Litchfield enquirer., 1875-05-27

could have committed was to marry one another. The only things abent poor Chris that were tOlerabla tD Mabel were the dash and brilliancY the. command of money gave him, and the childish pleas the command. of his money gave her. For their sakes. she blinded herself to his igno- rance and F0ughness, and her natural repug- naIca ta them; and Will thought that dis taste of his company was really. unknown to herself, an additional incentive to her love of gay company. So, by and by, when matters had gone the length of plain speaking between them, and Chris had made her understand what he expected of her, she showed ham her aversion for the plain, ungiIded Chris Markham pretty plainly, and matters were not mended thereby, as may be guessed.
 Will went in good deal, and by clear er vision than either of them possessed, and the use of all his tact, he often smooth ed matters, or cleared up threatening storm without showing his hand. but of- ten came away sorry enough after talking and laughing them into good hunlOr. He wondered tIil hs was tired how the un~ happy affair would end, and he could not see; but time and fate unraveled the tangie m their own efficient way.
 All Mapleton knew before the winter was out that the Markhams were not lIy- ing happily. Chris took to frequenting his old resorts in the taverns of the neighbor- ing town, and brought home company whom his wife held In open scorn. One night he made the acquaintance of clever fellow named Griffths, good looking, and something of an artist. Each had what the other wanted-one money, the other brains. Grifiths made himself very agree able, and Chris took him home one after noon and introduced him to Mabel in 8 defiant kind of way. as much as to say, 'eTurn up your nose at him i'
 This handsome soft-voaced, neat man. nered newcomer was somewhat different from Chfis's usual companions, and he took Q comfortable place in the house with easy assurance, and kept it. He dressed well without having any regular business or known resources, his pictures being few and strangely undervalued by the dealers. Mabel could not help liking him, and indeed few people could when he Laid him self out to please. He went shooting and fishing with Chris, and was at his house a great deal. He played the violin, of which Chris was very fond, and he drew scarica- lures, and scribbled verses, of which Chris understood little and cared less, but which amused Mabel She tried her own hand at the pencil, and surprised herself and her friends by her success, and Grifiths undertook to instruct her.
 Will did not like Grifiths; the first time he met him at Markham's he treated him so brusquely that Mabel took him to task the next day. ~ 7s= @
 But matters went more smoothly in the Markham house. and sorry as Will had been before. he wished the tougher time back now. He cut Griffiths when he met hlm with his utmost scorn, but only got easy complacencY in return, and behind his back ridicule and the name of a prig and boor. Will so despised poor Chris for not seeing the fellow as he did, that he unconsciOusly made him share the scorn meant only for Grifiths. and cold ness grew up beween him and Chris also. which, we may be sare. Grifiths helped as much as he dared. es t.a
 Will knew that whispers of evil, already crept about, linking the name of this good for-nothing with Mabel's, and he burned with resenfment not the Less that he sasE impotent to prevent or combat them. No body started them or could tell where they came from, but the ones most con- eerned were the only ones who did not hear them. Will drudged away at his little weekly "Mapleton Messenger" and won- dered rather bitterly that he should be at odds with Chris and Mabel, while he felt nothing harder than pity for both, and for no better reason than that he would not dlssemble his dislike for scamp.
 One day in later spring he was writing m his little office, when the door opened aRd Chris came in. 4.E "a
 "Birdsall," he said, in his high, clear voice, with quaver in it that was new to Will, ''there's nothing between you and me, IS there? 1? If there is, take my part back" .-.-s-.-- r-<.
 ''That's all right. Chris, sit down." he said. He saw there was something new in the matter. Ez@74fA 1s = La
 ''Thank yoG, Will, you're a good friend;" then, with sudden vehemence, .syou're the only friend I've got, believe; by Heaven, you arei Look here, I found this in my hall, They're always sketehing and tiddling, and lally-gagging about art, and the devil knows what, didn't half know what they were talking about, but I want to know what this means" -1'
 It was clever little sketch that he showed Will. A mounted knight had paused at castle gate, and drank from a cup which pretty lady handed him, while her fat, stupid looking lord showed in the background Now the lady's face, with out being at all a likeness, at once sugges- ted Mabels, Under the drawing were these lines: a5zsaza az -s- esa F'Fals Vi 1 -s.e
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