Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-10-07

had not time before your message VIA
! brought in. AS you anticipate, l she
J depend much upon her judgment in forE
, ing decision. To be frank, 1 like to
, LOOK of the thing, ct the first flush, q
little as you do. You hsve spoken 6
opeply that may venture to be yet MOI
frank, ard admit that neither like nc
.. admire your correctly estimaole step Sol
| and think ny girl might do much bette
in the matrimonial market. Having ez
! changed condolences thus far, snd am
> csbly, We will postpone further discussio
\ until 1 have hesrd what Mrs. Phelps he
to say"
: "By no means. You will pledge n
your support here and row, give me
defnite, solemn promise to oppose III
match by every means st your comnsnc
Briefly and explicitly, will not have i,
am not talking for Effects
he gszed st her in incredulou
= amezement. "If | hsd not been also
'ssken by surprise by the engagement
e having stultifed myself by following an
= other trail, I could hsye managed witt
r out your cooperation, l an confdentl
g of the same mind with the msn who sal
e Time and I against any other two
] You are Times unworthy substitute,
not being available"
Vexed though he was, he sEw the RI
dicGlous element in her usurpation c
despotic rule, and the serene sssuranc,
with which she relied upon free ant
Independent man Of station snd family Il
do her bshest. He had credited her Wit
more sense than to fake his innOcuou!
gellsDtfies eu grand serieux. But every
woman hiss her weak SIDE. This Jelly
little fascinator presumed upon her infu-
ence over her admirers. He would lei
her down gently but decidedly.
"My dear Mrs. Lupton," &c ssld po-
litely snd sD,ilingly; I've mey SIS we'll
understand ons another in this mater
| before more is said. Should my wife gee
reason TO permit this engagement"
"PrOvislonsl!" she interpolsted mildly.
He bowed.
"This engagement, provisional upon my
ccnsent-it would be reflection upon
her were 1 to promise you, '1eTe and
now,' never to sanction 1t. Again, Salome
Is not child. She will be tWentY-one
next May, and able to msrry without ny
appreciation Of her choice. l appreciate
your position, and earnestly desire 10 Co
operate with you. Bat | cannot forfeit
my chiid'S confidence and affection, or
kick her suitor-a man Of good family
and fortune Gnd irreproschaole morals
out OF my house because | happen not
TO Ike him. II l should forbid his Tiaits,
and command Salome TO give him up, anc
she were 10 rebel-ss 8 girl with G mind
End affections Of her own il likely TO 90
how would 1 nave betterec you by
alternating her ind wounding ny wite?
"In that event, should &c justified in
my eyes, il not in you're, in playing my
last card, should regres the esciaEdEe,
but self pre- servatiOn would demand heroic
measures"
"You have still another card, then?n
He esid it, in amused curlosity, eyeing
her cooliy aud Cri,icslly, as she arose de-
liberstely from her chair with sn- almost
absurd solemuity Of motion and Visage,
and rested one slender hand on the Leaf
brown screen ct her right. Sac was g
born sensstionalist, but she overrsted
her dramstic ability. This YVES cheap
work.
as it consistent with the unities Of
ycur plot, TO give me az inklipg Of what
that card is?" he asked nc: without d
glimmer Of mirthiul contempt NJ the CON-
bination OF stage effects and evident ear
nestress of purpose.
tIt is herel"
4 slight push rolled the screen aside. |
It had concealed the t.oernscled portrait |
Sa!cme Lad eeen upstairs. The leaves
were open; the single Of observation and /
and the fall OF the light had been clesrly
calculated from where he sat. The illu-
sion was SO nearly perfect thst the living
woman seemed to comfort him. Involun-
!arily he passed his hand ecross his eyes;
for one bind second the roaring OF waves
filed his esre, the floor rocked under Is
feet; voice aud breath forsook him. He
had never heard that such portrait Wsa
il ReX Lupton's possession, and the
exhibition had the effect OF g wrath.
Expert IN cu2nI1g devices Mrs. Lapton
nad drsped easel and frame with 8ome
duh .hued Oriental fabric. The beautiful
head leaned toward the spectator frou
the shadow OF slightly projecting hood
With which the painted background was
sr.is.icslly blended.
II IS only CT the hired Stage thGt mems
knees suite together for longer instant
than is required for the raiiy uf cOnveu.
tional lock and ward. Tho show woms1
was quite certain Of blench and q2iyer.
The ordinary observer would have no.
ticed only c start OF surprise, then, the
sweep CT the hand over the face to study
the vision. After that, mans courtly
presence, rising TO mis- tees, because his
hos ess remained standing, and fixing in
curing eyes on her cOuntenEncs, while
lis fingers tugged mechanically at HE
"Ahl an excellent Ekanesg!" he said
1ssitstiDgly, apparently be,suss he could
lot think whst else wa7 expected OF lin.
'But f1il to see the Connection"
"With my final ply? Sit down,
0ee?" resumtng her seat, and. az if Idly,
picking up al envelope from the table ST
Ter left, turning it sbstrsctedly over II
Ter hand, and pinching the corners hard
With thumb snd forehnger while she
..lked. "While you lock et the picture
it is by c. aud remarkably fine
me recall to your mind 8
question pu. 10 you, a fortnight or SC
ago, relative to mysterious lover Of
Miss BsYard with whom she YVES in cor
at the time of her death. l t
,sd then in my deck the documents IN S
he case, and needed no information from {
Iou, but I threw out the query as I
feeler,' you understand. That WIS in. '
pertinent jes.ing. Tonight sm in & 6
lesdIy earnest. This" holding 1. up '
letter I took from the '
pocket OF the original Of that picture af- I
er her desth. 1t is too long and wordy 7
o be read in full, and Mrs. Phelps may l
'e impatient il We exceed the malt hour. {
'he WAS much engrossed with you whose c
lecesse was hourly expected, so ar T
for the obsequies, disposition
4 effects, ETC., devolved upon my hus- '
snd and myself. The gown worn by the b