Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-07-03
IN A MOMENT OF PIQUE.

you're too good fellow to be
trifled with, Allan, said Charley Leon
ard in tone of measured confidence.
81 hate to see n woman make fool OF
you, and Nora Lindsey"
what makes you think she's max
ing a fool of mep" Allan asked, in a
quiet way that quite concealed the
depth of his feelings.
"My dear boy, you must look at these
things in n common-sense light. Miss
Lindsey is an heiress-the richest girl
in Cambridge; you arc"
'What?"
swell, you know very well, Allan,
that, from worldly point Of view, you
are poor, like myself!''
II have few thousands. Charley;
and then. there's my profession. l
could support n wife comfortably on
my income. have enough 10 make a
woman happy. if she loved me. ="
"Yes, Tiff! That's just itr' cried
Charley, springing up and pacing the
room with n restless stride. Women
don't love nowadays-not with their
hearts, at least 1t is all fancyw
Allan looked up, half-quizzically.
"Ah, l thought there was something
behind all this cynicism," he said.
"You have been playing with the di-
vine fire again. You and your Dulcinea
are 'out'r'
Don't joke about it, Al, for Heav-
ems sake! It's home-thrust this
time. Three weeks ago thought my
happiness was assured. The woman /
loved had promised to marry me; and
now, for the merest trifle, she has cast
me aside. No wonder | have no faith
in women or their profession.
I'm sorry to hear it, Charley-in-
deed | am-and l hope it may only
prove n lovers quarrel. But you must
not expect me to share your doubts. l
will not deny it; love Nora Lindsey
with my whole soul, and l intend to
ask her to be my wife.
"Well, wish you success. Al. For
give me for meddling. / only"
The door opened, and a'rough old fell
low came numbering in-one of Allan's
clients.
Charley picked up his nat and left,
with the brief remark:
''Pll see you later"
1t was while Allan was engaged with
this client that the postman came in
and threw down upon the desk thick
envelope, with a graceful superscrip-
ton that contrasted strongly with the
careless dashing style of his business
correspondence.
Allan's heart bounded.
His patience hardly lasted till he
was alone and could open the letter.
1t was rather longer than Miss
full sheets. beginning: my dear Mr..
Westlock, and ending, Your friend
always-Nora Lindsey"
Your letter was really favor" she
said on the first page. "Seaton is q
pretty place, but horribly duh in
winter. shall be so glad to get back
to Cambridge! 1t was very kind of
you to ask me to go and see Bernhard
next Wednesday. 1t will give me great
pleasure TO do so.
Then the letter rambled on in
pleasant way till the bottom of the
fourth page, when there was complete
break.
The second sheet did not 60 with the
first at all. Neither the wor Dis nor the
ideas were in any way connected.
Allan turned it over and over in new
bewilderment. and finally held it per-
fectly still, when these lines stared him
straight in the face:
II am only flirting with Mr.. West
lock. and leading him on for the sake
of amusement. Don't distress your
self, my dear Blanche. know what is
best for my own happiness. i shall
never marry 4 man whom l do not
love-"
The paper trembled in Allan's hands,
and he gasped for breath.
Good Heavensr he cried hoarsely.
"What does his meanp"
Slowly II dawned upon him that, by
some mistake, n part of another letter,
not intended for his eyes. had been en-
closed in the envelope that bore his
address. But what did it reveal to
himp
Allan crushed the fatal sheet in his
hand, and sank down in chair with a
pale distorted countenance.
1t was hours before he could COM
mand himself; but once he gained the
mastery, he drew from his pocket-book
two theater tickets, and, taking up q
sheet of elegant note-paper, wrote as
follows:
''MY DEAR MISS LINDsEY.-Circum-
stances compel me to recall my invita-
ton for Wednesday next. / enclose
you the tickets. You have so many at
PENDANTS that l am sure you will not
want for any scort.-Hoping you will
enjoy the performance, i am, yours
truly, ALLAN WEsTLoCK."
That was all!
"She shah never know by word or
act of mine" he said, as he dropped
this note in the box on his way home
TO supper. THAT dream Is over, and
my happiness ut an end for ever; but
she shall not know IL. / will hide my
suffering from her II / die for it!''
That evening. when society was
about awakening to the touch Of dissi-
patton, Allan Westlock presented him.
self in faultless attire in the parlor of a
pretty uptown residence.
"How fortunate / am to find you nt
homer' he murmured. rs he bent over
the slender white hand of tall grace
full girl, in an exquisite dress of pale
blue surah. "But what have you been
doing to yourself, Miss Blanchep You
are not looking at all well.
Blanche Merle replied with light
laugh, whose studied indifference could
not wholly deaden the ring Of one sad
note.
.It is dissipation, / supposer' she
answered, glancing half-curiously into
a diamond mirror, that hung Just oppo-
site in plush frame. ii have been to
three balls this week. / was going to