The Democratic advocate., 1884-11-29

you I should pretend to forget all about
the thing when next we go down. Ten to
one your wife will then mention what it
is" said Sam in his confident way.
Poor Mr.. Battledore plucked up heart
little at this suggestion, but he continued
70 grow more and more uneasy, especially
after receiving postcard from his wife, a
day or two later, enjoining him to remem-
ber her commission, and to bring it down
with him on Saturday, without fail-the
last two words being literally underscored.
"How can I pretend I've forgotten it
after that?" said Mr.. Battledore, peevishly
as he threw the postcard on the table.
E"You will have to. It's the only chance, !"
said Sam, looking quite serious.
s"Why couldn't she have mentioned the
article, instead of saying it?'' exclaimed
Mr. Battledore, t:asing the card viciously
into small piecs.
s'Tll tell 20. what, old fellow. | shall
take Mrs. N. Nbracelet or something when
we go down on Saturday" said Sam,
thoughtfully. eff there should be row,
it won't do any harm, and it may enable
me to assist you to ascertain what you wish
to know.
Mr.. Battledores apprehensions reached
LS0>a dagerous pitch when his friend an
nounced his intention of adopting such a
precaution. But a little calm reflection
induced him to follow Sans shrewd exam
pie, and the result was that both gentle
men obtained the propitiatory offerings to
be sacrificed on the altar of conjugal affec-
ton.
On reaching Eastbourn they were met
by their wives in the carriage, and MIR.
Battledore, at all events, felt by no means
grateful for this little attention. However
he and Sam took their seats opposite the
ladies, trying their best look as if they had
nothing on their minds, and above all, no
guilty secret. But before Mr.. Battledore
had time to recover his selfpossession his
wife said:
'Joseph, you remember my speaking
to you about letter wrote to you last
week."
"Ye-yes," said Battledore, wincing at a
nudge from Sam.
"Well, I never sent it at all Only this
morning [ discovered it between the leaves
of my blotting-book. l forgot to post it. ,"
at is of no consequence, of course, !"
chimed in Mrs. Newell; "only you will be
the loser, Sam. Mrs. Battledore wrote to
her husband to buy you a cigar-case on my
behalf and to have your initials engraved
upon it. Tomorrow you know, is your
birthday
Mr. Battledore was by no means reassur-
ed by these speeches. On the contrary,
he realized that he was in worse fix than
ever, since he would be now called upon to
explain what he meant by saying he had
received the letter A sort of sickly feel
ing came over him as his wife said.
aBy the way, Joseph, you said you had
received the latteF, and talked as though
you knew al about 1t. -
pApd you, Sam, said Mr. Battledore had
ment toned the sai eeS ta YOU; and was
vexed at TIT til',,5 az, of course, it Wa a
secret" interposed Mrs. newell,
'1he fact is, said Sam, coming gallant
ly ioIthe rescue, for Mr.. Battledore was at
a loss to find words, ''as Joe said to me
afterward, we have been at cross-purposes.
We each had secret, and we thought you
had discovered ours. Joe let out that blue
Iwas the color he had chosen | tried to
hnf out how the land lay from my wife;
she nearly made me betray everything by
asking questions. However, l dare say
neither of you guesses what it is.
"No, indeedr cried both the ladies, con-
sidererably mystifed by this incoherent ex-
PLANTATION, and on tiptoe of excitement.
"Well, here, Maria" he said, producing
a bracelet, like conjurer, Emeralds, you
see. Don't you remember my saying it
was sort of blush green or somethin? Well
Joe's offering, I believe, has blue stones
turquoises.
Mr.. Battledore took the hint, and hand
ed to his wife the bracelet he had bought
as peace offering, inwardly marveling at
his old friends wonderful tact and impu-
dence, and beginning to breathe quite freely
again. In fact, it was evident that Sam 5
extempore discourse, followed up by the
bracelets, had satisfactorily explained what
was mysterious In their recent behavior,
and the secret of the unhallowed expedition
to Paris seems unlikely ever to be revealed