Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-04-21

TO the vestibule, establishment froze il
lin its birth-no little, blue-eyed, ches-
nut-haired Susie was there to meet him.
'sOddr' he grumbled, Jas he threw of
his over-shoes. "StrangeI" as he took
of his hat. s'Ridiculousr as he uubot-
; toned his over-coat, and still no Susie.
sAbomina--ohl there she was; no. ii
was only Charlie, who beset him like a
young highwayman, yociferously de-
handing cake and candy.
"Where is your mother?" asked Lu-
cius, shortly.
''Up-stairs In her room"
"Humphi pretty idea thatl what is
she doing?" r.a
81 don't know. She won't let me in
She has had the door locked all the
afternoon"
Lucius set his teeth, and marched
vigorously upstairs. The door was
locked sure enough; and there was a
hustle, like little feet aud silk skirt
running to and fro, before Susie open
ed the door. flushed and fiuttering;
"Dear mel is it you? had no idea
il was so late.
"Humphr' muttered Lucius, going
straight to the closet.
'sMercyl what do you want there?"
asked Susie, nervously, following him.
s'There isn't thing there belonging to
you, and you'll have everything upside
down"
Il suppose am at liberty to enter
any room in my house that like; am /
not?" demanded Lucius, with sudden
asT -r:;t-, as he paved around the closet,
with an indefinate idea of discovering
CAPTAIN Fitz James peeping through
the part of Skeleton-skirt, or with his
head mufiied in an Arab wrapper. But
those articles of apparel developing no.
thing of the sort, and there being no
other hidIDg-place even for a mouse,
much less for captain six feet two, Luz
cius came out again, looking almost as
sheepish as he felt.
Anything new to-day?" he jerked
ont, with half glance steward Susie,
who had prudently retired to the furth-
er corner, under the impression that he
had suddenly gone mad.
mo, yes; that is-no."
els supper ready?"
Il, don't know-I believe 500
She believed sol She, Susie. the wo-
man who used to study for a week the
composition of some delightful dish as
surprised Well, well! matters were at a
pretty pass! Time he looked into the
closets, indeed.
81 shall change my Office" he said,
after an interval of dead silence at the
table. The tide of business is going
50 fast up town, that 1 already notice
> falling off in the number of my eli
ents."
Susie stirred her tea with an absent
air. .-. -f.. -s7s
Don't you think it will he for the
best?" he went on, after vainiy waiting
for her to answer.
Susie started.
For the best? OIL certainly-that
Is, I'm not quite sure 1 understood
you. Didn't you say you were too far up
tuwn?"
Lucius gulped down his tea and pray
ed for patience, till he should be ut the
bottom of this iniquitious mystery of
whose existence he was now as fully con.
WINGED as OF his own.
''Never mind" he returned with dig
nifty, cit is quite evident that you are
in no state to comprehend anything 1
should say to you this evening (wirher-
ing emphasis on the |, so will spend
the evening at the club"
Susie actually looked relieved.
''And you needn't wait for me-" con-
tinued Lucius, growing more wrathful
every moment; ''as / don't know at what
hour / shall be in"
The infatuated woman did her best
70 hide it; but the look with which she
received the intelligence was most IN
mistakably opeof delight. Lucius seiz-
ed his hat flor he felt that he was very
much too near the carving-knife,) and
went hastily ont to the Sixth avenue,
got into q car, and rode down, rode back
again, went into Broadway, walked
down to Grace church, took a stage and
rode to the Jerry. took another and rode
| back home; and, by dint of climbing
some half dozen fences, and startling all
the dogs in the neighborhood, got into
MS own back yard, and clambered up a
sort of covered pOrtIco: on the roof of
which Susie's windows opened: The
blir DIS were closed, and he found some
difficulty in turning the Stats, only sue
ceeding In getting partial view of the
room, whereas he had rightly OWNED
-SnsIe was once more sitting and
con! Fraility, thy name is woman, and
'.woman's love and woman's trust, write
the characters in dust, ETC., etc. J close
by chair, partially hidden by that con-
founded et-door, but most unmis-
takably supporting pair of pantaloons,
and q something that was bright and
z orgeous, which of couIse Lucius knew
to be Captain Fitz James uniform
though for all ne actually saw 1t might
as well have been Susie's balmoral. His
first impulse was to tear open the blinds
and precipitate himself through the win
dow. His second, to descend as quietly
as possible, and enter the basement
where was Ellen, the maid of-all-work.
''Eilen, has that gentleman called here
this afternoon or EVENING"" he asked,
1onfidentially. uG
Ellen looked bewildered. Ell
"Sure, sir, there's been no gentleman
here at all; leastways when / went to
the door,"
Lucius began to feel thoroughly my
stifed. Leaving the basement, he crept
cautiously up the stairs. and turned the
knob of Susie's door. 1t was locked. =
Again there was the hustle and running;
and this time, when Susie opened it,
she was not only huttered, but scream
ed slightly on seeing him.
els it you? I thought you wouldn't
be back till late"
Lucius strobe past her to the closet
without q word; but skeleton-skirt and
A n II. sl%lx