The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-11-03
IN PURS SUIT.
Tfe i,EUy.
h LOUISE LkFENRt. .

h LOUISE LEFEvRE.
 One cold, clustering autumn night, when the streets were flowing like canals, and the fiickering lights at the corners shed bu, dim radiance on the passers-by, as oloaked and bending under dripping um- brellas they hurried on. looking like huge mushrooms, there stood in a narrow arch way tall man, meanly dressed, on whose handsome face there rested look of anx : iety. Sometimes he looked at the pelting rain, and then he looked at a battered gold watch. His hands, which were un- gloved, were small and white 4 sudden gus, of wind changed its course and swept like young hurricane down the archway, catching his hat and flinging it with dull thud against the wooden gate way behind him.
 The man muttered an oath and turned io pick t up: His umbrella slid down rom i's resting place against the val and lay wet and flat on the stones. As he carefully brushed the low. black Derby, he muttered:
 Diable. After all l may be laughed at Wet, shabby, hungry and poor Will she look at me now. And yet, pretty Clare, your eyes once grew bright enough when they saw me. Four years IS long time, and women's sense of oblivion very sometimes, but somehow don | think Clare was one of,ha, sort. I-l did no, act quite right by her know, pretty little wldow-but wha, could do! Marry her: And she with handsome. solemn eyed daughter of twelve. who, thank heaven, never saw me. Ciel why she mus; be sixteen now. a manageable age. Tow. Why, Clare gave herself to that Lesage when sixteen. And she IS thirty three. wonder II she has ,ha, dimple ye'. Now, if thought she had grown r'abby. in the pas, four years, would no, go. l would rather keep my little widow desillusionne. But cant imagine that. No, no. She still wears those bronze boots and gray dresses, and she loves a mid cigarette. Why. the last night 1 spent with her-it was winter-and her dress was trimmed with chinchilla. she had been out riding g-and how her cheeks siowed as she puited that little rose scented cigarette, laughing like a child al the thought of our approaching mar rlage. Why did run away? oh. yes was poor-deuced poor, and she thought had everything; and then Blanche. I wonder where that blonde-haired siren is now: Dead, guess. The life she led would kill any ordinary woman. Blanche bewitohed me. She beggared me and then threw me aside. Bu, in the end she did me service. She took me to Ameri a true. and left me on the streets penni- less. for pork butcher. Bu, when lei, her found the mine. Ah if could bu, get l,tle push, l could make millions. millions. And then my pretty Clare oh. know she is still firm and round we will live honestly and fair, and-wha, was the child's name! old Lesape's girl: Nine-ah. must go Tha, Is the house, and there IS light on the premiere. suppose. oi eourse-yes. the concierge told me she never had company. was very 4uiei, etc. can't imagine Clare sub daed. oid Lesage left her comfortable. wonder what she did with her money : She should be able 10 live better than this
 The ram was abating slightly. and low thunder hlled the air. He raised his um- brel!a, and went out into the street. There was not person to be seen. He went across the narrow stree, and rang at the door of a small, narrow house. An old woman opened the door. He repeated the name three times before she could be made 10 hear.
 Yes, yes, she mut;ered. They have all gone out. and left me to look after the door. l can only know when the bell rings by seeing II"
 He did not wait for her harangue, bu, passed up stairs. At the door he hesl- lated for moment, and then. not hear ing voices, knocked. There was pause, and then voice well remembered. bade him enter. He pushed the door aiar and glanced in. It was a goodly s,zed room well furnished, almost luxurious, into a prevailing tone of deep red. and an odor oi tuoe-soses was very percep,ibe. One step brought him into the room. and within sight ot the solitary occupant.
 She started up from her haif-recumben, position by the fire, and stood up, grasp. ing the back of the chair for support. Her lips moved, bu, no word came from them and he was equally dumb He seemed 10 devour her with his eyes. Surely, four years had not passed away. Surely i, was but last night he heard her ,rilling a drinking song, with quiet diablerie, SC entirely her own. She wore the sams color dress, and a narrow band of the silvery fur rose and fell. stirred by the draught of the open grate. He was more in love with her than ever before. for she was even more bewitohing at thirty-thres than at twenty-three. He aroused him. self and came quickly forward, took tn. hand which held a book and raised it to- wards his lips The movement aroused her. She drew her hand hastily away and crimson flush mantled her face.
 You are stranger, Monsieur Mery.'
 And not welcome one it would seem" he replied, seating himself, though she made him no mo,ioa to do so.
 She shrugged her shoulders, and the, were handsome ones, as though to say Why should you be = and then slowly sank int, fhe chaix xha !. al ..... S