River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-05-04

. IuOIIOW III SUCH al interview look place.
Tomorrow" she said, "But I have an
engagement. How long shall you be
in town? Only two days? Let me
see-I shall be st Aunt Marbury's to-
morrow at three.
| Alb, Lucia Mcdonald, her inner con-
science cried, clandestine meeting at
another persons house No wonder II
her husband were angry And yet it
seemed hard if she could not hear about
the marriage of one for whom she had
such an innocent attachment. And
she hated equally that any one she
honored should think her heartless or
see her husba DIS one weakness. The
fact that she felt little guilty made
her humility and sweetness incarnate
in her manner to her husband and the
fac. that she was so sweet and submits
siye made him trifle lordlier than be-
fore. She knew the drift of his thoughts
too well, and he need not have taken
the trouble to (, Emulate a pronuncia-
mento, as he did at dinner
A married fiirt," said MIR. Med H.
aid, appropos of little or nothing,
franks with the monstrous. Once con-
WINGED of such a deformity in VIC
mans character and | would not live
with her an hour"
"By the way" said Lucia, the least
bit TREMENDOUSLY, tom Dunstable is
going to be married"
"You are very familiar Lucia but
why by the way P Is Mr.. Dunstabie
firt p
"He. Oh, no; but Kate Despard is,
and he is going to marry her."
"He is to be pitied them" said Mr..
Mcdonald, with asperity.
Eyes Tom is the most faithful fell
low in existence. He will never for
get the time l saved him from Master
Brownlow's rage by taking the ferruling
myself"
''You, Lucia? And the hound let
you Well, l would thank him to for
es of my wife,"
Lucia did not remind him that it
would be difficult to blot out her past
existence. She only laughed and said:
ooh, it makes no odds, for it is not the
same person. l am totally different
being from that one. 1t hardly seems
SIS though | had been alive before |
married you, Dom" And anybody not
luxuriating in jealousy would have
melted at the winning smile she gave
him.
But the next day she was at her Aun;
Marbury's to find Tom there before
and to listen to his enamored account
of Kate Despard, his marriage, his
hopes, his plans. 81 gave Kate plain
ring to wear as wedding-ring by and
by" said Tom. 81 want an engagement
ring for her that has never been ON any
body's finger. and made just like one
you wore Just before you married-the
quaintest thing! You have it on now,
perhaps"
eyes, indeed, l have. Don gave it
to me. 1t was my engagement ring,
Tom
"Then you probably would not care
to lend it for the goldsmith to see?'
asked Tom.
Lucia hesitated. She did not want
the ring her betrothed gave her desc
Grated by passing from hand to hand.
To tell the truth, she had little rather
neither Kate Despard nor another had
ring just like it. And then Don
would be certain to misconstrue. But
Don need not know. She hated 10 dis
oblige Tom. 1t would be away only a
night. She slowly slipped off her glove,
and gave it.
"Kate will thank you so much" said
Tom. He took her hand moment.
at is kind little hand" he said, "it
will always wear the pearl of great
price. Once" he added, half laughing,
'before my darling Hates was prom
ised to me, 1 had hoped to call this lit
tie hand my own" And they looked
up to see Mr.. Donald McDodald tower
ing like an avenging deity in the door
way. He had heard only the last
phrase.
''Pray do not let me interrupt you,"
he said, in his Hottest accents OF wither-
ing scorn.
But Lucia was too quick for him.
"Good-by Tom, she cried, regardless
of appearances.
"Good-by. l suppose we meet at
Mrs. Maynard's dinner tonight" but
she was at the carriage, beside her hus-
band, before the words had passed
Toms lips.
"Aren't you going to help me in
Don ?" she asked.
"Do you wish to enter?" asked the
grand Llama.
"Why, certainly l do. l told John
to drive round, and wondered he was
so slow"
"Slow? Too quick, 1 should say"
he answered, while John shook his
white reins to the prancing beasts.
ooh, now, Don" she exclaimed, "you
are angry at poor Toms palaver."
81 don't know any right poor Tom
has to be talking palaver to my wife,"
HE was telling of his happiness,
with Kate Despard."
"I don't know any right my wife
has to receive con6d ences from anoth-
or man."
"Don, aren't you ashamed?" cried
Lucia, desperately. "An old friend,
all but brought up in the house with
me-"
as that any reason he should be
saving to you that once he expected
to call your hand his own? You a
married woman, listening to him
And for all know he had kissed your
hand. 1t is shameful 1t is monstrous
1t is abominable P'
HE never kissed my hand.
"Why is your glove off p
"Oh, Don, my darling, how ridicu-
lous you make yourselfp'
Answer my question. Have you
been exchanging rings with that ras-
CALI" he cried, his eyes blazing in his
white face. by the Lord, if that is so,
will have his life Where are your
rings, Lucia ?"
Gracious, Don, what a fame you
can blow up from a spark Do yo =
expect me to wear my rings about
like so many letters? Rings hurt ones
hands under gloves and l don't always
wear them"
"You will let me see"-his eyes
growing blacker and blacker, as if his
wrath condensed its darkness through
them-"every ring | have given you,
the moment we enter the house,
whether you find them letters or not y
And the brilliant and ruby gemmel