The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-08-10

tete-a-tete with a young, pretty and
elegant woman.
Before reaching Leicester the tray-
elers had already exchanged few
commonplace civilities connected with
the pulling up and down of Windows
the loan of newspapers, etc. Instinct
lively they recognized that they be-
longed to the same social class; each
discovered in the other certain in
dependent, unconventional originals.
and like strangers meeting by chance
at some dinner party, they soon began
to converse on every possible subject.
"Do you propose stopping at Edin-
burgh?" said the gentleman, when.
after Normanton and lunch, they had
resumed their seats.
"For the night, perhaps; but am
bound for lnversnaid, answered Jes-
sica.
"Ahw with a slight start; II have
some friends about there myself
relations"
II wonder if they know my fAiends
at the TowersP"
THE Bellunes?"
Exactly"
"Why, Dora Bellune is my cousin
and | am on my way to see her." Nj
"How very amusing! Well, l had
an intuition that we should meet again
in fact, had quite mapped out yur
destiny before reaching Bedford.
LET us hear the horoscope
present, future; the first will, if (of'
rect, be a guarantee for creditin( the
last"
"Iconsent to tell you what unk OF
you; but only will you tell me fit who
you think am"
Would you be offended if said a
charming woman? Don't own. l
have not said it."
"Be serious. Am I mali wife or
widow"
"Not miss, certainly, with a fine
contempt on the noun.
"Of course not, or you would not
have deigned to beeven deently civil. "
Frankly, l am at fault now. Is it
wife? Is it widow?'
81 own there may be 'eason for a
doubt. You see, it is difficult to be a
widow without having ben wife, and
as men don't marry girls nowadays, 1t
is equally difficult to bea wife. How
ever as no other status has been in
vented, have no husband"
"And no wife, although l have been
married"
"a widower! Hum. l should not
have thought So"
No, not widower. was, married
without my knowledge, by mistake, in
default. The newspapers married me
l heard of it in India-and so persist
emily that got three months leave
only to make myself free man once
more. left the p. and o. three days
ago, and am on my way to the Bellunes
to ask what they were about in allow
ing their nearest relative to be Labelled
all over the world as booked and done
| for"
"a hard case, and one deserving Of
much pity. So the indignity of we'd
lock has been put upon you. AScep
my deepest sympathy"
You may laugh, but it was, it i
odious. All the fellows out there affec
to believe it is true-that | am dere
lict husband with family. On land
ing here found no end of letters O
congratulation. l dare not show my
self at the clubs. If at first | was in
clined to treat the matter lightly. nov
am determined to sift the whole thin,
sue the libellers, and give public de
nial-"
ITO the compromising accusation 0
matrimony? | would, if | were you.
Il SHALL" he said steraly.
They were just steaming into tn
Carlisle station. Jessica RENAME,
alone while her companion smoked
cigar on the platform. She took ad
vantage OF the gathering twilight t
rise, and unperceived. to examine tn
label on the hat box reposing in tn
rack. She had some difficulty in de
ciphering it, and fell back into the sea
as the owner of it stepped once NOR
into the carriage. He fancied sh
looked very pale, and asked her if sh
was tired. She did no>lnswer at once
but as soon as the train was fairly I'm
der way she said, abruptly: rs you
name Montgomery Swift"
at is" he said, surprised; but glanc
ing at the hat box, which lay in al
altered position, he added: "Have yo
guessed that, too, you fortune teller?'
"And you call yourself a captain?
continued Jessica, in the same harsl
voice.
Il do, till become major"
impossible! There is not a Captain
Montgomery Swift in the whole British
army"
Il beg your pardon. I am that hum
BILE officer
mo, you are not; there is no sue
man in the army list-there was not
year ago."
40 ~ II