The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-05-06

ularly eloquent upon II subject which
was of rather delicate character and
thai Charlie would not get much out of
him.
She accordingly appeared al dinner,
sinotherlng her anxiety under a mask
OF ailability: aud nothing occurred dur
ing the process, OF the meal 10 render
her especially unhappy. Bu.. when
she rose 10 leave the two men 10 their
wine, Charlie said:
'.lou don mind smoke, Lucy. and
1t will he uncommonIy dull Tor you all
alone III the drawing room, ), stay
with u. am sure Nj. Fordyce viii
pardon the departure from convention
ality in shooiing-box.'
Of course both the visitor aud Lucy
gladly acquiesced.
Yes, Mr.. Fordyce," said Chale, as
if in continuation Of broken-off con.
| versation, we are exceedingly COM
Portable here, but we might be great
deal more SO if
Now its coming" groancd poor
Mrs. Cornwall 10 herself
IF. went on Charlie, '.you could
| help us TO clear up a mysterious little
matter connected with II photograph Of
| myself which Mrs. Cornwall found
few days ago in a drawer upstairs and
for the existence OF which cannot for
| the life of me account and which. not
nnnaturally. perhaps makes her lit
tie uneasy
What will Dick say, | wonder:'
| thought Mrs. Cornwall
"A photograph Of you found iii 4
| drawer upsi airs?' exclaimed Fordyce.
i'll establishment.
Yes. said Charlie. Lucy. my
| dear, just run up stairs and bring the
photograph for Mr.. + ,rdyce to see
Mrs. Cornwall rose and LETT the room.
Charlie selzed the opportunity and
said 10 his guest:
Look here. Fordyce. we are men Of
the world and understand each other.
Of COURSE, see how matters stand.
although the presence of that photo
graph here is still mystery to me.
/ When | was spooning Lucy l was not
such fool as to believe that Il pretty girl
like her would have no other admirer
but me. and of course never believed
her when she ha, told me that She
never loved any one but me. But you
see she very jealous, and now that
have chance Of giving her 4 lesson !
don want 10 let it 20. Understand.
ehp'
Fordyce nodded. and Mrs. Cornwall
entered with the photograph, which
she handed to him.
Il want You to look ut it," said
Charlie. in !. calm, judicial tone, .'be-
cause, to be quite candid with you, it
has caused a good deal of unpleasant
| ness between us. and when two people
marry Tor love, as we did. and each Is
the Others first love, such a calamity
| as ill-feeling ought TO he impossible.
Then. turning To Mrs. CORNWALL,
whose exquisite misery during this eN-
| pose of tire stat. OF affairs to an old
| flame MAY be imagined, he SAID: "All
| want to do, my dear. j, TO clear my
self in your eyes by having it plainly
proved that this p otograph was nevc:
given by me to any other woman, is
you suspect TO be the case.
Fordyce began his answer with a roar
of laughter.
| ..Well, Mr.. Cornwall" he said at
length, ..you have been SO exceedingly
candid with me that must be the same
with YOU
1 Mrs. Cornwall agitation was pain
full to witness. Ii she could have
/ froMncd, or shaken her head, or touched
| Fordyee without attracting her hus-
/ band.s attention she would have done
SO. but she dared not. and braced up
/ for the worst.
Fore wee went IN
This photograph, Mr.. Cornwall, l
took from the lady who is now your
wife, when was head-over-heels in
love with her.
That was going on, then at the
same time us my courlship Of her,
said Charley. quietly.
Yes replied his visitor; II was a
rival of yours although l did not even
know Your name"
| And had no idea that | had 4 RI
val. said Charley determined that
the arrows now wounding his wife
should be we'll Darbed.
Then when found that she had a
photogra oh ofyou, continued Fordycc
Il was jealous, aud took it away from
her. And then lost sight OF her al
together, although heard she was mar
ried, forgot all about the photo prob
ably threw it away in my disapoint-
mcnt- and there il has been ever
i since
Nov, Mrs Cornwall said her hus-
band with affected severity, Il hope
that YOU are satisfied that at any rate
am not the sinner.
/ ..Oh, YES, Charlie dear. of course
amt sobbed Lucy; live been very
cruel and wicked, aud l hope you will
forgive me!