The daily Cairo bulletin., 1882-09-24

are Two OF llle upcellleSl ola men dllNe.
Yet he too is a little distrad, being lost
in an endeavor to catch Violet's eyes,
which eyes refuse perslstently to be so
caught,
Molly alone Of all the group stands
aloof, joining not at all in the unspoken
congratulations and feeling indeed like
nothing but the guilty culprit that he
is.
"How you were all laughing when
we came in,n says Violet, presently;
1--WE could hear you all along the corri-
dor What was it about?N
Everybody at this smiles involuntari-
ly,--eyerybody, that is, except Molly,
who feels faint again, and turns a rich
and lively crimson.
at was some joke, of course?' goes
on Violet, not having received any an
swer to her first question.
ut was says Nicholas, feeling an
answer can no longer be shirked. Then
he says, "Ahem!N and turns his glance
conlidingly upon the carpet.
But GeOifrey, TO whom the situation
has its charm, takes up the broken
thread.
1T was one of Nolly's good things"
he says, genially. And you know
what he is capable of when he hkesl
1t was funny to the last degree, ,-calcu-
lated to sci amy table in roar Give
it to us again, Molly. 1t bears repeat
ing. Ask him to tell it to you, Violet y
"Yes, do Molly" says Violet
SEQ on, Noll,' eXclaims Dorothy, in
her most encouraging tone. Let Vlo-
let hear it, She will understand 1t.
II would, of course, with pleasure" )"
stammers the unfortunate Molly on
ly perhaps Violet heard it before"
"Well. really. do you know, l think
she did" says Mona, so demurely that
they all smile again.
81 call this beastly mean," says Mr.,
Darling to Geoffrey in an indignant
aside. "You all gave your oaths TO Sc
cresy before began, and now you are
determined to betray me. | call it
right-down shabby, And shan't for
get it to any of you, let me tell you
that
MY dear fellow, you can't have for
gotten it so soon SAYS Godfrey, pre-
tending to omisunderstand this vehement
whisper. Don't he shy. or shall | re-
fresh your memory? 1t was, YOU re-
member, ahout--'
"Oh, yes-yes-I know; it doesn't
matter; tI'll pay YOU out for this, says
Molly savagely, in an aside.
Wen, | do like good story" says
| Violet, carelessly
Then Nolly's last will suit YOU down
to the ground. SAYS Nicholas. Be
sides its wit it possesses the rare quail
| ty of being strictly true II really oc-
| CURED. Ii is founded on fact He him.
self youches for the truth of it.
oh, 90 on; do SAYS Mr. Darling,
in a second aside, who is by this time
a brilliant purple from fear and indig-
nation.
Lets have it." says Jack, waking up
from his reyerie, having found it i'm
possible to compel Violet'S eyes to meet
his.
1T is really nothing" says Molly,
feyerishly. You have all heard it be-
fore.n
II said so, !" murmurs Mona, meekly.
ut is quite an old story goes on
Molly.
ut is, in fact, the real and original
old. old story. says Geoffrey, innocent
ly smiling mildly at the leg of distant
table.
If you are bent on telling them, do
it all at once - whispers Molly, casting
whitening glance at the smiling Geof-
frey. 1T will save time and trouble"
~ never saw any one feel the heat so
much as our Oliver" says Geoffrey,
pleasantly. "Ilis complexion waxeth
warm"
"Would you like fan, Nolly?" says
Mona, with laugh, yet really with
kindly view to rescuing him from his
present dilemma. "Do you think you
could find me mine? / fancy leftit in
the morning-room."
81 am sure could" says Molly, be-
slowing upon her grateful glance, af-
ter which he starts upon his errand
with suspicious alacrity.
How odd Molly is at times" says
Violet, yet without any very great
show Of surprise. She is still wrapped
in her own dream of delight, and is
rather Indifferent to objects in which
but yesterday she would have felt an
immediate interest But, Nicholas
what was his story about? He seems
quite determined not to impart it to
| me-"
"a mere nothing" says Nicholas,
airlly; 1--WE were merely chatting him a
little, because you know what mess
he makes of anything of that sort he
takes in hand.
But what was the subject of it?n
"Oh- Well--those thirty-tive charm
ing compatriots of Mona's, who are
now in the House of Commons. or,
rather out Of it, 1t was a little tale that
related to their expulsion the other
night by the Speaker-and-er-other
things"
IF it was political quip," says Vio-
let, II shouldn't care about it."
This is fortunate, Every one feels
that Nicholas is not only clever, but
singularly lucky.
ut wasn't all politics, of course" he
says, carefully.
Whereupon every one thinks he is a
bold and daring man thus to risk for
| tune again.
1t is at this particular moment that
| Violet, inadvertently raising her head
lets her eyes meet Jack Roaney's. On
which that young man-being prompt
in action-goes quickly up to her, and
| in sight of the assembled multitude
takes her hand in his.
"Niolet, you may as well tell them all
now as at any other time, ~ he says,
persuasiyely.
"Oh, no, not now" pleads Violet,
hastily. She rises hurriedly from her
| Lao L II.