Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-18
to understand its meaning, Besides. il

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cluded that it would, perhaps, be wiser
to explain matters to the lady andleave
her to act as she thought best, than to
risk causing mischief by not carrying
out the instructions she had received.
In due course, therefore, she reached
Hampstead. and alighted from the cab
at the corner of the street in which the
lady lived. But it happened, unfor-
tunately, that the thoroughfare in ques-
ton was numbered in livery eccentric
fashion, and, while she was seeking the
house she wanted with the letter in her
hand, she was accosted by a respectable
middle-aged man, dressed in a frock
coat and tall hat, who politely asked if
he could be of any service to her.
s'Thank you, sir. I was looking for
No. 49," said Miss Twitterbit, grace
fully.
Mrs H%artley's?" the gentleman.
Miss Twitterbit, involuntarily CHANGING
at the address on the letter. "Can you
tell me which is the house, p~leasep"'
Certainly" returned the gentleman.
promptly. '.It is the last but one on this
side. No. IS, did you say? Allow me
to look"
As he spoke, the stranger dexterously
snatched the envelope from Miss Twit-
terbit's unresisting hand, and, to her
dismay and amaze.nent, proceeded to
open It.
What r you doing, sir?" she cried,
Indignantly.
ut is all right % said the stranger.
running his eye quickly, and with evil
dent satisfaction, over the mysterious
contents of the letter, 81 recognized
the handwriting. lam MI. Hartley"
'sOh!' exclaimed Miss Twitterbit,
with a feeling of monetary relief.
''But the letter was for your wife," she
added, uneasily.
at is all the same" said Mr.. Hartley,
lightly; II will give it to her. How is
our friend?"
But Miss Twitterbit paid NO heedt to
the question, being startled and fright
ened at learning that she had delivered
q letter intended for Mrs. Hartley's pri-
vate eye to her husband. IMr. Hunter
was making love to another mans wife,
his conduct was inexcusablc, but it was
frightful to reflect that she might be the
innocent cause of q domestic explosion.
Miss Twitterbit trembled at her impu-
dcnce, and could not conceal her dis
may.
1T is all right, ma'am," said Mr..
Hartley, cycling her keenly; 'sI'm not q
bit Jealous. I'm a model husband that
way. Mrs. Hartley shall have the letter,
but at present she is away in the u
try"
Mr.. Hartley put the letter in his
pocket as he spoke, and walked on,
taking off his hat to her as he passed.
Under the circumstances, Miss Ttwitter-
bit perceived there was no occasion for
her call at No. ID, and she therefore re.
traced her steps, full of vague misgiv-.
ings, but striving to assure herself that
everything had gone well.
She did not succeed, however, IN re-
covering her equanimity; but, on the
contrary, the more she reflected on
what had taken place, the more size
dreaded facing her ledger. 1t might
be a relief to his mind, certainly, to
learn that MI. Hartley was not jealous
or angry, but she thought he was more
likely to be furious with her for having
failed to carry out his express instrtlc-
tons, Miss Twitterbit returned home
leisurely, in IN economical omnibus;
and was conscious of a desire to linger
on the journey, The thought of the re-
ception she would meet with when she
got back banished all other speculations
from her mind, and, being q timid and
nervous old lady, she shrank from the
impending interview.
No soone had she entered the hall of
her home than Mr.. Hunter hailed her
from the top of the staircase.
Come up, Miss Twitterbit. Is it all
right?" he inquired, anxiously. .Did
you deliver the letter."
eyes, sir, it is all right said poor
Miss Twitterbit, screwing up her cour
age and following her lodger into his
sitting room.
''What did she say?" he Inquired,
cautiously closing the door behind her.
1.-The lady was away, but her husband
opened the letter ~ began Miss Twit-
terbit, desperately.
'What?" interrupted Mr.. Hunter,
excitedly.
.'Mr. Hartley opened it, sir, and he
laughed quite pleasantly, and said he
would give it to his wife when she came
back from the country" said Miss Twit-
terbit, eagerly.
''Of all the Internal" but Mr..
Hunters words died away on his lips
and he seemed incapable of utterance.
He glared at poor Miss Twitterbit,
while every atom of color left his face
and he was obliged to cling to the back
of a chair for support. Miss Twitterbit
was too terrified even to scream, and
stood translixed by his furious glance,
till the sound of mems voices in the hall
below aroused her energies.
sit is all over" murmured Mr.. Hun.
ter, staggering across the room like a
drunken man, and dropping heavily
into a chair. ''Here they come!'
At the same moment the door opened
and the gentleman who had called him
self MI. Hartley walked briskly into
the room, followed by q policeman.
The last mentioned apparition revealed
to Miss Twitterbit the true state of the
case, and she sank down on the sofa in
. half-fainting condition, overcome with
horror and dismay. She was too agi-
tated to pay attention to the hurried
words that passed between the new ar.
rivals and her ledger, but she gathere:t
epnnoh tO understand that tho lo++or