Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-23

Quite lately. Yesterday, in fact"
ing2"
Pretty well. Pale, perhaps, if anything. A
little detected: l can't suppose he is happy"
Cant your" scornfully. 81 can. has OBJ
tanned his beloved liberty againi that counts
| with man."
with some men perhaps. You are looking
Pale, TOO, DEAR" ignoring her outburst. "a
| little rest would be good for you. Why not
come down to the country with me. for Christ
mas 50 quietl Nota soul shant ask any
one to the Beeches this year."
should like ii, but-you are so close to my
his house-that-I should hate to CO."
You needn't be afraid of meeting him there.
DE IS going abroad almost directly"
Eh ?' starting violently.
| ''Yes, abroad"
But where 2"
Italy"
Italy Why ltalyi What on earth is TAX
ing him to Italy pr She rises abruptly and
| walks over to the window as though repose is
Impossible to her. who is going with him ?''
| asks she at last in quite dreadful tone.
coldly
"You show your sense. 1t is that woman, of
| courser'
What woman?' icily.
Oh, you kDowl That actress, Drewry."
Really, Flora" says Lady Maria, with very
righteous anger. Il must request you will not
talk to me like this.a
why not? You arn't dead to the world,
/
You are reasonable person; you must see for
yourself how things CO."
II may not be blind; but you are, and most
Wllltully SO. That woman, as you call her, is a
most respectable person, and is about to be
married to a solicitor in very good practice.
have made minute inquiries, and firmly be-
IeVe that Frederic knows as much about her
as he does of the solar system, and you
know how ignorant he is about that! Pro
fessor -"
mot bit more ignorant than any one else,"
interrupts Lady Flora tartly.
That's what you think, my dear. Nonsense,
flofa; have questioned him about Miss
Drewry and he doesn't so much as admire her.
BE told me she had high shoulders. and
mouth from ear to ear"
"And you were taken in by that! Why that's
the oldest trick of all. When men fall in love
where they ought not. they always describe the
woman to their friends as not much to look at
somethingP'
This allusion to her age very naturally in
And you, with your experience, of course
know everything" says she with whitening
contempt MY good child, if 1 were you
whats thatr' said Lady Flora suddenly.
halt rising from her chair and glancing
neryously at the door. The sound of a loud
knock at the hall door is changing through the
well, what of it. Why not stay and see
him, Flora2 l am sure if you both met
yOu-"
"Metl Do you think should stay for one mo-
ment in the room with that mani mol 1 shall go
in here" movi ng toward door at the end of
the room that leads to a smaller apartment be-
yond, until he chooses to bring his visit 20 an
end. have still good deal to say to you"
She has hardly had time to gain her city OF
refuge when the servant ushers into the
drawing room Sir Frederic Blount.
Thought heard voices" says he suspic-
iously, when he has greeted Lady Maria.
well, so you did, says she a little impa-
tiently not being in the best of temDers.
"Ahi Lady Blount?"
Hin. In there nOwH' pointing to the
opposite door.
Il daresay." A pause
How is she lookIngT' demands Sir Frederic.
after perceptible struggle with his dignity
Very lovely indeed; but pale, think. Why
on earth, Frederic, don't you try TO make it up
with her! You must be mad, Marial
What when she w1llfuIly sought quarrel
with me, and openly insulted mel Look here
loved her a. my own soul, and she deliberately
separated herself from me-"
Yet think she is very unhappy"
happy. '''
Pm done With her. Don't let us discuss her
any; any further: m She can 60 her way. I can go
Il don't see where she is to go at all events.
A woman in her equivocal position is always in
the wrong"
"It is her own doing. She evidently found
life dull with me, and very cIeverly sought and
found road out of her difficulty"
still you must care about her welfare"
II DON'T" doggedly.
Il give you credit for better feeling than
that; so l will tell you that she is coming down
with me to Gloucestershire for Christmas. She
viii therefore be within mile or two of her
your-home"
"a hint to me to keep away" with bitter
laugh. Don't be frightened! l am going
abroad. as you know"
81 amsorry about that: had hoped-n
Hope nothing where we two are concerned.
all is over and done with" He pauses looks
out of the window and then comes back to
Lady Maria. She-she has plenty of money,
at all events" says he with a frown that Is
meant to prevent anybody from thinking that
his question contains any gentle concern for
her.
"You blame me, Maria" says the yeung man
suddenly. You think l should give in and ex
plain, and coDdone the fact that she has ma
ligned me most cruelty; but that is not all She
firted most disgracefully with a hideous little
brute OF hussar last tina we were at ball
together, and"
d know all about that. She says it was only
because she was so disguised with your be-
havior," says Lady Maria. You are a pair of
babies; you ought to be taken in hand by some
firm person and compelled to behave your
self"
"Ohl she says that does she?" wrathfully.
'Well, l don't care what she says. Anyhow. / |
shan't keep her in durance vile any longer" |
taking up his hat. Some other day NAV he |
fortunate enough to find you at home without |
her"
Lady Maria rather relieved. bids him a |
kindly adieu aud goes instantly to the room |
that has harbored the fugitive. But where is |
she? And what is this awfully cold, cutting |
air that salutes her as she enters the apart. |
ment What do the servants mean by open
ing the windows at this time of the year-and-
Good heavens are those F1ora's feet?
1t is all that can be seen of Flora at present,
at all events. She has thrown up the sash of
the window to its highest extent. and has then
thrown her body out of the window with an
of generosity that threatens to develop
itself into unconscious suiciue.
Lady Maria, catching sight of her and her
attitude. gives way. to wild but
secret mirth. All this to catch one fieetipg
glance at the back of his head
s'Flora Flora 70 cries She "WhAt on earth
are you doing there 2"
Her voice is shrill, and Flora, hearing it.
scrambles back to her feet with crimson cheeks
and a manner openly confused.
"My dear, if you had run downstairs to the
library you could have seen him quite easily
and without all this danger" says Lady Maria. |
rather maliciously. "The slightest tin would
have sent you into the area. How foolishi If
had known you so much wanted to catch
glimpse, might have arranged something
Nonsense! 1t was mere curiosity, nothing
more" says Lady Flora. with stamp of her
little foot "How horrid you can be. Maria.
Well,n impetuously, what did he sayP Abus-
ng me as usual, suppose"
HE didn't spare you, certainly; but he was
ust think"
FThank you," angrily.S HE was not only
ust, as you call it, but evidently in the highest
pirits. l could hear his voice bere-hateful
7oice, Well-er-and how is he looking now?''
Lady Maria gives way to sardonic miTth.
"Well?' says Lady Flora, regarding her with
listinct disfavor. What have said to make
,ou laugh?'
Not much. Only-that is juss the first
question he asked me about you"
How rude of hlmr! flushing angrily. "And
-ou? 1 hope you said was never looking
,etteT."