The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-08-23
ucing Mr.. Philip F~arebridgo.n 1t read as

there must be some mistake in the delivery of
this letter to her."
This note dispatched, Margret sat watt
ing for nearly an hour, expecting some
demonstration on the part of her
husband, but as at the end of that time
nothing had occurred, she concluded to re-
tire. She was both amused and vexed.
The mtricacies of the situation grew more
and more evident. Sine lay tossing about
in bed, vainly trying to sleep, becoming
more and more restless every moment.
She heard the sounds in the hotel subside
h beams of the late-risen
moon struck at length the top of her
window, throwing a mellow light through
the chamber. Margret lay listlessly watch
Ing the golden glow as it moved slowly
down the curtain, when her attention was
suddenly arrested by a shadow which
began to define itself upon the window
shade. 1t was the silhouette of a mans
hat, beneath whichthe shape of a head soon
made itself visible; hen the form of a
mans shoulders, and in time his whole
figure, except so far as it was obscured by
the balcony chair in which he sat. He was
smoking, and something in the pose of the
shadowy head convinced the watcher that
the nocturnal visitor was her husband.
Margret had raised herself upon her ell
bow, following the development of the
figure upon the curtain. Whenit was COM
plete she slipped softly out of bed, and
dressed hastily. Her hurried toilette com
she hesitated amoment, then walked
boldly to the window and drew up the
shade.
The window was open, and at the first
sound the smoker turned toward her, He
as the moonlight fell upon her face.
L"Hallol" he calculated. as that you,
Margie?"
"Hushp she said, in a petulant whisper,
'"you knew it was 1, or you wouldn't be
here"
IT IA1-tl Al 49, H. -.1a,,z 49,,
were," retorted Phil: 81 was incoming here,
trying to think what you meant by treating
me SO, and"
"Do speak lower" she interrupted;
"somebody will surely hear"
what if they do?"
"Do you want to compromise me!"
"Compromise your"
ayes, compromise mel I should think
you'd care more for the reputation of your
own wife than to have it known she was
talking with a strange man at midnight
from her chamber Window
He threw back his head and laughed a
long, chuckling laugh, which broke out
afrcsh under every attempt to smother it.
"Margie," he gurgled, "you Paddy! you u
be the death of me-! 1 never heard such a
delicious bull in my lifeW
"For heavens sake, Phil!" she exclaimed
in a hoarse whisper, leaning out of the win
dow in her eagerness and putting her hand
ONSL mo T. Hiss oPoA . AOOi1 - uI
rectly yer mine, and she has ears like a
lynx"
"IIl come inside" he said, rising lightly
and making a motion to put his foot over
the window-sill.
"No, no, no." she cried.
Then suddenly closing the window in his
face and locking it, she sat down on the
floor and burst into foolish tears. Her hus
band stood helplessly regarding her by the
clear moonlight. He tapped on the pane
softly once OF twice; then, as she paid nc
heed, he trimmed his cigar and walked
away with an air of injured dignity and
was seen no more that night.
".
Mrs. Merryweather dressed herself with
especial care upon the following morning,
and lever had she looked prettier than
when she took her seat at the breakfast
table.
Her husband was already there, but
with the first glimpse that she had of his
face she perceived hat he was seriously
vexed. He gave not the slightest heed tc
her presence, not even acknowledging hel
arrival by the stirring of an eyelid. He
finished his meal silently, and before Mar
gret had lone more than sip her cup of cot
fee he left the table.
Half an hourlater, as she sat at oneIend Of
the piazza, while her husband strobe up anG
down the other, her gloomy c~ogitation'
were luUGTTupUou ny bu0 dppGdEduC0 VI
Miss Spart, who with an air of mystery
took her seat by Margret's chair and drew
out her embroidery.
ga very handsome man I" she said, after
a moments silence.
Mrs. Merryweather started with sudden
consciousness that she had been intentl1
watching her husband, n that her com
panion had intercepted her glances.
"Who?" she asked, endeavoring to ap
pear Indifferent.
"Mr. Farebridge. You looked as if yo'
thought SO too"
go, is that his nameP Who is he? VIII
knows him here?"
ST don't know" Miss Spart answered
'but-" A significant pursuing of the lip
left the nearer to infer hat awful thing
remained u%nassBgoken.
80, nothing. Only ="
"What are you limiting about?" Mrs
Merryweather asked, with a shade of impa
thence in her tone. "What do you know
about him?"
Nothing. o, I assure you, p~ositivel,
nothing" returned the other; "only
thought 1 heard his voice on the balloon,
last night-in the night, you know-ant
that fast Mrs. Turner's room is almost un
der mine.'
EAST? Pm sure I never thought Mrs
turner fast"
go, she must be, or she wouldn't be talk
ing on the balcony in the night with a man
l couldn't be sure it was he, for-I haven'
of it," the gossip went on, eagerly, as a new
idea seized her, she asked me to presen
him to you. In do it now, and that viii
give me a chance to hear him spea,
while remember the sounds of last night.
"But@"b began Margret.
80, you needn't mind" Miss Spart inter
rupted. ssHe must be respectable, for he'
a friend of the Horace Grays."
And away swept the excited littl
woman, shortly to return with Mr.. Fare
bridge.
"Mr. Farebridge, Mrs. Merryweather,'
and before Margret hadtimeto recover heI
self she was sitting there talking to Phil a
if they were the veriest strangers. 1t wa
too supremely ridiculous; yet there sa
little Miss Spart, shrewd, alert, eager for
morsel of scandal as is the early bird TO
the proverbialw worm, and Margaret was ia
too plucky to yield herself to the tongue O
any m
She scarcely followed the earlier portion
of the conversation, with its usual con
monplaces, which needed no very close al
t~ention. But all her energies were arouse
when her husband threw down the gauntle
by saying: sit is strange, Mrs. Merry
weather, that 1 never heard the Grays mer
ton your name. Horace Gray was IN,
chum at Harvard, and I have known hir
VI my 1llc.
~"Indeedl" Margret returned, coolly, rails
ing her eyes to meet his and ignoring tn
main point of his remark. 81 should hav
said that Mr.. Gray's Harvard chum was
Mr.. Sweetser. Icertainly have met such
man at the Grays'."
'There was a Sweetser in our class" re
torted Phil. "Capital fellow; the girls a.
used to ave over him."
SIT can't be the one I mean, them" sal
she severely. "No girl could possibly raw
over him."
A stony silence succeeded, broken by a
inquiry from Miss Spart upon the lengt
of time Mr.. Farebridge remained at Mas
nolia.
"That depends" he answered carelessly
"There is nothing in particular to detail
me here"
"No?" Mrs. Merryweather said, with III
necessarily sarcastic sweetness; "then VIII
do you remain?"
"Inertia."
'The most useless thing in the universe,
Marget observed, endeavoring to cov
the string of the words by a sudden grac
business of manner, sis an idle man."
"Come, GOMEZ" Miss Spart interrupte'
briskly; "that is far too personal, Mr.
Merryweather. Pm sure an idle man is
worse than an idle woman; and he is still
man, you know"
Sand therefore necessarily good fl
something" laughed Phil.
+lo-afN-n not n~nnnfa6 fn hn ~