Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1884-01-26
HER BIRTHDAY.

MuSt you ieally 81, IANh' 49,
ploringly.
Must 1 really go?" he repeated.
"What dreadfully solemn face! Yes,
You ridiculous darling, L really must"
"Why?" persistently.
ooh, because of an-an engagement
I cannot break, dear" a trifie guilt
lily. Good gracious what an inquisi-
tive little mortal it is, to be sure!
Don't trouble your pretty head with
business engagements; and once more,
my pet, good-by. And-oh, l say,
Dolly" turning back and putting a
furry head inside the door, "if you are
in search of q job, / just wish you'd
mend my other overcoat. l noticed
big tear in it for the first time tonight
Will you?"
And to his rather disconnected speech
Mrs. Dick nodded, and smiled bright
acquiescence.
The door slammed behind Dick, and
she glanced round the cosy, home-llke
room.
"If Dick had not been obliged to go
out-and such cold night, too"
The gas burned brightly.
The CHEEKY fire in the CRATE was abed
of golden Goals.
The French clock on the mantel
licked musically.
Towards the crimson covered table,
on which lay pile of unopened maya
zines, looked two wstful blue eyes
But the bride of six months shook
her dainty, bronze-brown head with
resolute determination.
Tla ,oax, Inc ,anaofaI fba boolr-
neyed formula DUTY first, pleasure
after"
So, accordingly, the little white
hands laboriously lugged and hauled
Dicks big overcoat into the room,
turned it over, and commenced their
wifely occupation.
She smiled softly to herself, for her
thoughts were pleasant ones as she sat
and sewed.
A rarely pretty picture in the par
lor's fire-lit glow, the childish figure in
the soft dark dress and snowy muslin
apron, the busy hands flying briskly
through their task.
Tomorrow will be my birthday, and
Dick has forgotten it, / know. How
sorry he will be when tell him to-
morrow"
And as it broke merrily into Coming
Thro' the Rye" the French clock ON
the low marble mantel struck 10.
Her task finished, she turned the
coat over to see if it needed other re-
pairs, and as she did so small square
sheet of creamy paper f1uttered from
an inside pocket and fell upon the car
pet.
She bent forward aud picked it up
with laugh.
(Which of Dicks friends is suffi-
GENTLY foppish to perfume his love let
ters, wonder?"
Then she turned it right side up and
looked at it?
And she saw-what?
Nothing very alarming.
Only thick sheet of embossed paper,
stamped with monogram, in blue and
gold, incomprehensible as monographs
usually are.
woman's letter, decidedly, written
in pretty, scrawling, irregular hand,
Enthusiastically woman's.
The bird-like song died on Dolly Ev-
erett's lips.
The soft, bright color faded slowly
out of her face.
The blue eyes grew wide and startled
rs deliberately, though almost involun-
tarily, she read the few words ON the
page before her.
The note ran:
DEAR DARLING-I have missed you
dreadfully of late. Come. Exercise diplo-
macy tonight and slip away. / hate her for
keeping you from me- Besides, Gerster is in
town Is the hint too broad' Inspite of all,
Dick, ever your ESTHER"
That was all.
But it was enough.
For a few moments Dolly's eyes,
blazing, terrified, stared straight at the
fatal sheet, as though they would shrivel
it up with their blue fire.
Then she flung it shudderingly from
her, as though it were venomous
thing, and could sting her.
Who was the woman who dared write
in that manner to Dick-her Dick p
yes, she told herself, with an air of de-
faint proprietorship, hers only.
She crushed her hands tightly to-
gether, till the diamond next the plain
gold circlet cut the white flesh cruelty
Then, as horrible suspicion leaped
to life in her brain, with slow moan
she slipped from the chair and crouched,
shivering, against the great shaggy
overcoat.
Her fears took shape.
What if he had gone to meet this
woman?
For the first time he had evaded
answering her questions.
And how guilty and hurried he had
seemed-so horribly happy and light
hearted, too.
A thousand words and chances, be-
fore almost unnoticed, now flashed upon
her.
She snatched up the note again and
looked at it.
1t was dated the evening of that day.
ooh, Dick! Dick!" she cried wildly,
how could you, how could you? and
I loved you sol"
Then with sudden burst of sobs she
broke down altogether, and, burying
her face in the crumpled overcoat, wept
and wept as if her very heart would
break, the graceful little figure was
shaken and convulsed.
The fire burned low in the CRATE un.
der coating of gray ashes.
Now she did not pause to listen to
the music.
Footsteps came along the sidewalk,
up the steps.
A latch key turned cautiously in the