The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-02-09
THE COST OF A FALsEH0OD.
t'Is Mrs. Worthington at homei

The pompous footman who stood
on duty, Cerberus-like. in the mar
ble-paved hall of the Worthington
mansion, glanced superciliously at
the speaker-a slim little figure,
half hidden in the folds of long
gossamer waterproof, the hoou
drawn over her plain round hat,
just revealing the ripples of bronze
brown hair which lay upon low
white brow; a pair of dark eyes;
white, satiny complexion with a
suspicion of rose leaves in the
cheeks-a face worth looking at.
The footman, however, being
very fashionable and pompous in
dividul, saw only the lamentable
fact that the little woman before
him was on foot in the rain, plainly
attired. Some shabby-genteel per
son, no doubt, come to beg fer as
sistance; or, possibly, a girl seeking
a position as maid, or, worse than
all. poor relation He drew him
self up to his full height and in
dulged in long stare.
lis Miss Worthington in?' re-
peated the girl, trifle impatiently !;
If she is, tell her that her cousin,
Miss Ray, wishes to see her. have
forgotten my card case"
The footman drew back a pace or
two. So it was a poor relation
II really don't b'l'eve she's home.
MISS" he returned.
The girl flashed him an indig-
nant glance.
Go and see p she commanded.
and Jeames perforce obeyed, so far
as to summon Miss Worthington's S
MAZDA pert-looking, black-eyed
girl, dressed in the height of fash
ion, in towdry imitation Of her mis-
tress' rich attire.
She tossed her befrizzled head at
sight of the figure in the waterproof,
and muttering something about go
ing to see,' disappeared up the
broad, velvet-covered staircase. She
returned directly.
mo; Miss Worthington is not at
home!' she answered.
And feeling quite relieved to have
succeeded in gaining an answer to
her question at last, Alice Ray went
down the marble steps out into the
rain once more.
Hailing passing car, she stepped
inside. AS she seated herself she
glanced accidentally up toward one
of the large lace-draped windows of
the Worthmgton mansion. Seated
at the window in plain sight was
Miss Worthington in a blue cash
mere wrapper-a French novel in
her hand.
She saw Alice, and with a naughty
gesture of impatience. drew down
the silken shade.
A flush shot over Alice Rays
face.
"She was at home, and denied
herself to me-" she said to herself.
"Just as Aunt Lydia said she would
All, we'll, she has lost more by the
falsehood than | have. If she only
knew !''-here Alice arose to deposit
her fare in the box-'ah, if she only
knew ~
The car gave sudden lurch and
the coin fell from the girls hand.
A gentleman sitting near hastily
stopped, and, picking it up, depos-
tied the fare in the box, lifted his
hat, and involuntarily both half
smiled.
"Miss Ray" he calculated eager
ly; show glad | am to meet you! |
have been searching for months"
He checked himself abruptly.
Her face was flushing and paling
by turns as he exchanged his seat
for one at her side. 1t was Herbert
Stanley, young and popular jour
nalist, rapidly rising in his profes-
sion; quite "catch," in modern
parlance, and the man who was to
Cora Worthington very king
among men. To win his love she
was willing to make any sacrifice.
Seated at Alice's side, while the
nearly empty car logged along in
the falling rain through the streets
of the Crescent City, Herbert Stan,
lev told her how he had been search
ing for her ever since the last great
yellow-fever epidemic, when hel
parents had both been stricken
down, and she was left all alone.
/ And Alice told him of her own
severe illness, and how, when al
length she had recovered, her aunt
| Miss Lydia Ray, an elderly woman
all alone in the world, had kindly
taken her, and had sent her away
to school. from which she had now
returned "for good, as the children
say.
The time few in pleasant con
verse. and when at last she arrived
at her destination away down town
Herbert Stanley accompanied her
The rain had ceased and the SUI
had made its appearance; the,
walked the remaining block or twt
to the residence of Aunt Lydia,
large, rambling old house in tn