The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-03-16

vas part OF a mean plot laid to injure
her character, had instructed her cab
man to drive to one of the small
thoroughfares running at the back of
Oxford Street, where the rooms in
which she had parted With her husband
were situated. For, if be had left
them, she argued, the owners might be
able to tell her where he had gone to;
and, if that plan failed, she had hardly
thought what she should do next. But,
when she alighted at the door of the
dirty little lodgings, situated c.,
small chaudler's shop, and breathlessly
inquired if they could inform her Of
the present address of the native SER
want she had left there, the woman,
slatternly creature, not used to speak to
ladies, first stared her rudely in the
face, and then replied that "the man
was there still; that he had never left
them, nor spoke Of doing so.'
"Oh, is he really r. > exclaimed the
wife, totally forgetting the character
she had to maintain in the satisfaction
of finding she was right; "and how is
he by this time !? better-out Of dan
ger? Has he good doctor with him,
and nurse 7 Pray tell me at once, l
am 50 very anious to hear y
But the mistress of the chandler's
shop regarded her excited visitor With
out speaking.
II don't know what you're a-talking
about" she said, at length, "nor what
man you mean-there's no one i'll in
this house, thank God, nor likely to be
so."
"But my-the man, I mean the
servant" replied Eugenia; II heard
that he was dangerously ill-that he
"You'd better 60 and speak to him
yourself, for I've heard nothing about
it." interposed the woman. "You'll
fiud him up there" waving her hand
toward the dark staircase as she spoke -;
and then, as Mrs. Archer began to
stumble up 1t, she continued for her
own benefit, mo, don't know nor don't
care, either and if it wasn't for my
husbands fancies, I wouldn't keep sucl,
a nasty creatur about my rooms for a
single day, a-smoking AID 'a.spit.
ting wherever he go-no, that I
wouldn't, not if his dirty skin was
stuffed with gold;" With which the lady
slammed her front-door and turned
back ioto her shop, still grumb'ing:
Engenia, meantime, bewildered by
what she had just heard, and doubtful
Of the reception which might await her
had gained the door Of her husbands
sitting-room, and timidly knocked
against it. A gruff ''come IN" invited
her to enter, and the next moment sht
stood before him, hardly knowing how
to explain her presence. :
'Eugeuia, is that your" he exclaim
ed, With surprise, and then, the sur
prise over, displeasurc took its place
"What the devil brings you here
didn't 1 tell you plainly that you
coming was rlsk?"
He was still disguised in his darl
skin and native clothes, and had beer
smoking as she entered, and lolling i,
an easy, chair-now be threw the ent
of his cigar away and advanced t,
ward her; but she shrunk back a
though afraid of him.
"Oh, henry ! I should have neve
come, you may be sure Of that, afte
all that you have said about it, but
thought that you had sent for me.
heard that you were dangerously ill
I received letter-look at. it," she con
tinued, with sudden energy, as sh
pulled the envelope from her travelling
bag. "Who can have written this
who can have sent it to the right al
dress it reached me only this morr
ing"
He seized the paper from her, rea
it through, and thea tore it in piece
with an oath.
"This is trap ~ he said; "this
some vile trap to catch me. Whs
have you been eayiug?' he addet
fiercely, turning round upon his fright
ened wife; "to whom have you bee
blapbing NY secrets? 1t must b
YOU, no one else could have commun
Gated my address. This is the effes
of some Of your Internal gossiping prt
psnsities; what fool l was ever to pr
myself into your power
ut is not the casev' she answered
"Henry, I swear by all that's hol!
that l have never divulged your secre
to living soul -
otis lie - ho answered, coarsely
81 don't believe a word of it. Ho