The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-09-28
THANKS TO TM Ne.


ter, as no lit another cigarette, and
lounging back in his comfortable arm
chair, looked contemplatively up Of tho
ceiling.
A conscious smile hovered around the
yellow tips of Captain vivian's NOUS
taches. "well, I don't know" he said
slowly. 'Mean to take . look round
and see what is going on"
"Whatevcr you do, eschew good
looks. Pleasant enough, I'll allow, il
You could keep them for your own con-
sumption; but ON intolerable nuisance,
as you can't blind your friends"
"Hump! A plain face opposite to
you day after day would bo deuced un-
pleasant"
eyes, but a beauty is tho devil. Poor
Cornwall never got over it, when his
wife had once become the fashion. She
took oil the individuality ont of him,
and, as Mrs. Cornwall's husband, he
provided carpet for other saen to tread
on. Have yougot any one in your cye2"
Vivian blushel like girl. "I-dert
know just yet. It's five years since I
saw her."
"Time for o woman to be married
over and over again; or, worse than that,
she might have had tho small -pox or
lost I'm eye. What's ller name and
where does slc hang out?"
The other leaned forward and lowered
his voice. 'Mind-strict confidence
Mabel Lorraine"
"By jove!" and Val Forester sat bolt
upright, on expression of dismay over
his pleasant face.
"What arc you looking like that for ?
You are not hard hit. It's not case of
I'll have llcr-or lie?"
"No, no, nothing Of the Sort" the
whitencss of his cheeks belying his
words. II was at hcr wedding last
month";"
Frank Vivian stopped to pick up the
cigar ho had dropped. "Her name?"
His voice was calm, hut hoarse.
LADY Waverly. Her husbands Sir
Guy. He ran horse for the Derby, but
it fell dead lame before it reached the cor
ner. Have a B. aud ST." Us Vivian rose
in hurry.
"Thanks. Can't stop. Forgotten IN
appointment. Ia, ta." With his hat
drawn over his eyes lie hurried down
the steps Of the Army and Navy, up st.
James' street into Piccadilly, not caring
in the least where he went, only anxious
to get away from the continual greet
ings of his friends.
Knowing that romance was thing to
he snecred at, that true love was butt
for chaft and contempt, he had buried
his dream in the depths of his heart.
and flirtel with the Calcutta bellies as
gayly as the rest of his brother officers.
Now it was all ovcr-the dream as
we'll as the hope of realization. He had
thought that even in this prosaic age
he had found ono verse Of poetry; but
the page was blank, and tho verse,
If ever written by any other pen than
his own conccit, had been most care
fully erased. Unless 10 pull wry face
for other men to laugh at; better to
grin and bear it, telling himself that
matrimony was ever o lottery md the
greatest prizes had q knack Of turning
out far worse than blanks.
1t was the first night of tho pearl of
opera-singers after lengthy absence,
and Covent Garden was crammetl from
the stalls to the ceiling. Tho second
act was over. and Vivian stood up in
the third row of stalls to let his
glasses wander round tho house on o
voyage of discovery. A friend tapped
him on the shoulder. "Look ut Waver-
ley. He doesn't look much amiss, al
though he's just passed through that
grave of the affections, a honey
moon. His wifc's sumner, and not
bit stand-offish, 80 they ssy. Could
MT SEQ her on her Wedding day,
her veil had such bcastly pattern;
but tonight, by George! she rcpays
you'll" A pause. "She's smiling at ono
of us, excitedly. "You don't know her,
so it must be me. Let us go up; I'll
introduce you"
A bitter smile hovered around Vivi-
ans mouth, but lie said nothing. She
chose to smile at him with the prettiest
of lips in the world, with just the same
blush as when they parted so miserably
under the trees, but his face was grave
and impassive. Looking over his
shoulder before lie disappeared through
the doorway, he saw that an old
man with gray hair had taken Sir
Guys place in the front of the box.
With Dorrington on one side, this
stranger on tho other, there would beno
opportunity for private conversation but
he felt it was worth the journey from
India only to stand within sound of her
voice, within reach Of the glance of her
eye-worth large sum inpounds, shil-
lings, and pence, although to hear her
was torture, to see llcr, madness. Love
must be very bad for ms when it turns
the wisest of us into fools.
On the way they met the baronet
slipping on his overcoat as he
came toward them.
"How do, Dorrington-pretty fit?'
"As fit as yourself. was just going
to pay my respects to Lady Waverley.
My friend, Captain Vivian" (Sir Guy
raised his hat), ''is dying to be intro.
$50 sorry you can't see her; Int she's
laid mp with hesdache. Come and
have smoke"
With blank faces they turned round,
cigarette poor consolation
for their disappointment.
"The fellow can't bc jealous of mo al
ready" ruminatcd Frank, "unless slle
told him what she is sure to make point
of forgetting. thought she seemed to
want mo; but women arc queer crea-
tures--prono to bcckon one minute, and
turn the cold shoulder il you venture to
come. I won't have anything to do
with them; I'll he hanged If bother my
self about them again" he added ener-
gctically, as he threw the end of his
cigar on the steps.
Nevertheless hc was conscious of
every movement in tho Waverleys box,
and his indignation rose sky-high as lie
saw man after man admitted during the
course of the evening. Patti sang her
sweetest, but he scarcely heard her. A
pretty girl, great ally of his before hc
started for Indi., looked over her slloul.
lier with smile which would have in
tlnccd any other man to tako up only
too gladly the broken thread Of past
bnt he remained as unrespon-