The Penn's Grove record., 1886-08-07

johnson would know VINO he was, n
| need not announce him. Squares
spoke in a tone of respectful indigna-
ton, at this outrange of
Godfrey kept his presence of mind.
"Oh, of course. i had forgotten.
What time did the gentleman come?n
(This as an after-thought while ascend
ing the ~stairs.)
SAT half past 4, SIR"
Half-past Al And it vas now half-past
z.
"Did any one else call this after
noon?o
eyes, sir; but afther the gentleman
came Mrs. Fitz johnson told me to say
mot at home TO any other visitors"
Godfrey did not wait to hear any
more, but dashed into the drawingroom.
He half expected to find his wife the
victim of an asssassin's knife. On the
contrary, she was at the eternal piano
playing a dreamy sonata of Ruben
STEMS. On his entering the room she
half arose, but, on seeing who it was,
she resumed her seat, exclaiming ''Oh,
it's only you'll
"Whom did you think it was? That
Guy Fawkes back again? who, may |
ask, is he, and what was here from half
past 4 till now for, to the exclusion of
everybody else?"
Godfrey was gradully working him.
self up into a passion. Florrie made no
attempt to calm him, but smiled family
and struck a few a~ggrlvating chords on
the piano,
eff you really care to know, that
Guy Fawkes,' as you are pleased to call
him, is Count Sparlatti, an old Dresden
friend of Joey's. He is an Italian, and
when joey came back from Dresden the
count came with him to learn English.
He was always at Mumblethorpe. All,
mel another plaintive chord what
happy days those were. And what fun
We had! The count vas my sweetheart
then.n
"Why, you were only nine years old"
"That'sall' (another still more plain
tive chord).
"Don't be a fool, Florrie.n The
passion had died out and the lecturing
mood taken its place. "You are nine
teen now, and quite old enough to know
that is not proper to have men staying
three hours tete-a-tete with you, and to
tell the servants you are at home to no
one else. Do you understand?"
"No, / don't;" the blue eyes opened
their widest. III thought it was the
chic thing to do. OF course at Num-
blethorpe they would be awfully shock
ed, but then they are so old~-fashioned.
They even have family prayers. But
since l have been married / have gained
experience. L have seen several Charm
ing women Lady Angelica for in
stance. Could you wish me to take a bet
ter model? Hence if any one notice my
friendship with Count Sparlatti you can
tell them that / knew him when quite a
boy-such a nice boy may soon be-
come SO charming that / can make love
in public-smile in the mice boys face,
put my hand on his arm for him to clasp
in his. Only this sort Of thing requires
practice, so you must not think it
strange.if l have a few private rehear-
sails when / am mot at home to the
world at large"
"IIow dare you speak like thisp"
sob, you don't know how much /
dare when l am put to it." But the
defiant little laugh ended in a sob, and
the dauntless novice raj out of the
room.
Godfrey gnawed his m~oustace, fumed
about the room, resisted, as unmanly,
an impulse to run after his wife, kiss
away her tears, and implore her to be
only charming on the old Mumblethorpe
lines, and finally decided to confide his
troubles that very evening to Lady
Angelica.
From that fair oracle he received but
very cold comfort. "My dear Geoff, it
serves you well right. You thought
because she had given you all her heart
you were warranted in neglecting her.
So like a man. Mr.. Landsdell was just
the same. Now she is 'consoling herself.
Quite right. / had no idea she had so
think she would dine with me on the
10Th? By-the-bye, if the necessity should
arise, let me recommend you my solicit
ors. They manage Mr.. Lansdell and
my affairs beautifully. My husbands
messages sound almost affectionate
when they come to me through the
senior partner" Heavensl Had it really
come to this? Not married a year and
solicitors on the taps alreadyl Lady
Angelica gave a stealthy glance under
her eyelashes at her downcast COM
panion. She had a heart, though no
one suspected it. Look here, Geoff.
Be a man. Go home and tell your wife
that you mean to turn over a new leaf,
and not take all her devotion for grant
ed, but try and earn it. Close up the
mystery of our mods and becks And
wreathed smlles.' Explain to her that
the tender little episode at the foreign
office was only gratitude on your part
for having promised to speak to the
Duke about that staff appointment with
which you wanted to surprise her, and
fun ON mine to make her jealous and
see what stuff she was made of. Tell
her l have repented in sackeloth and
ashes and have sent you hack to her
with a flea in your ear and the staff APP
pointment in your pocket. Tell her that
she is better off than l. If her husband
has neglected her, he still loves her,
while IL
"God bless you, Angelica"
Don't be silly. Now be off. Aha
comte. Eiichante de Uoas poir. Nauez,
rous pas entendu des noupellesf"
Godfrey walked home under the stars
a happy man, He had been a brute and
a fool, he told himself severely, 1t was
lucky things were no worse. After all,
if winning his wife's heart the second
time was half as pleasant q process as
the tirst, the penanOe for past neglect
was a light one; It was striking IL as
he left himself into the dark hall. The
darkness was unusual, for Squares
always left the gas burning for his mas
ter to put out. His matchbox wa empty,
but there might be a stray light In the
pocket of his Inverness. To the solemn
ticking of the hall clock the search COM
menced. 1t ended prematurely In the
sudden opening of the drawing-room
door and tho flooding of the landing at
the top Of the stairs with light. Some
+. one wa still up. Might II not be Flor
RE waiting for him2 Godfrey walked
quickly to the foot of the stairs, but
stopped WITH one foot on the lowest sep,
as II turned to stone. IT vas Flsfria
and some one else-engaged in rapid,
breathless conversation.
Delay no longer-anima mia. He
may be back at cry momeptn
"Oh, luigi | dare not. II We should
meet HIM he would kill you.u