Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-04-11

ana MduHheIBli 700 NOW NClC CViH-
plete. Fire away, Lady Maud" exclaim-
ed Sir Harry.
Mr.. Mannheim's dark skin had an I'M
healthy greenish tint, and / could not
help thinking whan an abominable COM
panion he would be in a yacht, as
watched him pour out his coffee and drop
into a chair between Sir Harry and Bill
Holne.
The House is waiting, said the latter.
pulled myself together, and began
"Gentieman, according tOan old-estab-
lished custom possibly known to you,
Miss Dunbar and l sat up some time last
night talking over my bedroom fire.
"And our failings," put in Captain
Richmond; while the incorrigiole Bill
nuttered-
''Undoing your hair and our charac-
ters."
.'sWhen Miss Dunbar left me" 1 went
IN, Il betook myself very quickly to bed
and to sleep. Suddenly / awoke with
the idea in my head that l had heard
some strange sound All was quiet.
Fancy | SAID to myself, and decided to
20 to sleep again; but, before had moved
or turned, | heard the sound of soft
creeping footstep in the corridor outside.
[ shrank under the bed-clothes. The
step came on and on: somebody turned
the handle of my door; it opened slowly,
and a figure filed the aperture
"Oh!"
Lillian and, l think, also some of
the stronger minded, started violently;
| Mr. Mannheim had dropped his egg
spoon. He muttered an apology; and l
went on to describe the horrors of the
night, remartling that the figure and dim
outline of the face seemed strangely
/ familiar to me. AS detailed the story
Of my pursuing the figure, Mr.. Mann
helm directed one swift burning glance
/ towards me, and then fixed his eyes upon
1 his plate.
Gliding myself in the curtains, said,
Il watched this fearful figure round the
/ gallery. The man opened one of the
/ bedroom doors and went in. As he
/ turned to close it, the freight fell full
1pon his face, and l recognized one of
/ any guests. Was not that a horrible
1ream, Sir Harry"
Good heavens, Lady Maud, you don't
mean to say it was only a dream? l
/ thought you were going to point out the
1 felon, and trembled lest it should be my
| elf If you had worked up the agony
/ one degree more | should have confessed.
| It's downright wicked to try ones feel
4 ngs so. / didn't think IL If you Lady
| Maud didn't indeedw
! All through my narrative had watch
/ ed Mr. Mannheim steadily. Except for
/ the one nervous start which caused him
/ TO drop his egg-spoon, he had remained
| unmoved. His complexion had changed
/ from it greenish hue to an ashen gray;
! but nay guests were so absorbed by my
! thrilling tale that they wholly failed to
/ notice his CHASTITY look. At my appeal
! to Sir Harry, ! saw Mr.. Mannheim shiv-
/ er; all his muscles seemed to relax, and,
/ with a shaking hand, he somehow raised
/ his coffee-cup to his lips, and drank off
| the contents at a draught.
In the chorus of questions which greet
/ ed the conclusion of my story Mr.. Mann
! helms silence was unob5erved. Indeed,
! he had been so intensely gloomy all the
day before that, if he had displayed in
terest in anything, it would have been
| far more noteworthy than his silent
scorn. ! was still being cross-examined
/ when Baines announced that the keepers
were waiting. This disposed Of the male
element, and | escaped to my den, elud-
ing Lillian by the plea Of having import
/ ant letters to write. Threaded her shrewd
! questions. and looked forward with dis
may to our pony-cart drive down to the
lower woods | half thought of going to
bed with headache: but | felt that
must see Guy; and, if l did not go to the
barn luncheon, | should have to wait I'M
! til five o'clock at least. Never even in
the DAYS of our engagement had / so
longed for him. | would go to the barn,
come what might.
When Lily joined me in the hall, look
ing bewitching in robin-lke costume
of brown and red, and we started off,
found my fears quite baseless. She was
! SO preoccupied that all my attention could
/ be concentrated either on speculation or
| on ponies. Soon, however, Pet and Pop
! pet asserted their claims to attention so
| aggressively that they quite disposed of
| Mr.. Mannheim for the time being. Twas
driving tandem; and Poppet's yagaries
almost made me forget the horror which
was expressing me. | cannot give any
idea of the agony that tortured me all
through that breaktast-scene | felt that
if it had scared Mr. Mannheim's mind as
it had mine he ought to be a different
man in future. 1t was all too horrible to
think of; yet | could think of nothing
else when the ponies allowed my atten-
ton to wander for "A moment.
ut last we reached the barn. and there,
resting his broad shoulders against the
door, stood Guy waiting for Us. Dear
darling, how big and handsome he look
edl
Lily, darling" l said beseechingly,
edo you mind pretending that Guy and
/ are engaged. and that you are number
three? Yea used to be such charming
number three, you know"
"All right" said Lillian; and, shrug-
ging her shoulders with a slight air of
stonishment, which was nothing, how
Nver compared with Guys stare Of sur
prise, she sauntered off.
"Whv, darling, what is the natter"
said my husband tenderly; and, as | felt
his dear strong arm around me, | broke
down, and, sobbing miserably, told him,
Nothing"
This alarmed Guy, for he knew that I
never cried without serious reasons for
go doing; and at last he became so dis
tressed that, for very fear lest he should
cry too, made a gigantic effort, and
somehow told him the whole story. 1t
was in very disjointed fragments GER