The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-14

Come along, Carrie" said the host cheer
lily. 'Hatty will have to bring up the rear"
Miss Wentworth rose so slowly, and
trailed herself after them SO languidly, that
on reaching the door of the dinins-rcom she
perceived the party already seated, with
chair left vacant for herself-it was placed
opposite to Captain Curzon.
81 wish somebody was here to take bet
that he'll eat capital dinner" she said in
wardly, ait would be something new to see a
mans appetite affected by anything but his
liver. Pll just watch him"
And when Captain Curzon who was really
very we'll disposed toward the excellently
arranged menu set before him, having fin
ished his soup, looked up from it, his eyes
were met by pair which seemed to promise
their owner some amusement in taking note
of him.
'Confound that girl" he thought. II
wonder whether she means to sit staring at
me all through dinner?' and in order to
avoid her he handed the menu to Mrs. Rod
ney.
II hope you've brought down little APP
petite with you Monty" she said, implor-
ingly.
s'0h, but certainly 1 have. To-day 1 in
tend to make an extra good dinner, for [
have not had much beyond cup of coffee
since yesterday"
Mrs Rodney shook her head to show how
deeply this announcement panied her.
Isn't it at Malta where, to move your
pity, they say they haven't eaten anything
for week or fortnight" The expression
of Miss Wentworth's face as she asked this
question was study.
Captain Curzon feeling the thrust and
hoping to give it back again, answered her
quickly that he had known beggars there
say they had been month without food.
What made Miss Wentworth think of the
Maltese? Was she interested in anyone at
Malta? The Sixtieth had gone from there
The Sixtieth was the regiment of Roger
Cotton, Miss Wentworth's old admirer, and
the young lady-reported to have treated
him very badly-perfectly understood the
"0h, are they!" she said, feigning great in
terest in the matter. "Then the sea has put
further distance between England and your
friend, Captain Cotton!"
My friend! Was he not yours also? [
have heard him talk SO very much about
you"
Really! have you? l wonnder, now, if
ought to feel flattered by what you tell me?'
Aud the eyes of the two speakers measured
swords SO openly that Mrs. Rodney, who
alone had been listening to them, FASTENED
to throw herself into the breach.
"Oh, come!" she said, never mind now
what anybody else said of anybody, let us
talk of something more general. Stanhope,
what are you saying to Carrie? When the
party is small the conversation should go
round the table,"
by all means, my dear. was asking
Carrie what could be Giles's reason for not
giving the old dun COW Thorley's Food for
Cattle now give us your subject and We IL
choose between thQm."
But this arrangement not being satisfac-
tory, Mrs. Rodney said they were not talking
about anything at all, 80 now let us start
something fresh.n
Decidedly" said her husband. Where
upon a dead silence was maintained by every
one and when that at length was broken,
conversation was only kept up spasmodic-
ally.
Captain Curzon, deprived "of the enjoy
ment of his dinner" each dish of which was
made bitter by the consciousness that Miss
Wentworth was watching him, felt in hor-
ribly bad temper his host was disposed to
eonfound the fellow for not being, as usual,
good company" Soon after the ladies lett
the table the two gentlemen joined them.
THAT'S right Hatty," said Mr., Rodney,
seeing her go toward the piano, "sing us
something, do"
Miss Wentworth had a charming voice.
which she was dying to make heard, and,
though she feigned reluctance, she was any
thing but sorry that Stanhope had asked her.
''Hatty, l beg of you be careful what you
sing" said Mrs. Rodney in a whisper. OF
most narrowing agony. 81 would not for
the world have you sing one OF those dread
fully pathetic things"
"Why?" said Miss Wentworth audibly.
Mrs. Rodney frowned CONTINUOUSLY, and then
with her eyes intimated the heart-broken
Curzon.
"Oh, 1 understand" and, while seeming
to search her memory, Hatty played rather
stirring prelude, and then burst into a popu-
lar comic song.
Il say, Hatty." Mr. Rodney was laughing
heartily, "what OIL earth made you sing that?
didn't think you could do anything but
pile up the agony"
Surely this style must be much better
suited to Miss Wentworth" said Captain
Curzon, maliciously.
oI feel duly grateful for such hattering
opinion" said the young lady, quite un-
merited by me. for chose the song out of
regard to somebody to whom pathos is OBJ
jectiOnable, apparently"
'If stay here any longer l shall say
rude to that girl" thought Cap
tain Curzon, rising hastily. Fanny" he
said aloud, 1.-The moon is shining gloriously;
are you afraid to venture on turn in the
garden with me?"
1T was just what was wishing to do"
and with look intended to annihilate Hat
ty, Mrs. Rodney and her cousin stepped out
through the window.
Does not every one know now events al
ways happen-that the thing you most wish
to avoid is almost certain to take place?
The next morning there lay Mrs Rodney
distracted with neuralgia, utterly unable to
lift her head from the pillow-the result of
that moonlight ramble last night her hus-
band off to the meet, not expected back until
tomorrow; and Carrie-who really might
have had some grain of sympathy in the
Misunderstanding to put off her visit to sick
relation, because she had written to say she
would come by an early train. Oh, well,
what might not happen it was impossible to
say! The bare idea of Monty Curzon and
that Hatty Wentworth having to sit down
to breakfast together-alone, with nobody
else with them-reduced poor Mrs Rodney
to utter despair. Il can't help it." she
moaned; Davis, you must go down and tell
Captain Curzon that just at present / am not
able to raise my head from the pillow, and
ask Miss Wentworth if she will oblige me by
having her breakfast in her own ROOM"