At that moment she saw some one leap on to the banquette, and with one well-aimed and dexterous kick send her enemy sprawling into the gutter, while all the bystanders shouted with laughter.
It was Gex, little Gex, who had come to her rescue, and never did fair lady cling with greater joy and gratitude to the knight who had delivered her from the claws of a dragon, than did Lady Jane to the little horny hand of the ancient professeur of the dance.
For a moment she could not speak; she was so exhausted with her battle and so overcome with delight that she had no voice to express her feelings.
Gex understood the situation, and with great politeness and delicacy led her into a pharmacy near, smoothed her disordered dress and hair, and gave her a glass of soda.
This so revived the little lady that she found voice to say: “Oh, Mr. Gex, how did you know where I was?”
“I didn’t, I didn’t,” replied Gex tremulously. “It vas vhat you call one accident. I vas just going down the Rue Royale, vas just turning the corner, I vas on my vay home. I’d finished my Mardi-gras, all I vant of the noise and foolishness, and I vas going back to Rue des Bons Enfants, vhen I hears one leetle girl cry out, and I look and saw the yellow devil pull down my leetle lady’s hair. Oh, bon, bon, didn’t I give him one blow!—didn’t I send him in the gutter flying!”—and Gex rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight. “And how lucky vas I to have one accident to find my leetle lady, vhen she vas in trouble!”
Then Lady Jane and Mr. Gex turned down Rue Royale, and while she skipped along holding his hand, her troubles all forgotten, she told him how it happened that she had been separated from Tiburce, and of all her subsequent misadventures.
Presently, Gex stopped before a neat little restaurant, whose window presented a very tempting appearance, and, looking at Lady Jane with a broad, inviting smile, said, “I should like to know if my leetle lady vas hungry. It is past four of the clock, and I should like to give my leetle lady von Mardi-gras dinner.”
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Gex,” cried Lady Jane, delightedly, for the smell of the savory food appealed to her empty stomach. “I’m so hungry that I can’t wait until I get home.”
“Vell, you sha’n’t; this is one nice place, vairy chic and fashionable, fit for one leetle lady, and you shall see that Gex can order one fine dinner, as vell as teach the dance.”