Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-06
n her boudoir, looking pale and heavy

in her bOudoir, looking pale and heavy
eyed.
whats the matter. Julia?" he
asked, kindly. ''You seem seedy."
I've horrid headache" she an
swered. Grossly. "You don't look par
ticularly bright either" she added.
glancing at Mr.. Ronayne's puckered
forehead and haggard eyes.
"Oh, I've been rather bothered to-
day-about business. Nothing of much
consequence.
..Oh-is that ALP" answered Mrs. Ro-
nayne. with one of her quick suspicious
chances. She had passed the afternoon
shut up there in her room alone, and
had worked herself into a perfect fever
of doubt and surmise, and finally Of
jealousy, for jealousy was charming
Mrs. Ronayne's besetting weakness.
1t is no doubt very aattering to a mans
vanity that his wife should think SO
highly of his personal attractions that
she is in constant dread lest some other
woman should fall victim to them.
But, on the other hand, it is dreadful
nuisance when one can't address half
a-dOzen words to pretty girl, or re-
mark that Mrs. So-and-So is very
agreeable woman, without enduring a
subsequent pciae forte ct dure of re-
proaches and sneers-and tears.
Mrs. Ronayne pored perseveringly
over that, to her, nOnsensical and un-
Ineligible letter, and at length ar
rived at the conclusion that it was a
cryptogramic love-letter. The hand
writing was undoubtedly feminine, and
why, argued Mrs. Ronayne, should a
woman write letter in cipher to her
husband unless she desired to hide
something disgraceful.
Mrs Ronayne made up her mind to
solve that wicked cryptogram or per-
ish in the attempt. She resolved
also to watch her husband carefully
during the next few days. Now, Julia
Ronayne. though quite clever enough
to hold her own in the conventional
small-talky conversation usual in her
set, had never guessed conundrum or
solved an acrostic in her life. To puzzle
out cryptogram Of the simplest
nature was quite beyond her power.
Baffled and angry, she was at last COM
PEELED to own herself nonplussed by the
ingenuity of the woman who had writ
ten that horrid letter. She, however,
resolved to carry out the other part of
her plan of campaign-namely, to
watch her husband.
Certainly, Adolphus was greatly
changed since the eventful morning
when she had possessed herself of that
queer letter. Each day saw him look
ing more anxious and carewOrn and
diStrait.
He must be very fond of that-that
creature" thought Mrs. Ronayne, an
grily. And she hardened her heart
against her husband. She felt that
things were coming to crisis of some
sort. Adolphus was evidently de-
pressed and wretched. He ate little
and slept less; even the children's chat
ter failed to rouse him from his fits of
gloom. At last the crash came. One
| evening he returned earlier than usual
from the city and went straight up to
| his wife's boudoir. Mrs. Ronayne saw
at once that some catastrophe had be-
fallen. Disaster was written on her
| husbands white, drawn face.
Julia" he said, huskily-" Julia,
my dear he took her hand and gazed
wistfully into her face" do you care
very much for-for all this?" He just
indicated the luxurious furnishing OF
the room with a gesture of his left
hand"
what do you mean, Dolph?" asked
Julia, started out of her usual lazy in.
| difference.
Il mean, dear, would it distress you
very much to leave Honeywood Villa
and give up
30 Dolph, something has hap.
pened!" interrupted his wife, with q
scared look. Something has gone
wrong in the CITY,"
Mr.. Ronayne smiled a wan tired
smile. Eyes. Julia" he said, quietly,
something has gone wrong - very
wrong. l am ruined TO" -
"Ruinedr' almost shrieked Mrs. Ro.
nayne. 30 Dolph. you have beer
specializing! Haven't l warned you q
hundred times against that horrid
Stock Exchange? Haven't 1 otter
begged you to devote all your energies
to the business?"
Don't cry Il told you So at me
now, julia" said Mr.. Ronayne, wear
lily. ut is so easy to be wise after The
event. This speculation would have
made a millionaire of me had it no
been for a most unlucky contretemps.
"Of course! That is always the
case" walled his wife, hiding her fac,
in her pocket-handkerchief and dis solv.
ing into tears.