The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-28
A YOUNG LADY'S LETTER.
lContinuedl


have fallen in pleasant places, and my
host will keep me until l can get a car
riage to take me back. l shall hope to
see you shortly. Most faithfully yours,
"PAUL LEsCAR."
He did not add "I have not read 1t, /"
for it did not strike him that she could
possibly doubt his honesty in this mat
ter. Half an hour more, and this letter
was on its way to "Miss Munniss, care of
Somebody Something, Esq, Panghead." "
There was another note, too, to the land
lady of the Lilly" the wayside inn
where Mr.. Lescar had been staying. beg
ging her to send him some clothes to-
night, and as easy a carriage as she could
procure tomorrow morning.
? This being done, it behooved him, he
Il felt, to make some remark to his new
friend about the letter and the reasons
why he had been SO anxious not to
lose it. sg
"I'm sure I must seem rather cool
hand to you all" said he to his host.
'The fact is, the letter is not quite an Or
binary letter !. that is to say" here
he became scarlet-not because of what
the letter really was--but because he
didn't know himself 30 he
\ lfloundered awhile "It'sa. we'll
-. can't perhaps quite explain l..
but i. b. very important" ..
\ His host came to his rescue.
"There is not the slightest necessity
for any explanation. at ALL" said he.
"We'll call it price list Of cheap sherries
lifysu like"
"You're very good. That would be
rather a flight of the Imagination,
though" Then with change of tone,
"Pray pardon my question :. The pa
per came over the weir ard was stopped
by your punt. And you picked it upT'
eyes. The monogram was seen by my
sisters, SO | took it out of the water =.
and and :. as it was Of course
very wet, spread it open to dry"
ayes, naturally. Did you, naturally
again, under the circumstances Did
you read it?''
There was a moments pause.
Tm very sorry to say did," said the
other frankly.
Sorry :. Why sorryT'
ri think I don't quite understand you.
/ I read it because it was there before my
eyes 10 read without thinking
on the spur Of the moment as it it were.
But Of course l had no wish to look into
other peoples secrets"
"Of course not"
"You don't know me-but I can as
sure you I am the last man on earth ia
talk about this to any living soul. Your
secret, if it is q secret, is safe with me.
\ You may count upon me-"
\ "Thank you," said Paul, uneasily >.
what was in the letter? One more ques.
ton ". Did did either Of the
ladiesT"
/ "No," said the other promptly. "Cer
tainsy not; make your mind quite easy.
\ I must tell you that on the spur Of the
moment again I did call out, Obi
this is love-letter !. but nobody &C
tually read it but me J.. . and especially
when saw the name of the lady, who il
we'll know TO us as an intimate friend o
the Somebody Somethings-though VIZ
have none of us ever met her -. and a
conclude"
X The thought flashed across Paul Les
cars mind that if he let his host talk OF
he might learn from him (who, of course
N presumed Mr.. Lescar to be as well ac
uuainted with the contents of the lettel
as himself) the name of the writer of il
or rather to whom it was written. Il
struck him in q second fash of though
that this would be acting in y contempt
ible manner.
"Pardon me-" interrupted he, "don'
conclude anything. I am infinitely
obliged by your frankness and discretion
4 Will you add to my deep sense of obli
CATION by dropping this subjectT'
N "Oh certainly, certainly. And d.
you know I must ask you to excuse m.
leaving you' have to take my sister
to a ball."
cat The Laurels perhapsi I was
asked there, too"
"Were you? How fortunatel But yo,
don't lose much. Goodnight"
"Good-night--and thank you agail
kand again."
4 gOh, don't mention that"
4 Now, at "The Laurels' ball Miss Nun
sniss had also been hidden with he
NenQE. ana Cnerc Snc was 10 De Seen-
,ot a little disturbed, having received
Aer own letter and Mr.. Lescar's inclosufr
while she was dressing. One moment sh
8old herself that he must, have reat
What was in it to read-thenextshe scold
ID herself for doubling the discretion O.
10 true gentleman. Presently she wa
curious at his officiousness; again she wa
moved almost to tears because he hat
;ome to grief in her service Then sh
reflected that he would not consequent,
be at the ball that evening. Meanwhil
Rhe was supposed to he listening to al
kmpervious person, who was telling her
song story in which he was too much in
#erested himself to perceive that she wa
not interested at all.
This is the conversation In which sh
was interested, and which took place a
Esher very side-both conversers havin
their backs turned toward her: .'
"Ahl Pettigrew +. got the cano
4 III ~s~h& b.