The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-08-06
A HASTY CONCLUSION.
Exchange.


 ingiy. /
 Must l really go:" he repeated. What dreadful solemn face Yes. you ridiculous darling. l really must.'
 Why persistently.
 Oh. because of an-an engagement l -l cannot break. dear, uifie guiltily.
 With whom -
 Good gracious. what an inquisitve little mortal il is. to be sure. Don't trouble your pretty head with business engage ments and once more. my pet, good-by. And-oh. say. Dolly" turning back and putting furry head inside the door. if you're in search of lob. Just wish you d mend my other eyercoat. noticed big tear on II for the first tune tn night. com ing up on the cars-its an ugly tear. Will you:
 And to his rather disconnected speech. Mrs. Dick dodded. and smiled d bright acqulescence.
 The door slammed behind Dick. and she glanced around the eozy. home-llke room.
 ."If only Dick had no, been obliged to go out-and such t cold night. too -
 The gas burned brightly : the cherry fire in the grate was bed of golden coais, the French clock on the mantle tcked musically. Toward the crimson-euyefed table. on which lhy pile of unopened ,magazlnes Booked two wIstful bluc-cycs. But the bride of six months shook her dainty bronze brown head with re>,lute :detcrmination and the roSy itps repeated the haekneycd formula. !" Duty first. pleasure after.
 So. accordingly the litle white hands laboriously Jagged and hauled bIck.s h,g orercoat into the room. turned ttover. and commenced their wifcly occupations. She smiled softly to herself, fur her thoughts were pleasant ones. is she sai and sewed; t rarely pretty picture n the parlors hrelit glen the childish figure m the soft, dark dress and snowy muslin apron, the busy hands flying briskE through their task.
 "To-mouow will be my birthday. and Dick has forgotten Il. know. How s"rr} he will be when l tell him io-ino,fs,a -.
 And as she broke merulv into Comm Thro the Rye. the dainty French con celt on the low marblc mdnicl sllycr struck ten.
 She paused Smliingiy. with needle >tts- pended. ,o hear thc mad merry waltz thai
 
 Her task finished. she turned the cou over 10 see II Il needed other repairs. and, as she did SD. Il small. square sheet ai creamy paper ilut,crcd from an inside pocket and fell upon the crimson carpet She bent forward and picked ltup. with a low laugh.
 (Which of Dick $ friends is sufficiently foppish to perfume hIs letters wonder = Then she turned II right side up and looked at il. And then she SAW what. Nothing veri terrib ing. certainly pnl thIck shoe, oi embossed paper stamped with monogram. m azure and gold. in- comprehcnsiblc as monograms usually are. \ woman's letter decidedly written in a pretty. scrawling. irregular hand. un- mistakably d womans.
 The blrd-likc song died an Dolly E.v- eretss lips the soft. bright color faded slowly out of her face : the blue eyes grew wider and startled. as ,lelibeia,cly. though almost involuntarly. she read the few words on the page before her.
 The note ran
 plCN DtsilNG-l have ms >ct you dread fully Of late. Come i.Nerei>r diplomacy tonight. and slip away. hate her ioT keep Ing You from me. Besides. ticrStcr k m town Is the hin, too broad In spite of all Dick. ever your tnITTI This was all; bu, t was enough. For a few moments Dolly's eyes, blazing. ter rified. stared straight at the fateful sheet, as though they would shrivel il up w:,h their blue fire.
 Then she flung Il shuddering from .!.Ss;. .Ss as though l, were venomous thing, and could s,inl her: Who was the woman dared write so to Diok-her Dick ,-yes. she told herself, with an air of defiant proprictorship. hers only. She crushed her hand tightly together, till the diamond next the plain gold cir olet cut the white flesh cruelty.
 Then. IS d horrible suspicion leapcd to life in her brain. with a low moan she slipped from her chair and crouchcd shiV- ering against the great shaggy oVcrcoat Her fears took tangible shape What if he had gone to meet this woman: For the first tune he had cyadcd answering her questions.
 And how guilty and hurried he had seemed-so horribly happy and light hearted. too \ thousand words and glanc,s, before almos, unnoticcd. now flashed upon her. She sna,ehed up the note again and looked at H.
 IL was dated the evening of tha, day. "Oh. Dick. Dick k." she cried. wildly. ' how cou,j you: And Il loved you so .' Then. with a sudden storm oi sobs. she broke down altogether. and. buping her face in the crumpled ovcrtoa,. wepi as if her very heart was breaking the graceful little figure shaken and con vulsed
 The fire burned low in the srate under a coating of gray ashes.
 Eleven. Now she did not pause to lls- ten to the silver music
 Footsteps came along the sidewalk. up the steps; latch-key turned cautiously in the door. She neither heard nor stirred. In the hall. Dick paused. curious smile on his lips.
 Doiiy's asleep sure as fate
 He d;ScS;ed l.;.'scl. ef h.. and over