The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-03-25

88
something below the surface. and "A he
had during the past few days undergone
an intolerable persecution & the hands of
ms wife, ne was in NO meod to leave any
stone unturned by which he could turn
the tables on her. So kesreplied:
Nonsense! Lucy, honsense! You
haven't been here long enough to get &C.
customed to the air, 50 don't talk already
OF going south when we've vet two
months to run. Beside, my dear. I'm
curious about this affair of the photograph.
and when Fordyce comes Til ask him If
he knows anything about it.
On the very next morning Charlie, she
was smoking his after breakfast pipe. saw
Fordyce coming up the garden, but. for
reasons of his own, he did not allow him
self to be seen, and did not 90 out to
greet his visitor. He listened, however,
attentively, and after hearing bis wife run
hastily down stairs, he heard Mr.. For
dyce's CHEEKY voice sing eut.
:" Why, Lucy who would have thought
OF meeting you in this outrofthe-way
corner We haven't seen each other
since"
Here Mrs. Cornwall, interrupting, said,
" Hush, Dick, hush rm Mrs. Cornwall
now. We must not be as we were to
each other, for if my husband were to
know that we were acquainted, l can't
think what he would do. AS it is. I'm
In dreadful fix, on account of a photo
graph OF his which l found upstairs, and
which,
AT that moment Charlie, who had in
tently followed the little chat up to this
point, and who feared that further ab-
sence on his part would prevent the truth
about the photograph becoming known
to him, appeared.
Glad to see you, Mr.. Fordyce," he
SAID, extending his hand 81 don't think
You know Mrs. Cornwall-but-'
1t was difficult to say who looked the
more uncomfortable Lucy Cornwall or
Klchard Fordyce, and Charlie who now
saw chance OF being able to pay off long
arrears OF jealous persecution, enjoyed
their embarrassment thoroughly and con-
tinued:
But perhaps you have met before %
" Y Yes, Mr. Cornwall, think l once
had the pleasure" sbeepishly murmured
Fordyce.
"Egad" thought Charlie, he mus:
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
ne went on talking generally about the
house, and the prospects of the season,
and OF one thing and another, until she
was almost ulled into sense
OF security, and began to think that after
all she was not 80 very anxious to solve
the mystery of the photograph. She YVES
not SO we'll pleased, however, when Char
lie insisted that Fordyce should come
back to dinner after the days shooting,
for she knew very well that men wax very
much more eloquent upon certain subjects
over their sfter-dinner claret than in the
presence o. their wives.
So when Fordyce had gone, she seized
the opportunity, and said to Charlie:
=" think it is very inconsiderate of you,
Charlie when tell you that don't feel
well, to ask man. to dinner"
" | can't put him off now," replied her
husband" and think he would remark
your absence, especially as he seems to
be an old friend of yours"
1t may be imagined that Mrs. Corn
wall passed sufficiently miserable day.
If she could but get hold of Fordyce, she
might be able to stave off what now seem
ed inevitable exposure, but he was out on
the moors. She accord; Ugly appeared at
dinner, smotheiiDg her anxiety under
mask of affability; and nothing occurred
during the progress of the meal to render
her especially unhappy. But, when she
rose to leave the two men to their wine
Charlie said:
" You don't mind smoke, Lucy, and
it will be uncommonly dull for you all
alone in the drawing room, so stay with
US. Pm sure Mr.. Fordyce will pardon
the departure from convcntionality in a
shooting box"
Of course, both the visitor and Lucy
gladly acquiesced.
"Yes, Mr.. Fordyce," said Charlie, as
if in continuation of brokeD-off conver-
sation, we are exceedingly comfortable
here; but We might be great deal more
so if-'
"Now it's coming" groaned poor Mrs.
Cornwall to herself
"If," went on Charlie, you could help
us to clear up a little matter connected
with 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 NATURALLY, perhaps, makes
her little uneasy"
What will Dick say, l wonder ?"
thought Mrs. Cornwall.
GA photograph of you found in a
drawer upstairs - exclaimed Fordyce,
in astonishment.
eyes" said Charlie. "Lucy, my dear,
just run upstairs, and bring the photo
graph for Mr.. Fordyce to see''
Mrs. Cornwall rose and left the room.
Charlie seized the opportunity. and said
to his guest:
"Look here, Fordyce, we are men of
the world, and understand each other
OF course, see how matters stand, al
though the presence of that photograph
here il still mystery to me. When /
was spooning Lucy, was not such fool
as to believe that . pretty girl like her
would have no other admirer bat me, and,
of course I've never believed her when
she has told me that she never loved
any one but me. But You see she's very
jealous, now that have chance Of Civ.
ing her lesson, don't want to let it
on TInderstand eh 1r