The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-09-11

morrow meet the gray horse ana MS RI
der again, and laugh at the incident,
looking at the Captain with world-innocent
eyes.
elbow strange that we should meet
again ~ say, and know not now, but af-
forwards, that he has been watching and
waiting for the last hour.
Day after day we ride together; and |
find him gay, pleasant companion, always
ready to amuse, always agreeable. l laugh
and talk, and the hours 60 by pleasantly
enough. And long afterwards know that
my husband set his teeth hard under his
moustache at one little sentence In letter
of mine--"I 60 out riding with Captain
Delacourt every day."
see no harm In 1t. Ignorant Of the
worlds ways, utterly innocent of the con-
illusions that might be drawn from my con-
duct, I allow Captain Delacourt to be my
companion day after day, riding out with
him alone.
81 can take care Of you, Mrs. Carstairs,"
he says one day.
And so Peter is saved the trouble of do
ing escort duty, and Captain Delacourt
takes care of me instead.
Humphrey writes regularly. Every
week brings a long letter from him, every
word breathing his passionate love for my
own worthless self; and get to know my
absent husband better by these letters Of
his than l have learned to know him
oil the months we have lived together
read that he is thinking of me every hour
Of the day, that he Is longing and hunger
ing for the time that will bring him home
again, home to the wife who hasno love for
him, back 10 the. heart that has never beat
en- for him or any man yet.
Poor Humphrey! j press my lips to his
letter for am fond of him after a fashion
and when write to him, and say wish
he were at home again, IL is no falsehood,
for do mean 1t. His friend Grant is get
ting weaker and weaker, dying day by day (;
and his sister is to be left in Humphreys
charge. My husband writes great deal
about these two, brother and sister; and l
wonder what Felicia Grant will be like,
for he is to bring her home with him after
her brothers death. 1t will be only for a
little while; but l am sorry, / do not
like strangers; and this Felicia Grant /
have never seen.
And then comes letter which says Mr..
Grant is dead, and that Humphrey and his
ward are to leave New York by the next
steamer.
any husband is coming home," / say
with grave smile, looking not at Captain
Delacourt, butstraight between my horses
| ears.
We are riding side by side over the
stretch of common which spread far away
on either side and widens out beyond till
II meets the gray horizon. A row Of tall
elms stand up against the sky, and far be-
hind us lie the great sea.
The gray horse is brought shade closer.
"Wheh is he coming?"
Mn less than a fortnight; anG Miss
Grant is coming with him. Her brother is
dead, and Humphrey is her guardian"
say it all slowly and gravely, for am
sorry that Felicia Grant is coming. And
then | look up and see my companions
eyes fixed on mine.
"What are you thinking of Mrs. Car.
stairs?" he says. wonder If our thoughts
are the same?"
am sure they are not" / answer; 'foi
I was wondering If shall like Felicia
Grant"
"And l." he says quickly, "was wonder
dering If our pleasant rides were to come
to an end"
"Our -whyW-looking athim with
wide-open eyes.
"Your husband will want to ride with
you himself" lie says, little color rising
to his face.
"Humphrey never rides" | rejoin, not
in the least detecting his meaning, for that
my husband might object to my constantly
having Captain Deacourt for a companio,.
never once enters my head.
He explains himself.
"Carstairs might not approve Of your
riding with me so often"-laughing as he
speaks; and laugh too.
"Oh, what nonsense My husband will
only be too glad to have any one to take
such good care Of me-"
He signs, and his face gets very grave.
"Thinking of the tableauxs" say laugh.
ing hilariously And he turns dark angry
eyes on me, which glare into my laughing
ones.
81 am not thinking Of the tableaux.
wish the whole thing was over--I wish
had never come to Ripley to spend my
leavep
"Captain Delacourt have you lost youl
sensesY"
81 believe have" he answers fiercely
and then perhaps something In my face
brings him to reason, for he stops sudden
ly, and then adds, "Shall we have a can
ter' There Is nice straight bit before
U.s."
But he does not recover his spirits or hi
temper for the rest Of the ride.
"You are horribly cross" l remark
when we are saying goodbye. 'Don'
come tomorrow II you are not in bette
humor."
"Georgie will be home them" he say
gloomily; "and we sha'n't see much Of eacl
other after that"
"Why, George will come too; and i
will be much pleasanter all together"
rejoin, and wonder at the frown on hi
face.
"Much pleasanter! don't see il. Thre
are not company, you know. Good-by,
Mrs. Carstairs. / have been very rude
but you must forgive me. l have had a ba
attack Of toothache"
So he rides away; and l dcvoutly hop
he will not ride out with me again till hi
toothache Is better.
George has returned, and throws her
self heart and soul into the projected tab
leaux. have never seen her so bright Of
so animated about anything. But, whei
1t Is suggested that she should appear in {
scene with Sir Jasyer Vane. she becomes