Lady Evelyn — page 184: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Colonel Drummond, 177 But Drummond never heard him. His gaze had goue back to the audacious little amazon queen, so brilliant and so.bright before him. “It must be the child!” he said in the same hushed voice. “But, great heavens! how like her mother!” “Oh, ho!” exclaimed Trevannance. “So you knew her mother, my friend? Now for Minnette’s history, at last! Really, this grows interesting—imysterious as a sensa- tion novel! ‘And you knew the mother of pretty Muin- nette? Makea clean breast of the whole thing, dear boy.” “Knew her mother?’ Drummond repeated, blankly, “Yes. Good heavens, it is like seeing a ghost! She is the living image of Minnette Chateauney, as I saw her first, eighteen years ago. My poor Minnette!” “My poor Minnette!” repeated Vivian Trevannance, glancing at him with his indolent eyes. “And this is poor Minnette’s child! Now, who the deuce, Colonel Drum- mond, was Le Reine Rouge’s father?” ‘““Trevannance,”’ exclaimed the soldier, paying no heed to a word he uttered, “do you know her? Can I see her? i must see her, and to-night!” “Quite im possible, my dear sir—not to be thought of! Mignonnette woyldn’t grant an audience to the Emperor ~ of all the Russias after ten at night.” “Then I will send her a note. I tell you, I must, and at once.’ “Do, by all means, if you find it the slightest relief. It will serve to light the manager’s cigar. He has orders to burn, unopened, all letters left for Mignonnette behind the scenes. You see, my dear fellow, I know from pain- ful experience.” Drummond looked at him earnestly. He was strangely and deeply moved out of the stern calm that had grown second nature from long habit. Even now, the eee mentaty excitement was passing off, and the outward quietude returning. vireoret that—no—I do ices am glad she is so dis- creet. I can see her to- -morrow, I suppose, and to-mor- row will do. Meantime, Mr. Trevannance, will you tell me all you know of” —he glanced at his bill—‘La Min- ‘netter” “Undoubtedly—that all being very little. She is La Minnette; she is of French extraction—Canadian micbooks (ele) COomicboo