The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-15
q play Mir. Cartoons accompani-

IAlCuOI
 "Yes, you. Why not, when we are in such trouble? You can do it quite easily. He has hurt his hand so."
 "Who has hurt his hand?" asked Miss Falkland.
 "Mr. Carlton has hut his own. You may be quite sure that he wouldn't let me ask any one to play his accom- paniments if he hadn't; he hates any one to play them but himself"
 "How did you say he had hurt it?" asked Miss Falkland with sudden fear. "How absurd amp was her next thought, but still she made no at- tempt to follow Mrs. Varley, who was hurrying away without giving her any answer.
 "Come, dear, come," said that lady :; cit won't do to keep him waiting; it is favor for him to sing at all. It is so unfortunate about his hand, and it is the right one."
 "Oh, is itl" said Miss Falkland, walking mechanically to the piano.
 "Yes, it is the right hand; and he doesn't seem to think that it will be we'll again for I don't know how long,"
 "But how did he do it?" she again asked, for she was anxious to have a faint suspicion that seemed bent on taking possession of her dissipated.
 "I don't know. asked him, but he only laughed. It's all very well for him to carry off an accident with & laugh, but am quite sure that shouldn't laugh if I hurt my hand"
 "Neither would you laugh If you didn't hurt it," thought Miss Falk- land, who was beginning to be fretted by this talk about the hand, and then she wondered why she felt ill-tem- pered with poor, dismal little Mrs. Varley.
 "Here is Miss Falkland" exclaimed that lady, stopping short when she reached MT. Carlton. "If any one can play an accompaniment at sight so as to please you, 1t is she. She is a splendid musician-a really striking musician"
 "I shall not be able to play note if you over- praise me so."
 "I am not over praising you, my dear; you are a striking musician, and 1 am certain that MT. Carlton will say so himself before long,"
 The word Striking" irritated Miss Falkland she had never liked it, and she liked it still less to-day; besides she would inevitably break down if much more were said. She glanced at MT. Carlton, who was saying some- thing polite to her which she was much too nervous to understand. Yes, he was very good-looking; her eyes timidly investigated the state of his right hand. It was gloved, and looked like any other hand. "I shall be pleased to do anything I can," she was at last able to utter, "but I don't play half so we'll as Mrs. Varley says"
 "My dear, you do. You have such trained wrist; and, MT. Carlton, you see that little hand, but you have no conception what touch it has! :"
 Having unconsciously planted these daggers she departed, and her victim seated herself at the piano, saying nervously, "I can but do my best. I am so sorry you need help. Oh, don't try to move that heavy book for me you-you-have hurt your hand, Mrs. Varley says"
 "Yes, have hurt it-that's to say, it was hurt"
 "By an accident?"
 "Well, not exactly; there was a good deal of intention in it," and he smiled in way that vas very galling to Miss Falkland.
 In the whole of this great city of London there was but one man whom she dreaded to see, and yet, on the very first occasion when a meeting was possible, it had pleased her ill-fate to set him before her. We'll, she would play his accompaniments; he could not possibly recognize her; she had only seen the crown of his hat, and he had seen nothing of her. Being so sure of this, her woman's nature as. serted itself, and while taking off her gloves and bracelets with trembling fingers she said, rather anxiously, "Does your hand give you much pain?"
 "A little, but it is only one finger that is hurt; the doctor says it will be all right again in week or so."
 "Then you had to send for doc- tor" she said, looking respectfully in his handsome face.
 "No, took my finger to him. It is nothing; don't think about it."
 "The person who caused the acci- dent must be very unhappy" she re- marked tentatively, taking of her last bracelet.
 "I wonder what she thinks of the transaction" he answered smiling. "I think it is very doubtful whether she thinks about it all. But we must be i. gin; they are getting impatient. Mrs. Varley wants me to sing this," he