Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-04-02


stand staring there! Answer my ques-
lion. When did this Gomez"
yesterday" gasped Miss IWltterDlt,
IN desperation.
"Who brought it ?" continued Mr..
getting more and more excited.
GA young lady," answered the
Iandlady falling back on the story she
had originally intended to tell.
''What was she like?"
''I'm sure I cannot say. The fact is,
/ hardly-I only"
"Was she young and fair, rather tall,
and fasbionably dressed?" interrupted
Mr.. Hunter.
"Well, yes [ think she was" an
swered Miss Twitterbit, vaguely con-
scious of awakening curiosity In the
midst of her uneasiness.
cit must have been she. Nobody else
knows" muttered Mr.. Hunter, evident
ly speaking TO himself.
He put his hands in his pockets and
Ieant against the mantel shelf, staring
at the ceiling and ignoring Miss Twitter-
bits presence. The landlady was slow
ly recovering from her perturbation, and
was beginning to perceive, after all, the
valentine had eluc1dated the mystery OF
Mr.. Hunters conduct. 1t was evident
that some unlucky love affair was at the
bottom of his unhappiness.
s'Miss Twitterbit, will you do me a
great favor?" he said suddenly, speaking
more in his usual tone, though still
laboring under strong excitement. 81
want you to take a letter for me to the
other side Of London-over to Hamp-
stead"
eyes, sir, to be sure" said Miss Twit-
terbit, on t1ptoe of expectation,
cts a long way, know, but you
must hire a cab at my expense" he said,
seating himself at the table and COM
mencing TO write, elbow long will you
need to get ready?"
500 you wish me to 60 now, SIT?
inquired Miss Twitterbit, rather taken
back.
eyes, now-this Instant" said Mr..
Hunter, impatiently. sect your bon
net on and this shall be ready for you
by the time you have done SO"
Miss TWitterbit was the personifcation
of good nature, and though she was
not enhanced at the prospect of journ-
ey to the other end of London, she pro-
ceeded TO equip herself with alacrlty.
MIR. Hunter had finished his letter when
she came down again, and he at once
handed it to her together with some sill
yer for car fare.
"Ask to see the lady," he said, i'm
pressively, sand give her the letter.
Don't leave it if she is out, but bring it
back with you. Mind, on no account,
part with it to anybody else. :"
SIS there any answer, sir?" inquired
Miss Twitterbit, rather futtered by
these instructions.
'fNo, there is no answer. If the lady
asks any questions about me, you can
tell her was wy angry when l sent
this; you can say / was never more out
of temper In my life-which is the fact.
But don't stay gossiping," added Mr..
Hunter with emphasis.
It crossed Miss TWitterbit's mind IN a
feeble, uncertain way that, if the letter
had reference to the valentine, she might
by few words of explanation save her
self the journey. But before she could
come to decision Mr.. Hunter interrupt
ed her reflections by saying sharply:
"Come, Miss Twitterbit don't waste
valuable time. The sooner you have de-
hvered the letter the better l shall be
pleased. 1t is very important remem-
ber.''
Startled by this admonition, Miss
Twitterbit hastely retired, and was soon
on her way to Hampstead Ill four
wheeled Gao. But during her ride she
had ample leisure for reflection, and it
naturally began to occur to her that she
was in rather an awkward spredicament.
Obviously the letter had been written in
consequence of the valentine, and there
fore the lady would not understand what
it referred to. On the other hand, the
letter might be the means of effecting a
reconciliation between the two loving
hearts, though to be sure Mr.. Hunter
had not been IN a particularly amiable
mood when he sent 1t. In word, Miss
Twitterbit was puzzled and uneasy, the
more especially as the envelope was ad-
dressed to a Mrs. Hunter. This sug-
gested the suspicion that her lodger was
carrying on an intrigue with a married
woman, or else Hartley was not his real
name. Either of these ideas was cal
culated TO discomfort the old lady, for
she was severely respectable, and would
not, for the world, have been mixed up
in any questionable transaction. She
soon regretted having permitted Mr..
Hunter to remain under a misappre-
hension about the valentine, and had al
most made up her mind to drive back
and confess everything, when she dis
covered that the letter had come IN
fastened. It had evidently been hastily
sealed up, just as she was starting, and
had never been properly sealed.
Under any other circumstances Miss
Twitterbit's sense of honor would have
re7olted at the bare notion of reading
another persons correspondence. But
she was so nervous and perplexed that
she could not resist the temptation to
take a peep at the letter. Its contents
would enable her to decide definitely
whether to deliver it or to face her Iodg-
er's wrath and Indignation by returning.
She therefore stealthily unfolded the
document and read as follows:
sit is evident 7 can not rely on your pru-
dence. I warned you, you would be watched,
and yet you must need do such wantonly idi-
otto thing, Leave town instantly and go down
to Devonshire.
There was no formal commencement
or ending, and no signature to this per-
Il, IL Il,