The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-11-14
DEVICE OF A WOMAN.


The first thing Arthur Denning asked
his cousin on his return from Europe was
"Where is Else?" Florence Troye was
piqued that he should cut her welcome
short by asking for his uncle's ward. She
had never quite given up the hope of
winning Arthurs love herself and had
done her best to turn his mind against
Miss Newton.
"Elsie has gone to visit her friend,
Lucy Mapleton," she said, in answer to
his question: "but she will be back to-
morrow"
"You might as we'll say the year after
next, "he growled. 81 wonder if the
time has passed as slowly TO her since we
parted as it has with me-"
''She showed admirable patience"
said Florence, carelessy. 81 used to
wonder how she could keep so cheer
full. Pm sure | could never have done
So"
He smiled ood-naturedly.
'The time might have hung heavier"
continued Florence, whose look of inno-
cence was fairly childlike now, ''but for
the kind attentions Of your friend Orion
Barche. He was here most every day,
and his presence seemed to cheer Elsie up
greatly. Pm sure you ought to feel ever
80 much obliged to him"
Arthur's smile became laugh
Come, come, Florence" he inter
rupted, you always were a bit of n
mischief maker, but you can't make IN e
the least jealous"
"How can you talk so, Cousin Ar
thurP' pouted Florence. 81 never meant
any such q thing There was nothing in
the conduct of Elsie and Mr.. Barche that
any one could criticise. They only
sang, and played, and walked, read
poetry together, and"
an plain English, flirted to their
hearts content" said Arthur, finishing
the sentence and breaking into another
laugh.
ooh, Cousin Arthur"
81 tell you it's no USE" broke in Ar
thur, sauntoring off to look after his
luggage, which had just arrived.
Florence went out tue next morning,
and it was nearly noon when she and
Arthur met.
See she said, on coming down from
taking off her things, something I've
just found that Elsie forgot when she
was leaving. How veXed she will be
when she misses it ! She has worn it
constantly Of late"
"Why, it is the locket / gave her with
my picture in it," said Arthur, taking
The trinket in his hand.
"You say she has kept it constantly
about her 2" he asked, with manifest de-
light.
"Night and day lately" Florence
answered.
Arthur touched the spring mechani-
cally and the case opened. An electric
shock could not have startled him more
suddenly. Instead of his own likeness
it was that of Orion Barche that met his
eye 1t was true, then, that in his alb
heart which he had fondly believed all
his own.
He stood for moment pale and silent
Then flinging aside the telltale bauble he
hurried to his room and made hasty
preparations for an immediate journey,
These finished he penned n few lines to
Elsie, filled with bitter ana upbraiding
words, and in terms of whitening scorn
giving her back her promise.
An hour later Arthur Denning was q
passenger on the Lightning Express"
experiencing sort of underlined relief in
the thought that every minute was
carrying him further and further from
the scene of his betrayal. There was
however, something in the noise and
rapid motion in harmony with the tur
moil of his feelings.
A shock-a crash-cries of men and
shrieks of women--that was all Arthur
could remember when days afterward he
returned to consciousness to find his
head swathed in bandages and his arm
cased in splints. Bending over him was
sweet, gentle face, full of tenderest sym
patty. The parted lips breathed hi
name, and he looked up with glad eX
preston, which quickly faded away a
II extingushed by some painful memory
ooh Elsie, Elsie !" he murmured
"that you, of all the world, should have
proved false p
How came you to doubt me, Arthur
AS he gazed into her loving, truthful
eyes he asked himself the same question
How, indeed, could he?
But the locket--"
''The one you gave me with your pic
ture? ?" she asked "Here it is. l hav
guarded it most carefully;" and she hell
1t opened before his eyes, revealing hi
own likeness
The truth flashed upon him. He un
derstood now why Florence had gon
out that morning. She had taken tn,
locket from Elsies room and had tn
picture replaced with one of Ortol
Barche, taking care, of course, after Al
thurs departure and before Elsie's re
turn, to have the original likeness re
turned.
Forgive me, darling - said Arthur
reaching out his hand, which Elsie tool
and pressed tenderly.
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