Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-15

where On the sresnaaess. sh0sld send Mr..
'.'fhankssd emile, 'but am really not at all
!. ..Sfrs. Cameron ceases walking. As a matter
OF course, her companions, one on each side
OF her, cease also. My dear with q smile
eds ms hnt whss esn
get yoa that isnot too heavy? You must have
'.Natufsily. ;Leo, think of my black-silk
jacket. .Stce you insist L laugh, 1et me run
back and fbd the required article q
But. my dear, your trunk is not yet un-
al have only to unlock it, and find whatI
want; that is, il my trunk has arrived YETI
Eyes. it came while We were at dinner. But
ann giving you so much trouble
% No trouble answer, amiably, starting for
at does not take me long to reach my room,
unlock my trunk, and array myself in the jack
door again, through the lower hall, an odd thing
happens. MIR. Cameron, emergent frem q side
door, meets me face to face.
"'Aiss forbesY he exclaims, in short sharp
tones, his gray eyebrows supposedly lifted +,
how thisg Thought you'd gone to walk with
Mr.. FOrsy the and my wife
Under ordinary circumstances, 1 should mere
ly look upon him as q rude little man. As it
IL, 1 think of Mrs. Cameren's foreheadward
finger, remember what proof have since re-
Cefved OF the justice of the gesture, and feel
myself getting somewhat frightened in conse-
quence.
"hather stammeringly 1 explain matters.
Over their parapets' of sPectacles, his keen eyes
stare a. me through the dim evening light
Why didn't she come in herself and get you a
wrap he gruttiy wants to know, when have
81 am hardly decided whether to laugh or look
offended. 'There were none that she knew OF
wn-stairs, begin, 'and-'
"He cuts me short with an impatient wave of
sNerV well. n iS
my hasty manner, please and now his voice
scftens. Have odd fancies, sometimes, and had
one inst then. Never mind what it was. Don't
wish to detain you any longer
But don't move step, Leo, although he
evidently desires it. You know am not a fool
about seeing through things. You know I'm
very often very far from fool. What looks
like a thorough milestone for Opaqueness will
now and then turn transparent as crystal, if
communicating only lifts her candle high enough
for body to have good glimpse of it.
"Common-Sense favOrs me now in this lu min
GUS manner. L look at Mr.. Cameron with a
quiet fxity about my, gaze that has certainly
lot belonged to 1t before. 'Yes,' plunge,
your fancics, Mr.. Cameron, are little odd Oc-
casiOnslly, feel like venturing to judge. For
example, you have somehow conceived the idea
that MIR. Forsythe and are old friends OF each
other
ellis huge book n forgot to mention that the
huge book Is under his arm now as formerly
falls OH the floor with a violent thud.
you don't mean to tell me that you are
not!' he cries. my wife and Mr.. Forsvthe
both Said sO.' And, beneath his gathered gray
brows, his powerful little eyes fairly blaze at
Il am not yet quite sure of my ground. He
may be crazy, or he may not. That significant
finger may have tod the truth, or it may have
lied Accordingly, my next step, Leo, is taken
with caation.
..'Oh, didn't say that we were unacauainted
with each other; but old friends has SO strong
meaning, you know. However, L referred,
MT. cameron, to your fancying that We had met
before, without either your wife or MIR. FOrsythe
having mentioned the matter.
''He seems intensely puzzled.
Don't understand YOU a bit. You cannot
mean that neither my wife nor Mr. Forsythe
told me yOu and he were friends?'
+" No. OF course not l exclaim, ssince We
are Internationally, Leo, what do YOU think
OF that for downright, brazen falsehOOd?)
But mean, Mr., Cameron, shat you oddly be-
recelsing such Information either from your
wife OF MIR. FOrsythe.'
He laughs with ridicule
W here did YOU learn that precious piece of
news: Not from Mrs Cameron, certainly: nor
Miss
Il feel that my voice trembles a little. from
sheer excitement, as go on.
"'Perhaps have misunderstood. But had
supPosed'-then follows slight break in my
sentence, Leo; my eyes drop to the floor. and
my hands begin to tumble nervously with each
0iher-'l had supposed, Mr.. Cameron, that Mr..
Forsythe, for certain reasons, you know, would
have said nothing about our previous acquain-
Is really nothing at all important; excuse my
mentioning it,
He falls directly into the trap I have laid
for him. The next instant he has given me lust
the information which desired.
60 AHA, Miss Forbes Begin to see the drift
of your remarks. Well, well, whatever mys-
Forsythe's silence, with an exceedingly Know
ing wlnk,) comfort yourself in the reflection
that he said very little indeed one way or the
other. Not long ago my wife announced your
at fha fi1,,
Also mentioned your former acquaintance with
him. From something on Mrs. Cameron's face
from something in the tone OF Mr.. Forsythe's
voice while acknowledging that acquaintance,
was LED TO beneve-weli, precisely what seems
FOrbes?'
81 hang my head very low, and try to look
he picture OF maidenly bashfulness.
q Promise me, SIR L murmur, shat you
wont speak OF our conversation this evening
either to Mrs. Cameron or tO-tO-
.'He laughs good-naturedly.
=" Shant say word about it. Be sure of
that; Now go and join the others. They'll be
wondering what has become OF you.' =
Il leave him STOPPING TO pick up his fallen
book, and hurry out upon the piazza. Between
a gap in some rose-vines that Chamber about the
piaz Ia edges, | see Mrs. Cameron and Mr. For
sythe at quite distance of, sauntering slowly
along the dark green evening Swallowed lawn.
Her head is bent grOundward in graceful way
He is twirling his stout walking stick either
medltatively or nervOusly; anyhow, rapidly.
'By this time, Leo, my last doubt has vanish
cd. The mystery of why was ever asked here
at all has found a complete solution. NV blood
bols when l think of it, my blood is indeed
keeping up mild perpetual simmer.
"Of course, you see the facts clearly: Mrs.
Cameron Is a dirt, with that dOmas incOnve-
nience, jealous husband, who always STAYS at
home. This nan FOrsythe represents her pres
ent affair Dust is required for the husbands
eyes L am the dust.
81 suppose that by this time YOU are purple
in the face, Leo. You ought to be, if YOU are
not. Common sisterly sympathy demands it. !
!, as the correct combination of obscurity and
stupidity, have been selected by this insolent
creature for a sort OF screen, behind which she
can commit all her atrOciOus capers with inn
punity. / am being made use Of in the vilcst
manner conceivable. While l stand on the
piazza and watch them this evening, I can
imagine that they speak of me in jeering tones;
or that they cOndescend even to pity me for not
knowing the part have been set to play; or
that they both agree / will ANSWER adni-
rably, being quick, commonplace, and tract
able.
"'Well, we'll think, grinding my teeth
Leo, and justifying in every manner the alarm
ing statement which you once made about my
being possessed of fiend's temper. Mrs
Cameron is the spider and am the fiy. But,
though she has iured me nicely within her
web. she shall find me, after ali, a dangerous
kind of captive. HcnceiOrward, let all nv
energies be concentrated on the one Obiact nj