The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-07-03

SAID mrs. Cornwallt Win salcastlc et1-
phasls.
eve shall see," replied her husband.
''He didn't say anything about bring
ing lady with him. Shall ask him
top
"Oh, dear, yes, of course" replied
Mrs. Cornwall. "YUu must be anxious
to see one TO whom you are ever true
and affectionate after all this time.
Oh, yes, ask her by all means. 1t
would be such delicate act Of courtesy
towards me. What is *. Y. Us
name2'
'Fordyc&-Ricbard Fordyce," replied
Charlie.
The mention of this name produced a
strange effect upon Mrs. Cornwall, which
Charlie could not fail to note; the color
left her checks, her breathing came hard
and fast and her fingers began to twitch
nervously.
"Well, my dear, what's the matter?"
he asked.
"Oh, nothing" replied Lucy. "I-I
don't feel very well. think this Scotch
air is rather to strong for me. l would
like to go south again."
Such sudden indisposition of one
who had been, up to few seconds
previously, in robust health made Chas.
Cofnwall ponder. Why should the
na@e of Richard Fordyce produce such a
strange and immediate effect? Evident
" there was something below the sur
face, and as he had during the past few
days undergone an intolerable persecu-
tion at the hands of his wife, he was in
no mood to leave any stone unturned by
which he could turn the tables on her.
So he replied:
Nonsense! Lucy, nonsense! You
havn't been here long enough to get ac-
customed to the air, so don't talk al
ready of going South when we've got
two months to run. Besides, my dear,
Pm curious about this affair of the
I'll ask him if lie knows anything about
it. Remember. you have made a very
grave accusation against me, and al
though l have not said much, 1t has
been source of great annoyance and
grief to me-"
"Oh, never mind about that Charlie"
said his wife; i haven't been very well
for some days and when one isn't well
one is apt TO be irritable at trifles. Con-
slider it all as unsaid and let us get away
from this damp, dreary place."
But Charlie, whose turn it was to be
suspicious, insisted that she should give
the place trial of few days longer,
and so, in spite of all her sobbings and
entreaties, Mrs. Cornwall had to yield
with the best grace she could.
On the very next morning Charlie, as
he was smoking his after-breakfast, pipe
saw FordYce,comlng up the garden, but
for reasons of his own, he did not allow
himself to be seen and did not go out to
greet his visitor. He listened, however,
attcntively and after hearing his wife
run hastily downstairs, lie heard Mr..
Fordyce's CHEEKY voice sing out:
"Why, Lucy! who would have thought
of meeting YOU in this out-of-the-way
corner! We haven't seen each other
since"
Here Mrs. Cornwall, interrupting,
said: "Iush, Dick, hushl I'm Mrs.
Cornwall now. We must not be as we
were to each other, for if my husband
were to know that we we're acquainted
can't think what he would do. AS it
is, I'm in dreadful fix on account of a
photograph of his which / found up
stairs and which"
At that moment Charlie, who had in
tently followed the little chap up to
this point and who feared that further
absence on his part would prevent the
truth about the photograph becoming
known to him, appeared. -
"Glad to see you Mr.. Farkce," he
said, extending his hand. ~ don't
think you know Mrs. Cornwall but"
1t was difficult to say who looked the
more uncomfortable, Lucy Cornwall or
Richard Fordyce, and Charlie, who now
saw chance of being able to pay off
long arrears of jealous persecution, en-.
joyed their embarrassment thoroughly
and continued:
'But perhaps you haye met before?"
"Y-yes, Mr.. Cornwall, think l once
had the pleasure, "sheepishly murmured
Fordyce.
'Egadr' thought Charlie, che must
have made jolly good use of that 'once. ;
| rather think there's something more
to come out"
But he only said:
That's all right, then; needn't in
troduce you" And to his wife's relief
he went ON talking generally about the
house and the prospects of the season
and of one thing and another, until she
was almost lulled into sense of security
and began to think that after all he was
not SO very anxious to solve the mystery
OF the photograph. She was not so well
pleased. however, when Charlie insisted
that Fordyce should come back to din
ner after the days shooting, for she
knew very well that men wax very much
more eloquent upon certain subjects
over their after-dinner claret than in the
presence of their wives. SO when For
dyce had gone she seized the opportuni-
ty and said To Charlie:
Il think it is very unconsiderate of
you, Charlie, when tell you that |
don't feel well, TO ask man in to din
ner."
"All right, my dear, replied her hus-