Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1883-12-05
HER BIRTHDAY.

pretty little vile.
"Nlust you really 60. Dick?" i'm
ploringly.
Aust really go?" he repeated.
"WfRt dreadfully solemn facet Yes,
you ridiculous daring, / really must
why persi tently.
"Ol, beca1se of an--an engagement
Il cannot break. dear!" trife guilt
lily. Coed gracious! what an in Iuisi-
tive little mortal it is, TO be sure!
Eon't trouble your pretty head with
business engagements; and once more,
my pt, pood-by. Anl-oh. ] say,
Dolly turning back and putting
:urry head side the door, "if you are
in search of q job, ! Just wish you'd
mend Inv other overcoat. l noticed q
big tear in it for the first tine to n gilt.
Will youy'
And to his rather disconnected speech
Mrs. Dick nodded, and smiled a bright
acqu e cence.
Tie door slammed behind Dick. and
she glanced round the cosy, home-like
room.
IF Dick had not been obliged to 60
ut-and such old night, to-
The gas burned brightly.
The CHEEKY fire in the grate was abed
/ Of g,,l,ien coils
The French clock on the maptel
licked unsteady.
Towards the crimson covered table,
on which lay q pile Of unopened maya.
zines. Il oked two wstful blue eyes.
But the bride Of six months shook
: her dainty, bronze-broSn head with
resolnte determinsticn.
The rosy lips repeated the hack
neyei formula "Duty first, pleasure
after"
SO, accordingly, the little whitc
hands laboriously lugged and hauled
Dick hig overcost into the room,
turned il over. and commenced their
vifely occupation.
She smilesl softly TO herself, for her
thoughts we're pleasant ones as she sat
and sewed. ar.-E
A rar.ly pretty picture in the par.
lor's fre-lit glow, the childish figure in
the soft dark dress and snowy muslin
apron. the busy hands flying briskly
through their task.
Tomorrow will he my birthday, and
Dick has forgotten it, I know. How
sorry he will be when I tell him to-
morrow
And - il broke merrily into Coming
rhro' the Rye." the French clock on
the low marble mantel struck 10.
Her task finished, sle tn ned the
coat over 10 see il il needed other re.
pairs. and ~ she did 30 . small square
sheet of creamy paper futt. red from
AN inside pocket and fell upon the car.
pet.
She bent forward and picked il up
with laugh.
(which of Dicks friends Is suffi-
ciently foppish to perfume his love let
'ers, wonder?"
Then she turned it right side up and
looked ri il?
And she saw-vhnt?
Nothing very alarming.
Only thick sheet of embossed paper,
stamped with monogram. in blue and
gold incomprehensible Is monograms
usually are.
Awoman's letter, decidedly, written
in pretty, scrawlipg, irregular hand.
unmistakal'lva woman's.
The bird-like song died on Dolly Ev.
s,ett's lips.
The soft. bright color faded slowly
out of her face.
The blue eyes grew wide and startled
as deliberately. though almost involun.
tsrily. she read the few words ON the
page before her.
The note ran:
"DrAR pARiLSo-I have missed you
drced July OF late. Come. Exercise d'plc-
macy tonight and slip away. hate her for
keeping YOU from me- Resides. 0crster is In
town Isthe hint too broad Inspite of all
Dick, everyour ESTHER"
That WAS oil.
But il was enough.
For few moments Dollys e-es
blazing terrified. stared straight at the
fatal sheet, q. though they ould shrivel
it up with their llue fire.
Then she flung Il shudderingly from
her. rs though il were 0 venomous
thing. and. couldsting her.
WHO was the woman who dared write
in that manner 10 Dick-her Dick9-
yes, she told herself, with an air OF de.
FAINT proprictcrs' ip. hers only.
She. crushed her hands tightly TO-
gethcr, till the diamond next the plain
gold circ!et cut the white hesh cruelty,
Then, as a horrible suspicion leaped
to lie in her brain, with slow moan
shes'ipped from the chair md croucbed,
ahivering. against the great shaggy
oyefcoat. f..
Her fears took shape.
What II he had gone 10 meet this
woman
For the first time be had evaded
answering her questions.
And how guilty and buried he had
sssnsd-- 40 horribly happy sed light
hearted, too,
A thousand words asd glAnees. b..
fore simo 3 nnnoticed, nov flashed upon