Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-01-10
CuAPTER IL

CHAPTER III.
Mrs. Atwood IS sklful hands soon male
the sittin2roOm look quite snug for the
reception OF her husband frien
The curtains were drawn. the gas was
lighted, and the refreshments placed ready
in an ad dining room, and so far at any
rate as outwar appearances went, the
no Sc seemed the abode of domestic bliss.
George Atwo ID had seated himself in
an easy chair at writ ng table and, hav-
ing scattered about some manuscripts
on the floor he succeede in giving quite
a literary air to the apa tment.
ii wish you woul sing something
Blanche. " he said presently. The arrival
OF the whisky an the prospect o apleas-
ant evenng-whereby he meant a game
at car and some drink had put him
into complacent humOr Sing Masks
and Faces; rather like that, 1t s senti
II entail and tou hing
IS he lounged back in his chair pipe in
mou h, with lazy lOoI of contentment
upon his han some face, he okel as II
y lily Dogs. or Hop Light. Loo.' would
have suited him equally W H.
Mrs. Atwood hal fl rich soprano
vol e, and was not only thOrOuS lilly ac-
conplished musician, but sang W tn that
deep feeling which never fails to rouse
even the most uncul ivated listener to a
sense of admiration and delight.
sitting down as h desired, to the piano.
she had scarcely finished the seconl verse
when Elizabeth announced the arrival of
Captain Sturgis.
Now, pray don let me disturb YOU
Mrs. Atwood, " In re arked in drawing
high pitched tone. II really m st apollo
gike for looking in upon you at this time
of night. IL is all Atwood's fault 1t
really is. He asked me to cone up and
smoke a pipe.
81 RAJ do not apologize, Captain SUR
gis" returned Mrs. Atwood, somewhat
coldly, a she rose from the nlanO.
~ riends of m, husbands are welcome at
eny tine.
Fl am sure such scene as this, " lisp
ed the Captain, a Getting to regard the
TO IN and Is occupants with the greatest
interest, ''makes me ser ously mediate
upon changing my condiliOn-if | couGu
Onlv drop across the lady who would have
pit on ne. Now ust look at Atwood!
There he is, hard at work with pen, in
dustriously earning his mite towards pay
ing the butcher and he baker.
"And the candlestick maker" suggest
ed Atwood.
"No no; you are ridio.1,;ag me-, said
SturCis. Il really mean what ! say. And
there IL Mrs. Atwood. with evid noes OF
her industry scattered around up N the
work tables, soothing his labOrs with
sweet song. / on nv honor. il is reall
too delightful! And then to think or my
bavins to 60 home 10 my lonely chambers
dreadful
''Ne er mind, old fellow cried George
Atwood. . oOthe your perturbed spirit.
Make yourself ha py while you are here.
Have a smoke a drin ', o do something
to disSi ate your sorrow
Captain Sturg's seated himself in an
cay chair and sighed, as If the thought
of his loLely chambers was too much for
him.
blanche, my dear, bring us some
whisky there good girl exclaimed
Atwood. '-rhis mans very ba I. ever so
f. any pegs to low. Then you can give
us little more music.
Captain Sturgis was what IS ge' rally
termed a fast man He had seen some
tile rvce in India II a crack cavalry
regimen but had retired rom the army
upon inherlting a good income from his
father. Without being possessed of any
landed proper y In which to interest him
self, and his tastes leaning entirely to-
wards town life he found himself at the
ace of five and forty even more welded H.
dissi alton of every description than he
had been at five and twenty.
George Atwoo had come across this
man several years o, but had not known
him at all intimately until cutie lately.
Sturgis was fount OF dropping In upon
men at their chambers, visiting their little
suburban retreats, and spying out their
different modes of life. 1t amused him to
do so, and he probably knew more of the
inner life of queer characters about Lon
don than did most men. IL was 0n'y
few weeks before this articular evening
that he had been ASKED by Atwood 10 his
house to smoke g and have quiet
game, and he had gone away very much
impressed with the charms Of George At
woods wife.
Atwood was In Sturgis's debt-StNrgis
liked men to be In his debt-not that he
lent them small sums of none from any
kindly feeling or allowed old gambling
scores TO stand over because he did no.
wish to inconvenience his debtors; but he
liked to feel the power he had over the
men who owed him IN Jney.
"Don't bother YOURSELF" he would say:
''wait till YOU are Hush and then you
can pay Inc. you know, oil chap Wait
till the shp comes home-I am In no i'm
mediate want of II.
Though Captain Sturgls was proclaimed
by his debtors to be "a oily good fellow,
there was not one of them but hatel him
in his Utmost heart. The glance of his
eye, the contemptous speech, the sheer he
knew so well how to employ were all
smarts which he daily inflicted upon them;
and many poor wretch longed for fifty
pound note Or so, that he might free him
self from this tyrant's clutches, and assert
h $ manly Independence with his fists.
Mrs. Atwood played and sang as she
was requested, and the two men settled
! themselves down TO game of poker
Several times she glance towards them,
and felt sad and heavy at heart as she