The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-02-01
wife, were spent alone, or with the old gentle

, !,
and attractive as her sister, but perhaps equally
$50 - some other persons, certainly to one. This
/ was VIII CreHshaw. an Old SChOOl-fellOw OF
mine, then civil engineer, in South America.
| viii was the declared sUitoT of Belle. although
| shs had never formally accepted him, but
| Madeline and myself both strongly favored the
} match, and felt very anxious that she should
do 20, and indeed were quite certain that when
VIII should return every thing would be made
All right. The young engineer was q capital
. fellow, had excellent prospects, and was my
best friend. 1t was our plan that after their
marriage the youthful couple should live with
rs. This. Of course, would bc delightful to
both Belle and her sister. and I could desire
. no better companion than VIII. He was not to
/. 90 TO distant countries any more, and who
/ could imagine pleaSanter home than ours
would be.
And now here was this dreadful prospect of a
/ household ghost
/ week or So passed by, and John Hinckman
/ was no more Everything was done for him
/ that rcspcct and affection could dictate and no
/ ono mourned his death more heartily than l.
( III could hay" had my way ne would have lived
/ as long as !, myself, remained upon this earth
When everything about the house had set
tied down INTO its accustomed quiet | began to
look out for the coming OF the expected ghost
felt sure that I would be the one to whom he
would make his appearance, and with my
regret and annoyance at his expected coming
was mingled q feeling of curiosity to know in
what form he would appear. He was not to
come as John Hinckman-that was the only
bit OF comfort in the whole affair.
But several weeks passed, and saw no ghost,
and ! began to think that perhaps the aversion
1 had shown TO having such an inmate Of my
household had had its effect, and | was to be
spared the iuhictiOn. And now another sub
Icct occupied my thoughts. 1t was summer,
the afternoons were pleasant, and on one Of
them / asked Belle TO take a walk with me. l
would have preferred Madeline, but she had
excused herself, aS she was very busy making
what / presumed TO be an altar cloth for
Pegram. ii turned out to be an afghan for his
baby carriage, but the effect was the same
she could not 90. When | could not have
Madeline, / liked very well to walk with Belle.
She was pleasant girl, and in these walks |
always talked to her of Crenshaw. My desire
that she should marry my friend grew stronger
daily. But this afternoon Belle heSitated and
looked a little confused.
d" / am not sure that ! shall walk today"
"But you have your hat on" l urged; 81
supposed you had made ready for a walk"
No. said She, " thought l would go some
where with my book
You haven't book, 1 said, looking at her
hands, one Of which held a parasol
." You are dreadfulIy exact" she replied.
with a little laugh; 4 am going into the
library to get one And away she ran.
There was something about this | did not
like. l firmly believed she had come down
stairs prepared to take walk. But she did
not want me; that was evident enough. |
went oil for a long walk, and when l returned
supper was ready, but Belle had not appeared
She has gone off somewhere with a book
said. III 80 and look for her"
l walked down to the bOsky grove at the
foot of the lawn. and passed through it with
out seeing any signs of Belle. Soon, however,
1 caught sight OF her light dress in an open
space d little distance beyond me. Stepping
forward q few PAGES, l had full view of her,
and my establishment can be imagined when |
saw that she was standing i'll the shade Of a
tree talking to young man. His back was
turned toward me, but | could see from his
figure and general air that he was young. His
hat vas n little on one side, in his hand he
carried 4 snort whip, ana he wore a pair of
riding boots. He and Belle were engaged in
very earnest conversation, and did not per-
ceive me. l was not only surprised, but shocked
at the sight. / Was quite certain Belle had
come here 10 meet this young man, who, to me,
was a total stranger. | did not wish Belle to
know that | had seen her with him, and SO /
stepped back out of their sight and began to
call her. 1t was not long before / saw her
coming toward me, and, as / expected, alone
Indeed" she cried, looking at her watch,
q did not know it was so late"
Have you had pleasant time with your
book - I asked, as we walked homeward.
"Iwasn' / reading all the time, )" she answered.
! asked her no more questions. 1t WIS not
for me 20 begin an inquisition into his matter.
But that night I told Madeline all about it.
The news troubled her much, and like myself
she was greatly gricved at Bellies evident de-
size to deceive US When there was a necessity
I0T it my wife could completely de-PegramlZe
herself, and enter with quick and judiCIOuS aC-
ton into the affairs of others
j Will go with her tomorrow" she said.
"lfthis person comes, l do not intend that she
shall meet him alone"
The next afternoon Belle started out again
with her book, but she had gone but few
steps when she was joined by Madeline with
hat and paras0 and together they walked into
the boslIy grove. They returned in very good
time for supper and as we went into that meal,
Madeline whispered to me:
There was nobody there"
And did she say nothing to you of the
young man with whom she was talking yester-
day ! asked, when we were alone some
hours later.
Not "a word" she said. "though | gave her
every opportunity. l wonder if you could have
been mistaken"
Il an sure was not" replied. " 1 saw the
man plainly is ] see YOU
'Ihgn Belle is treating US very badly" she
said. "If She desires the company OF young
men let her say So and We viii invite them to
the house"
/ did not altogether agree with this latter
remark. ! did not care to have Belle know
young men. / wanted her TO marry VIII Cren-
shaw. and be done with il. But we both agreed
NOT 10 speak to The young lady on the subject.
20 was not for rs TO pry into hcr secrets, and if
anything was 10 be said she should say it,
Every afternoon Belle went away as before,
with her book, but we did not accompany her,
nor allude TO her newly acquired love for soI-
Jary walks and studies. One afternoon we had
callers, and she could not go. That night, after
! bad gone to sleep, Madeline awoke Inc with
little shake
Listen" she whispered "Whom is Belle
talking to?"
The night was warm, and all our doors and
windows were open. Bellies chamber was not
far from ours and we could distinctly hear her
-ycakin" in low tone. She was evidently
holding conversation with some one whose
voice we could not hear.
"IIi 20 in,' said Madeline, rising, 4" and see
about this"
No no." ! whispered. she is talking to
some one outside Let me go Gown and speak
to him.
] slipped on some clothes and stole quietly
down the stairs. ] uniastencd the back door
and went around TO the side on which Bellies
window opened. No sooner had | reached the
corner than l saw, directly under the window,
and looking upward, his hat cooked a good deal
on one side, and his riding whip in his hand,
the jaunty young fellow with whom | had seen
Belle talking