The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-08-25

/
away with well-feigned Inconsistencies
and stepped through the long window upon
| the piazza. A miscellaneous CLEAN lighted
her eve. She saw Captain Cornish, an
| officer onleave whose acquaintance she mad
made during her week at Magnolia, smok-
| ing alone just outside the parlor window,
and Immediately joined him.
| His wife having fed, Farebridge, per-
ceiving that he was outmaneuvred, freed
himself from Miss Spart as speedily as
possible and betook himself to the piazza.
AS he came through the long window his
wife turned to go to her room, and In pass
| ing Phil let her fan, whether by accident
or design even she herself was hardly sure,
| fall at the feet of the latter. He picked it
up, but as she took it his grasp fingered
upon it long enough to compel her eyes to
meet his.
Hasn't this gone far enough, Margie"
he murmured under his breath.
"Thank you," she returned aloud, and he
stood aside to let her pass.
III.
It was perhaps half an hour later when a
servant tapped at Margret's chamber door,
bringing a note. The superscription, which
she saw at once was in her husbands hand,
ram
"To Mrs. Margret Merryweather, intro
ducing Mr.. Philip Farebridge." 1t read as
follows:
DEAR Mrs. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS you
allow me to make you acquainted with Mr..
Philip Farebridge? / have known him all my
life, and can unhesitatingly speak of him as a
capital fellow, whom you will find it pleas
ure to know. l take the opportunity of add
ing my unchanging regards, and with unfail-
ing devotion remain,
Every sincerely yours,
philip SwEETsER."
Margret hesitated moment. Here was
the way out of her difficulties, but, femi-
,,in ttbic ind Of a raoAi.
ness on her husbands part to humor her
caprice, she became unwilling to end the
farce. The cleverness of his device amused
her, but it also stirred her up to match
against his her skill in parrying. 1t was
hardly ten minutes after Phil dispatched
his missive before the servant returned it
to him accompanied by tiny note, which
said
Mrs. Merryweather regrets missing the ac-
quaintance of Mr.. Farebridge, especially
when he is so cordially Endorsed by an appar-
entity diSintpreSted third person: but as She is
not aware of having in the world a friend
whose name is Philip SweetSer she is sure
there must be some mistake in the delivery of
this letter to her"
This note dispatched, Margret sat wait
ing for nearly an hour, expecting some
farther 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 intricacies of the situation grew more
and more evident. She lay tossing about
in bed, vainly trying to sleep, becoming
more and more restless every moment
She heard the sounds in the hotel subside
gradually. The 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
1 I II.
began to define itself upon the window
shade. 1t was the silhouette of a mans
hat, beneath which the shape of head soon
made itself visible; then the form of a
mans shoulders, and in time his whole
figure, except so far as it was obscured6by
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
pleted, 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
started as the moonlight fell upon her face.
"Hallow he CALCULATED. as that you,
Margle"
"Hush!" she said, in petulant whisper;
"you knew it was L, or you wouldn't be
here"
81 hadn't the faintest idea where you
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 meD
"COmpromiSe you?'
Eyes, compromise me! | 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'll
be the death ofme! | never heard such a
delicious bull in my life"
"FOr heavens sake, Phil" she exclaimed
in hoarse whisper, leaning out of the win
dow i'll her eagerness and putting her hand
over his lips. "Miss Spart's room is di-
rectly over mine, and she has ears like a
lynx" ..
"Ill 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 or twice; then, as she paid no
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 never 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 that he was seriously
vexed. He gave not the slightest heed to
her presence, not even acknowledging her
arrival by the stirring of an eyelid. He
finished his meal silently, and before Mar
greet had done more than sip her cup of cof-
fee he left the table.
Half an hour later, as she sat at oneiend of
the piazza, while her husband strobe up and
down the other, her gloomy cogitations
were interrupted by the appearance of
Miss Spart, who with an air of mystery
took her seat by Margret's chair and drew
out her embroidery.
"a very handsome manv she said, after
moments silence.
Mrs. Merryweather started with a sudden
consciousness that she had been intentlv
watching her husband, and that her com
panion had intercepted her glances.
Nv hoW she asked, endeavoring to APP