The Penn's Grove record., 1884-11-22
a sCAPEGOAT.


Miss Doris Bracondale was bending
over a glass counter strewn with dainty
pocket. books and card-cases of every
imaginable shape that fine leather and
crushed velvet could be made to as
sumo, She was a noticeably pretty girl
even among the host of faultlessly-toi-
letted beauties that the summer brings
to Baden Baden, and stragglers through
the colonnade where she stood gave
vent to an occasional g Volta Ia belle
Anglaise ~ or "What a lovely face i"-
quite in a whisper of course.
The object of her quest was a case to
contain a photograph suitable for car
rying in a gentleman's pocket, the pho
to9raph being a poor reflection of her
own ~delicately- tinted sweet face, and
the pocket for which it was destined
that of Mr.. Felix Wyatt, her betrothed
lover.
After much elaboration, she selected
d pretty little toy in white leather with
a spray of forget. me-not painted on it
and a beetle, anatOmically wrong, ca
pering in one corner. 1t was lined
with the palest blue satin, and wa al
together an unsuitable thing to place in
u mans pocket with keys, cigars, and
small change.
The afternoon concert on the gravel
sweep before the Conversationshaus was
being heralded by the usual bevy of
nursemaids with astonishing caps, in
charge of children in the widest of
sashes and deepest of embroideTies, the
little ones with rubber balls carried in
worsted nets, which would occasionally
bound against an irascible old gentle
mans back, and with little shovels aud
buckets to be filed and emptied with
gravel-an unfailing amusement among
these mites of humanity, too yer
dressed to attempt 0 active sport.
The chairs ranged about beds and
groups of tropical flowers gradually
filled with as motley a collection of hu-
manity as one could desire to see-from
a pig-talled Chinese grandee to a rug
ged Scotch tourist in knickerbockers
and a baggy comfortable-looking coat,
Before the programme was fairly un.
der way Miss Bracondale and her
mother had joined the auditors j; and at
the close of the overture to EkEehdrd
Mr.. Wyatt sauntered towards the bank
of azaleas neal which they were sitting.
Felix Wyatt was a happy-looking
well-grown young fellow of twenty-five
or theTeabouts, arrayed in a tweed suit.
English shoes, a Glengarry bonnet, and
with a scarab in his cravat.
"Where were you hidden that l
missed you on the promenade ?" he
asked, lounging back on the springy
iron seat beside the two ladies'.
81 was choosing this for you, Felix"
said DORIS, putting the fair leather case
into his hand. "You will carry it
every where with you while you are
away, will you not ? Promise"
Eyes, l promise and L am very
much obliged to you. 1t Is lovely--a
great deal too nice for me-" answered
Felix, looking intently at the photo
graph enshrined In blue satin, 1t was
the likeness of a girl with silky dark
hair, beautifully-arched brows, and
dark eyes, large and intense, set in a
face of exquisite mould.
"How long will You be away, Felix?'
Mrs. Bracondale asked, glancing up
from her programme.
"A week at the most"
sit is provoking that you have to go
Just now" remarked Doris, when the
races and grand Nominations are about
to begin"
SIT is indeed. / always avowed my
self ready TO see Mrs. Delamore and
her children safely installed at Brussels;
but I never supposed the summons
would come at such an nopportune
time. To say that l wish them all at
the bottom of the sea would be unchris-
tian, l suppose ; but"
Don't give expression to such wicked
ideas - said Doris, pouring out the cof-
fee which a waiter had noiselessly placed
at her elbow sand let us change the
subject. for, if we speak any more of
your departure, 1 shall make a spectacle
Of myself by shedding tears in the cot
fee"
THE Winthrops are bearing down
upon us" said Mr.. Wyatt, shortly af-
forwards, In an un~dertone, land l will
beat a retreat, as | have some little
matters to attend to-a visit to Mrs.
Ripon In the Sophienstrasse among
others: I shall see you again this even
ing"
On the first opportunity that offered
itself Nj. Wyatt took Doris's photo
graph from the tle-bedizened case
that she had bestowed upon HIM, and
put it between the leaves of his pocket
book, intending at his first idle moment
TO transfer it from there to a ~seryiceable
black leather envelope in his possession.
The little case he wrapped carefully in
soft white paper and slowed away with
d package or letters, some withered
flowers, and a curl Of silky dark hair,
all jealousy guarded byia lock and key.
"She is a dear little soul, but not
practical, he soliloquized while 80 IN
gagged.
Arrived at Mrs. Rip0n's room in the
Sophienstrasse, Mr.. Wyatt found that
lady in great excitement and distress.
"Oh, Felix, - she began, ~ have been
robbed Of my diamond earrings, Les
he's superb gift, bya black eyed witch
of q womanl But sit down-mind the
cat land l viii tell you the particu-
larSn Mrs. Ripon sank back among
the cushions on the sofa, took a long
breath, and began again. 81 had ad-
vertised for a g~oyerness for Lucy and
Elaine, as you perhaps know ; and this
morning, when / was dressing, l was
quite prepared for the announcement
that a lady had inquired for me on bus
mess. / was dressing, as | said before,
and my toilst-table was scattered over
with Jewels and trinkets, my diamonds