Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-26

herself, and, leading the pony up to the
door, called the bearer
Words fail to describe the establishment
of the tea party at the other end OF the
veranda when, by the light of the newly
lit lamp over the doorway, they recognized
the features of the "spotless and inno-
cent" Mrs Cleather. The excitement
knew no bounds; they dare not move,
for fear of being seen, and thus spelling
the tableau of which they would
doubtless be witnesses. 1t was only Mrs.
Allison who could not resist saying, in a
rather audible whisper: There, | told
YOU SOL How much for the child's inno-
cence now, should like to know? You
may be sure she's on no good errand down
here all alone at this time of the evening"
However, Mrs. Cleather was much too
tired or excited with her ride to notice
anything, and the group under the veranda
was quite unseen by her. Presently the
landlord came to the door.
Did you get my note this afternoon ?"
Yes, ma'am."
Is all ready ?"
Yes, ma'am."
(Which is the room p
"If you will kindly come this way will
show you" and he led her through the
door leading into small apartment at the
other end of the veranda, generally known
as the Bow-wow's Cave"
Dear, dear me, III give my best dia-
mond ring to know what she's up to /" says
Mrs Allison.
"Well, and feel rather curious on the
subject, too" said gallant Major of the
Bengal staff corps sitting at her side. Did
you notice the pony she rode? 1t was a
bay mare; | know it by the black stocking
on the near hind leg she ran in the last
Gymkhana, and it belongs to Captain
Fem"
"Ah, doubtless; she always rides his
ponies-in fact, they are almost as much
hers as his"
"Wellr' continued Mrs. Allison, " Cap
tain Fenn's pony or no, don't care, but |
should like very much to know what she is
doing down here"
F" And perhaps Mrs. Allison said a
third party, this is not the first time she's
been down here at this time
who knowsp said the Colonel. "She's
as lovely as Venus, but as cunning as a
serpent, and its always these quiet ones
that are the first to 90 wrong"
Their doubts on the subject were soon,
however, made clear to them. for while
they We're discussing the subject, another
pony and rider arrived at the cottage. This
time it is man, and though enveloped in
an overcoat and with a large Teral hat on
his head, it was easy to guess who 1t was.
Moreover, the eyes and pony both tell the
tale. as it is the steed that Captain Fem
rides regularly along the mall every day.
The excitement of the lookers-on almost
knows no bounds now, and is increased
when the aged landlord again comes forth,
and to the very audible query Is Mrs.
Cleather arrived? ?" answers in the affirm
alive.
(Which is the room she engaged ?"
"The small room with the red purdah
over the door," answers mine host and re-
tires once more to the inner recesses of his
house, evidently not wishing to be more
in the way than possible.
The gentleman turns round, orders his
syce to take the pony to the stables, walks
steadily down to the little door at the
other end, and, lifting aside the purdah,
saws, " Are YOU there, -" calling Mrs.
Cleather by her Christian name; and a
sweet voice answers from within, " Yes; is
that you come at last Entrez, and shut
the door"
1t would require an artist Of no mean
ability to paint the cOuntenances of the
party, both men and women seated round
the table in the other corner of the We
randa. 1t was more a look of intense de
light and satisfaction that displayed itself
on the faces of both Mrs. Allison and Mrs
Barnard, and look more of surprise and
wonder on those of Others.
Come, let us go; this is no fit place to
be in at such a time of night as this"
quoth Mrs Allison; and, having ordered
their iampans and ponies, they start off on
their homeward way They discuss the
affairs of the evening, and nothing is too
bad for either Captain Fem or Mrs
Cleather. The fair ones of the party
always believed :" there was something
more than a mere Irritation in it; but to
come to this-too dreadful. And what a
piece of scandal for the end Of the season,
too As for the men of the party, they
were more puzzled than anything. Cap
tain Fem was such friend of Cleather's
they could hardly believe it however"
they say, anything is possible with a
woman at the bottom Of it,
By II o'clock that night the news had
spread like wildhre among the select
gossipping circles Of Nynee Tai, and even
one fair dame, more energetic than the
rest, wends her way up to Mrs. Cleather's
house To see what she can wean out of the
bearer All he knows is that the mem
sahib went off III a great hurry, and he
doesn't think she will be back till the next
day. Worse and worse Was there ever
such barefaced piece Of scandal as this? ?
And they determine tomorrow to let
every one in the place know Of what has
happened.
Morning breaks at Nynee Tai, and the
sun rises over the mountain tops iii all his
oriental glory, making everything around
seem bright and happy Little does
pretty Mrs. Cleather think there is thun-
der-storm of no small proportions about to
burst over her head.
Mrs Allison, Mrs Barnard and Mrs.
Dawson were walking on the mall about II
o'clock, when who should they meet but
Captain Fem himself. He stops and talks
to them, and in answer to their queries as
to where he was the evening before, says:
"Well, | had rather a slow evening at
the club. | intended to go down to Douglas
Dale to meet Cleather His wife got a tele-
gram from him in the afternoon, telling
her he would be there at 7:30 o'clock. So
l sent down my pony to Rambagh for him
to ride up the hill on. | believe they re-
manned there last night I'm rather ex-
pecting to see them coming up the mall
now By Jove there they are"
Use Of Cotton Seed.