Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-06

I hour t0c LOnQOnerS, Out MI hOHoS AO
liked to get down to his Office by half
past tee, and Mrs. Ronayne liked to
preside over her husbands matutinal
repast, pouring out his coffee with her
own fair hands. and casting q solicitous,
not to say curious, glance at him as he
looked over his correspondence. In
deed, SO anxious was she that her lord
should lack none of the peths SONS
which were his due, that she always
entered the br-akfast-room at least a
quarter of an hour before him, and cast
i housewifely regard over the table. to
see that every thing was arranged in
accordance with his somewhat fastldi-
Gus taste. At the same time. and for
her own satisfaction, she was in the
habit of scrutinizing pretty closely the
covers of all Mr.. Ronayne's letters.
One bright spring morning Mrs.
Ronayne emerged fresh and fair as
Aurora's self from her chamber, and
descending the stairs rather more
quickly than usual, entered the coy
little breakfast-room, and went straight
to the table where Mr.. Ronayne's ex-
tensive correspondence was spread out
imposingly. Running the array of let
tiers over rapidly, she finally singled
| one out. AT last" she said. her color
deepening and her fine eyes growing
bigger and brighter as she fixed them
Indignantly on the address of the let
ter. Post-mark, London, w.. and
the same handwriting. should know
those ps and as any where. l a0iU find
out who is the writer!' And she slipped
the letter in question into the pocket of
her artistic morning-gown; and then,
as she caught the sound of her hus-
band footsteps crossing the hall, she
turned nonchalantly towards the win
dow and bent over a jardiniere of white
and pink primulas that were putting
forth their delicate blossoms to enjoy
the morning sunshine.
Mr.. Ronayne sauntered into the
room and went at once to look at his
letters. A slight shade of disappoint-
ment crossed his face as he shuffled
them about like pack of cards, and
he uttered an impatient exclamation.
"What is the matter, dear?" said his
wife, sweetly. HAS any thing gone
wrOng?"
"A letter which expected hasn't
come, that's all" replied Mr.. Ronayne,
in q tone of vexation.
perhaps it will come by the next
post. Was it very important letter
"a business letter." inquired Mrs
Ronayne, looking her husband full in
the face.
well, yes-it would be rather ar
important letter-at least it might be. ,
Il wonder how much of that i:
true?" thought his wife. Aloud she
said: g am SO sorry, Dolph. But ea'
your breakfast; here are some of the
rognons sautes you like so much"
But that morning Mr.. Ronayne hai
no appetite; he trifled for few min
: utes with his knife and fork, ther
gulped down his coffee, opened ant
read some of his letters, none O
which seemed to give him any satisfac
ton. glanced hastily at the Times, ant
finally went off to the city without be
slowing upon his wife single caress
or uttering one of those endearing ep
ithets the constant and public use o
which had won for the Ronaynes tn,
reputation of being ''such happ,
pair"
When her Adolphus had taken hi.
| departure, Mrs. Ronayne ran up to he
!. boudoir, locked the door and took tn,
purloined letter out of her pocket
; "It's woman's handwriting know
. it is" she said to herself as she held i
between her trembling fingers. 'Now
, l should like to know what bushes
my husband has to receive letters from
any woman but his wife, She turne,
the offending missive over and locke,
at the back. 1t was not sealed, onl,
secured in the ordinary manner
i Nothing could be easier than to opel
it in such a way that none could Sis
pect that it had been tempered with
,
the breakfast-room and held the lette
. to the steam of the kettle, which still
stood on the brass trivet beside thu
fire. In FIVE minutes the envelope ha,
q been forced to yield its secret, an
Mrs. Ronayne was free to indulge he
curiosity. With -beatin,
heart she unfolded the single sheet Q
;. note-paper the envelope contained, ra
her eyes over it, then read word b
word what follows:
- "3 can not you realize 10 road run groun
mile quarter scarlet runner police and shares
e in the ambush fine ~ condition SO will com
enforced sound mine Is break from my heart
years ago thoroughly prepared so doubles
e unava;ling fall 20 makes me indeed scattere
a exception TO multtu les little solitude puts
. have spent seven in all ivory remember pleas
impending
I That was all. There was neithe
date nor signature to the letter. Mrs
Ronayne read it over at least doze
: times, and her delicately pencile
brows drew together in puzzed frow1