The Osceola times., 1876-11-04


fellow; what good wind blows you here?"
He drew ont large armchair, but ]
declined it.
Newton, want you to do me favor;
will you?" =
Certainly, If j can,"
] looked up at the clock; it wanted
just fifteen minutes to three, and | hur.
riedly confided the whole story of my
wrongs 10 Willie's honest breast.
My dear fellow, ! really think you
are attaching toe much Importance to a
mere trihe."
"A trihe !" ! bit my lips until the
blood came. ~ think differently; and
it's very easy to zee that you are not
standing in my peculiar position, New
ton"
"Shall send for Clark? lie is in the
store, no doubt"
"You will do nothing of the sort"
We'll, then, what is it you require
"Listen; she will be here, probably at
three, to-to see Clark"
"Well?"
"Wherc will he be likely to receive
herr"
In this room, suppose"
"ls there no place where ! can be an
unseen listener TO their conversation"
"Why, there is the wardrobe, but
"Thc very place." exclaimed, exult-
antly.
Yes-but, Herbert, wouldn't il be
rather mean thing to listen to what is
not intended for your ears ?" ialtered
Willie. with some embarrassment.
81 don't care fig whether it's mean
or not" ! retorted. "l'm in no state of
mind, just now, to spit hairs. If you
are going to oblige me, say 30; if not,
may as well GO"
| "Of course the room is at your SER
vice, Herbert. am going out, but that
makes no difference. | hope you will
discover that you are in error.
smiled bitterly. entertained no
such hope. The clock struck three as
Mr.. Newton took his leave, and hur-
riedly ensconced myself in the wardrobe,
with my haad against Willics business
coat, a1d my lower extremeties in per-
feet grave of linen busters and obsolete
pantaloons. Altogether, it wasnot an agree
able position a wardrobe where one can
just stand erect, with closed doors, on a
hot evening in August, is not very en-
viable place. But ] would have endured
anything then.
How warm ii isl In fact it is getting
decidedly tropical, reflected, as I wiped
the dew from my glowing forehead, "Why
don't Ethel come, if she is coming
And then | began to reflect ON st. Bar
tholomcw and his bed of hot Goals, as |
pushed the door quarter of an inch
open.
Hush-a footstep. Ijerked the door
to again, with an emphasis that made
my prison-home sway in sadly nervous
condition But il was only clerk, sent
for something, but breathed freely once
more-that is, as freely As il was possible
TO do under the circumstances. Good
gracious, how hot it was A thermome.
ter would certainly have stood at hun
dred in this close atmosphere. was
streaming with perspiration; my hair
was as wet rs if had stood in a summer
shower; but ] would cheerinlly have re-
mained there all day, to detect the mon.
strous conspiracy between my Ethel and
OR. c."
Four O'Clock; Ethel must have been
detained could hear "R. C's. voice
occasionally in the store; proof positive,
he was on hand.
Five O'Clock. Decidedly, this was
getting rather monotonous: ! was inclin.
ed to be very sleepy; but it wouldn't
do, TO yield to the Establishments of Nor.
nj IN M iaaa l..
ed to 60 entirely unrewarded; Just as |
was about to give up in utter despair,
there was a futter of garments ON nv
ear; the sound of Ethel's sweet familiar
voice.
"Pm so sorry lost that memoran-
dun, Robert"
ut isn't OF any consequence, Ethel
will make il all straight. Let me Sec"
said Robert, rehcctively, "you want il
lined with crimson silk, with crimson
cord and tassels. When do you want it
finished ?"
by Thursday; its Herbert's birth.
day"
IL think | can promise it to you by
that time; | was sorry to disappoint you
before, but we really hadn'ta bit of any
thing in the store that was at all appro.
pirate. This material is elegant"
Beautiful" calculated Ethel. "How
pleased Herbert will be ~
II there had been a crack in the bot.
tom of that wardrobe, | most assuredly
would have fallen through it, so exceed
ingly small did feel
"By the way, Ethel. in which direc-
tion are you going?"
Home" she replied
Then I'll escort you; just wait half
a second until get my hat"
The blood in my veins seemed turned
for second TO ioe, and then again TO
fire. What a blockhead was not to
foresee this emergency / held my
breath aud clung desperately TO the in
ner handle of the wardrobe, "a | felt
Robert Clark's tozch upon the outer.
Why" soliloquized that young gen.
tleman, "what on earth ails the doer.
handle! 1t won't turn;" and he gave
it an energetic wrench, that defied all
my efforts to impede its revolution.
The door few open, and there stood
revealed among the coats and dustern.
!" Hall" |" eT;aen!ssed G. ssk, staring ..