngster, 
 who of all things enjoyed " working up people," 
 as he called it. 
 
 His father gasped and looked beseechingly. 
 
 "You see, governor," continued his son,
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 225 
 
 "that dog really belongs to that handsome 
 niece of Mrs. Akme. Mother, after that night 
 we went there, fussed to get a performing clog 
 like him, and bought him at a big price." 
 
 " I see," said the father, looking much re 
 lieved. "But how to go about it? Your 
 mother has the grit of Julius Caesar and she 
 says s-he means to hold on to the dog." 
 
 " It's easy enough managed," said the son. 
 " I'll make Annette get me the quilt he came 
 wrapped in, and I'll cover up his head so as to 
 smother his yelps, and take him back to Mrs. 
 Akme myself." 
 
 "And you may take a father's blessing with 
 him," added the delighted Larry Noo, as he 
 went back to his room vastly pleased. 
 
 " And I," said Mark to himself, " will kill 
 two birds with one stone, for when I give that 
 lovely girl her dog I'll just ask her to take me 
 too, thrown in." 
 
 Mrs. Akme and Alma had just risen from a 
 ten o'clock breakfast, where they had loitered 
 somewhat, talking over, under its various as-
 
 226 CHIM 
 
 pects, the affair of Chim's captivit}-, a matter 
 which was at the same time being freely com 
 mented upon at half the breakfast tables of the 
 elite, or rather the town, for every one was at 
 the ball. It is curious anyhow to listen to the 
 critical comments made by society upon the 
 entertainments they give each other, where 
 any hostess may deem herself fortunate to es 
 cape; as it would seem to have passed into an 
 unwritten law of the code of fashion that if 
 everything is in faultless taste it may be ac 
 cepted in silence, but that the slightest infringe 
 ment of the laws of etiquette is not to be for 
 given. Thus, the assumptions, pretentious 
 and underbred ways of the La Fayette de 
 Noos afforded so much merriment that, in a 
 manner quite unsuspected by themselves, they 
 became public benefactors. 
 
 " I never before understood," said Alma, 
 "how really absurd a crush is. I can now 
 comprehend why well - bred people avoid 
 them." 
 
 " The only persons whom they genuinely
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 227 
 
 please," said Mrs. Akme, " are those outsiders 
 who never in any other way meet the exclu- 
 sives, and yet these respectable citizens should 
 rather resent the contact, for the spoiled chil 
 dren of fashion know how to be unmercifully 
 rude to all others than their own clique." 
 
 " It is a pity," sighed Alma, remembering 
 her own recent struggle with a pitiless world, 
 "that money enough to have endowed a house 
 for homeless girls should have been, as it were, 
 squandered without results." 
 
 "Not exactly that, dear," said Mrs. Akme; 
 " the large sums spent in the ball of last night 
 and similar displays are after all divided among 
 many tradespeople, who in turn employ others. 
 This, dear, is a sort of question of political 
 economy." 
 
 " And of private extravagance," added Al 
 ma, laughing. 
 
 " But to revert to Chim," said Mrs. Akme, 
 ringing for a servant. " I will order my car 
 riage, and see if Lennox Montague has return 
 ed, and consult him about the best way to get
 
 228 CHIM 
 
 the dear little creature back for, ridiculous as 
 it is, there is a legal aspect in his detention." 
 
 " Has Mr. Montague been out of town ? " in 
 quired Alma in a hesitating voice, that indi 
 cated some feeling, for she had been rather 
 hurt by his prolonged absence, but felt too 
 timid to ask about him. 
 
 Mrs. Akme was a very quick observer natu 
 rally, and her long society training had aided 
 her perceptions, and she at once noticed the 
 slight tremor in Alma's usually calm voice, 
 but she replied in a nonchalant way: 
 
 " Yes, dear; I thought you knew that Lennox 
 had been called out of town on some important 
 business. Had the dear boy been here we 
 would doubtless have seen him daily, for, young 
 as he is, I quite lean upon his business percep 
 tions for advice. Then, I loved his mother, 
 which is a strong tie." 
 
 Alma sighed with the sad thoughts of the 
 past; and she passed on into the music-room 
 for a long practice, and Mrs. Akme went to 
 her own room to get ready for the drive.
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 229 
 
 They had scarcely separated, and Alma was 
 trying something new for the piano, when the 
 door was quietly pushed open, and Chim bound 
 ed in. 
 
 There was a rapturous greeting, and an ex 
 clamation of, " Ah, Chim, did you run away ? " 
 
 " Not at all Miss, "said Mr. Marquis La Fay- 
 ette de Noo, as he followed the terrier, unan 
 nounced, hat in hand, and speaking right out 
 in his natural, frank way, " I have brought this 
 dog back to you." He looked so pleased, and 
 manly, too, as he stood there, that as Alma 
 came forward to shake hands in her unaffected 
 way, and thank him warmly, she thought him 
 positively handsome. She had really scarcely 
 noticed him before, but now she said to herself: 
 " He is a nice fellow, and so thoughtful and 
 kind." 
 
 "Excuse me a moment," she said, "and I 
 will go and let Mrs. Akme know of your con 
 siderate attention, for she, too, will, I am sure, 
 desire to thank you." 
 
 " Please don't," said the young man, twirling
 
 230 CHIM 
 
 his hat round on the top of his cane. " I I 
 would rather have you thank me." Alma sat 
 down blushing, for there was that in his voice 
 and manner that to her quick insight betrayed 
 him. 
 
 They were both embarrassed, and Chim 
 came to the rescue, filling up an awkward 
 pause. It was amusing to see him smell each 
 separate thing in that room, then inspect the 
 apartment, with a careful gravity of proprietor 
 ship, as if to satisfy himself that all was right. 
 
 Being evidently satisfied, he ended his tour 
 of investigation by jumping up into Alma's lap, 
 whereat the two spectators laughed a little, 
 and Chim laughed. 
 
 " First," said the gentleman, clearing his 
 throat, "I beg that you and Mrs. Akme will 
 not misjudge my mother. It is only fair to her 
 to say that she honestly believes the dog to be 
 hers; and I have brought him to you without 
 her knowledge, having sort of kidnapped the 
 little fellow." 
 
 Alma involuntarily gave a slight start.
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 23! 
 
 " You see, Miss Akme," he commenced 
 
 " Aylvvyn," said she, quietly correcting him. 
 
 " Beg pardon, Miss Aylwyn," said Mark, 
 again quite confused. " I was told that you were 
 a Miss Akme." 
 
 She bowed stiffly. Poor Mark had uncon 
 sciously committed a faux-pas by the use of 
 that terrible generic " a." 
 
 . There was a momentary silence; and the 
 maladroit boy resumed, " You see, Miss, moth 
 er advertised for a dog like Mrs. Akme's, and 
 a man brought her Chim, to whom she paid 
 five hundred dollars, and she really thinks he 
 is hers by right of purchase." 
 
 " I understand perfectly," said Alma, to 
 whom this avowal was a revelation that at once 
 explained the crowd before the house that day, 
 and the subsequent stealing of the dog only 
 it was rather uncomfortable to think of any 
 thief having had such ready access to the house. 
 
 " The explanation is very satisfactory," said 
 she, after a moment's pause, during which all 
 these mental suggestions made things clear to
 
 232 CHIM 
 
 her, and she added, " We shall always be grate 
 ful to you, but, after all, it is very embarrassing." 
 
 "Oh, not at all," replied he. "Chim was 
 stolen from you, bought by mother, and I've 
 stolen him in turn from her, to keep the ball 
 rolling. It's clear fun anyhow." 
 
 And they both laughed, leaving any ethical 
 law involved to the moral philosophers. 
 
 Now they were on good terms, and Mark, be 
 ing more at his ease, said to himself, " This is 
 your chance." So, drawing his chair a little 
 nearer, as rustics are wont to do, he said, brave 
 ly enough : 
 
 " My dear Miss Aylwyn, I captured Chim, 
 but you have captured me : it's a perfect rout, 
 bag and baggage. You have your dog; can't 
 you love me a little for his sake ? " 
 
 It was such a queer confession, and struck 
 Alma as being so ludicrous, and yet this was 
 the first time any man had ever asked her love 
 in a downright way, and she felt a sort of grati 
 tude at being loved. 
 
 " How very odd it is," thought she, " that
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 233 
 
 through Chim I should have my first offer of 
 marriage, and it may be my last, for all I know," 
 she said to herself, but she could not deceive 
 her dual, who whispered back, " There will be 
 one other through Chim." 
 
 So, giving Chim just a little caress, which 
 must have been very aggravating to the poor 
 lover, 'that it was not bestowed upon him, she 
 answered with charming candor, 
 
 " You shall ever be my dear friend, indeed 
 you shall ; we will be the best of friends, for I 
 love my dog, and I really like you." 
 
 And just at this bewildering moment Chim, 
 who had been listening attentively, leaped down 
 from Alma's lap, as he barked a welcome to 
 Mrs. Akme. 
 
 But Mr. Marquis La Fayette de Noo, who 
 was smart enough to feel keenly all that the in 
 vidious discrimination of Alma implied, hurried 
 ly bowed himself out, and drove rapidly away. 
 
 As the youth threw himself in rather a dis 
 gusted mood in the coupe, he soliloquized in 
 this wise : " She certainly is a raring-tearing
 
 234 CHIM 
 
 beauty, but she makes a man half afraid of her 
 with her look of a queen. Yes, if such a woman 
 would only smile on a man, he could lose his 
 senses easy, and even, perhaps at first, play sec 
 ond fiddle to an ugly dog. But as to my taste, 
 when it comes to loving a woman who knows 
 your worth, and having a real jolly life of it 
 give me Annette any day, that is, if the pretty 
 creature would have me, for I'm learning that 
 women are worse riddles than Chinese puzzles." 
 
 Ah, had the whispering winds only brought to 
 the ears of Mrs. La Layette de Noo this thought 
 of her promising son and heir, in defiance of all 
 family dignity, she would have set up a howl 
 far more heartbreaking than that with which 
 he was saluted when he returned Chimless. 
 
 But the " governor," as his son called him, 
 quietly and surreptitiously slipped a fat check 
 in his hand, in grateful recognition of the rid 
 dance. 
 
 And to add to the intense discomfort that the 
 ill-humor of the ladies brought upon the La 
 Fayette de Noo family, during all of the next
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 235 
 
 day, and even on the succeeding one, the pave 
 ment, street, and carriage-way, in front of 
 their splendid mansion, were most unpleasant 
 ly occupied by a motley concourse of persistent 
 loafers, who passed their time in gazing up at 
 the windows. 
 
 " Vraymcnt" said Mrs. La Fayette de Noo, 
 " I shall have to go right straight back to Paris 
 to live there for good, where I can be over 
 seen night and day by a polite police, who will 
 keep this public gaze from being troublesome." 
 
 And Miss Marie Jeanne tossed her head, and 
 remarked "America is such a savage country." 
 And Larry Noo suggested, that " the rogues 
 expected, and perhaps are waiting for a free 
 lunch after the all-fired racket of that ball." 
 
 And Marquis La Fayette de Noo, stealing a 
 glance at Annette for approval, remarked, 
 " Anyhow the company outside make things 
 lively, and I like it." 
 
 But not one of them had read the advertise 
 ments of the Washington Post, or the Evening 
 Star, or they would have known better.
 
 236 CHIM 
 
 When Mrs. Akme had so opportunely dis 
 turbed the tctc-a-tete of the two young people, 
 she had just received a charmingly written 
 little note from Mr. Hereford, requesting the 
 pleasure of her company, and that of her niece, 
 Miss Akme, to a small nmsicale at his house 
 the next evening; and the invitation was ac 
 companied by a superb basket of La France 
 roses, which he begged she would accept as a 
 slight expression of his great pleasure at the 
 renewal of an acquaintance which had always 
 been so agreeably remembered by him. 
 
 Mrs. Akme had intended reading the note 
 to Alma when she came in the room, but 
 amidst the excitement of finding Chim, and 
 the amused astonishment of hearing what had 
 just happened, she quite forgot to mention about 
 Mr. Hereford's note or flowers. 
 
 For Alma repeated the whole scene to her 
 in the most animated and inimitable manner, 
 with the same conscientious exactitude with 
 which she would have confided a secret to her 
 own dear mother.
 
 CHIM AS A CONNECTING LINK 237 
 
 Lennox Montague was a welcome guest that 
 evening, and, as he had a fine voice, and Alma 
 played accompaniments with great taste, the 
 trio enjoyed a feast of music, and as he was 
 going away Mrs. Akme asked him to dine with 
 them the next day, and be their escort to a 
 musicale to which they were invited by an old 
 acquaintance. 
 
 " And I, too, have received an invitation," 
 said he. " I suppose, Mrs. Akme, you allude to 
 the syndicate magnate. I shall be so happy to 
 dine with you, and so honored to be your es 
 cort." 
 
 And so it was arranged for the next evening 
 to the common satisfaction of the little party.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 
 
 STRANGELY enough, Alma found herself a 
 guest in the house of Mr. Hereford, without 
 knowing the name of her host. She had heard 
 Lennox allude to him as " a syndicate mag 
 nate," without having her interest awakened 
 in the least as to who or what he was. It was 
 evident that she lacked the world's apprecia 
 tive training. 
 
 And it happened that Mrs. Akme, who was 
 rather disposed to be punctilious in all matters 
 of form, and who understood conventional 
 rules, had quite overlooked mentioning the 
 name of their distinguished amphitryon. This 
 seeming inadvertence on her part rather arose 
 from the fact that he was a man of such marked 
 
 social distinction that there was the implied 
 238
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 239 
 
 supposition that every cne knew who he was, 
 or, at the very least, his name. 
 
 And so, by a fortuitous combination of cir 
 cumstances, they met, really without introduc 
 tion. Mr. Hereford having been informed that 
 Alma was Miss Akme, had bowed to her with 
 out repeating her name. 
 
 Then Alma accompanied Mrs. Akme as her 
 adopted daughter everywhere, being well re 
 ceived, indeed welcomed, wherever she went, 
 and she had such implicit confidence in her 
 beloved chaperon, that in the number of their 
 social engagements, and the ever increasing 
 circle of new acquaintances, at times she be 
 came quite perplexed as to where to place 
 people. And no wonder, for this is a culti 
 vated talent, the result of both training and 
 experience, and is often then not acquired. 
 
 The music-room had good acoustic quali 
 ties, and was pleasantly filled with genial, cul 
 tivated people, who knew each other, and all 
 the arrangements were charming. 
 
 Never, since her dear mother's death, had
 
 240 CHIM 
 
 Alma been so radiantly happy as on that even 
 ing, and happiness makes even the homely at 
 tractive. The beautiful girl did not stop to 
 analyze her feelings and inquire of herself why 
 the presence of Lennox Montague brought 
 her so much content, except, perhaps, that it 
 seemed so clear to them both that they en 
 joyed everything with an appreciation that 
 was perfectly delightful. 
 
 When these ladies arrived with their hand 
 some young escort, there was a momentary 
 threatening glance of Mr. Hereford's eye. suc 
 ceeded instantly by a forced smile. 
 
 " It is very displeasing," he thought, " to 
 have Miss Akme escorted by this presumptuous 
 boy, but I can make short work of this obsta 
 cle," and he at once made a mental note to 
 make sure and crush the prospects, if he had 
 any, of this rising young attorney. 
 
 But this displeasure of Mr. Hereford was 
 quite unnoted by Alma, who had not a special 
 gift of mind-reading, so that it cast no shadow 
 over her enjoyment. One is assuredly happier
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 24! 
 
 to be in blissful ignorance of invisible dangers, 
 for the world presents to view quite enough 
 that is disagreeable in its own time to combat. 
 
 Just now Alma's cup of pleasure was effer 
 vescing. Chim had been returned, and that 
 anxiety was at an end, and she loved music. 
 
 As the evening progressed, her musical 
 talent was again and again applauded. 
 
 Although some professional talent had been 
 engaged to guard against failure, yet the ex 
 cellent taste of the host desired the soiree to 
 have the effect of an impromptu evening, and 
 the adaptation of tastes had been so carefully 
 considered, that the result was successful. 
 
 The company was an informal one with so 
 cial and artistic elements happily combined, 
 but the one feature of the occasion that Mr. 
 Hereford intended was, that there should be 
 an ovation to Alma, without any apparent pre 
 concerted attempt in that direction. 
 
 Under his skilful manipulation, the musicale 
 was so arranged as effectively to display her 
 gifts. And, absorbed in the strains of harmony,
 
 242 CHIM 
 
 she was unconscious of herself, which was the 
 glorious thing about it. 
 
 She at first played a duet with Mrs. Akme, 
 which was a happy thought to give her courage 
 until her enthusiasm was aroused. 
 
 After a time she gave an accompaniment for 
 Lennox with much taste and feeling, which 
 was something Mrs. Akme suggested, and not 
 at all in Mr. Hereford's programme, for even 
 he could not control fate. 
 
 Then came a harp and piano concerted 
 piece, which led to a request for a harp solo, 
 which was rendered with an exquisite grace 
 that elicited an outburst of encores. 
 
 "Well, my child," said Mrs. Akme to her, 
 sotto voce, " your triumph has been complete." 
 
 " And I dare not give expression to my feel 
 ings," added Lennox, in a low voice. 
 
 "And I," said Alma, artlessly, "have en 
 joyed every instant." 
 
 " And caused others still greater happiness," 
 said the host, regarding her with an open ad 
 miration that went to the heart of Lennox like
 
 CHIM S THIRD ADVENTURE 243 
 
 a dagger, as he felt how slight were his chances 
 when coping with such a rival. 
 
 At this moment, Mr. Hereford presented to 
 Alma an inoffensive dude whom he had se 
 lected to take her in to supper, and offered his 
 own arm to Mrs. Akme. 
 
 He knew, with a glance of triumph, that his 
 rival was checkmated for once. 
 
 " Ha, ha," chuckled he internally, " you are 
 but feeling the first breath of the winter of 
 your discontent, vain youth ! Before Hereford 
 shall have done, you will be crushed between 
 the upper and nether millstone of his wrath." 
 
 But could the magnate have seen the scorn 
 ful look that Alma cast upon the hapless creat 
 ure whose arm she had barely touched, and 
 glanced back to see her, with a gracious in 
 clination of her head, call Lennox to her side, 
 he would not have been so triumphant. 
 
 For as Lennox joined them, Alma said with 
 her sweetest smile, " Let me for once be a 
 belle, Mr. Montague, and have two attendants." 
 
 And Lennox once again murmured, " I can-
 
 244 CHIM 
 
 not find words, Miss Ayhvyn, to tell you the 
 gratitude of my heart." 
 
 At this moment, Mrs. Akme saw Lennox, 
 and nodded to him to come to her. As he did 
 so, she said to Mr. Hereford, " I wish to com 
 mend specially to your kindest consideration 
 the son of your and my old friend, Ysolde 
 Lennox." 
 
 A new light flashed upon Hereford, a new 
 reason for hating the boy, for he was the son 
 of a woman he had once loved, or thought he 
 loved, and, what was more to him, her discard 
 ed suitor. " Now, I have," he thought, " every 
 reason to hate the fellow ; and he has her 
 beauty. I could not at first discover the link 
 of old association. Yes, Ysolde, you shall, 
 through me, act as a Nemesis for your own 
 child." 
 
 And thus, as the fury of revenge was raging 
 in his soul, he stood cold as Parian marble and 
 erect, and, casting an indifferent look at the 
 young man said, as if trying to recall an abso 
 lutely forgotten acquaintance, " Ysolde Len-
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 245 
 
 nox, madam ? pardon the defective memory of 
 one who has been perhaps overtaxed, but I 
 cannot remember the name," and he turned to 
 offer Mrs. Akme his arm to show her a fine 
 painting, " brought from the old homestead," 
 he said. 
 
 But Mrs. Akme knew the world, and was not 
 deceived. " Of course he remembers Ysolde," 
 she thought; " I will cut him too;" and so she 
 replied, with an air of fatigue: " This charming 
 evening that you have given us, Mr. Hereford, 
 reminds me of an absolutely well-dressed per 
 son there are no salient points" 
 
 They exchanged glances, and disliked each 
 other. 
 
 Mrs. Akme, who knew there was no stab so 
 keen as that veiled by a compliment, turned to 
 look for Alma, but she had left the supper- 
 room; so, saying with frigid courtesy to Mr. 
 Hereford, " I cannot longer claim your valu 
 able time as host I will take the arm of my 
 young friend," she deliberately left him, and 
 seeking Lennox, who stood as one momenta-
 
 246 CHIM 
 
 rily dazed by the cool insolence of his host, 
 she said, playfully, " Lennox, pray take care 
 of me." 
 
 After Mrs. Akme had called Lennox away 
 from Alma, she was so insufferably bored by 
 her attendant that she begged him to conduct 
 her to the library, and then had the tact to 
 suggest that he would join two of his friends 
 of whom he had caught a glimpse in the sup 
 per-room. 
 
 This was in every way an agreeable sugges 
 tion to the vapid boy, who sauntered his mean 
 dering way back to the supper-table, where he 
 found two others like unto himself; and there 
 the three stood in a line, to be waited on, for 
 an indefinite length of time, each one adorned 
 with a similar cascade of roses for a flourishing 
 boutonniere, each one raising his wine-glass 
 feebly to his lips from a seemingly dislocated 
 shoulder-blade, each one equally limp in the 
 legs, each one holding precisely the same Del- 
 sartian pose, and there they stood and stand 
 in other drawing-rooms, and at other supper-
 
 . CHIMS THIRD ADVENTURE 247 
 
 tables to this day three dudes with but one 
 single aim; three heads with but one single 
 thought. 
 
 The reaction of the tension of continuous 
 musical effort caused Alma to feel somewhat 
 fatigued, and the momentary solitude was very 
 grateful to her as she stood beside a wide- 
 throated open fireplace. 
 
 There was a something in the crackling 
 blaze of the burning logs, in the quaint aspect 
 of the huge burnished andirons upon which the 
 wood rested, that reminded her of the merry 
 days of her petted babyhood and early child 
 hood in the dear ,old Manor House of her 
 grandfather. 
 
 Over just such a fireplace hung a portrait of 
 her grandmother, and covering the mantel was 
 a rich piece of embroidery, a long scarf of ori 
 ental pattern, upon which rested those won 
 derful bronzes, the three musical devils, be 
 fore which she used to stand aghast, shivering, 
 and whose images were so often dwelt upon in 
 memory.
 
 248 CHIM 
 
 There are moments when the closed cells of 
 reminiscence seem suddenly to expand, and 
 we view, as in a well-defined vista, the long 
 succession of events that had apparently faded 
 from our mortal ken. 
 
 So subtle are the springs that open to our 
 sight the hitherto closed pictures of the past, 
 that often what would seem to be the merest 
 nothing is the needed link of the broken chain. 
 
 Ah, why should her gentle mother have 
 had to bear the keen anguish of the loss of 
 that dear old home ? How cruel that merci 
 less, grasping cousin had been to sell it, as he 
 said, for delinquent taxes, and then, oh, shame ! 
 buy it for himself ! and it was, after all, such a 
 mere nothing to him out of his great abun 
 dance. 
 
 Her mother had died broken-hearted, with 
 out understanding where to place the wrong, 
 but now she knew they had been needlessly 
 sacrificed. Had not the good old friend in 
 Washington, who was so generous to her, told 
 her so ?
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 249 
 
 And out of all these bitter, bitter recollec 
 tions came once again a strong desire to re 
 possess that dearest of homes. Would this 
 happiness ever be hers ? 
 
 With this yearning wish uppermost in her 
 agitated heart she unconsciously raised her 
 eyes as if to ask kind heaven to right this 
 wrong, and met, looking into hers, as in the 
 .baby days, the responsive eyes of the same 
 picture. She started, as if in fear of some op 
 tical illusion, only to see reproduced the entire 
 vision so indelibly imprinted on memory's 
 tablets. 
 
 There it all was the rare old lambrequin, 
 the three weird bronze figures writhing in 
 their endless torture yes, the mild, tender 
 countenance of the beautiful grandmother. 
 
 " Have I quite lost my reason ?" she asked 
 herself, pressing her throbbing temples with 
 both hands. " No, no, this is no mental hal 
 lucination, for clearer and clearer does the vis 
 ion recall the grouping of that scene." 
 
 And now she leaned heavily for support
 
 250 CHIM 
 
 against the mantel, as pained and busy thought 
 retraced a thousand, thousand things that clus 
 tered round the awakened memory. 
 
 " My harp stands mute," thought Alma, " un 
 til the living touch sweeps o'er its chords, and 
 so my heart-strings quiver under the magic 
 wand of this once familiar scene." 
 
 It did not suit Buncombe Hereford's ulterior 
 aims to take offense at Mrs. Akme's caprice, 
 and so he used his freedom to look for her 
 lovely ward, and, pausing several times to ex 
 change a few words with a guest, he finally caught 
 a glimpse of her in the still unoccupied library. 
 
 He was screened by the heavy folds of the 
 silken portiere, as he stood in the doorway. 
 "What an exquisite picture of innocence!" 
 thought he, as he watched her for a moment, 
 " or, rather, the pose of a model for some work 
 of classic art," he added, with a half sneer. 
 " Yet, be it unaffected artlessness, or posing 
 for effect, which is more likely, she is beautiful." 
 
 Her white muslin dress was closed at the 
 throat, and edged with soft Valenciennes lace,
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 251 
 
 and her shapely arms were uncovered except 
 by a fall of lace, which was looped up by two 
 strands of pearls, heirlooms that her mother 
 never would part with. 
 
 But the attention and the curiosity of this 
 keen analyst of character were specially ar 
 rested by her dreamy, rapt, and sad expression. 
 
 " This incomparably lovely woman," thought 
 he, " has a history, for no mere spoiled girl of 
 fashion ever had such an abstracted air." 
 
 So thinking, he stepped forward and accosted 
 her with that exceeding courtliness he knew 
 so well how to assume. 
 
 "May I dare," he inquired, "to disturb a 
 reverie ?" 
 
 She started, then recollecting herself, replied: 
 "It is true; memory has been busy. lean- 
 not explain it, but this portrait, these bronzes, 
 the drapery, even the fireplace, reproduce a 
 familiar and a well-loved scene of my early 
 life; it is," she added, somewhat agitated, "a 
 mysterious illusion I cannot dispel." 
 
 " A refrain of what, fair poet?" asked he.
 
 CHIM 
 
 "A reminder," she said, " of my childhood's 
 home of my dear grandfather's house." 
 
 " That is very strange," said he, somewhat 
 moved, " for that which interests you as rem 
 iniscent is an exact reproduction, transferred 
 from an old Virginia home, to give me pleasure 
 here." 
 
 " Tell me about the homestead," she said. 
 
 " With pleasure," he replied with a sudden 
 pang of self-reproach; "it was in its day a 
 famous old place and the seat of generous hos 
 pitality. The portrait was of my aunt, its mis 
 tress. Does it remind you of a family picture, 
 Miss Akme?" 
 
 During this recital Alma had become more 
 and more agitated, but she simply said : 
 
 "I am not Miss Akme; my name is Alma 
 Aylwyn." 
 
 And prompt as a thought of Lucifer, the 
 father of lies, came the response of this de 
 stroyer of homes, as he exclaimed with a rap 
 turous manner: 
 
 " And I, my darling ward, am your loving
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 253 
 
 cousin, Buncombe Hereford. I have sought 
 for you in vain, and have mourned you as one 
 lost." 
 
 "And what of that letter?" asked Alma, 
 with a withering air of disdain. 
 
 " What letter ? " he asked, assuming the tran 
 quillity of innocence. " I was about to seek you 
 to ask you, as I do now, to take your proper 
 place as my near relative, and preside over my 
 establishment here, when I learned you had 
 gone, without leaving a trace." 
 
 "And that cruel letter you wrote me?" re 
 iterated Alma. 
 
 Mr. Hereford calmly replied : "I know not, 
 my dear child, to what you allude. No man 
 in my commanding position is without enemies. 
 If you ever received anything derogatory to 
 me in any way, purporting to come from me, I 
 can only say it was forgery. Your proper place 
 is under my continuous protection, and not as 
 the recipient of charity at the hands of a 
 stranger, as must be Mrs. Akme." 
 
 At this moment Mrs. Akme and Lennox
 
 254 CHIM 
 
 approached, and Alma at once besought her 
 imploringly: "Do take me home with you 
 quickly, for I am very, very ill." 
 
 " I will myself conduct you to the carriage," 
 said her cousin, drawing her cold hand within 
 his arm, and as he lifted her in he whispered : 
 " My dearest little cousin; of course you will 
 soon return to preside over my lonely home." 
 
 And he was careful that Lennox should hear 
 the first two words, "my dearest," which had 
 also not escaped the quick ear of Mrs. Akme. 
 
 Lennox Montague, cut to the heart by this 
 deadly thrust, and with raging tumult of the 
 brain, threw himself into the carriage, escort 
 ing the ladies home in silence, a silence un 
 broken either by Mrs. Akme or Alma; for the 
 one was absorbed by too many conflicting emo 
 tions for words, and the poor young girl felt 
 really ill. 
 
 By midnight the last guest invited to this 
 charming mnsicalc had departed, and the ac 
 complished host, relieved to be set free from
 
 CHTM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 255 
 
 his self-imposed duties, was about retiring to 
 his room, when his secretary, whom he made 
 a sort of factotum for all matters that required 
 special skill in the handling, came to him and 
 said: 
 
 " There is a man, sir, in the servants' hall, 
 who awaits your pleasure for the past hour, and 
 he h~as a bundle wrapped in his arms that I 
 fancy is a sleeping dog." 
 
 " All right," said the magnate, " telephone 
 at once for the special detective who has this 
 matter in charge; detain the man until he ar 
 rives, and then let me know." 
 
 Some ten minutes later the secretary an 
 nounced the presence of the officer sent for, 
 whereupon Mr. Hereford said, " Be quick about 
 it, and bring the fellow in." 
 
 In a moment a man was ushered in, with 
 Chim fast asleep, and the terrier was very com 
 fortably wrapped in the eider-down satin quilt; 
 although from the rather hard breathing and 
 deep sleep it was evident he had been drugged. 
 
 "What is it you wish, fellow?" asked the
 
 256 CHIM 
 
 master of the house, with a very severe aspect, 
 which at once cowed the trembling man. 
 
 " I bring you, sir," said he, " such a dog as 
 you advertised for; a twin-brother of the one 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo has, and he answers 
 to the same name, Chim." 
 
 "And your price?" asked the purchaser; 
 " and be quick about it; I have no time to waste 
 over a dog." 
 
 "Mrs. La Fayette de Noo gave five hundred 
 dollars for her dog," answered the man rather 
 hurriedly, " and although this is a superior ani 
 mal in every way, you may have him at the 
 same price, sir." 
 
 Mr. Hereford pressed the button on his table, 
 and the secretary entered. 
 
 " Give this man," said he, " five hundred dol 
 lars, which is the sum he asks for this dog." 
 
 The money was counted out, handed over, 
 and a receipt taken. 
 
 "Now," said Mr. Hereford, "you have sold 
 me this dog for five hundred dollars," and, as 
 he said so, he again pressed the button, at
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 2$7 
 
 which a door opened, and the police detective 
 stood behind the man, as he answered, " I have 
 sold him." 
 
 At the very instant the culprit felt a heavy 
 hand on his shoulder, and heard the terrible 
 words, " You are arrested for stealing this dog 
 from the house of Mrs. Akme this evening." 
 
 The detective then remarked to Mr. Here 
 ford that this dog had been returned to Mrs. 
 Akme the day before by Mr. De Noo in person, 
 but had now been, this evening, during the 
 absence of the ladies, stolen a second time by 
 the butler Harman, in the expectation of mak 
 ing a second sale. 
 
 This was a curious bit of news for Mr. Here 
 ford, as to the practical working of his own 
 advertisement, but he made no comment other 
 
 
 
 than to say to the officer, " You have my sin 
 cere thanks for this zealous performance of 
 your duty, and you deserve to be placed in 
 charge of the detective service. Further than 
 this, and regarding the refunding of the five hun 
 dred dollars, my secretary will confer with you."
 
 258 CHIM 
 
 So saying, he left the room, where stood the 
 trembling rascal, who had been lured into his 
 net, the secretary who was to attend to the mat 
 ter as a business transaction, and the officer, who 
 was now ready to march off with his prisoner. 
 
 In another instant a servant entered to say 
 to the detective that Mr. Hereford would see 
 that the dog was at once returned to Mrs. 
 Akme, and in fifteen minutes a cab drove off 
 with the still slumbering creature in the arms 
 of his butler, with a note from Mr. Hereford. 
 
 Mrs*. Akme had been so perplexed and be 
 wildered by the endearing w r ords that she had 
 unwittingly heard Mr. Hereford address to Al 
 ma, that, had not her painful doubts been met 
 by entire candor, some serious distrust must 
 have ensued, such as that gentleman hoped 
 might be the case. 
 
 There is just one thing that the man who 
 succeeds by deceiving others never seems to 
 take properly into his plots, and that is the 
 atmosphere of lucid truth that protects the 
 single-hearted.
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 259 
 
 Scarcely had Lennox Montague made his 
 formal bow to her and departed, than Alma, 
 with passionate weeping, repeated to Mrs. 
 Akme, word for word, the entire conversation 
 with Mr. Hereford that evening. She told her 
 all, every word, not even keeping back the 
 stinging reproach, that cut so deeply, of Mrs. 
 Akme's supporting her as an object of charity. 
 Had she been versed for a lifetime in the 
 subtle arts of diplomacy she could not have 
 done a wiser thing; for as the distressed girl 
 made known her sorrow as rapidly as heart 
 breaking sobs permitted the utterance, the 
 iniquity of the intention to take advantage of 
 any technicality of the law to entrap to her 
 destruction this lovely being became evident 
 to Mrs. Akme, whose wide experience of the 
 world gave her a clear insight of -character. 
 
 She was also somewhat prepared by her own 
 observation that evening to find this man of 
 momentous enterprises false, for she had been 
 shocked by his cool declaration of having forgot 
 ten Ysolde Lennox, and his uncivil demeanor to
 
 260 CHIM 
 
 her son, as she had not forgotten the school-girl 
 confidences of Ysolde to her in his regard. And 
 rejected addresses are never quite overlooked. 
 When Alma had, upon her first coming to her, 
 related the outlines of her previous history, 
 the letter of the cousin who had cast her off so 
 cruelly had been spoken of, but the name of 
 the writer had not been given, nor had Mrs. 
 Akme cared to hear it. But in the light of 
 present revelations it assumed real importance. 
 
 While these two harassed women were still 
 in deep consultation over the difficulties to be 
 overcome, a violent pull at the door-bell, sev 
 eral times repeated, attracted their attention. 
 
 " It is after one o'clock," said Mrs. Akme, 
 "and poor Harman naturally must have some 
 time for sleep. We cannot expect our people 
 to serve us night and day, for they really need 
 rest far more than we do. He is such a faith 
 ful man, so attentive and obliging, I will not 
 disturb him." 
 
 At this, the bell rang again, with a pull that 
 threatened breakage, and Alma said, "Let me
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 261 
 
 answer the bell," at the same instant hastening 
 to open the door. Mrs. Akme, thinking it some 
 what of a risk at that time of night to open a 
 front door, followed Alma so closely that she 
 heard her immediate exclamation of surprise. 
 
 As the door was closed there stood Alma 
 holding Chim in her arms, carefully wrapped 
 in his eider-down quilt, and fast asleep. 
 
 Exclamation followed exclamation, and the 
 surprise was so great that no heed had been 
 given to the note that accompanied his return, 
 although, of course, it must give the sought-for 
 explanation. 
 
 How often do people hold in their hands a 
 sealed letter or package to their address, ex 
 amining the chirography and the superscrip 
 tion, and even wondering who it is from, when, 
 perhaps, after a few moments of such dazed 
 unconsciousness, they open and read, and are 
 provoked at their own stupidity or absent- 
 mindedness. There would seem to be so many 
 occasions in our lives when we act as two dis 
 tinct entities.
 
 262 CHIM 
 
 " Oh, Alma ! " said Mrs. Akme, " the note ! " 
 
 "True," she answered, "how dull lam!" 
 
 and she opened and read aloud the following: 
 
 My dearest kinswoman: Mrs. Akme's butler, Harman, 
 has been arrested for stealing your dog while you and 
 she were both away this evening. I am happy to send 
 Chim back to you unharmed. He has evidently been 
 drugged to keep him quiet, but doubtless by morning 
 will be all right. The revelations of this evening, my 
 dearest cousin, have brought a hope of happiness to 
 my desolated home. As your legal guardian and only 
 surviving relative, it will be my pleasing duty to trans 
 fer you, in the course of the next few days, from the 
 kind and considerate hospitality of your acquaintance, 
 Mrs. Akme, and place you before the world where you 
 ought to be, not only as the lovely mistress presiding 
 over my establishment, but also as my adopted daugh 
 ter and ward. 
 
 Ever your devoted kinsman, 
 
 BUNCOMBE HEREFORD. 
 
 Upon reading this, to them, terrible letter, 
 Chim's rescue, her man's unfaithfulness, and all 
 were forgotten, as, with a great fear of the near 
 impending danger, these women, who tenderly 
 loved each other, wept in each other's arms. 
 But Mrs. Akme was, if possible, more terrified
 
 CHIM'S THIRD ADVENTURE 263 
 
 than was Alma, because she better understood 
 the depths of villainy, and saw more clearly 
 into the designing arts of this wicked man. 
 
 " How old are you, my darling ?" she asked 
 Alma, who replied, " I am just twenty." 
 
 And Mrs. Akme shuddered as she thought 
 that for one year the blessed child would be 
 legally under her guardian's care. And she, 
 who so lately had run the gamut of skepticism, 
 of agnosticism, of theosophy, and kindred fal 
 lacies, lifted her woman's heart to God, pray 
 ing Him to protect in His own perfect way this 
 lamb of His flock. Little did she imagine how 
 near is the answer whenever prayer ascends, 
 piercing the earth-clouds that hide alike from 
 view His avenging and His shielding arm. But 
 Alma's ignorance of the real gravity of the perils 
 that surrounded her spared her some of this 
 misery, and the dawn found her tranquilly 
 sleeping, while Mrs. Akme still walked the 
 floor, viewing and reviewing in her mind all 
 the aspects of the dangerous complications 
 they might so soon have to meet.
 
 264 CHIM 
 
 As the result of the long vigil, she deter 
 mined to hold on to Alma as if she were her 
 own beloved daughter, and to employ, if need 
 be, the best legal talent, at no matter what 
 cost, in the contest; and if it was thought that 
 her guardian must have control of his ward 
 until the expiration of his term of guardian 
 ship, she would, if it came to the worst, clan 
 destinely leave the country during that time 
 with her precious treasure. And one of her 
 desperate resolves was for one gets desperate 
 in the long, wakeful watches of a night if it 
 would insure additional protection in case they 
 had to seek concealment, they would even 
 " farm out "Chim, on the plan of the well-taken- 
 care-of French babies. 
 
 And having finally marked out a course of 
 action she, too, fell asleep in the broad light of 
 morning, only to start and moan in troubled 
 dreams, full of hair-breadth escapes and a 
 never-ending kidnapping of both Alma and 
 Chim.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 
 
 THE morning succeeding the mnsicale Mrs. 
 Akme sent a note to Lennox Montague, re 
 questing him to call and see her on a matter 
 of business as soon as possible. 
 
 Now, after Lennox had escorted the ladies 
 home that evening when he had received the 
 shock of hearing those fateful words addressed 
 to Alma, he, too, had passed a sleepless night. 
 
 The soul never seems to know herself until 
 she is questioned. She stands, as it were, a 
 mute sentinel at the ever-open portal of the 
 senses, but speaks not with the clear, still voice 
 of the spirit, amid the torrential sweep and the 
 bubbling turmoil that go to make up the busy 
 excitement of the broad and rapid flow of life's 
 
 onward progress. But presently the hitherto 
 265
 
 266 CHIM 
 
 unheeded force of passionate impulse, the ac 
 cumulating exterior pressure, drifts us upon 
 some hidden rock, or unheeded quicksands, 
 and then we cry out to the pilot at the helm. 
 
 So Lennox had not realized, or, realizing, had 
 failed to measure, how deeply his happiness 
 was involved by his love for Alma, until the 
 sharp blow, thus rudely given, had forced upon 
 him its terrible realization. But now, as he re 
 viewed again and again all that had transpired 
 between them, although he had claimed no 
 avowal of interest from her, yet had there not 
 been that satisfying interchange of thought, 
 those sympathetic glances giving unspoken 
 words that no language could so well express, 
 that had made him feel, without the asking, that 
 she was indeed the alter ego of the best that was 
 in him, the eidolon of his dreams, the chiefest, 
 the one supreme blessing, the idealization of 
 happiness for him ? 
 
 Could she thus have met him, and at the 
 same time held in her heart a superior affection 
 for another, and that other a man too old to
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 267 
 
 share the fresh emotions of a young girl's ten 
 der fancy ? 
 
 Then, had he not understood that virtually 
 they were strangers to each other ? 
 
 Was it possible that this pure and high- 
 minded girl could have been so readily influ 
 enced or at all controlled by the great wealth 
 and power of this man arising from such an as- 
 eendancy ? 
 
 But this suspicion was at once set aside as 
 an unworthy thought regarding such a woman. 
 
 And yet how could he ever forget having 
 heard those endearing words applied to her by 
 one whose age and position would alike pre 
 vent any mistake on his part ? 
 
 There must have been some strong reason to 
 have prompted and permitted such sudden ad 
 vances. 
 
 It was one of those inexplicable occurrences 
 that became more and more mysterious as one 
 tried to fathom it, or even penetrate into its 
 motives. 
 
 Oppressed by this ever-increasing gloom
 
 268 CHIM 
 
 and uncertainty, he was at a loss what course 
 to take, and he was depressed by conflicting 
 agitations when he received Mrs. Akme's note. 
 It brought some ray of hope, as he asked him 
 self if it were not connected with the painful sub 
 ject of his meditations. "Ah," he said, "perhaps 
 kind Heaven vouchsafes at least a clue to guide 
 me in this outer darkness in which I grope be 
 wildered." 
 
 So he hastened to seek Mrs. Akme. 
 
 The revelations that she had to make, as she 
 told him all that had taken place, distressing 
 as it was to hear that Alma was subjected to 
 such shameful persecution, yet, compared to 
 his fears, brought a relief so great that he was 
 positively happy. 
 
 His admiration of the brave girl was un 
 bounded as he heard the whole recital, for he 
 never before had fully known the sharp trials to 
 which she had been subjected during all these 
 past years of her clouded youth. 
 
 When Mrs. Akme had concluded her story, she 
 added : "Lennox, perhaps you are too young to
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 269 
 
 give safe advice in a matter of such moment, 
 but you have a good legal mind, some knowl 
 edge of law, a warm heart, and you are staunch 
 and true, so I wish to know exactly what you 
 think." 
 
 He did not reply for a few minutes, and it 
 was evident that he was much agitated. 
 
 Then he said : " The peril is doubtless great, 
 .but it does not seem to me to be as grave as 
 you apprehend, my dear Mrs. Akme. Miss 
 Aylwyn has reached an age when, certainly, 
 any court would permit her to decide as to her 
 domicile. I fancy that the extraordinary course 
 Mr. Hereford proposes to take must be rather 
 in the expectation of imposing upon her pre 
 sumed want of knowledge of her legal rights, 
 rather than from any fixed intention of really 
 forcing her will." 
 
 "Then you do not think that Alma could 
 be constrained to leave me against her con 
 sent?" 
 
 " At her age I do not," said Lennox. "The 
 real danger, rather, consists in the powerful,
 
 270 CHIM 
 
 almost irresistible, weight that such a man as 
 Hereford can bring to bear to crush those who 
 incur his displeasure. Where a man controls 
 such vast interests, there are existing ramifica 
 tions affecting so many others that it is diffi 
 cult to say what harm may ensue." 
 
 " I see," said Mrs. Akme; " and it is not easy 
 to know how to avert an unforeseen peril." 
 
 " There is always this comfort," said Lennox, 
 "that law does protect the helpless, and if, 
 through its various intricacies, it may at times 
 fail in so doing, it is not on account of its inef 
 ficiency, but rather owing to the ignorance of 
 those who appeal to its protection. I hold it 
 as almost absolutely certain that under the 
 handling of a well-trained and learned lawyer 
 one cannot be injured without obtaining ample 
 redress." 
 
 " Dear Lennox," interrupted Mrs. Akme, 
 "you inspire me with confidence. You have, 
 I see, an old head on young shoulders." 
 
 " I trust not," said he, smiling, " for I would 
 rather be altogether young, and, may I add,
 
 CI1IM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 2/1 
 
 so pleasing as to be acceptable to Miss Ayl- 
 wyn." 
 
 " What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Akme, 
 with a sudden start. 
 
 "I mean, my dear friend," he answered 
 gravely, " that I love this charming woman 
 with my whole heart and soul and far more 
 than my own life." 
 
 "You would not," said Mrs. Akme turning 
 pale, " seek to take her from me ? It is an un 
 expected possibility that you suggest." 
 
 " Your fears are premature in my regard," 
 answered he with a sad smile, " for as yet I 
 have not ventured to tell her of my love, nor 
 have I any assurance that Miss Aylwyn cares 
 for me." 
 
 Mrs. Akme instantly recalled various ex 
 pressions of Alma, or, rather, little incidents, 
 before unnoted, that now seemed to take shape. 
 " I fancy," she said, "that you might engage 
 her interest." 
 
 " Pardon any seeming indiscretion on my 
 part," said he, " but I have the courage to men-
 
 2/2 CIIIM 
 
 tion this subject of deepest import to me be 
 cause, if Miss Aylwyn would but accept my 
 protection, the law would consider the claim 
 of a husband as paramount to that of any 
 guardian." 
 
 "Ah! I see," said Mrs. Akme. "Such a 
 happy contingency would put an end to any 
 danger from this dreaded interference. Oh, 
 Lennox, only promise to make your home 
 with me, and you may go with my blessing 
 and make known your love to this dear 
 girl." 
 
 At this moment a strain of melody from 
 Alma's harp reached them. 
 
 Lennox arose. "With your permission, my 
 dear madam," he said, " I will join her; but 
 how can I hope to secure so much happiness ? 
 It is presumption." 
 
 A moment later Lennox paused at the open 
 door of the music-room involuntarily, in ad 
 miration. 
 
 Alma stood at her harp, and heaped in con 
 fusion at her feet were the various pieces of
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 2/3 
 
 music she had tried and in her concentered 
 mood thrown aside for still others that replaced 
 them, until, having, as it were, wearied with 
 these harmonies, her spirit had awakened to 
 its own musical concepts. 
 
 Thus with one arm resting lovingly on the 
 instrument, the other hand with caressful 
 touches framed snatches of thought into plaint 
 ive, soul-stirring, spiritualized utterance. 
 
 Lennox, entranced, caught the motif, and 
 followed with musical enthusiasm the sweet suc 
 cession of improvised sound, with its changing 
 intermixture of warmth, color, light, shadow, 
 interwoven with depth, fervor, and nuances of 
 delicious delicacy, the outpouring of creative 
 inspiration; and in his rapture he forgot that 
 Alma was unaware of his presence, but, catch 
 ing the refrain, sang in unison with her theme. 
 
 What glimpses of heaven on earth does not 
 music bring, wafting to our ardent longings 
 echoes of the eternal hymns ! 
 
 Alma turned with glad surprise as Lennox 
 joined her, and she gave the accompaniment
 
 2/4 CHIM 
 
 of an air, which Lennox sang with much taste 
 and feeling. 
 
 Then she stopped and, extending her hand, 
 said frankly: "I am ever so happy to see you, 
 Mr. Montague ; I was trying to forget my 
 sorrow;" and, as if she could not control the 
 sudden sense of desolation, she clasped her 
 hands in an attitude of deep dejection. 
 
 "Alma," said Lennox "permit me to say 
 Alma Mrs. Akme has just told me all. Do 
 not, I beg you, be dismayed at the intrigues 
 of this unscrupulous schemer. May I dare to 
 tell you, at such a time, that your love means 
 life for me ? Give me, dear Alma," he contin 
 ued with impassioned earnestness and taking 
 her hand, "the right to protect you as your 
 husband." 
 
 Alma was silent. 
 
 "Ah, do not, do not," he begged, "refuse to 
 become my wife." 
 
 And Alma said : " Lennox, I love you ; it 
 were needless to deny it, but I cannot be your 
 wife."
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 275 
 
 " My darling," he exclaimed, " may Heaven 
 forever bless you for the assurance of your love ! 
 But why, then, may I not hope that you 
 will be mine ?" 
 
 " Because I love you too truly," she said. 
 
 "I cannot understand, dear Alma," he re 
 plied. 
 
 " Listen, Lennox," she answered. " I am but 
 a poor orphan girl. My cousin tells me I am 
 an object of charity. You are but starting out 
 in your business career, having yet your fortune 
 to make, and I cannot at the very outset of 
 your honorable efforts allow you to take upon 
 yourself the added weight of my support." 
 
 " Fear not for our united future, my beloved 
 Alma," he said, " for happiness, love and con 
 tent compel success. You will be my chiefest 
 aid, and through you my star will be in the 
 ascendant. But if, on the contrary, you refuse 
 me this needed succor, from whatever motive, 
 you will then, indeed, mar my whole career." 
 
 " Dear Lennox," she said, " let us first have 
 the patience of seemly waiting for a time. We
 
 2/6 CHIM 
 
 have in reality scarcely known each other, 
 although, it must be confessed, we have always 
 been in sympathy. Since my cousin has re 
 minded me, I must not forget that he educated 
 me for a teacher; and, thinking it over, I shall 
 better endure a dependence dear, generous 
 Mrs. Akme forbids me to think of, but which, 
 none the less, exists, if she will be so good as 
 to let me give music-lessons." 
 
 " But, dear Alma," expostulated Lennox, 
 " Mrs. Akme asks you to take the place of her 
 own daughter. She w r ould never permit you 
 to do this." 
 
 " I think, Lennox, that she would when she 
 understands that it is necessary for my own 
 self-respect," she replied. 
 
 Mrs. Akme was so anxious that she could 
 no longer stay away, so she entered at this 
 moment, and said to them in a loving way : 
 
 " I am sure, my children, that you love each 
 other, and I trust that you have found out that 
 you do." 
 
 And Lennox answered : " Dear mother, as
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 2/7 
 
 your adopted children we crave your bless 
 ing." 
 
 Then she blessed them as her very own. 
 
 " I have told Lennox that we must wait in 
 all patience, for as yet we cannot marry," said 
 Alma. 
 
 " Not so, dear," said Mrs. Akme; " you need 
 the immediate protection that Lennox can give 
 you. Then his right will be superior to that of 
 your guardian." 
 
 At this, Alma, who could always be reasoned 
 with, being superior in this respect to the gen 
 erality of mankind, looked very serious, and 
 the whole matter was carefully reviewed in all 
 its aspects, the conclusion being that if Mr. 
 Hereford endangered her stay with Mrs. Akme 
 by his persistency, she would then marry Len 
 nox at once. But otherwise the engagement 
 would not be announced, but affairs would re 
 main in abeyance. 
 
 "Ah," sighed Alma, "could I but only re 
 gain the dear old homestead, which, it does 
 seem, should have remained by right as ours,
 
 2/8 CHIM 
 
 then I would not feel so in spite of all your 
 tender love so like an object of charity," and 
 she burst into tears. 
 
 Then Mrs. Akme, kissing her, said, " I 
 never, never can forgive that brutal man for his 
 cruel speech." 
 
 It is strange how all the leading events of 
 life are accompanied by lesser incidents, as if 
 there were always, in the ebb and flow of the 
 tide of human action, wavelets of reflex motion. 
 So it was in this instance, for as Lennox and 
 Alma attained this climacteric period leading 
 up to their united existence a sort of high-tide 
 movement, as it were Chim, who had played 
 such an important part as the immediate cause 
 of their knowing each other at all, was an un 
 observed, but not an unobservant, spectator of all 
 that had just taken place. But he had that wis 
 dom, notwithstanding his deep interest in what 
 was going on, that comparatively few mortals 
 possess, of keeping absolute silence at the prop 
 er time; nor did he by any movement obtrude 
 his presence even when Mrs. Akme entered.
 
 CIIIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 279 
 
 And now comes the astounding proof that a 
 wise dog does know his own master, even when 
 that master is a new one, for when Lennox went 
 away, Chim, without making the least sign of 
 what he was going to do, slyly followed him in 
 silence. Of course Chim knew perfectly, having 
 seen, heard, and watched the entire proceedings, 
 that "Alma was too agitated in fact, each of 
 the dramatis persona had been too occupied 
 to notice him, and yet he felt it due to the oc 
 casion to act his own part properly and make 
 a respectful act of allegiance to Lennox. He 
 therefore meekly followed this man of Alma's 
 choice to his office, and so preoccupied was Len 
 nox that it was not until he had seated himself 
 at his desk that Chini thought the time had 
 come to attract his attention. 
 
 Lennox knew all about dogs, and so at once 
 understood that Chim wished to say to him 
 that he adopted Lennox as one of the family. 
 So, taking Chim in his arms, he stroked, pet 
 ted, caressed and praised him for the delicate 
 compliment in his regard. At the same time
 
 280 CHIM 
 
 he explained to Chim that it was the wish of 
 Alma that the engagement should not be 
 known, and that he must, therefore, not follow 
 him around. Whereupon, taking a cab, he at 
 once returned Chim to his mistress, who must 
 have somewhat mortified the dog's vanity by 
 saying that she had not been aware of his 
 absence. 
 
 Ah, Chim ! although you bore a part in this 
 life-drama, yet in this one act you were not 
 missed. 
 
 " I hurried back with him, dear Alma," said 
 Lennox, laughing, " for fear that he might, by 
 his devoted attentions, make the announcement 
 before you were ready to permit it." 
 
 " The very thoughtful act of a true cavalier," 
 said Alma. "Thanks." 
 
 That very day that Alma and Lennox were 
 affianced the air seemed propitious for lovers, 
 for about the same hour that the little love- 
 scene just narrated was enacted at Mrs. Akme's, 
 Mr. Marquis La Fayette cle Noo, finding the 
 pretty Annette in the upper hall alcove alone,
 
 CIIIM ACCEPTS A XKW MASTER 281 
 
 sat down on a tabouret beside her to assist her 
 by handing out of a basket near by the nceuds 
 of rose-colored ribbons with which a ball-dress 
 of Miss Marie Jeanne was being trimmed. 
 
 "Annette," he asked, " how is it that you 
 happen to understand my English so well ?" 
 
 She laughed a little laugh that sounded like 
 the low tinkling of a silver bell, and an 
 swered: 
 
 " Of course, your English is not easy to un 
 derstand, yet why should I not speak the lan 
 guage and understand it too ?" 
 
 " Because," answered Marquis, " I never 
 heard of any Frenchwoman talking as you do." 
 
 " I will tell you a little secret," she said mys 
 teriously, " if you will promise to keep it to 
 yourself." 
 
 " Ton honor I promise," he answered, "for 
 I am just dying to hear." 
 
 " With curiosity such as women have ?" she 
 asked. 
 
 " I confess to far more," said he; " I've just 
 one minute to bear this suspense and live."
 
 282 CIIIM 
 
 " Well, then," she said, " it's a dead secret, 
 but I'm not a Frenchwoman at all." 
 
 "Maybe, then," said he, " you're a Russian 
 Nihilist, an Italian countess, a German frau- 
 lein, or an English governess ?" 
 
 " You shall never know," she answered 
 poutingly. 
 
 " You needn't confess," cried he, " for I know 
 for sure and certain that you're the loveliest 
 little witch since the Creation, when one came 
 out of the Garden of Eden." 
 
 " You've guessed just right," said she; " I've 
 changed my mind again, and if you will keep 
 quiet, and not rumple those silk bows, I'll tell 
 you a little history just as it came to pass : 
 Well, once upon a time there lived a young girl in 
 the Wooden Nutmeg State, and she was a moth 
 erless lass. She had a big brother please take a 
 note of that but no sister, and her father was a 
 farmer, who had at one time been a miner and 
 'made his pile, 'and speculated and lostit all, ex 
 cept enough to buy a farm of stones, briars and 
 thistles with. So this girl, who looked as I do,
 
 CULM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 283 
 
 and whose name was Anne Larens,had to go to 
 a hotel in Northampton in summer as a wait 
 ress so as to get enough money for her winter's 
 schooling. And there were other farmers' 
 daughters who did the same thing, and it was 
 thought no disgrace for us. But one day there 
 arrived at the hotel a very rich invalid old 
 lady, who took a great fancy to Anne and 
 would have the girl travel with her; and so, 
 when the father found that the heart of his 
 daughter was set on it he let her go, just for a 
 little, to see the world. Then she went over to 
 Europe, where, after traveling about for some 
 time, the old lady suddenly died in Paris. 
 Now, just at that sad time, when Anne was 
 unexpectedly left alone in a foreign country, 
 and had to get back to America the best way 
 she could, a very rich American lady adver 
 tised for a French maid." 
 
 "And you offered yourself, Annette," Mark 
 interrupted. 
 
 " In the first place," replied the girl, blush 
 ing, "my name is not Annette, but Anne
 
 284 CHIM 
 
 Larens, and, in the second place, I'm heartily 
 ashamed to confess that necessity compelled 
 me to represent myself as French. But I have 
 been faithful, and tried to do more than a 
 French maid would consent to do." 
 
 " Ha, ha !" laughed Mark; "it's the drollest 
 thing I ever heard." 
 
 "As to my French," said Anne, "it has 
 passed muster and been better understood for 
 the liberal use of English; but, candidly, I've 
 been very unhappy on account of the deceit, 
 and I have written to father that I'm here, and 
 will come to him so soon as my place can be 
 filled." 
 
 " No you won't, dear Anne," exclaimed 
 Mark, respectfully taking her hand and kissing 
 it, " for I can't live without you. I would rather 
 work on your father's farm with your big 
 brother, than dawdle away my time here when 
 you go." 
 
 "You are not spoiled, but manly, after all," 
 replied Anne; " but I've more pride, perhaps, 
 than you think for, Mark, and for all the world
 
 CIIIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 285 
 
 I wouldn't run away with you and have it said 
 I had entrapped you by my arts." 
 
 " If you loved me," said he ruefully, " you 
 would be willing to marry me and take my 
 name." 
 
 " A name of Mark," she slyly suggested. 
 
 " But here comes the governor," said he; "I 
 hear "the fog-horn " by which euphony his son 
 referred to a way his father had of using a huge 
 red silk bandana. 
 
 " Do, dear Anne, say yes or no to a man 
 do you love me ? Don't say no." 
 
 " Yes," whispered she, and he just had time 
 to snatch a kiss in grateful recognition and de 
 clare that he wasn't good enough by half, when 
 they were interrupted. 
 
 " Father," said he, taking Anne's hand, "I 
 love this young woman, and have told her so, 
 but she will never marry me unless you say 
 yes. Give us your blessing, I beg you." 
 
 There was a dew drop in Larry Noo's eye 
 as he looked at the handsome young couple 
 who stood before him. He grazed at them
 
 286 CULM 
 
 some minutes, then sadly shook his head, say 
 ing : 
 
 " I'm sorry, my boy; I don't mind her being 
 poor, for I was once a poor boy myself, and 
 I've worked up. She's a likely young woman, 
 too. Well, I'm awful sorry, but the long and 
 the short of it is, Mark, I can't go the French." 
 
 Mark, who at first had looked very lugubri 
 ous, at this unexpected ending actually shouted, 
 he laughed so; he cut a double pigeon- wing, 
 then shook hands with the old gentleman, cry 
 ing out: "All right, governor! we're yours 
 every time she's a Yankee girl. HitrraJi /" 
 
 " You don't say so !" exclaimed Larry Noo 
 opening his eyes wide; "I thought there was 
 good in her. But say, Mark, how did she catch 
 that infernal jingo so pat ? " 
 
 So the three sat down on the sofa, the gov 
 ernor between them, and the lover told the 
 whole story, with very complimentary flour 
 ishes in behalf of Anne, but when he came 
 to the name Anne Larens his father cried 
 out:
 
 CIIIM ACCEPTS A NEW MASTER 287 
 
 " Bless me ! what was your father's name, 
 Anne ? " 
 
 "When he was a miner, sir, he was called 
 ' Towhead Bill,' because of his light hair," she 
 answered. 
 
 Whereupon, Larry Noo just opened wide 
 his brawny, honest, helpful arms, and giving 
 the pretty maid a tight squeeze, exclaimed: 
 '' Well, I declare, it's too good to be true Bill 
 Larens's daughter ! Why, girl, I just loved 
 your father; but promise me, Anne, there'll be 
 none of that polly-voos. I just hate it; it takes 
 all the starch out of a man." 
 
 " Never a word, sir; we both hate it," laughed 
 Anne. 
 
 " The Lord be praised for all his mercies !" 
 said Larry Noo devoutly. " Now, children, do 
 as I say: Don't waste time; take a cab; take a 
 wedding trip ; go to Philadelphia ; telegraph 
 me from there when you're married." 
 
 " And mother and Sis ? " asked Mark. 
 
 " It'll be pretty tough for me at first," said 
 Larry Noo wincing; "but leave that to me,chil-
 
 288 CIIIM 
 
 clren, for," he added, with great feeling, " it'll 
 be the making of you, my boy; and here's the 
 needful to start with." 
 
 So saying, he pulled a fat pocket-book out, 
 handing it to his son. 
 
 " Oh, sir," said Anne, "you are indeed one 
 of nature's noblemen." 
 
 " Not a word of that, Anne," said he. " I'm 
 plain Larry Noo." 
 
 " Pardon me, sir," said she; " I love Mark, but 
 if I marry him he must work, and make a man 
 of himself." 
 
 " I'd expect as much," said Larry Noo ad 
 miringly, "from Billy Larens's daughter 
 that's the true ring in it, Anne." 
 
 " If you say so, father, this dear plucky little 
 woman and I will try it in Dakota, where a man 
 may work up to something." 
 
 " I'd like to go there myself," said Larry 
 Noo enthusiastically. " It's a blessed place 
 for freedom, where every man can smoke, 
 speak and spit as he pleases. But go now," 
 he added nervously. "I'll express the trunks
 
 CHIM ACCEPTS A XEW MASTER 289 
 
 after you go, before mother and Sis come 
 home." 
 
 And just as these ladies drove up to the door 
 a cab was turning the corner, in which were 
 two happy, happy lovers on their way to Phila 
 delphia and matrimony.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 
 
 IN the feverish excitement incident to rapid 
 money-making in this country, it will now and 
 then occur that combinations and trusts, sim 
 ilar to the one of which Buncombe Hereford 
 was president, will inveigle the unwary. They 
 should rather be called mistrusts. 
 
 Even as some overshadowing tree, that ab 
 sorbs, as it grows, endless solar rays which are 
 hidden in its opaque substance, collecting a 
 thousand, thousand influences toward its vast 
 increase, holding its varied elements in close 
 cohesion, and only reproducing its hitherto im 
 pervious light through combustion, and, with 
 the glare of desolating conflagration, leaving 
 naught but a residuum of ashes, so Buncombe 
 Hereford, as the master-spirit of this trust, 
 
 knew that the first incandescent sparks had 
 290
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 29! 
 
 already laid the train for that fierce burning-. 
 He foresaw that the hollow shams of watered 
 stocks, fraudulent issues, flattering promises, 
 brilliant circulars, hypothecated mineral lands, 
 as securities that had no real existence, and 
 paper towns of alluring aspect, must collapse 
 he knew that this network of fraud could not 
 be indefinitely floated. 
 
 He had expected, by a sort of hocus-pocus 
 familiar to those experts who handle big 
 schemes, to be able to inflate the market, sell 
 his bonds at high figures, and stand from under 
 with bloated wealth when the inevitable crash 
 must come. But his distended balloon had be 
 come unwieldy and soared out of reach. 
 
 Under the terrible pressure of the swift-com 
 ing doom, insomnia, that grim scourge of the 
 overcrowded brain and of spent force, took 
 possession of him and exhausted his remaining 
 nerve power. 
 
 Already some days had elapsed since he 
 sent that note to Alma which gave her so 
 much uneasiness, but the multiplied and har-
 
 2Q2 CULM 
 
 assing cares that beset him had caused a delay 
 in the execution of a set purpose, whose frui 
 tion, after all, was but a mere passing pleasure, 
 the plucking of a wayside flower that bloomed 
 in his path. Like other whims of fancy, it 
 could be allowed momentarily to rest, while 
 events would assist in development when he 
 was prepared to act. 
 
 A day of great and harassing disappoint 
 ments had just closed, whose culminating point 
 had been the summons to appear before a cer 
 tain congressional committee for an investi 
 gation that he was in no wise prepared to meet. 
 
 Being thus unexpectedly hunted down and 
 brought to bay, he concluded to try an evasive 
 policy quietly leave town and retire to the 
 old Virginia homestead until the time would 
 come to double on his track and reappear. It 
 would be understood that he had been sud 
 denly called to London to confer with some 
 leading capitalists. Meantime, in order to 
 solace some coming idle hours, he would take 
 his pretty ward with him, and introduce her to
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 293 
 
 the old homestead, which really was hers. He 
 felt that he was but an usurper under its shel 
 tering roof. 
 
 The business complications that he had 
 represented to Alma's mother as existing had 
 as their sole cause his own fraudulent use of 
 their means, in exchange for which he had doled 
 out a stinted allowance during the lifetime of 
 Alma's mother, and, after her death, had her 
 daughter educated in order to support herself. 
 Nor was he in any strict legal sense, as he as 
 sumed to be, Alma's guardian, or she his ward. 
 But Buncombe Hereford knew the weight of 
 assumptions and plausible assertions, for from 
 beginning to end his career could have been 
 summed up in five letters fraud. One thing 
 had been commented upon very quietly in that 
 part of the country where the old manor-house 
 was that no will had ever been found of Alma's 
 Grandfather Hereford. He was a prudent old 
 gentleman, and it was thought curious, to say 
 the least, that a man of large estate should 
 have died intestate. But in that matter his
 
 294 CHIM 
 
 nephew was actually innocent, for he, as well 
 as others, knew nothing of any testamentary 
 papers. Hereford had made strict but vain 
 search at the old place when he was there. 
 
 He expected to have a busy day on the mor 
 row, for the day after he would go down to the 
 old Virginia homestead, taking Alma with him. 
 
 Sleep was sadly needed. He had walked 
 the floor for several hours; all his immediate 
 plans were matured, and what was now the 
 paramount necessity was some hours of rest. 
 But he was never wider awake. There was a dull 
 ache in the back of the neck, as if his head was 
 supported with difficulty; now and then shoot 
 ing pains passed through the temples, which 
 work and worry and wakefulness might readily 
 cause. 
 
 "It is the neuralgic air of Washington," 
 thought he; "I will compel sleep." 
 
 He knew that to seek the bed would but 
 keep him wide awake, so, reclining in a luxu 
 rious cJiaise-longJic in a half recumbent posture, 
 he muttered: "I know it can be done I will
 
 CHIM' SUB ROSA 295 
 
 hypnotize myself, and my weary mind shall 
 demand and gain the mastery over its slave, 
 the body." 
 
 A red-shaded lamp placed in a corner of the 
 room threw a small circle of roseate light upon 
 the ceiling, and this point he selected for ex 
 periment. So, fixing his gaze intently with the 
 full force of his will power on the radius of the 
 quivering diameter, he presently fell under his 
 own hypnotic power. 
 
 And now a strange and weird sensation took 
 possession of him. He had grasped the thun 
 derbolt and played with the electric lightning's 
 thrill, but it brought with it elemental dissolu 
 tion; almost at once he began to have the hor 
 rible realization that he was slowly, but surely, 
 separating from his dual self. 
 
 He tried in vain to resist this painful division, 
 for he dearly loved, nay, worshiped, his own 
 indivisible Egv, and he must have and retain 
 every particle of himself. But his gaze was 
 firmly riveted upon this small luminous circum 
 ference, and he was unable to divert it.
 
 296 CHIM 
 
 It was rapidly increasing in its intensity, and 
 had now become a crystal filled with odylic 
 power, and speeding forth innumerous rays that 
 shot through the full tension of his brain with 
 millions, billions, trillions of infinitesimal mag 
 netic points, that caused the most horrible 
 pricking, burning, flashing pains. Yet the sheer 
 agony of it all was, that out of the depths of 
 this burning crystal, as in a flaming focus, there 
 came forth, one by one, in endless procession, 
 the compulsory review of the sins of a lifetime. 
 
 Nothing could be palliated or hidden when 
 made clear by that radiant magic mirror, upon 
 whose telltale surface, before the assembled 
 throngs of curious, jibing onlookers that now 
 appeared in dim outline above, below, around 
 him, filling up all space, and smothering him 
 down by the vast concourse that ever grew. 
 Ah, yes; these were the accusing souls some 
 writhen, distorted features he began to recog 
 nize, and they, one and all, in silence pointed 
 to the merciless, transparent surface of that 
 crystal.
 
 CIIIM SUB ROSA 297 
 
 No voice spake, but he was made to under 
 stand: " These are your accusers, and the burn 
 ing crystal is truth, before which stands your 
 naked soul, stripped of all disguises." 
 
 He groaned, and foamed; and raged under 
 the torture, but never one cry for mercy escaped 
 that proud spirit. No penitential tear was shed 
 to wipe out with its purifying brightness the 
 'dark stains ; not one prayer of true contri 
 tion ascended to redeem the soul that hung 
 suspended in the balance, and the pitying an- 
 ge turned away, its translucent wings, poised 
 heavenward to save, now folded, sad-drooping. 
 
 And then, amidst the ravings of his despair, 
 last and chiefest appeared the mouthing, jib- 
 bering face of his once beautiful wife, whose 
 senseless, lunatic expression dominated every 
 other image; and, as if in shadow, also rose to 
 view the reproachful eyes of Alma. No forms 
 appeared, for he only saw the agonized face of 
 his wife and the penetrating gaze of Alma. 
 
 And during this mental torment was the 
 physical one of being rent apart.
 
 298 CHIM 
 
 Now he is dual. He grasps at an ethereal 
 subtle vapor that vainly seeks to repossess the 
 senses, but it is thrust aside by a grosser fluidic 
 substance, that forms into terrible shape, that 
 with menace takes possession, and, with the 
 infinite yearning that the lost soul alone can 
 know, there fades away out of his brutal grasp 
 that outraged purer principle that had made its 
 life-struggle in vain. Oh, most horrible fate! 
 to have, with one's own volition, cast forth the 
 spiritual essence ! 
 
 Disembodied from this higher life he began 
 to sink, clogged heavily by the weight of the 
 dull form that bore him downward he was 
 dying, and loosened was his clinging hqld of 
 Earth. 
 
 The thread of life could no longer endure the 
 tension of that irresistible momentum. Then 
 he fell heavily, the strong will, that had made 
 him adhere so tenaciously to himself, snapped 
 asunder like a broken reed, and, having heaped 
 full and running over the measure of his mis 
 deeds, Buncombe Hereford was dead. He was
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 299 
 
 dead or, being hypnotized, he was mistaken 
 for dead, and buried as dead. 
 
 The abracadabra of society, that which ren 
 ovates its feeble vitality and preserves it from 
 entire inanition, is gossip, that, like the inverted 
 cone of this ancient mystic triangle which be 
 gins with next to nothing, spreading out by 
 repetition to such broad dimensions that it is 
 surprising how it remains self-sustaining, and 
 yet it simply begins with the first person, who 
 says "A," the next adds, and says "A B," and 
 so on, and so forth. 
 
 But the day succeeding the sensational elope 
 ment of Marquis La Fayette de Noo, and the 
 tragic suddenness of the taking off of the Trust 
 Magnate, was indeed a regular red-letter day, 
 a windfall mercifully given, too, just as the gay 
 season had closed, and the insufferable dull 
 ness of Lent had set in. 
 
 These two events, under their relatively com 
 ical and serious aspects, formed what is called 
 "the staple of conversation" during no end of
 
 300 CIIIM 
 
 luncheons and the pclit-soupers that charac 
 terize Lenten devotions at the capital. 
 
 The saints of the deserts fasted and prayed, 
 but we have changed all that in this nineteenth 
 century, for now it is said, " they feasted and 
 prayed." Why not ? asks Society. 
 
 It would take a library of such books as " A 
 Washington Season," and "A Washington 
 Winter," to narrate the half that was volubly 
 repeated on this occasion. Even Chim, who 
 had had his card engraved " Mr. Chim," made 
 visits, and been par excellence the social 
 lion, although as yet he had not scratched up 
 ten thousand a month even Chim was no 
 longer in apogee ! 
 
 Yet, could these agitated social circles have 
 heard with their own polite ears, or seen with 
 their own critical eyes, what really took place 
 when the ladies De Noo returned from that 
 drive, it would have been more satisfying. 
 
 As it was, the French valet who stood in the 
 adjoining room that day saw all, but under 
 stood imperfectly. His imagination, however,
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 3<DI 
 
 supplied the missing links when he communi 
 cated his impressions, with appropriate gestures, 
 to the French maid of Mrs. MacKane, and she 
 told the English footman of Mr. Tom Noodles, 
 who told his master, and that accomplished 
 raconteur lost no time in giving a club dinner, 
 for there was something more rare than terrapin 
 stew' or canvas-back to serve up there was 
 the recital of a bona-fide scene. 
 
 But Larry Noo himself is the best authority, 
 and there is extant the longest letter he ever 
 wrote, for business correspondence is always 
 limited-express matter. This racy epistle, ad 
 dressed to his son Mark, gives the long and 
 the short of what happened on the return home 
 of the ladies De Noo on that fateful morning. 
 
 The moment they entered, Mrs. La Fayette 
 de Noo directed a servant to "send for An 
 nette" to take off her wraps, as she was too tired 
 out even to ascend in the lift before lunching. 
 
 The smiling footman, butler, second man, 
 and parlor maid all joined in a still hunt, which 
 of course proved unavailing.
 
 3O2 CHIM 
 
 Mrs. La Fayette de Noo remembered that 
 animating incident of the old French monarch, 
 who would rather die than be assisted by the 
 wrong functionary, and she proposed to be in 
 good form. 
 
 The maid was wanted to remove madame's 
 hat, wrap and gloves, and the maid alone 
 would madame have. 
 
 Meantime Marie Jeanne, who was less per 
 meated with the heroism of noblesse oblige, 
 ran up-stairs to her room, but soon came 
 bouncing down, quite like an excited school 
 girl. 
 
 "Mere," she cried, "Annette's gone! I don't 
 as yet miss anything, but of course some 
 thing's gone with her." 
 
 " I'm in a way," cried Mrs. La Fayette de 
 Noo, much flustered. " Nobody here to take 
 off my gants." 
 
 " If you're upset, mere," suggested the young 
 lady, who was ever ready to take his reme 
 dies, " send for Dr. Mensana." 
 
 " No, I won't," replied the mere, with con-
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 303 
 
 siderable vivacity; " he'll advise a muster- 
 plaster." 
 
 "What's the matter, ladies?" tenderly in 
 quired Mr. Lafayette de Noo, who at this 
 moment made his appearance, and whose pro 
 longed residence in Washington was making 
 him diplomatic. 
 
 " Annette ! Annette ! " they both bawled out 
 in chorus. 
 
 " Let me take her place, since she's other 
 wise engaged," suggested he with a bow. 
 
 " I declare," thought his wife, " he's next to 
 equal of the French minister, Larry is." 
 
 Perceiving the bland look of his spouse, he 
 stooped over, untied her bonnet-strings, loos 
 ened her head-gear, and actually imprinted a 
 kiss right in the middle of her forehead, for he 
 felt some sorrow and more compunction in her 
 regard. 
 
 " Oo ! Oo ! " she cried, quickly clapping her 
 gloved hands to the frizzes that were pinned 
 on to the top of her cranium, but which, having 
 been dislodged by Larry's unpinning, now
 
 304 CHIM 
 
 tumbled off in a mass. " Oo, Oo ! me c/ie- 
 
 " 
 
 " Gemini, mother ! " cried the unfortunate, 
 stepping back amazed and aghast at the 
 devastation. "Have I scalped you? I feel 
 like a real, live, wild Injun." 
 
 "Worse an' worser nor that!" she cried. 
 " I'm in dishabille. Where's Mark ? " 
 
 " True enough," remarked Marie Jeanne. 
 " You bet he knows where Annette is." 
 
 " He does, "replied Larry, with a big Adam's 
 apple sticking in his throat. " I saw them 
 drive off together ! " 
 
 " You saw them, and didn't stop them!" cried 
 his wife in astonishment. "Just them two en- 
 famillc ? " 
 
 " The French part of it warn't there," said 
 pater-familias. 
 
 " Well, it's come to a pretty pass," cried 
 Miss Marie Jeanne, tossing her head, "when a 
 hoity-toity maid takes a ride with a De Noo ! 
 When she comes back, I'll just ship her over 
 the sea to France."
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 305 
 
 " But she won't come back," said her father 
 gravely. 
 
 "And what am I to do sans a French 
 maid ? " asked his wife. 
 
 " Take me, or take an Irish one, mother," 
 suggested he. 
 
 " Mr. La Fayette de Noo," expostulated she 
 with dignity, "this, sir, is adding insult to in 
 jury. I wish my son Marquis was here." 
 
 " He won't come back either," said he dog 
 gedly. 
 
 " Where's Mark gone to ? " both exclaimed. 
 
 " To be married to Anne Larens, thanks 
 be to a merciful Providence," said his father 
 defiantly. 
 
 The mother's face was a study at that mo 
 ment, for, mixed with worry and rage, was a 
 queer fancy that struck her. " I'm sure," she 
 thought, "Annette was a French nobility in 
 disguise. Mark's smart. He ought to be, he's 
 my son, and he's just got her in time. I'll for 
 give them." 
 
 But Marie Jeanne cried out, " I'm going off
 
 306 CHIM 
 
 in a dead faint. Send for Dr. Mensana 
 quick." 
 
 But her father said, " No, you ain't, Mary 
 Jane; your color's good and your voice strong. 
 Smell camphor." 
 
 And the mother turning to him said very 
 pleasantly, "Not Anne Larens, dear; you 
 mean Annette." 
 
 Tender-hearted Larry Noo was quite over 
 come by the unexpected " dear," so taking her 
 hand with a certain rude grace, he kissed it. 
 
 " He's getting just like a French Count," 
 thought she, and she graciously repeated, 
 " Annette, dear, and probably Annette de 
 Montmorency. That's a real swell family in 
 France." 
 
 This impeachment against Bill Larens's 
 daughter was too much for Larry. So folding 
 his arms and standing very straight and reso 
 lute, he said emphatically: " Let me tell you 
 once for all, mother, she's a fine young woman 
 and no French blood in her veins. She's a 
 regular Yankee, and, I'm proud to say, old
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 307 
 
 Bill Larens's daughter, and no honester man 
 than that same tovvhead Bill ever drew the 
 breath of life." 
 
 " The deceitful wretch ! " cried Marie Jeanne. 
 "Send at once for Dr. Mensana. I'm very 
 sick." 
 
 "And I'm vvorse'n sick," exclaimed the 
 mother, rising majestically, "for I'm mad as a 
 "hornet." 
 
 "Now, mother," interrupted her husband, 
 soothingly, "brace up." 
 
 " No, I won't ! " she cried. "To have my hopes 
 all dashed, just as I was looking forward to 
 Mark's keeping up the family's dignity, to be 
 based on them foreign nobility. If the girl 
 had been a French maid, I could have bought 
 her a pedigree of the French republic. But 
 now she's old Bill Larens's girl, I'm heart- 
 broke." 
 
 " But mother," interrupted her husband, con 
 descending to make a favorable pointer, "she 
 was smart about her French, wasn't she?" 
 
 "Yes," said she reflectively. " Annette was
 
 308 CHIM 
 
 cute enough, and I always understood her, so 
 of course, she spoke French as she is spoke." 
 
 "Shall I send for her to come back with 
 Mark ? " asked he wistfully. 
 
 "No ! " they both shrieked in chorus. 
 
 "The sooner you know it the better, Larry 
 Noo," said his wife. "What with your invin 
 cible ignorance and Mark's goings on and off, 
 I give it up for a disgraced family. I won't 
 stay here no longer, nuther, for it's no place 
 to live in, no how, for people what has a pedi 
 gree and a crest. Then the actual, dense ig 
 norance ! So many citizens that speak Eng 
 lish out and out. Not ten of them senators, 
 even, talk the pure Parisian, and they say 
 there's a kitchen cabinet that's not French, 
 nuther." 
 
 "Why, mother," expostulated Larry, "of 
 course not. This is an American country." 
 
 " Call it by what name you please" said she. 
 " It's a new place. Why, just look at the old 
 Washingtonians, as they call themselves they 
 don't look old at all. I'll go back and locate
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 309 
 
 in that gay Paris and ride every day to the 
 Boys-de-Boolone, where even the babies lie 
 round under the trees and call for ' lay' when 
 they wants their bottles. The French goes so 
 natural-like with them pert little dears." 
 
 "And I," said Marie Jeanne, "am bowed 
 down with the disgrace both me and Dr. 
 Mensana." 
 
 "What's he got to do with this family? I 
 guess we can manage ourselves," said her fa 
 ther angrily. 
 
 "He's to be one of us," said Marie Jeanne. 
 " He's coming, as they do in France, in a day 
 or two, to ask you and mere, and settle for the 
 dot, and then he's going to marry me." 
 
 " The dot be d d ! " cried out her enraged 
 
 parent. " He's an impudent fellow. I've heard 
 of that sort of thing before. But he can't 
 come that dodge over Larry Noo. Ain't a 
 man satisfied to marry my daughter, but he 
 must, like a highway robber, be asking for my 
 purse, too ? " 
 
 " But, pere," interceded Marie Jeanne, coax-
 
 3IO CHIM 
 
 ingly, taking his hand, "you wouldn't be so 
 cruel as to cut off your loving, only daughter ? " 
 
 Now Larry Noo had a big heart, and if you 
 rubbed him or even stroked him but just a 
 little the right way, he was as gentle as a great 
 purring cat. 
 
 " Do you love this doctor, Sis ?" he asked in 
 a shaky voice. 
 
 " I wish to marry him," she answered. "He's 
 made famous inventions. We wish to travel 
 all over, and go to India and across the moun 
 tains there to Thibet, where he has some Silent 
 Brothers, he says, and he will take things and 
 instruments with him of his own proper inven 
 tion, and he knows how to make more of the 
 same kind out of a thing he has a ' higher 
 calculus ' he calls it and he has field glasses 
 made on purpose to hunt up microbes and a 
 bacilli and grippe insects and - 
 
 "That's enough, Sis," said her father. "I 
 see he's likely to be a handy man to have 
 about the house, but you'll need a long purse 
 to do all that, and travel all over the world,
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 311 
 
 and feed all that circus. I'll settle on you, Sis, 
 twenty-five thousand dollars a year, but not a 
 red cent on him; and, my girl, he'll treat you 
 all the kinder if you hold him with a short 
 tether." 
 
 "What's his family?" asked the mother. 
 " Was his father French ? " 
 
 "No, mere," replied she. "He says his fa- 
 
 >ther ought to have been French, he knows. 
 
 But he's next best thing; his parents were a 
 
 Mafia, and came over from Italy by way of 
 
 France." 
 
 " If he can swear, Sis," said her good father, 
 relenting, "that he's not one drop of the pol- 
 ly-voos in him, and never expects to have, I'll 
 settle a dot, which I suppose is French for pot 
 of gold, on him, although I hate that same 
 word. I'll let it be ten thousand a year, with 
 a proviso as long as he treats you kind. And 
 I wish him good luck, with his grasshoppers in 
 the bargain, though he'll never catch as big a 
 one as you are, again." 
 
 " But I don't like his having Silent Brothers,"
 
 312 CIIIM 
 
 objected the mother, "for we might get mutes 
 in this family." 
 
 " Leave that mute business to me, mere," 
 said Marie Jeanne as she disdainfully took her 
 departure to her room, without one word of 
 thanks, for she thought her father had been 
 very mean to her. 
 
 After she left, the mother asked, half crying, 
 "And who's to provide for me?" 
 
 "Your American husband, mother," said 
 Larry with a trembling voice. "If you will 
 go to Paris, I will go to Dakota with Mark and 
 Anne and Bill Larens. But you can do as 
 you please, mother, and depend on fifty thou 
 sand dollars a year to do it with. When I was 
 plain Larry Noo, and Bill and the rest of the 
 miners boarded in our shanty, you were a good, 
 faithful wife to me, and took care of us all. 
 You helped me at the start, fair and square, 
 mother, to make my pile, and you've earned 
 the right to your share. But we made one big 
 mistake, mother, when we separated for a time, 
 because I got that head over heels in work I
 
 CHIM SUB ROSA 313 
 
 couldn't stop to breathe, and you women folks 
 wanted to travel and I let you stay too long. 
 You've come home, mother, with a French bee 
 in your bonnet, and mabbe it'll buzz some 
 more yet. But some clay you'll be sick or 
 something', and want your Larry, and then 
 
 "Oh, Larry," she said, "I want you now. 
 Do come with me and be that Frenchman, or 
 .buy up a title and be a Book." 
 
 "Not if I know myself! " he cried energeti 
 cally, "never ! I'll go with Mark, for Wash 
 ington's not overmuch to my taste anyhow. 
 There's too many foreigners here for me, 
 tacked onto jaw-splitting titles, and I'm plain 
 Larry Noo."
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 
 
 IT is to be hoped that the circumstance of 
 its requiring thirteen chapters to chronicle the 
 career of Chim may not prove an unlucky 
 omen as regards the fate of this interesting 
 creature. 
 
 An appeal is hereby made in his behalf to an 
 indulgent public, to aid the writer in this at- 
 temptto prove the futility of a prejudice against 
 the number thirteen, by giving Chim an en 
 couraging reception, calculated to prolong his 
 existence. Should he unhappily be strangled 
 by falling under the weight of their displeas 
 ure within the year, his lamentable fate will 
 then serve firmly to rivet this superstition in 
 the popular mind. 
 
 The sudden death of Buncombe Hereford 
 was very disastrous to the schemes of the spec- 
 314
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 315 
 
 ulators whom he represented, and not only 
 caused an immediate collapse of the so-called 
 " Trust," but also dragged down in the general 
 ruin many well-deserving people, whose only 
 fault had been either an unguarded credulity, 
 or a fatal desire to grow suddenly rich. This 
 untimely haste, this fever of greed, has caused 
 many sober-minded people, who have the 
 sense of discrimination and who are not heed 
 less, to be deceived. 
 
 So very many unfortunates lost heavily, as it 
 was discovered almost immediately after the 
 death of Buncombe Hereford, that his whole 
 estate had consisted in a quite fabulous series 
 of hypothecations. At first it seemed incredi 
 ble that it could be so, but when his colleagues 
 investigated his affairs, they were astounded at 
 the total failure to grasp anything of any value. 
 There was absolutely not enough to meet float 
 ing debts on the unsettled existing current ex 
 penses incident to his household arrangements, 
 or, indeed, of his funeral. But fortunately he 
 left no one dependent on him except the poor
 
 316 CIIIM 
 
 crazy wife, or connected with him nearer than 
 his cousin Alma, who, it was found, was his 
 nearest of kin. 
 
 A few days after his burial, which, with the 
 world, means literally the final disposition, or, 
 one might even say, extinction of the deceased, 
 Lennox was spending the evening at Mrs. 
 Akme's, where, as the fiance of Alma, he was 
 now a daily visitor. 
 
 They had been talking over the recent sad 
 and mysterious event, when Mrs. Akme said : 
 " Lennox, I think the business affairs connect 
 ed with the estate of Alma's mother should be 
 very carefully looked into." 
 
 " I fear," said Alma, " it would be but a fruit 
 less labor without result." 
 
 " There are business methods of finding out," 
 said Lennox, "and Mrs. Akme's suggestion is 
 very wise." 
 
 "For instance," said that lady, "let Alma 
 give you a power of attorney to act for her, 
 with which you can go to Virginia, and exam 
 ine the records and see if at least some portion
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 317 
 
 of the handsome estate of her grandfather can 
 not be recovered. If taxes are unpaid draw 
 upon me for whatever is needful, or if the 
 amounts run into the thousands let me know." 
 
 " Oh, my best of friends," said Alma, "this 
 is like the love of a mother," and tears were 
 in her eyes as she kissed her. 
 
 "'Nor can I ever tell you as I wish to," said 
 .Lennox, " how fully this tender care of dear 
 Alma is appreciated by me. Certainly I will 
 spare no effort to do as you suggest." 
 
 " When can you go ? " asked she, "for you 
 must know, Lennox, that we women do not 
 like to wait. Call it impatience, if you will, but 
 what I wish done were better done to be done 
 quickly." 
 
 " I suppose," said Alma, " ' go at once' ex 
 presses it." 
 
 " That's just it," said Mrs. Akme. " Men 
 don't know it, but we women supply the motive 
 power, men the mechanical action. They are 
 the automata, which, being well wound up, act 
 their parts as if they went of their own volition."
 
 318 CIIIM 
 
 " That's rather hard on us," said Lennox, 
 laughing, " yet we do play out our parts." 
 
 "Not often with any originality, "she replied, 
 " because tunes to order generally repeat them 
 selves." 
 
 " But Lennox is himself," said Alma, con 
 tent if she could save him from the imputation 
 of not being clever. 
 
 " Of course he is," answered Mrs. Akme. " I 
 am discussing the sex in general, not our good 
 Lennox. And after all is said, and very inap 
 propriately too, for I have given him no time 
 to tell us when he can go to Virginia." 
 
 " Unfortunately," answered Lennox, " upon 
 thinking over my engagements, I cannot leave 
 town for two or three days, but if, during that 
 time, Mrs. Akme, you will kindly come to my 
 office with Alma, I will have a power of attor 
 ney properly filled out, as there is a notary pub 
 lic in a room adjoining mine, who knows the 
 laws of Virginia and can do, as empowered to 
 act, just what is needed for us." 
 
 "Very well," assented Mrs. Akme, "it is
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 319 
 
 now Lent; we have but few visits to make, and 
 to-morrow, Alma, we shall be quite at liberty, 
 shall we not ? " 
 
 " We have no engagements for to-morrow," 
 replied she, " and I shall be so glad to see the 
 office of Lennox." 
 
 " Alma is so clever, Lennox," said Mrs. 
 Akme, " that she quite relieves me of every so 
 cial care. What once often was a drudgery on 
 account of the labor involved, has now become 
 a pleasure. The dear child balances my visit 
 ing books, and is an admirable social account 
 ant and in every way frees me from a weight 
 of obligations." 
 
 " Yet it is so little to do," interrupted 
 Alma. 
 
 " Besides," said Mrs. Akme, unheeding the re 
 mark, " ever planning to help me, she has also 
 constituted herself my little housekeeper, by 
 trying to make me believe that I need more 
 rest. So she interviews the cook, something I 
 have always disliked to do, orders the din 
 ners, inspects the kitchen and pantries to make
 
 320 CIIIM 
 
 sure there is no waste, and gives us a better 
 table at less cost than I ever succeeded in do 
 ing." 
 
 " She is a rare treasure," exclaimed Lennox, 
 his eyes sparkling with delight at this enumera 
 tion of Alma's good qualities. 
 
 " There, now," expostulated Mrs. Akme, 
 "why is it that a man invariably grows en 
 thusiastic when he hears of a woman who has 
 the capacity to supervise the getting up of a 
 good dinner economically ? " 
 
 Both ladies laughed, and Lennox looked 
 confused when he tried to explain that he 
 " meant that Alma was a treasure per se, with 
 out a dinner 
 
 "Oh, no!" protested Alma; "only it's a 
 pity that other girls are not allowed to manage 
 their mother's households, and let the men see 
 what capable wives they're losing." 
 
 " Why, Alma, you've grown diplomatic," 
 said he. 
 
 " The best way, Lennox," she answered, " is 
 to give you a bad dinner to test you."
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 321 
 
 " Oh, don't ! " cried he, and instantly cor 
 recting himself said, " oh, do." 
 
 The next morning Mrs. Akme and Alma, 
 holding Chim in her arms, appeared at the des 
 ignated hour at the office of Lennox Mon 
 tague. 
 
 And now, in the marvelous chain of events, 
 in which Chim had hitherto played a leading 
 part in Alma's life, the hour was at hand when 
 he was destined to reach the culminating act 
 as her benefactor. 
 
 Who that notices the current of any one life 
 straight onward as it flows, can ever fail to 
 recognize a providential plan ? 
 
 As a rule, every occurrence of importance 
 that regulates one's destiny and forms a career 
 comes, in its inception, from some unforeseen 
 incident. 
 
 For instance, one most unexpectedly meets 
 a person before unheard of, who exerts an ir 
 resistible influence on the circumstances sur 
 rounding one. 
 
 The homely phrase that "things turn up"
 
 322 CIIIM 
 
 is expressive of this, and is literally true, for 
 we don't exercise our volition to turn them; 
 they rather turn themselves. 
 
 And yet, as reasoning beings, we know that 
 there can never take place a result without a 
 factor, a sequence without a cause. 
 
 But now, under the new conditions of the 
 adventure of which Chim was to be the hero, 
 he is about to assume, in addition to his former 
 role of beneficence, the added title of discov 
 erer. 
 
 And to be a discoverer is to perform one of 
 the most illustrious functions permitted to mor 
 tals. 
 
 Columbus, Newton, Pasteur, Harvey, Rum- 
 ford, Edison, are but the alpha of that star-set 
 roll-call, whose omega stretches out into an 
 endless future. 
 
 And Chim, through his acute sensibility, his 
 fine nervous perceptions, and the exercise of 
 that wonderful sixth sense, not given to hu 
 manity, may also claim the honor. 
 
 It happened in this wise, for no man is great,
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 323 
 
 or dog either, who waits not upon opportunity: 
 As Mrs. Akme, Alma, and Chim entered the 
 office of Lennox, he said, after the first greeting 
 of welcome, " I know that it is, in a way, child 
 ish, but it seems so strange to see Chim here 
 in Alma's arms; it oppresses me with a pecul 
 iar sentiment, if I may so use the word. It 
 appears but yesterday that I happened to look 
 out of that window, and saw the poor little 
 skye for the first time, as the wretched perform 
 ing dog of the organ-grinder. He looked then 
 in that throng like an aristocrat out of place, 
 yet perchance I would have passed him by 
 without a second thought had I not recalled 
 the remark of Mrs. Akme about the destiny of 
 the canine race. So I purchased him just in 
 time for Alma to obtain through him the need 
 ed protection, and now, like a tie between the 
 lonely past and the dear present, he comes 
 back here with her." 
 
 While Lennox was talking, and thus giving 
 a warm welcome to Chim, Alma was standing 
 with the pet skye in her arms at the window,
 
 324 CHIM 
 
 absently looking at the throng of passers- 
 by that make F street so stirring. 
 
 As Lennox stopped speaking, she turned 
 and looked at him with that lovely expression 
 of mingled intelligence and candor that was so 
 peculiarly her own, while the exquisite blush 
 of the red-veined peach bloomed upon her 
 cheek. 
 
 " Ah, Lennox, memory this hour is indeed so 
 busy ! " she said. " And what next, my faith 
 ful Chim ? What more can earth give than the 
 two who love me my friend and my lover ? " 
 
 " One thing more," said Mrs. Akme. " Chim 
 connects the past with the present, but what 
 can he do for the future ? " 
 
 And as they spoke, and Alma bent over the 
 dear creature caressingly, he turned his large, 
 responsive eyes full upon her, with an inquir 
 ing look, that might have repeated, " What 
 next ? " 
 
 " We are all so preoccupied with our pet," 
 said Mrs. Akme, " that you have not noticed 
 this beauty of a desk just see, Alma it is a
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 325 
 
 gem in its way; come, examine it," and as she 
 spoke, Alma crossed the room, and seated her 
 self at the desk, but a moment later she drew 
 back quite pale. 
 
 "Lennox," she said in a husky voice, "this 
 desk recalls the days of my childhood." Then, 
 scrutinizing it closely, she added in an agitated 
 manner, " Oh, where did you get it ? It is, yes, 
 it must be none other; but let me see," and, 
 stooping down, she moved out of their sockets 
 the brass toes of the clawed feet. 
 
 "Oh!" she cried, "I would know it the 
 world over; it was dear grandfather's desk. 
 Oh, what a flood of recollections ! " 
 
 And her face was all aglow with the delight 
 of it. "Lennox," she continued, "when I was 
 a wee dot, I loved to sit on the rug under this, 
 and wriggle these toes. What happiness to 
 find the dear old thing again ! but the mystery 
 is, how did it get here ? " 
 
 "I bought it, Alma, "Lennox answered, "in 
 an auction room, and of course it was sent by 
 some one for sale, out of the old homestead."
 
 326 CHIM 
 
 " What a record it would be," said Mrs. Akme 
 as they stood looking at it in an awe-struck 
 mood, ," if the history of the antique furniture 
 brought to Washington could be written." 
 
 During the silence that succeeded this re 
 flection, as Alma was seated at the desk with 
 Chim curled up in her lap, he began to squirm 
 about, point his fine nostrils, and fix his eyes 
 intently on a certain spot. Presently a faint 
 noise was heard, and Chim began to bark. " I 
 have heard this movement once or twice to 
 day," observed Lennox, "but have been so 
 preoccupied that I scarcely noticed it." 
 
 " It is a mouse," said Mrs. Akme. 
 
 "That is bad," said Lennox. "There are 
 valuable papers in these pigeonholes. I must 
 buy a safe." 
 
 He had scarcely spoken, when Chim, who 
 had been in a great state of excitement, with a 
 sudden, almost feline movement, pulled away a 
 small loose board within reach of his paw un 
 derneath as he sat in Alma's lap, where a mouse 
 must have entered through some small chink,
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 327 
 
 it takes so minute an aperture to admit these 
 slender rodents ; it may have been no larger 
 than a worm-eaten knot in the old wood. Be 
 that as it may, as Chim dislodged the panel the 
 frightened mouse darted out, but not quick 
 enough for the terrier. 
 
 Ah, Chim ! a touch of nature makes all dogs 
 kin ! After all your graceful waltzing, your 
 Chesterfieldian bows, your drinking high-tea, 
 your fine table manners, your cultivated voice 
 for pronunciation and enunciation, your impro 
 visations, your endless accomplishments, your 
 fine dressing, your calls made upon the elite: 
 after the endless training which caused you to 
 be lionized as the patrician puppy of the sea 
 son, that luckless mouse disappeared down your 
 throat, and was crunched by those fine-pointed 
 teeth, so carefully brushed every day with Lon 
 don bristles dipped in oriental tooth paste yes 
 even to the back bone crackled to a jelly with 
 the zest of a gourmand over his foic-gras. 
 
 "Terrible!" muttered Alma, "so cruel too 
 I wish I had not seen it."
 
 328 CHIM 
 
 " Yet Chim has done me a service," pleaded 
 Lennox. 
 
 " Men are so cruel too, " moralized Mrs. 
 Akme; " they are never shocked by this kill 
 ing they kill game, entrap geese, ducks, birds, 
 all living things, with murderous intent. It 
 seems just despicable to me to shoot a bird." 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Alma stooping to look, "and 
 you have broken the desk too, Chim no end 
 of mischief." 
 
 So Chim, knowing he had not pleased Alma, 
 and thinking doubtless to regain her good 
 graces, made a second pull from underneath as 
 he heard a slight crackling noise, when there 
 rattled to the floor some crisp leaves of yel 
 lowed paper. 
 
 Lennox picked them up, and, as he did so, 
 exclaimed, "Alma, what next?" 
 
 Chim, feeling that he had won his spurs and 
 work was at an end, stretched himself out 
 placidly on the rug, apparently unaware that 
 his brow was now enwreathed with the laurel 
 of the discoverer.
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 329 
 
 And as he tranquilly digested the mouse, 
 three eager, flushed faces bent over those rum 
 pled pages, with their ragged, nibbled edges 
 for just saved in time was her grandfather's lost 
 will. 
 
 All these years that secret drawer had held 
 its treasures the hoarded papers kept by an 
 overruling Providence for Alma bonds, notes, 
 'deeds, securities, and her grandmother's ex 
 quisite miniature set in diamonds. 
 
 And the will was short, terse, clear, and 
 legal. It gave to his only child, Alma's mother, 
 everything, personalty and realty, in trust dur 
 ing her life, and in fee simple to Alma at her 
 death, or, if Alma died without legal heirs, to 
 his nephew, Buncombe Hereford. 
 
 It was then remembered by Alma that her 
 mother had told her that her father had died 
 suddenly of heart-failure, and thus this hiding- 
 place was not known. 
 
 When Lennox, some days later, presented 
 the will at the county seat in Virginia, there
 
 330 CHIM 
 
 was no trouble in having it probated. Bun 
 combe Hereford had paid taxes, and there 
 were no incumbrances, although the large es 
 tate was sadly in need of repair. 
 
 One thing remained for Alma to make the 
 best provision possible for the insane widow of 
 her cousin. But when the asylum was visited 
 with this intent the suffering martyr had 
 breathed her last, and the wounded spirit had 
 gone forth to look down from realms of endless 
 bliss upon this earth in pity. 
 
 And would the lost soul of her persecutor 
 ever hear her accusing voice ? Doubtless, at 
 the Dies irtz. 
 
 Hereford Manor is now the home of a happy, 
 happy family. It is a picture, in the mind's eye, 
 of restful tranquillity. As the long, slanting 
 sunset rays irradiate the fair scene, they quiver 
 athwart the ivy-clad walls of the stately build 
 ing, renewed by careful restoration to its prime. 
 Under its friendly and hospitable roof again 
 resounds the mirthful glee of children. And
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 331 
 
 many family portraits look down from their 
 places in the wide and spacious hall to wel 
 come, as of old, each coming guest. 
 
 The well-filled library shelves are again re 
 flected in the burnished brasses of the huge 
 fireplace, over whose generous width is draped 
 the quaint lambrequin, upon whose oriental tex 
 ture rest the three weird bronzes, who still keep 
 'up their devil's tattoo. And there, surrounded 
 by art treasures, sweetly smiles the picture of 
 the gentle grandmother, looking toward the 
 richly carved desk that stands opposite between 
 the deep embrasures of two ample windows. 
 
 It has been renewed with loving touches, 
 until the mellow tints of its dark mahogany 
 reflect the forest scenes of Honduras in their 
 depth of coloring, and the brass mountings re 
 joice in their mirrored surface when other 
 busy fingers work with their wiggling toes, 
 for ten little chubby digits at either side are 
 hard at it, as the baby boy Lennox and his 
 wee sister Alma are demurely seated on the 
 floor, playing as their mother did with the pa-
 
 332 CIIIM 
 
 tient old desk, that gives them the refuge of 
 more quiet work after a boisterous romp. 
 
 And Mrs. Akme leans slightly oh Lennox's 
 arm as they slowly walk up and down under the 
 superb avenue of forest trees, that are all aglow 
 with autumn's lingering, coruscating glory. 
 
 And she is saying: " Lennox, God is good. 
 He is great. I have faith in my heart, and 
 peace and joy in my life. And He has given 
 me therewith for the corporal works of mercy. 
 Nor am I childless, for I have a mother's love 
 for you and yours. Above all thanks forever 
 be to His mercy ! the shadows of those 
 dreadful isms no longer darken my once 
 troubled but now joyful soul." 
 
 And as he kisses her hand, saying, "Dear 
 mother," they see Alma seated on the broad 
 veranda, looking out in her dreamy way over 
 the velvety, sloping lawn, over the well- 
 trimmed hedges, toward the deepening, richer 
 glory of the setting sun. 
 
 And contentedly swinging in a hammock 
 under some oak-trees near, is the dear old
 
 CHIM THE DISCOVERER 333 
 
 gentleman from Little Washington, their loved 
 and honored guest, to whom this happy family 
 are forever, grateful for his timely aid to the 
 poor orphan girl. 
 
 While their other benefactor, Chim, dozes on 
 a cool straw mat at her feet. 
 
 He is growing old. He looks with the mild 
 forbearance of gentle reproof upon the frolic 
 some antics of the children, although he lets 
 them take no end of liberties with him. They 
 flop back his dainty ears, pinch together his 
 toes, pull his hair, which is getting gray, rub 
 him up the wrong way, open wide his sleepy 
 eyes, harness him with ribbons to a toy wheel 
 barrow, to drive a doll, dress him with shreds 
 of all colors, steal his cream, then make him 
 drink more than he wants, kiss him, pat him, 
 hug him, tug at him, and he neither growls nor 
 snaps, hides nor runs away, and never boasts 
 that he was a gay dog when he was young 
 that Washington winter. But he is discreet, as 
 befits an old dog, although one can see at a 
 glance that what he doesn't know is not worth
 
 334 CHIM 
 
 the knowing. Nor does he ever hint to the chil 
 dren, "Pray who are you, anyway ? I was before 
 you were. Compared to me, you are as know- 
 nothings." He spends much time in his old 
 age with closed eyes that shut out the world's 
 vanities, speculating as a Mahatma might, as 
 to what is to become of him. And he ponders 
 much, but still undecided, as to whether a new 
 mode of annihilation will be invented for him, 
 so that he may hope, according to his race, to 
 reach nirvana ? or is he destined finally to 
 exemplify Huxley's theory of a soul divested 
 of reason, that must die ? This latter theory 
 seems best adapted to his case, so by good 
 right Chim is an Agnostic; and yet, had it 
 not been for the elevating influences exerted 
 upon him during the brief period of his life at 
 the capital, he might, like many another dog, 
 have lived and died without knowing himself. 
 The moral of this wonderful story of Chim's 
 adventures being, that the highest attainable 
 terrestrial plane may be reached within the 
 possibilities of a Washington winter.

 
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