Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-10-25
Uncle Arches Wife.
CHATTER V.-(CoNTINUEp.)

then the dinner-bell rang, and uncle
Archie came hurriedly in. Re looked,
/ thought, rather relieved that we had
not fallen cut in deadly fashion during
his brief absence. Poor uncle Archie,
how plainly every nervous look and
gesture betrayed his consciousness of
the terrible error he had made!
The rest of the evening passed
away in quiet uneventful fashion.
Mother dozed as usual by the Chin
ney-corner; Estelle Gerard. with a
calm Indifference to all the duties of
a hostess, took up a book and became
apparently absorbed in its contents;
uncle Archie, after one or two half
hearted attempts to make the CONVEX
sation general, drew his chair up TO,
mine and began to talk about my en-
gagement and Dick.
when is he coming to see me,
lrene9" he asked, looking with the
old kindly interest at the ring was
nervously turning round on my finger
AS spoke. "SooE, hope. want
TO be better acquainted with the
young fellow who has been lucky
enough to win my little Irene's love"
IL am the lucky person, uncle Ar
chic" returned quickly. You will
soon see that when you know Dick;
he is the cleverest, the kiudest, the
dearest"
'Of course, the Chevalier Bayard
and Admiral Crichton in one-I will
take all that on trust, Irene, and still
say he is not too good for my little
girl. Irene"-his voice dropped still
lower, and there was wistfulness in
his kind troubled eyes that made my
heart ache-''I hope you will be as
happy as you have tried to make
others all your innocent young life
as you have tried to make me to-
night"
Indefinite as the words were,
knew what he meant, and glanced
hurridly at Estelle. who was only di-
,vided from us by the width of the long
ROOM but she was still placidly read
ing. and apparently uninterested in
our conversation,
dear uncle Archie" said, with IA
reassuring squeeze of his hand, lis it
disrespectful TO tell ones uncle he is
talking nonsense? Because, if so,
must be disrespectful, ! am afraid. If
you and | do not understand one
another by this time, we are never
likely TO do so; and Mrs. Gerard and
i will be sworn friends and allies
soon." | spoke with a cherry con-
fidence l did not quite feel; but he
shook his head. his face clouding
over with very weary and hopeless
look.
Il am afraid that is not likely to
be, Irene. | know no effort on your
part will be wanting; but he
glanced across at the beautiful indo-
lent figure in the lounging-chair- ''it
takes two to make friendship-and
you do not know Estelle."
''Better than you think" persisted
valiantly. why, uncle Archie, you do
not know how quickly we women can
make friends when we choose to do
so! Estelle has told me her whole
history"
He shuddered, twisted his NOUS
ltache with nervously-shaking fingers,
and then suddenly and inconsequently
reverted to the subject of Dick.
when do you say young Martineau
will be at Ludleigh again, Irene?
Not for a week? Oh, that is too
long 10 wait! Tell him to come
down at tomorrow, If possible.
j want to talk business with him-to
talk to him about YOU"
"But there is plenty OF time for
that" replied protestingly, wonder
ing whether, as he had thought a
weeks wooing sufficient in his own
case, he wished to place the same
limit on ours. 'Dick is working very
hard, uncle Archie; he says he shall
allow himself only two or three days
holiday in the year now"
Then he had better take the holi-
day at once. Tell him so, my dear;
say that / particularly wish to see
him-there are business-matters to be
arranged between us. Ask him to
come at once, and give US at least a
week.
! could only nod assent and wonder
what he meant; for just then Estelle
threw down her book, and glanced at
the clerk with significant yawn.
"You are not staying here then?" she
said, when mother answered that hint
by murmuring something about or
dering the carriage for ten o'clock
''Oh, in that case | will not 60 to bed
just yet, though really am tired to
DEATH"
Poor mother made polite protest
which Mrs. Gerard answered with
another yawn and a careless assurance
that, after all, another quarter of an
hour did not make much difference
it would soon be over.
The seconds that made up that
time Of waiting crept by slowly
but ten struck at last, and with
the stroke came the servant 10
tell us that the carriage was at the
door.
"Well"-mother's pent-up indigna-
tion found vent at last when we were
safely alone. rolling smoothly and
swiftly along in the calm summer
night-"what do you think OF your