Miss Mephistopheles

ntertainment being now the attraction. There was no pit, the circle and boxes being raised but little above the level of the stalls. The decorations were pink, white, and gold, the s

d medallions of scenes from celebrated operas and burlesques. The proscenium was a broad frame of dullish gold, the curtain of roseate plush, and on either side of the

at intervals stood white marble statues of the Greek divinities, holding aloft electric lights. On the one side was the smoking-room,--a luxur

and finding the salon tolerably full, Lazarus sat down near one of the small, marble-topped ta

man, with a red, clean-shaven face and black hair, was irreproachably attired in evening dress, an

theatre; the idiot with the eyeglass is Lord Santon, who has come out from London to see us barbarians, and the apoplectic party with the ba

some time," observed

the different colonies, and then give his impressions of our government, politics, trade, amusements, and scenery in a series of b

judge of thin

-coloured spectacles of champagne and adulation, so his book

ord Sa

le, and will go back to his ancestral halls with the firm

ne; "you ought to give a lecture, entitled 'M

ing remarks about themselves; but there is the bell for th

the house was crowded, they succeeded in getting excellent seats, being, in fact, those always reserved for the critics of The Penny Whistle. The orche

esque scenery. The principals and chorus consisted mostly of girls, with just a sprinkling of men, so that their deeper voices might balance the shrillness of those of the wo

gain the affections of a young girl beloved by a mountebank called Prince Carnival, who thwarts him all through the play. The second act was the carnival at Rome, and a crowd of masquers were singing a riotous chorus and pelting one another with flowers

dress, which jingled incessantly as she danced. But what attracted Keith's attention were the diamonds she wore--several stars and a necklace.

ewels?" he asked E

uined where all their thousands went---where all their lands, horses, shares, salaries, disappeared to! Paste

situation, in all of which Caprice was the central figure, until the climax was reached, in a wild bizarre chorus, in which she danced a vigorous canc

ing-room to light their cigarettes, and

nton to Mortimer. "Got such a lot of the devil in her

et her go if I can help it. Don't tempt away my only

h like a lamb," said

dear sir, she's got the temper of a fiend, but she's such a favo

chatting about the opera, when the Jew suddenly drew Keith's attention to a tall man talking to a frien

American called Hiram Jackson Fenton, manager of the 'Never-say-die Life Insurance Company.' Rum

to satisfy her whims," said K

ous dabbling in the share market, and an occasional help from the children of Israel, he manages to get along all right. Our friend

less-looking little man

ically. "That is his assistant manager, Evan Malton

Malton also smit

rried for twelve months--he neglects his young wife,

J--what's his

her for their mutual benefit. Malton is the Lazarus--I don't mean myself-

long," said K

the better of Malton--then there'll be a row, and the weake

ng from the effeminate countenance of Malton

fancy, the stronger

lla

wife for the sake of a light-o'-love. As for F

th the scandal of Melbourne society," sai

e press is ubiquitous. But te

acting to-night,

this act, and you'll

ill be c

he's a m

tra's palace, brilliant with coloured lights and fantastically-dressed people. According to the story, Cagliostra has obtained possession of his pr

d off her beautiful figure to perfection, stood in the centre of the stage

as long a

of joy and

that hea

dear love

rds a touch of pathos which

ls what she sings,

would scarcely wonder at

spond, and, the clamour still continuing, she shru

applaud till they're black in the face, but devil an answer they'

agliostra, repentant, surrenders the girl to Prince Carnival, and the opera ended with a repetition of the galop chorus, wherein Keith saw the sad-eyed

as they left the theatre; "one momen

Ezra cynically. "She is the Sphinx woman of H

cenes. Caprice, wrapped up in a heavy fur cloak, was standing on the stage talking to Fenton. All around was comparatively quiet, as the scene-shifters having ended their duties for the night had left the theatre. Stewart could hardly believe that the little golden-haired woman he saw before him was the brilliant being of

d me all about her accident to-day, and how narrowly she escaped death. G

g Keith, who stood blushing and confu

impulse, she was by his side, h

ice. "Saved my child's life, and you will not find me ungrateful. Wor

all right," stammered Keit

ed tone. "Dear me, how careless I am; let me introduce you to these gen

eing Keith in a supercilious manner, which made him blush

Good-night, everybody. Mr. Stewart, will you give me your arm?" and she walked off with the delight

friend till he placed her in her br

ing out of the window. "Mr. Lazarus will be your guide. Good-bye at pre

tears were falling down her face, whereat he marvelled at

ad as they say,

ust behind him,

she was an angel