The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-07-13
| smiled bitterly. | entertained no

Mr.. Newton took his leave, and | hur-
riedly ensconced myself in the ward
robe, with my head against Willlie's
business coat, and my other extremities
in perfect grave of linen busters and
obsolete pantaloons. Altogether, 1t
was not an agreeable position; O ward
robe where one can just stand erect,
with closed doors, on hot evening In
August, is not very enviable place.
But | would have endured anything
then.
How warm il is In fact, it is get
ting decidedly tropical, / reflected, as /
wiped the dew from my glowing fore
head. Why don't Ethel come, II she is
coming? And then began to reflect
on ST. Bartholomew and his bed of hot
Goals, as pushed the door quarter of
an inch open.
Hush-a footstcp! l jerked the door
TO again with an emphasis that made
my prison-house sway in sadly ncr-
vous condition; but it was only clerk
sent for something, and breathed free
ly once more-that Is, as freely as it was
possible to do under the circumstances.
Good gracious, how hot 1t was A ther-
mometer would certainly have stood at
a hundred in this close atmosphere. l
was streaming with perspiration; my
hair was as wet as if / had stood in q
summer shower; but | would have
cheerfully remained there all day to de-
tect the monstrous conspiracy between
my Ethel and "R. c."
-Four o'clock; Ethel must have been
detained. l could hear "R. C.'s" voice
occasionally in the store; proof positive
he was OIL hand.
Five o'clock. Decidedly, this was
getting rather monotonous. was in
clined to be sleepy; but 1t wouldn't do
to yield to the Establishments of Nor
phcus. But my patience was not des-
tined to go entirely unrewarded; Just
as was about to give up in utter de-
spair, there was flutter of garments on
my ear and the sound of Ethel's sweet,
familiar voice.
"rm SO sorry 1 lost that memoran-
dunn, Robert"
at isn't Of any consequence, Ethel;
l will make it all straight. Let me
see," said Robert, reflectively, "you
want it lined with crimson silk, with
crimson cord and tassels. When do you
want it flnished?"
"By Thursday; it's Herbert's birth
day"
'I think can promise it to you by
that time. was sorry to disappoint
you before, but we really hadn't q bit
of anything in the store that was at all
appropriate. This material is elegant"
"Beautiful !" calculated Ethel. "How
pleased Herbert will be-"
If there had been a crack in the bot
n fhof xx-anIrnhn I
would have fallen through it, so exceed
ingly small did feel.
"By the way, Ethel, in which direc-
ton are you goingf"
"Home," she replied
"Then I'll escort you. Just wait half
a second until l get my hat"
The blood in my veins seemed turned
for second to ice, and then again to
fire. What q blockhcad / was not to
foresec this cmergecy! In held my
breath and clung desperately to the in
ner handle of the wardrobe, as | felt
Robert Clark's touch on the outer.
"Why,' soliloquised the young gen.
tleman, "what on earth ails the door
handle? II won't turn. and he eeve
it wrench that detied all my efforts TO
impede its revolution.
Inc uOOr stoOu open, ana tncfc L
stood revealed among the coats and
busters.
"Hallo!" calculated Clark, staring at
me in blank astonishment. 81 should
like to know how you came herc"
My feelings at that moment can be
better imagined than described knew
there was no alternative but to stop
bravely forward and face the music,
which did accordingly. But wasn't
going to favor Clark with an explana-
tion, so l turned somewhat sheepishly
to Ethel, and drawing the slip Of paper
from my pocket placed 1t In her hand.
81 found that on the parlor floor, last
night, Ethel. 1t excited my curiosity,
and fancied all sorts of ridiculous
things then, and came down here to-
"1o hide in a wardrobe" mischiev-
ously added Ethel. "Man's curiosity
and mans jealousy. I didn't know that
two such emotions existed in the mas
culine mind"
"Now, Ethel" appealed, most pit
fully, at which that wretch, Clark,
broke out in laugh which grated
harshly upon my every nerve.