The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-08-18

on which these words were pencilled /:
"Come to me at nine this evening,
1 have something to say to you.
| PAULINE.
| The wife was not slow to compre
hend this note. Woman-like she drop
ped into the nearest chair, giving way
to a perfect passion of tears. To think
that her husband should have deceiv
ed her 50 cruelty /! He had pretended
to have business out, when in fact he
was going to see her hated rival. II
was humiliating! ..
Kathleen's tears did not last long
When she had wiped them away, she
sat for some moments in earnest tho't
When she finally arose; a flaming red
spot burned on either cheek.
"Not quite eight o'clock, and the
appointment is for nine," she murmur.
ed, consulting her watch. "There is
plenty of time. / will do it T.
She entered her dressing room and
carefully locked the coor behind her.
Two large wardrobes stood against the
opposite wall, the one containing her
own garments, the other those Of he1
husband. 1t was the latter that she
opened; and from it selected the arti.
cles she wanted.
She was tall for woman, nearly OF
her husbands height, in fact. In the
space of twenty minutes, she had COM
pletely attired herself in a suit of his
clothes. The disguise was nearly per-
feet. Surveying herself in tbe glass
when her preparations were ,comPlet-
ed, she smiled very complacently on
the elegant young fellow simpering
back at her from thence.
''There is little risk of detection, :"
she thought. ''I have only to assume
bold front, and can pass anywhere
unsuspected." .
She put on a hat and cloak, and
stole softly down stairs, and into the
street. She knew very well where
Pauline resided--some gossiping friend
had pointed out the house while they
were once driving together-a little
nest of place on the Rue de L Ar
cheveque. 1t still wanted a quarter
to nine, and she felt confident that
Herbert was not before her.
The concierge answered the sum-
mons. Kathleen turned her back to
the light, and drew the cloak closely
about her face.
II have an appointment with Mad
emoiselle Pauline" she said, in very
clever imitation of Mr.. Vance's voice.
"Stay, you need not announce me"
The man nodded.
''All right, monsieur;" and then left
Kathleen to find her-,vav to the draw
ing-room.
The moment he was gone, the wife
crept into q niche behind the stairs
hiding there. The hall was dimly
lighted, and deathly still. AS moment
after moment dragged away, she be,
gan to tremblc for the result of her
venture, solitude affording plenty OF
time for reflection. Detection seemed
imminent, but her mood was desperate
Presently the bell rang again. This
time it was really Herbert, and on be-
ing admitted he passed up stairs like
one perfectly familiar with the premi-
ses. H-.
Kathleen fingered a moment, and
then followed him. He did not enter
the drawing room, but had gone on to
small apartment beyond, fitted up
as boudoir. The door was ajar, and
stealing cautiously nearer, the poor
wife heard a murmur of voices coming
from within-Pauline's prattling treb-
lie mingling with Herbert's musical
bass.
She clinched her dainty hands con-
vulsively, and for one mad moment
was inclined to confront them then
and there. But prudence finally came
to her aid. and she contented herself
with listening.
There was plenty. of gay talk be-
tween the two, and a tender word now
and then. Pauline showed herself
such an adept in every coquettish vile
that the wife hardly wondered at her
husbands's infatuation. A pretty
woman can be very dangerous, and
nobody understood the power of her
sex better than the wicked little dam
seuse
+ At least half hour went by before
the subject came up in which Kath-
leen felt an especial interest. Then
Herbert broached it by saying rather
abruptly. = ' -s" 1a' .ii'-ls 1'Jto
"You sent for me, ma belle! j
found your note in the glove you rel
turned-quite novel way of sending
a message, I must acknowledge" 80
81 feared you would think it silly,
that romantic little maneuvre of mine
monsier," cooed the witch. D" '..'
"Anything but that, dear. Now
you must tell what you wanted of me-"
At that, Kathleen saw her draw
back little, lifting those cosy, bewil-
dering eyes half in depreciation, as it
seemed.
"Tm afraid you will be angry, mon
sieur," she murmured, pathetically-
''that you will love me less when l
have told you, and 1 could not endure
that. 1t would kill me I'
She covered her face with her pret-
ty hands. Herbert drew them away
very gently.
'Bless you, Pauline, shall always
love you," he cried. at is silly ofyou
to think otherwise. Now what is it Z"
"You must know, monsier," she an
swered, still hesitating, '1 want some
thing to keep in remembrance of you
something different from the silks,
ribbons and laces you have given me-
L saw superb set of pearls at PujoPs
this morning, such beauties, charn,ante!
0, you've no idea-men, never under