The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-24

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Mr.. Bilbury was by this time much
exercised in his mind as to what to say
next. On the one hand he was afraid
to declare himself for fear of frighten-
ing his wife; on the other, he rather en-
loved the situation. He therefore de-
termined for the present TO retain his in
cognito..
He was" he said with deliberate
hesitation, ''as we'll as could be expect
ed"
LAS well as could be expeeted?n re-
peated Mrs. Bilbury with alarm. ''Do
you mean that he has been ill?''
"Well, not exactly ILL.,, prevaricated
Tom, who had not yet quite made up
his mind as to what he should say.
But l do not understand you. Tell
me, please What has happened him?"
Mr. Bilbury wondered what the end
would be. He heartily wished that his
wife would recognize him and settle the
difficulty by throwing her arm around
his neck.
Nothing very serious, he said. Il
dare say he has told You that he has be-
come very fond of tiger-shooting?"
"Ah, tigers! Tell me, Mr.. Tilbury,
tell mel
well, he went out tiger-shooting one
day as usual-ah-he was accompanied
only by his servant. They entered the
junglel Suddenly, and without warn
ing, a huge female tiger sprang upon
your husband and bore him to the earth.
The native fled for assistance. Help ar
rived, and the victim was found faint
from loss of blood, with his right arm
torn ont at the socket, his left eye de-
stroyed, and the calf of his left leg-ah
deeply scored by the cruel claws of the
ferociouS monster. p"
Dear me, how alarmingr' comment
ed Mrs. Bilbury; and the EXPLANATIONS
seemed so out of proportion to the
gravity of the story that Mr.. Bilbury felt
seriously disappointed. That fully ac-
counts" continued Lydia, ''for his bad
spirits. His right arm
Yes, torn out at the socket, Mrs. Bill
bury. He has learned to write with his
left hand,"
'Ah! Dreadful! And his left eye
destroyed"
Yes. He wears glass eye, poor
| fellow"
at must be agony And the calf of
his lee deeply scored by the cruel claws
of the ferocious monster! Terrible mis-
fortune. And when you left him, Mr.
Tilbury, how was he? viii he survive?"
| A new light seemed to break upon Mr..
Bilbury Did his wife want him to sur
vive? He felt by no means sure of it.
1T is impossible to say with certain
| ty,' he said, "but YOU must hope for
the best. Let me beg of you, my dear
Mrs. Bilbury, to keep up your spirits. -
"Oh, Mr.. TilLa-y. don't see why l
should be miserable. There is very
| pleasant society dowa here at Richmond;
and you know, there are as good fish in
| the sea rs ever came out of it.
Tom 5 worst suspicious were by this
time more than confirmed The heart
less womanr' he thought This is how
she receives the news of my being man
gled and disfgured.' But still, unwil-
ling to give up hope, he continued aloud;
Poor fellow! | assure you that in his
| delirium your name was very often on
his lips.
Indeed! Then he had not quite for
! gotten me.
Forgotten you?" repeated Tom, his
feelings for an instant getting the better
Of him. "Oh, no! I think it is the lot
| of but few women to have husband so
| devoted to her.
And of but few men to have a wife
so charming said Mr. Bilbury fin-
| ishing the sentence.
"Oh, Mr. Tilbury! But excuse me-
Of course you will stay to luncheon.
| 90; to please me! You know that a
woman hates solitude little less than
smallpox. One moment. l will just
90 and give the necessary orders" And
Mrs Bilbury rose and quilted the room
''Well, this is awful!' reflected her
husband as soon as he was left alone
She doesn't recognize me, and APP
| parently she doesn't seem to care for
me much She reminds me that there
are as good fish in the sea as ever came
out of it. That, suppose, means that
if | would only die and iberate her, she
would promptly marry someone else. A
nice instance of the faithlessness of
women! Perhaps should do well to
leave her at once, and never let her
know the truth; but can't do that. l
love her still; indeed, I'm afraid that l
| love her more than | ever did, No; /
will see this affair 10 the end. If she is
unfaithful | will find her out, and then
| -
His meditations were cut short by the
return of his wife, who informed him
| -
and that he must meanwhile do his best
to amuse her, as there was no one else
in the house except the servants. This
style of conversation made Tom more
and more reckless, and at once he
launched out into an account Of an i'm
aginary moonlight picnic at Alden, where
so he let it appear-he had broken the
hearts of several charming girls, and
upon the whole had behaved in highly
reprehensible manner
1T must have been very delightful, )"
said Mrs. Bilbury. 4 wish | had been
there! Sometimes we have very pleas
ant evenings here. OF course, | know
every one in the neighborhood; and, as
a married woman, ask whom / like to
my house You must come one night,
Mr. Tilbury and sup with us afterward -
BY this time Tom was perfectly fran
tic I'm afraid shan't be here for
long" be said bitterly. Il am going
abroad. ! can not rest anywhere.
You are worried, / see," said Mrs.
BiIbury. Il can sympathize with you. -
Yes. family matters and disappoint-
ments, You know"
''Disappointments! But you are
young; and, if you will excuse me, not
bad-looking Perhaps you have merely
lost your heart to one of the young la
dies at Alden
oh no, he replied. And, to tell
the truth. | am doubtful whether any
woman is worth worrying about. /"
Don't be cynical, said Mrs. Bilbury
with smile. Perhaps you expect too
much from women"
Il expect sympathy, fidelity, and con-
sheraton answered Mr.. Bilbury
gravely.
But. let me ask you. do you yourself
indulge in those virtues? All! men are
|