The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-31

tou2kT tuihlled. Aa the hualhe6a in. cTeased he was strongly tempted eo daa- sle his every day companions even as Ae had already da1aled the Pettigrew family with the glory of his attire. But such 8 course would he fatal to the scheme. On the ccnraEy Bedaprle allowed his wear ing apparel to become sAabhieE than ever, except upon two important occa- sious; when professionally engaged in performing the ceremony of introduction, and when calling upon lmogen Petit grew.
 Supplied with ready cash to prosecute his suit Bedapple prosecuted 1t with vigor. He easily captured Don Webfso,. Judssn, and lmogen, cajoled Mrs. Pe,,i. grew and energesically attacked the but tressed Notifications of Peletiah's preju- daces. otep by step he drove back the opposition to his profession, his not il. lussrious ancestry and his questionable social and financial status. As weapons offensive and defensive he brought to bear his style. chic, and superior know. ledge of the world.
 Temporarily the happiness of Billy Be- dapple was complete.
 But the trail of the serpent vas over it all. !"
 Man is the only brute in whom is planted the instinct of envy. In Mir, Yer. mouth this human frailty was developed to an abnormal degree, ding the fact that the apparently successful suit of Bedapple bid fair to reach an early and favorable consummation he must needs inoculate i, with the poison ous virus of discord.
 Drawing Don Webfoot aside one even. ing, at an informal gathering ot friends of the Pe,tgrews at the petugrew man. sion, he said:
 "Do you know where Bedapple gets his money and-and-er-clo,hes2"
 "Why, no," replied Don Webfoot. "l never pry into anybody's affairs, but l have aA idea that the best of these news paper ~ri,ers get mighty big salaries, and Billy, you know, is a good one"
 The members comprising the informal affair were swarming out on the lawn and the veranda steps and hanging over the railing.
 "Mr. Vermouth," called the wife of that volatile gentleman, "l wish you would bring my shawl it is quite chilly"
 "Coming, dear," he answered, and im- mediately resumed his conversation with Don Webfoot.
 "Now, really, don't want to say any thing, but, then you sec he is making pretty good headway with your sister, and I, as kind of a fatherly friend of the family, would merely suggest that he gets his money and fine clothes by black mail"
 "No, impossible 1" said Don Webfoot.
 Fact, Don myself"
 "Ms. VeImouth are you ever coming z" again anxiously inquired the wife of the wine merchant.
 Coming, coming v airily replied Yer mouth, and then, sinking his voice to the tones of dubious import he continued
 Fact he blackmailed me-"
 "You, good heavens !"
 "Yes I'll tell you all about i, later on," and Mir. Vermouth hurried away to slavishiy dance attendance on his wife.
 lmpulsiveness was one of the shining char acteristics of Don Webfoot. He de- cided to act. and at once. He had great confidence in the integrity of Mir. Yer mouth, because the latter was a very wealthy man. In spite of the vast ac. cum ulation of evidence to the contrary, the world still goes on believing every rich man honest. His unsupported tes,i- mony will outweigh the combined evi. dence of ten paupers. So Don Webfoot believed Vermou,h and immediately commenced to mistrus. Bedapple.
 "Can speak with you momentl" he said to the reporter.
 Certainly" replied Bed ,pple, rising from beside the fair Imogen, "where p In the conservatory, please" answered Don Webfoot with a foolish air of as- sumed sternness.
 Note: IL will easily be gleaned from perusing works of 6ction that conserva- torres are constructed in rich men's | houses for the express purposes of mak. ing declarations of love, and communi- eating unpleasant pieces of information
 The two men walked away together.
 "Mr. Bedapple," Don Weofoot biurcd i out when the two were alone, "Mr. Yer . 1 L. 4