The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-21

Thinking how nicely he had escaped me-
no doubt.
Again my once loving anxiety about him
stood me in good service / dashed off TO
Lloyd's and asked about the American
steamers. The fastest had only Just reached
Queenstown. had sixteen hours to spare
i took the next mornings train and reached
St. Georges landing stage just in time to see
the tender with the "Brittania's' passengers
arrive. There were only about forty of
them, and they looked as though they had
had dreadful passage. was very glad of
it. This seems unkind to the thirty-nine,
but 1 couldn't help it. If she arrived look
ing limp and miserable 1T would be some
comfort. had taken care to appear as nice
as could be.
The thirty-nine, mostly bagmen, think,
came on shore, went fussing after their bag
gage, and there was a pause. ! saw good
many gold laced blue caps bobbing about
some one who was yet on board, and then
there tripped down the gangway woman,
followed by bonne and babyl-a young
woman looking disgustingly fresh and we'll,
as fair as / am, and dressed-my dears, the
wretch was dressed simply to perfectionl
The only comfort / found was that she APP
peared scared and sad. She evidently had
expected some one to meet her, and he was
not there No, L had looked about carefully
and my gentleman was-not there. | soon
saw why. As she passed along the plank,
TIE DuT6tI VI SOInc SuCu CItdluTc up
with a letter, which she took with a smile
believe she had been flirting with him all
the way across. She opened the note with a
little sob. Then the expression of her face
changed. 1t was all right He was too cum
ming to meet her there in public. He had
given her the rendezvous somewhere else.
1 followed her. The custom house officers
were most remiss in their duty. They passed
her things without so much as looking into
them, The chief examiner who ought to be
dismissed, kissed the baby. Then she drove
to the Northwestern hotel, and after her.
She must have sitting room and bed room
on the first floor. and must be told the mo-
snent that the ABS train was sgnaled at Edge
Hill. 1 arranged to be told too, and was
came the train, local one. and before it had
stopped that woman was being hugged in a
brown ulster which did not belong to Gerald
Carruthers.
1 never was so crestfallenl Here had
been wasting precious time on the wrong
scent, while he might have been on the land
ing stage at the right moment, and haye car
ried his Susie away almost under my nose.
l went back to the river as fast as / could
and found that | had missed the Inman
passengers. Still there was chance. The
steady going but old fogy Cunarder was not
expected till next morning. / took room
at the hotel, telegraphed home that was de-
tanned and waited. Would you believe it,
That night picked up a sort of acquaint-
ance-through the baby, 1 think-with that
woman had taken for Susie" She was
the wife of a captain In the navy, and had
been living at Halifax, Nova Scotia so as to
be near him. He had come home on private
affairs, and, quite unexpectedly, had got
promoted to command in the Mediterran-
can. So she bad to come back and join him
alone. 81 noticed you on the landing" she
said, land sympathized with you so much.
| had arrived and there was no one to meet
me. You were there to meet some one who
had not arrived. We were both disappointed.
Never mind; be will come tomorrow" OF
course let her think that it was my hus-
band l was expecting, and OF course l de
clined their offer TO go with me to the land
ing stage in the morning.
There was nothing in the least resembling
Susie" and absolutely no baby, on bosrd
the Russia" l could have satdown onone
of those dumpy posts and cried. Whai was
10 do? l had started full of confidence
that / should catch Gerald out, and had not
thought OF making any plans to cover a re-
treat, or excuse failure. How Oerald
arrived home before me-was l to account
for being nearly two days away from his
roof-alone? He had covered up his tracks,
as the Americans say-it was impossible Tor
me to obliterate mine. His escapade had
succeeded-mine had failed. J should hsve
stopped at home and confronted him ca MS
return with that cablegram. He might nave
sworn till now, and no rational woman woulo
have expected me to believe him NOW ne
had simply to say, There's n'thing In II;
my dear; you went yourseA 10 see' ana
know il is So"
1t won't do to look bach now and say this
idea was absurd, or thatsvent didn happen
after all. am taking Things Just as tney
happened. and as felt them at the time
thew were happeniig. Twas at my WITS ends.
The more thought of what had done the
more dificult aid it seem to get out of ii. /
| tSiiIt mn elaborate excuses, brick by BRICK
so to speat-spendiDg time and trouble upon
an edifSe which collapsed before the thought
s1wh.C would say il he had made it?'' Only
she thing was certain, must get home as
quikly as possible. If 1 got back before he
did he might not ask any questions He
might so commit himself when taxed with
that cablegram as to shut off all questioning
on his part. By the time we reached Rugby
l had ceased to think of excuses and was
much happier What had l done? Fol
lowed my husband to save him from re-em-
barking in a career Of wickedness Was
there any harm in that? Was it my fault
that he-a crafty man of the world-had out
witted poor me? Not at all. AS l thought
it over in this light l became reassured, de-
fiant and hungry.
The train stopped, the people rushed off to
Tue ftlItouIntlll IOOmo. anu ID luc budIut
who had been very civil heretofore, did not
come TO see if wanted anything l leaned
out OF the window to ask somebody to call
him. There was group of three passengers
standing close by, and / had got as far as
"Oh, would you mind" when one of them
cannoned through the other two. and before
you could say strap stick' Gerald was sit
ting opposite me and all my appetite gone
why, Dim" he began, but checked
himself. "Where have you been? why, what
has happened? Is anything wrong? Where
are you goipg2"
II really can not undertake to answer so
many questions all at once" replied, with
what knew was a vulgar sniggle.
1T is all one question" he said, gravely;
what are you doing?"
Business, my dear" said l. The imita-
ton of his tone and gesture was perfect, and
put one OF my own mocking smiles at the
tail end of il for sting.
Il think upon reflection you will consider
that hardly proper manner of replying to
your hu sbapd, Mabel" getting graver and
grayer.
1T is one which my husband has so often
used to me that / suppose have adopted it
unconsciOusly. imitation is said to be the