The Mineral argus., 1885-01-22

them from their Respective wives. I,
the afternoon they took their usua
J train to Eastbourne. - though nothin,
had happened. feeling tolersbly easy
| in their minds. Sam Newell certsiul'
did, but then he was the more harslenel
sinner, being . member of the Stool
Exchange. Mr.. Battledore's misgivinR,
were chiefly attributable to blister OF
his nose caused by exposure to the sun
and this troubled him . good deal. e.
pecially - thsy approached their des
tinatlOn.
"whst shall I say il my wife notice.
it," he Inquired, gazing apprehensive
ly ct himself in the polished case Of hi
watch.
"Oh! she won't notice it," said Sam
in his o6-hand way.
"But supposing she does;" insisted
Mr.. BsttledOre little irritxbly. "'Csll
her you've been smelling . dat iron q
cure cold, suggested Sam.
This was ell the assistance Mr.. Battle.
dore received from his companion. and
he worked himself up into quite . nerv.
Gus state lest his blistered moe
should give rise 70 awkward
Questions. Fortunately, however,
Sans opinion turned out 70 be
correct, for the truth was that the
Enlargement was really very trifiing.
Mrs. Battledore made NO comment upon
her husbands appearance, and was 20
entirely unsuspicious Of what had hap
l'ened that she hardly referred 70 his
supported sojOurn in town. Sam Newell's
wife made NO suspicious inquiries either :
and the cOnspir ators took an carly op-
portunity Of secretly congratulatinR
one another upon their happy escape
from detection.
Somewhere toward the small hours
OF the night. however, Mr.. Battledore
was aroused from his first doze by an
ominOus question from his wife, who
inquired rather meaningly, a. no i'm.
agined. whether he had received q LET.
ter from her.
"A letter! What letter." he asked,
taken aback.
"The letter wrote to your Office ON
Tuesday, said Mrs. Battledore.
1t would have been perfectly simple,
md also perfectly true, for Mr.. Battle
lore to have answered in the negative.
The next moment he bitterly reDented
not having done 90. But somehow or
'ther, when the question was asked. he
Fas seized with Al unreasoning panic.
.rising from guilty conscience, and
he idea flashed across his mind that il
10 said he had not received the letter
lis wife would instantly suspect he had
,een absent from the Office. An in
tant's reflection would have convinced
Inn OF the f0olishness Of such notion.
mt he replied hastily and thouRhtless-
,. inspired BY secret uneasiness and |
il evil genius.
"Oh! the letter. Oh, yes. Certain.
=" he said. burying his face in the
illow again.
"wslls" said his wife. interrogative.
WHAT" mumbled Mr.. Battledore.
"You ordered it I suppose?
retending to be doing of again.
Ordered il! Eli! What? Oh! Of
purse. Of course!" answered Mr..
attledore. "What on earth made YOU
rite to the Office ?" he added, BY the
az OF changing the conversation.
Il thought it would be more conven.
mt. You would only have TO step
'und to the shop" replied his wife.
"What the deuce does this ali mean ~
fought Mr.. Battledore, with grosn.
II hope it will be ready in time. 10.
'ph! Jeseph!" cried his wife. emphati-
lily, as he feigned to slumber. Twill
be ready in timer" |,
"Of course" said Mr.. Battledore.
lortly, trembling with apprehension.
What color did you choose, Joseph ?"
'manded his persistent spouse, little
specting his mental perturbation.
COLOR" murmured Mr.. Battledore
intly.
"Yes, I left that entirely to you"
II think il was q sort of hluish
cen" said Mr.. Battledore with des- {
.ration.
To his unutterable relief his wife ID. {
AIRED satisfied with this answer, or. Z
ore probably, she became drowsy her. 1
II at this juncture. At all events, she {
ked no more, and Mr.. Battletlore was I,
e TO reflect upon the conversation.
this time he had realized that he had 9
sde . fatal mistake in pretending to ,
We received the letter, and q greater {
stake still in feigning 10 have execut.
some mysterious commission. He G
ssed about restlessly o. he perceived G
" foolishly he had walked into .
ngerous trap. Should his wife now {
'cover that he knew nothing of the G
ter. and had answered her at random, c
r snspiciOns Of something wrong
'uld be immediately aroused and Mr.. Q
ttledore was haunted by . dismal {