Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-08-08

WHITLEY NN"NN ~ ttfH NNvi XII , NNAil
and had bocn doing 70 Tor The last m
or six hours. like an imprisoned blue
bottiofn q gino4 fr rt- NJ y.
Jack Jack - Jack Dayenant" wa.
she nater 70 have another de6nits
theusht agAini
by the bye said Mrs Mariner. a.
she rose from table. will you send .
note 70 Florence Byrnef want her
70 lunch here tomorrow Ht is9O-the
Sinelctous Hre coming"
Ethel moved 10 the writing able.
blushing family. She remembered
that MrA Byras was Jack Davonant's Z
cousin.
"Halfpast one. recoilcot" cried
her mother. as she rusilod from the
room.
Ethel listlessly took up her pen. and
pulled a sheet Of paper toward her.
II was not stamped with the address.
but she failed 70 notice this. and be-
gan al once
my dear Mira Byrno"
Then she stopped short and the
buzzing 10 her brain went on worse
than even
Tho note got written at last, all but
The signature. and then she began TO
wonder dreamily ~ she should sign
herself yours. very sincerely" or
Yours affeciionatcly.
Ethel. Ethel" cried her mother.
putting her head In at the door. II
am going out Give me the note for
Floreuce; / can take II 20 the post"
Guilty and ashamed. Ethel seized
her pen and wrote hastily, but in
bold hand;
rfour yery sincerely
'JACE DAvEsAsI."
|
lii
MIRA Byrno neither came 70 lunch
nor answered the Mariners invita-
ton Mrs. Mariner expressed sur
prise az this want Of courtesy, and
apologized TO the singletons for hav-
ing no one 10 meet them.
Are you sure. Ethel. you told her
the right day? Flo ence Is in town. 1
know. and II is 80 unlike her 70 be
rude"
Il think it was all right mamma"
Ethel replied. vaguely aud never
gave another thought 70 the matter.
But on The nornin-. ~ the next day.
as she was practieing her singing in
the great holland-shroudod drawing
ROOM the door was Aueg open 10 ad-
nit benign ard comely lady, who
advanced smilingly towards her.
"Mrs. Byrner' cried Ethel, in some
surprise, getting OF tho music-stooL
Mrs. Byrne established herself COM
fortably In a deep arm chair, then
beckoned the young girl mystoriously
with well-gloved finger. Come
over here, Ethel"
Ethel drew a low stool 20 the others
side and sat down, smiling. but mys-
tilted.
Mrs Byrne played little with the
clas1 Of the silver-mountod handbag
which she carried, from which. hav-
ing at last succeeded in opening IL.
she produced q stamped envelope ad-
dressed TO herself
DO YOU know that handwriting?r
she said. hourishing It before Ethel's
astonished eyes.
ut is my own; / wrote 10 ask you
to lunch.' poor Ethel answered.
simply. while tho thought flashed
across hor mind that Mrs. Byrne had
probably gone mad.
"Read IL then" cried the lady,
with an air OF suppressed amusement
which lent color 20 the notion.
Ethel unfolded IL quickly, then sat
transhxed like one who receives sud
den and fatal Injury. For before her
horror-stricken eyes glared these
words. in her own handwriting:
Yours very sincerely, JACK DAvBs-
ANT"
What does Il means" she cried NJ
last In a hoafse voice. for II seemed
that some dendish magic had been OF
work.
That's what / want 10 know"
Mrs. Byrne answered moro Rontly.
II received this note tho day before |
yesterday. There was no address,
and the handwriting was certainly not |
Jacks Nor Is my cousin the least |
likely 20 invite me 70 lunch NJ his |
chambers SO wrote on TO him AZ /
once. and told him to drop IN % din |
ner II he had any thing to say to me. "
Ethel had risen TO her feet, and was
standing with little frozen smile on
her lace, but at this point she broke in
hurriedly:
"Did you show hlm-Mr. Davsnant,
the letter."
Mrs Byrne nodded. She was not a
person Of delicate perceptions, aud
had come here bent on little harm
less amusement; but somehow the
amusement was not forthcoming.
Ethel clasped her cold hands To-
gether In frenzy Of despair. She
knew that Jack was familiar with her
handwriting; had he not made little
severe and tender. on the
occasional notes OF invitation which
she had addressed TO him?
Jack said he knew nothing about
the note and hadn't the ghost Of an
idea what 1t meant"
"Oh, Jack. Jack" cried Ethol's
heart In parenthesis, "what must you
think OF meP'
Mrs. Byrne went on; "Grace Allison
came In later, and the mystery was
cleared up. sho swore TO your hand.
writing and we concluded you had
done II in it Of absence Of mind.
Poor old Jack. how she did chai hlmr'
Ethel was trying to recover her
presence OF mind.
"How could / have made such a
stupid mistaken" she said, with
short laugh. Il suppose 1 was pursu-
Ing some train Of thought had met
your cousin at a party the night before
Won know how n iam