Wichita eagle., 1888-09-16

stand there sIlcnt for q moment, listening
| to the music, which, sentiment apart;
sounds better at this distance. Then sud
denly she puts her hand on his arm and
says:
what did you come here fort"
Because was asked" says our young
man stoutly, but with his heart in his
mouth; but she goes on without seeming
to hear hi.a.
why, when am trying to change my
ife-when have some chance of turn,
and some chance of making some one
happy and doing little good-why must
it al be spoiled, and I-disgraced? Tom,
you used to like me little. Please
please let me alone" Her great eyes are
pleading for her; the touch Of her hand
on his arm is gentle petition
My dear Mrs Mackenzie, how under
heaven can interfere with you? What
have done?"
'Donel You have told-or you will
tell-these people everythingl And that
| old man really loves me-ah, dear Tom,
don't laugh-there is something good left
in me-he has asked me to marry him,
and now you will ruin me"
But what the deuce can l tell about
your" cries the bewildered young man.
See here-these people asked me if
/ knew you, and told them just this-that
you used to be Laura Mabury; that you
used to firt; that | had forgotten what
your marriage nale was, and didn't even
know until tonight that your husband
was dead. That's all"
That my-husband was-dead," she
repeats, looking closely at him Ibid you
tell them THAR"
They told me rather-I never knew it
till tonight You were living at Wash
ington last time heard anything Of you. I"
And didn't you hear--didn't Kenneth
or any one write you about Lieut.. Macken-
zie7'
Kenneth wrote-ages ago-that you
were not-not living together"
Divorced, you mean"-with sudden
relapse into hardness of face and manner,
and in perfectly quiet. unexcited voice.
mo, by Jove! he didn't say that.
WHAT" suspicion breaking sharply on
him; edo you mean that Mackensis
isn't"-
All the calm manner disappears, and
again her pleading eyes are dangerously
near his face, and with her strong white
handsome hands she seizes his. Tom
dear old boy-dont betray me. Nom
hurried, low voice, and looking anxiously
around-'no-he is not dead. He struck
me-the villainl l got divorce. Oh,
Tom, he was very bad mamie drank
and he gambled; he was everything that
is bad. Why, they dismissed him from
the navy. Yes, we were divorced-but he
isn't dead My Godl l wish | was.
Please. Tom, don't tell them. l did not
tell Mr. Vanvoorst at first, and now
dare not. Oh, Tom, promise me-you
used to like me, and always-yes, l did
l always l-l-Eked you. Don't do me such
bad turn now! For heavens sake,
promise me.
But he will have to know it some
time. You can't keep such thing
quiet"
Eyes, yes-I know. But oh, Tom, give
me q chancel I'll tell him myself Prom
Use me-please promise me that you'll
say nothing about it"
The young man stands scowling,
angry with himself at the position he
finds himself in His mission to the
Vanvoorsts' would be accomplished sue
cessfully should ne use against Mrs.
Mackenzie the weapon which she herself
has put into his hands. But, apart from
her appeal for silence, every instinct in
the man protests against this betrayal Of
a condolences confidence made in him by
Q woman, and that woman one whom he
"iked little once" So, with only duty,
and that not very clearly defined, on the
one hand, and honor, inclination, and a
very handsome woman Oh the other, he is
not long in coming to conclusion. why
should / interfere?" he says. ''Make
yourself entirely easy-I promise"
The victorious lady thanks him with an
effusiveness which it would be sacrilege
to describe were description possible, and
then they resume their walk. It becomes
evident that the elderly lover has disap-
peared for the night. and that Mrs. Mac
kenzie, being off duty, has no objection to
exchanging a few refreshing condolences
with her old friend, whom she has always
found amusing, though improbable.
She drops tragedy and assumes the old,
sweetly confidential manner.
And what has Mr.. Blake been doing
with himself all these years?"
''Mr. Blake has been doing q great
many things and au very bad
Yes, poor boy; goodness wasn't much
in your line when l used to know you,
and ono don't improve with age-does
one?"
you certainly have not deteriorated"
with a bold, steady look down into her
eyes, which meet his half way. Then
that glance passes-that indescribable
challenge which resembles the flourish
with VIII h two fencers salute each other
as they measure the foils. lie forgets
everything but the face beside him; and
for the next half hour they talk that non
sense which seems SO clever at the mo-
ment and so silly next day. But the last
carriage rolls OF down the drive, and Mrs
Mackenzie develops regard for the pro-
p-ieties which Bike was not familiar
with in Laura Mabury, and Leaves
him with most gracious Good
night" and Gong lingering" pres
lights 60 out; the ladies trail their long
stairs, and leave the world to darkness
of which Blake finds the dorsey talk OF
Vanvoorst rather monotonous. At length,
as the big Dutch clock on the staircase,
after the usual preliminary sound of
strikes 2, he puts out his
candles, and tumbling into bed, is lulled
to sleep, in spite of remorseful CON
science. by the gentle sound Of rain and
the dreary song OF the tree toads. About
8 o'clock the next morning our young
friend has the honor of tete a tete break
fast with his elderly host, these two being
the only ones down at that early hour Mr..
Vanvoorst converses with n happy mix
ture of old school dignity and elephan-
tine humor much akin to the manner
of his friend the judge; but he is suf-
fciently pleasant TO make Blake feel
doubly uncomfortable and guilty: 10
such an extent that he reyoiyes in his