Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-08-16

! eOho IVA a0NAA ~ CNO
them.
"Are you sure, Ethel, you told
her the right day. Florence is In
town, l know, and it is so unlike
her to be rude"
81 think it was all right, mann
ma" Ethel replied vaguely, and
never gave smother thought to the
matter.
But on the morning of the next
day, as she was practioing her sing.
ing in the great holland shrOuded
drawing room, the door was flung
open to admit benign and couely
lady, who advanced smiling toward
her.
"Mrs. Byrne !" cried Ethel in
some surprise, getting of the mu'
sic stool.
Mrs. Byrne established herself
comfortably in a deep armchair,
then beckoned the young girl mys.
teriously with a well.gloved flnger;
"Come over here, Ethel
Ethel drew q stool to the others
side and sat down smiling, but
mystifed.
Mrs. Byroe played q little with
the clasp OF the silver-mounted
hand bag which she carried, from
which, having at last succeeded in
opening it, she produced a stamp.
cd envelope addressed TO herself.
"Do you know that handwritingr
she said, fourishing 1t before Eth.
els astonlshed eyes.
at is my own; 1 wrote to ask
you TO lunch,' poor Ethel answ cred
simply, while the thought flashed
across her mind that Mrs. Byrne
had probably gone mad.
"Read it then," cried that lady,
with an air OF suppressed amuse.
ment which left color to the notion.
Ethel unfolded it quickly, then
sat transfxed like one who receives
q sudden and fatal injury. For be-
fore her horror stricken eyes glar.
ed these words, in her own hand.
writing: "Yours very sincerely,
Jack Davenant."
"What does it mean ~ she cried
at last in a hoarse voice, for 1t
seemed that some fendlsh magic
had been at work.
"Thats what want to know"
Mrs. Byrne answered more gently.
81 received this note the day be.
fore yesterday. There was no ad.
dress, and the handwriting was
certainly not Jacks. Nor Is my
cousin in the least likely TO invite
me to lunch at his chambers. So
wrote OF to him at once, aud
told him to drop into dinner If he
had anything to say to me-
Ethel had risen TO her feet, aud
was standing With . little frozen
smile on her face; but at this poinl
she broke In hurriedly
"Did your show him--Mr Dave
nant-the letter I"
Mrs. Byrne nodded. She wa
not a person of deliciIt porceI
tions, and had come here bent on
little harmless amusen tent; bu
somehow the amusement was no
forthcoming.
Ethel clssped her col d hand
togher In frenzy Of deSl 'sir. Sh
, knew that jack was familiar vIt
, her handwriting; had he not mad
a little criticisms, se we're anil tender
on TIA occasional notes Of invits
ton which she had addrel iSed t
. himl
,, "Jack said be knew not hing aboI
the note, and hadn't the ghost
An idea what it meant"
"Oh, Jack" cried Eth,'rs b ca
parenthesis, what must J, ou thin
of me ~
Mrs. Byrne went on: "Grac
Allison came in later, and th
mystery was cleared up. Sb
svore to your handwriting, and "
" concluded you had done II n .
y Of absence Of mind. Poor oil d Jacl
Il how she did chaff himp
y Ethel was trying 10 recoV or IN
o presence OF mind.
a "How could have made .Iuch
mistake ~ she said, with . shol
l" laugh. 81 suppose I was pursuin
II some t:ain of thought. had me
your cousin at q party the nigh
=, before-yOu know how it is"
u Mrs. Byrne was SORRY for tb
l girrs distress.
" sits q mistake any one mgil
o have made, though yOn must ow
1t was rather funny. However,
Q, can assure ~ou this--at won't g
r. any furtl'ad. Jack IS scarcely lik
< ly to 70 nd Grace has sworn {