St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-26
UNLUOKY THIRTEEN.

am jealous man. There is no use in
attempting to deny it; but tonight there
will be, there can be- no one of whom 1
need be jealous. Lord MacPhoole Ger
tainly-but-
Here Jenkyns throws open the drawing
room door and announced me: Mr.. Ire
vor."
''Oh, Trevor, how dye do?" says my
host, laying his hand on my shoulder.
l shrink inwardly from his touch. but
smile politely; for though L hate the old
man, love his daughter.
Il believe we shall be thirteen" he goes
on. ''Kent has failed us at the last mo-
ment. But you don't mind. do you?''
protest L have not the slightest objec-
ton.
NO, / thought not" says Mr.. Bellairs,
with horrid smile-in any one else but his
daughters father. a disgusting leer. ''Su-
perstition is the last thing you young men
go i'm for nowadays. eh?"
/ assent to this original proposition.
somebody was saying. just before you
came in, that Trevor fought shy of thirteen
at dinner. But You say you don't?"
From my old nurse / imbibed many curl
Gus supeTstitiouS horrors. of which have
never been able TO rid myself. but how can
/ confess it TO this ogre? l boldly deny
any such weakness, and. to my unutter-
able relief, he moves away.
1t is a marvel 10 me how such n monster
can have such daughter as Evelyn.
think TO myself her mother must have been
an angel of beauty and goodness. and prob
ably died of horror at a nearer acquaintance
with the ogre. L am Just settling this ques-
! ton entirely to my own satisfaction, when
the door opens. Though my back is turned
l know it Is Evelyn. She mods and smiles
kindly as she passes me.
For the space of that second / breathe
the air of PARADISE. But she goes on into
the dTawing-roOm. and hear her greeting
her guests. and laughing and talking gayly
Then | see Lord MacPhoole, that fatuous
idiot, sitting by her, and she seems posit-
lively to enjoy his weak jokes. He is hOr-
rid Radical, and to me they have low,
Democratic flavor. What right has he TO
think he may amuse a goddess with his
feeble wit? From my inmost soul loathe
the facetiOus fellow.
To add to my discomfort, those old
world superstitions rear their heads. Never
in my life have l made one of thirteen. Of
course, there is nothing in it, l tell my
self. How could there be? Nevertheless
l grow more i'll at ease. How do know it
is not true? Who has ever proved it? And
Evelyn says something which makes Mac
Phoebe laugh. How can she condescend
to be amused with such an empty cTea-
ture?
All, joy he is leaving her side with some
last joke. most likely as stale and old as
the hill. The chair next her is empty Why
should not 1?
Thinking to leap at once to heaven from
the place of torment. l rush into the other
room.
''Mr. TreyorI" cries a voice have heard
called sweet. To me it is the voice of an
owl. a crow.
Taking not the slightest notice, l con-
tinue my way headlOng She sees me
coming. Is il only flattering Self-decep-
ton, or does she smile with pleasure? At
this moment feel some little impeachment
in my mad career.
''Oh, dear, Mr.. Trevor" / hear Miss
ForteScue cry, you have knocked down
my fan. Are You growing blind?'
Muttering anathemaS on that hateful
fan, L pick it up and return it TO her. She
then proceeds. so il seems to my excited
imagination, TO inquire infinitely into the
health Of every member OF my family.
have always thought myself squire of
DANES. and Miss ForteScue is both beauti-
full and charming; but nevertheless / feel
that / could. with cheerful alacrity, apply
the first torch TO her funeral pyre.
At last she is satisfied. | turn to leave
her. and behold that giggling MacPhoole
in the act of sitting down again by Evelyn.
She only sent him for a fire-sereen. Who
but |, her bond slave should wait on her?
Who else fetch former fire-screens?
Freely. mreservedlY. do L conSim Miss
ForteScue TO outer darkness there to wander
with her fan forever.
Unconscious of the horrible fate awaiting
her. hear her entertaining Lambert Kerr
with accounts OF a dance TO which she went
last night. L sit desperately down by a
small table and open an album. On the
first page behold the monster and Miss
| FoTtescue. Bang! l shut it and clasp it,
Cheer up. Jack. old fellows a kind.
merry voice says, close to my ear. You
are TO sit next but one to her at dinner. 1
have been pumping Jenkyns."
Chalmers. youarea trump" 1 say CRATE
| fully. as he sits down.
You seem awfully down. he continues,
! leaning his elbow on the table lis it that
ass MacPhoOle you are jealous of? Only a
minute before you came in heard her COM
| pare his laughter to the cracking Of thorns
under pot
We'll" l allow, greatly relieved. 81
| hardly supposed she would like him, but
hang it all, Chalmers, we are to be thir-
| teenr
Q''And what of that?" He stared at me.
and then burst into an incredulous laugh.
4 y on dontmean to say You are growing
superStitiOuS. Jack? Poor feIlowI-
There is note of contemptuOus pity in
his tone, and really my fancies do seem alb
surd in a sane man.
mo, no" say; ''but still You know,
one does not exactly like tOrun counter to
established beliefs
Established beliefs" he laughs again.
| Il have never had much sympathy with the
tender passion myself. but if il can turn a
reasonable man like you into an old woman,
shall abjure it altogether. l live by my
wits, and l can't afford to trihe with
themr'
Chalmers 1 say angrily; ''you are q
cold-blocdad-"
And think, Trevor" he returns point
edly, ''you are trifie too hot-blooded!"
He gees away. The next minute / hear
him laughing with Miss Fortescue and
Lambert kerr-at me, / GareSay.
But / do not care. In the other drawing
room l see Evelyn still talking to Mac
Phoebe. She is there; here am |, not
thirty feet away, Yet an impossible gulf
divides us. 1t is like a horrid night
mare.
Then / see MacPhoole leave her, and
Chalmers. mine own familiar friend, darts
from some lurking place, and with fend-