Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-01
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lady, who advanced smiling toward her.
Mrs Byrner cried Ethel in some surprise,
getting off the music stool
Mrs Byrne established herself comfortably
in deep armchair, then beckoned the young
girl mysteriously with well gloved finger:
Come over here, Ethel"
Ethel drew a stool to the others side and
sat down smiling, but mystified-
Mrs Byrne played little with the clasp
of the silver mounted hand bag which she
carried, from which, having at last succeeded
in opening 1t, she produced stamped envel-
one addressed to herself
do you know that handwritingT' she
said, hourishing it before Ethel's astonished
eyes.
at is my own; wrote to ask you to
LUNCH" poor Ethel answered simply, while
the thought flashed across her mind that Mrs.
Byrne had probably gone mad.
Read it. then" cried that lady. with an
air of suppressed am,ssment which lent
color to the notion.
Ethel unfolded it quickly, then sat trans
fixed like who receives a sudden and fatal
injury. For before her horror stricken eyes
glared these words, in her own handwriting:
Yours very sincerely, Jack Davenant."
what does it meant" she cried at last in
hoarse voice, for it seemed that some fiend-
ish magic had been at work.
That's what l want to know" Mrs.
Byrne answered moro gently. II received
this note the day before yesterday. There
was no address, and the handwriting was
certainly not Jacks Nor Is my cousin in
the least likely to invite me to lunch at his
chambers So / wrote off to him at once,
and told him 20 drop in to dinner If he had
anything to say to me-"
Ethel had risen to her feet, and was stand
ing with a little frozen smile on her face;
but at this point she broke in hurriedly:
Ibid you show him-Mr. Davenant-the
letter."
Mrs Byrne nodded She was not person
of delicate perceptions, and had come here
bent on a little harmless amusement; but
somehow the amusement was not forthcom-
ing.
Ethel clasped her cold hands together in a
frenzy of despair She knew that Jack was
familiar with her handwriting; had he not
made little criticisms, severe and tender, ON
the occasional notes Of invitation which she
had addressed to hint
Jack said he knew cothing about the
note, and hadn't the ghost of sn idea what it
meant"
"Oh, Jack, Jack" cried Ethel's heart in
parenthesis, what must you think of me!'
Mrs. Byrne went on: Grace Allison came
in later, and the mystery was cleared up.
She swore to your handwriting, and we Gon-
cluded you had done it in a fit of absence of
mind. Poor old Jack, how she did chat himl"
Ethel was trying to recover her presence Of
mind.
How could have made such stupid mis-
takeP' she said, with short laugh. Il sup
pose was pursuing some train Of thought.
had met your cousin at a party the night
before-you know how it is"
Mrs. Byrne was sorry for the girls distress.
''It's mistake any one might have made,
though you must own it was rather funny.
However, 1 can assure you this-it won't get
any further. Jack is scarcely likely to tell,
and Grace has sworn on her honor"
Ethel laughed again, meaninglessly. As
far as she was concerned, the whole world
was welcome to know it now. No deeper
disgrace could befall her 81 wonder if he
is shrieking with laughter, or merely sick
with disgust" the poor girl thought. when
her obtuse and amiable visitor had at last de-
parted. "Oh, how l hate him, how l hate
him!' which was hard on Jack, considering
that his own conduct in the matter bad been
irreproachable But Ethel was in no mood
for justice 1t seemed to her that she had
utterly betrayed and disgraced herself; that
never again could she venture to show her
self in a world where Florence Byrne, Grace
Allison, and, above all, Jack Davenant lived,
moved and had their being.
Sick with shame, hot and cold with an
guish, poor Ethel sat covering in the great
drawing room like guilty thing.
Ethel astonished her family at dinner that
evening by inquiries as to the state of the fe-
male labor market in New Zealand.
Uncle Joe, a philanthropic parson, who
happened to be Of the party, delighted to find
his pretty niece taking an interest in a sub
ject So little frivolous, delivered himself Of q
short lecture on the subject.
Ethel sighed at hearing that there was SO
little demand for the work of educated women
save the narkD in that distant colony, and
began to turn her thoughts toward Waterloo
bridge.
Ethel funks on being an old maid. She
knows that positively any girl can lasso a
husband in New Zealand, her brother Bob
remarked in a challenging tone.
But Ethel bore it with embarrassing meek
ness; perhaps, she told herself, she was a hus
band hunter after all
After dinner she put on her hat and stole
out into the street. She had been indoors all
day and could bear it no longer. The June
evening was still as light as day, and simple
minded couples were lettering with frank
affection in Regents park. She had not gone
far before she saw large familiar figure
bearing down in her direction.
'Oh, how ! hate him hate himr' she
thought again, while her heart beat with
maddening rapidity. 'If he has spark of
kindness In him he will pretend not to see me- F"
But Jack, for it was he made no such pre-
tense. On the contrary, he not only raised
his hat, but came up to her with outstretched
hand. She put her cold fingers mechanic
ally into his, and scanned his face; there was
neither rairth nor disgust in it, and the
thought flashed across her, chilling, while it
relieved her, that he probably attached little
Importance to an incident to which she,
knowing her own secret, had deemed but one
Interpretation possible And then, before
she knew what had happened, Jack was
walking along by her side, pouring out
torrent of indignant reproaches as to her de-
sertion Of him in favor Of Dicky Carshalton,
at the Warringtoas' party.
1T is you" cried Ethel, with spirit, for the
unexpected turn of affairs restored her cour-
age, lit is you, Mr.. Dsvenant, who were I'M
Kind, to stand by and let old friends be vic
timized without striking blow 10 their be-
half Pray, what did you expect me TO dol
Was to have said, No, thank you, Mr.
Carshalton, prefer to stay here with Mr.
DavenantF"
And. II YOU had said il, would it have