The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-09-15

/ tween tue hSduyi ana Lne ''QOl
feels his face flush, and draws his
breath hard moment. but only for mo-
ment. MRS. Mackenzie. let me present
Mr.. Blake"
Mr.. Blake and have met before,
think, says the beauty, and puts out O
ready hand, cordially enough "And Mr..
Blake is charmed to have the pleasure
again, says the young man, quite self
possessed now. Mrs. Mackenzie and he take
stock of one another; the Vanvoorsts
stare; there is an awkward pause, which
is broken by the little person before re-
ferred to, who never did an awkward
thing in her life, and who now leaves her
escorts arm and comes up with the pleas
ATTEST possible smile.
Here is another surprise for you, Mr..
Blake. What cloud did you fall from?"
Then, trife lower but very frankly,
'l'm awfully glad to see you" And she
/ gives Mr.. Blake's brown paw little pinch,
which no man In his senses would dare to
think d squeeze. She is honest in what
she says; she really is glad to see the young
man. She is fond of the society Of men,
and men like to talk to her Kate Stuart
is not a flirt: she is simply cordial and
unaffectedly easy with every one; but
hardly any man can help fancying, as he
| fers him to the majority of people. Some
men have possibly been conceited enough
| to get themselves in love with the little
lady; but Is that her fault2 She honestly
does not like to be annoyed by sentiment
tai boys, and our friend Blake is an i'm
mense favorite of hers because he has
carefully kept In the background what
little sentiment there Is in his compost
ton, and has always been perfectly frank
and simple with her. And to tell the
truth, Tom likes her Just little better
than any one else he knows, but keeps O
tight rein on himself. For Miss Stuart
is, as he thinks, ''too large game" for
him. She is the only daughter of an old
gentleman well known and much re-
spected in the vicinity of Wall
and Broad streets. and she would
undoubtedly be a very good specu-
lation for Mr.. Blake, whose fnan-
cial abilities are principally in the line of
getting credit, and whose law practice
does not pay his Office rent. But strange
as it may seem in these days, Blake has
kind of ON idea that he would be as I'M
comfortable In marrying money as he
would be in marrying poverty; SO when
ever he thinks of the subject at all, he
puts it by with shrug of the shoulder
So he is pleased to see the little girl
now, and says so. Then the old gentle
man, whose happiness he has come to de-
stroy, appears on the scene, and VOL
comes him with cordiR1ity that makes
him feel like pickpocket; and after
little sweet converse about the weather
and the dust, and other interesting topics,
the arrivals are allowed to make them
selves little comfortable, and are served
with dinner In big dining room where
about twenty people have dined an hour or
SO before. Blake has begged off from joining
in the festivities of the evening, but Van
voorst appears in full dress, which be has
assumed, with much grumbling, at the
command of his wife. That lady leaves
her guests for moment, having been
told Blake's errand, and comes into the
dining room after the young men have
somewhat appeased their hunger.
s'Well, Mr.. Blake, you are evidently
better prepared to tell us who Mrs. Mao
kenzie is than you expected" says the
inpatient Mrs. Vanvoorst. as soon as the
absence Of the servant permits.
Eyes, answers Blake very deliberately;
81 fancy I may as well be driven back to
the station, and take the late traiJ
down"
why, W0aG 10 you meaQl
"Why. really. when I tell you what
little there is to tell about Mrs. MaclSen-
zie, you will agree with me that there is
nothing to be done-nothing at least that
l can do"
"Who is she?"
''she used to be Miss Mabury--Iaura
Mabury-lived somewhere down in
Pennsylvania, where I used to know
her" says Mr.. Blake, with q piece of
bird on his fork, to which piece of bird he
apparently utters these condolences.
Southern family. Very great belle, and
quite well known in Baltimore, and also
in Philadelphia. Internally stupid of me
not to remember her married name
really, though. had quite forgotten it.
Think the man was a'navy nan-didn't
know he was dead before"
Isis she all right?" asks vanvoorst,
with his mouth full
Blake laughs in an ugly kind way.
Sorry to disappoint you, but really
don't know anything against her; used to
be rather animated, must say; but per-
fectly good style--went out in very good
society, and was quite well connected, and
AL that kind of thing. That's about all
can tell you; so, If 1t isn't too much
trouble. perhaps had better be driven
back to the railroad"
"Oh. nonsense" says Vanvoorst; and
his wife protests also; You really must
not think of leaving as In that way-it
would be treating us badly. We have
not so many people staying here that we
can afford to let you off SO easily"
''But. Mrs. Vanvoorst. remember that
am here entirely on business-as sort
of private detective--and it would be
fraud for me to remain as a guest"
mot ut all; you can assume the char.
acter very nicely, I'm sure; and then"
with laugh and turning to leave the
room, you may find something to do
yet"
"How soY''
Possibly Mrs Mackenzie will resume
the Irritation which Miss Mabury I'M
doubtedly began at some past period.
Good-by for O while" and Mrs. Vanvoorst
goes out of the room, soon followed by
her husband. whom stern duty calls; for
he has taken fancy to Blake and is 10th
to leave him. But he tears himself away
and Blake finishes the claret, and, not
caring to wander among the jewellers in
the front of tho house, sends the butler
after his hat; and when that worthy. after
one or two mistakes, has got the right
one, he gets out Of the window, and,
lighting cigar prowls around the end
of the house, and locates himself In q dark
corner of the piazza, where he smokes
contentedly. listens to the music and tries
to make out the faces of people who come