The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-06-08

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should do about it. Was she going 10
sit still ard let this woman win away
her husband without any effort on
her part 10 prevent it?
Not she. She would go to the mas
I queTade herself What she would do
there she hadn't fully determined up
on. She would wear a pink domino
and carry a red rose in her hand and
if Ross Deane happened to mistake
her for the fascinating Miss Preston
why, how could she help it? Any
wsy, she knew she shouldn't try to
help it. Let him blnnder IL he liked (;
she didn't care
Her mind once made up, she looked
tn zee when the note was dated. It
1 was written the day before she
found it, so that the masquerade was
to be that very night No time WAS
to he lost, rviieHtiy, il she wanted to
attend. They hsd received ear.s
several days before, hut Ross had de-
ciared himself adverse 10 going, and
LOttie had thought 10 more about il.
Nov sine saw his decision in q differ
ent light.
"He didn't want me to co." she
maFmured to herself, sand lie thought
he could make some excuse TO be
away tins evening, 80 / needn't know
he went. But We'll see how his plans
turn out. I'm very much afraid he'll
be disappointed. Well see"
And the rcd lips were COMPRISED
firmly, and the little hands were
tightly clenched.
By the time Ross Deane came home
to tea, the little lady's preparations
were all cOmDleted-not forgetting
the pink domino and the red rose.
When every thing was finished,
she sat down on the sofa in the pretty
parlor. There Ross found her, sitting
soberly, bending forward q little,
with her white hands clasped in her
lap. She did not look up to greet
him when be entered. She was too
angry, and she waived him back
haughtily when he stopped to kiss
her.
"Why pet, what's the matter ?'' he
said, amazed, as he stepped back and
put his hand on the table beside him.
She sat still with dropping eyes and
ayerted face. 81 do not wish To talk
10 you," was all she said.
He started, beHildered, "But, Lot
tie, darling, / don't understand
what has come over you so suddenly ?
What have done ?"
Aud he could stand there and ask
her that so coOlly. Lottie was almost
frantic. And then the tea-bell rang
and saved them from g scene for that
time.
Ross Dean followed his wife out to
/ tea, feeling very much as IL he were
dreaming. When the meal vas over
he retired to the back veranda to take
smoke and think it over. Lottie
went up stairs to wait for him to leave
the house before she began to dress.
She sat where she could watch the
front gate, and there she waited with
nervous impatience for him to go out,
that she might follow, and the first
act of the tragical comedy be ready
for performances.
Eight o'clock struck and a few min
utes after she heard him moving
about down stairs. Then be came to
the foot OF the stairs and called, "Lot-
tie, LOttie, dear, wont you come
down stairs. ,"
But Lottie would not answer. She
had no desire to receive his goodbye
kiss when she knew. he was hurrying
away from her, impatient to meet
that "bOld girl" who was trying to
win him away from his wife.
] He called her once more, and then
she heard him pass into the parlor.
After that there WAS a long silence,
and still she sat there and wondered
what delayed him so.
Nine o'clock struck then ten. and
nobody had passed out at the front
gate she had watched so jealously.
What could it mean Had be been so
eowardly as to slip out OF the back
way for fear his wife might see him
but she didn't understand why he
waited till so late before going away.
Half-psst ten 4; quarter of eleven.
She wouldn't bear this any longer
but would just find out what it meant.
Just as the clock struck elevan she
came down into the parlor. There
lay Ross sound asleep on the sofa, the
evening paper tossed carelessly on the
floor beside him. She wentand knelt
down beside him.
tRoss Ross /! Wake up! Don't
you know that it's eleven O'Clock,
and you are not dressed for the mas
quersde ?n
"Who- what =" muttered Ross,
stretching himself lazily. "Eleven
O'Clock, well, what of it, dearie ?"
"The masquerade, Ross, don't you
remember it's this evening ? and you
are not dressed"
"The masqerade, IIOttie Why I
thought we had decided not to CO."
$50 we did," she answered bitterly,
"but supposed Miss Preston had per-
suaded you to change your mind"
"Miss Preston J What has she to do
with our going. one way or the other?
Oh, begin to smell mice" he cried
exultantly, now fully wide awake.
"See here, puss, what did you mean
by having the sulks tO-pight, and re-
fusing to Kiss your liege lord, or even
be civil to him, ell ?''
"Oh, Ross, thought"
"Yes, I know what you thought"
Hehad her in his arms now. "YOu
saw that note Miss Belle saw fit to send
to me the other day, and you thought
your husband could care enough for a
girl, who threw herself at his lead in
that bold way, to deceive his wife
his own wife whom he loves better
than all the world beside" he added,
lower and more earnestly. "I don't
think you have very high opinion
OF your husband, pet"
II did End the note, Ross, she
sobbed, sin the pocket OF your office
coat, and I-I-please forgive me,
dear" And she clung To him closely
while he soothed and petted her.
"Never mind, little grille; don't
wonder you doubted me for minute.
1 ought to have burn d the note, and
then you'd not have OS2n so troubled. |
But perhaps it's just a. well. You
know 'fOr certain true,' now, how
much influence Miss Belle has over
me don't you ?r And he pstted her
cheek and laughed little.
/ think Mrs. Deane managed-wO-
men know how to do such things-in
some perfectly polite and pleasant
way, to let Miss Preston know why
Mr.. Dsane did not attend the mas
querade and also the fate notes sd-
dressed to him were likely to meet. !
at any rate that young lady wastes
no more of her time on other WO- |
mems husbands, but is devoting all |
her energies to procuring one Of her
own.
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