Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23

brought him in my card. 1t seemed to me al
most impossible that he could have been with
me so soon. yet there he was, looking in his
evening dress as had never seen him before
but with much greater change in him than
that the managers face was CHASTITY pale: there
was dew upon it for which the warmth of the
evening could hardly account, while the ex-
preston Of his little gray eyes was anxious and
perturbed to the last degree
This Is an unexpected pleasure. Mr.
Ackers. he said, in a voice of unmistakable
expectation and alarm. What is it? Nothing
wrong, hope with Mr.. Apsley?"
l suppose it was my slight connection with
the senior partner that suggested this appre-
tension for 1t would have been more natural .
az It struck me, for him to say nothing wrong
at the Office
II cannot say, SIR" I replied. "but Mr..
Apsley sent me over with this letter to you
which he said was of extreme importance"
The manager took the letter and tore il open
with haste L had never seen him use; he was
very slow, metbodical man and took eyery-
thing In general very quietly. Directly he had
read the letter his ordinary manner returned
to him.
There is nothing here requiring such imme-
diste haste, l think but, of course, tell Mr..
Apsley 1t shall be attended to at once Mr.
that Is, the gentleman he alludes to-shall hear
from me by tonights post. / have a few friends
to dinner, Mr.. Ackers. though as you are not in
evening dress you may not care to ioin them
but You must at all events have . glass Of
wine"
This 1 declined and he did not press it:
though perfectly civil. indeed much more con-
clllatory In bis manner than had ever known
him to be. for 1t was always cold and reserved
he was obviously glad to get rid of me. As a
host detained from his guests this was not to
be wondered at, but the impression it left upon
me was very unpleasant.
As passed into the hall the ladies were leav-
ing the dining room; six or eight of them. all
he
without perceiving our presence, but the last
one, the lady Of the house, caught sight of us
and looked surprised. She was a very hand
some woman, half head taller and considera-
bly, larger than Mr.. Jones. and her voice,
though musical enough. had a touch of imperi-
BUSINESS in it as she inquired what was detain-
ing him.
my young friend. Mr.. Ackers." he explained,
has been so good as to bring me an important
letter from Cornhill."
ously, and without taking the least notice of
the Introduction she followed her guests up the
stairs.
As drove away to the station it seemed to
me Ike awakening from q sort Of splendid
nightmare; was it possible that Squire Jones
could really be one with our most respectable
guy unassuming manager? Could that virago
IN iace and satin be his relative?
LOOKING back on that strange experience
rom my present standpoint am conscious
MAJ ,ne Iadys behavior affected my views of
mr. Jones position iniuriousiy. Ny suspicious
OF MN would have been aroused in any case,
ouI the insoience with which his helpmats had
Iea'e1 me made me jump to the conclusion
mat mere was screw loose some where. II
was very Illogical, for the lady's conduct had At
least shown that she was not afraid of me. or of
any account was likely to give Of my visit to
horton, put Was too put out by it to draw
conclusions OF that kind 1t was bad enough
that people should be purse proud who were
really rich, but that the housekeeper of a man
with $500 year. who was living al the rate Of
5000. should give herself airs was nS,lerable.
VI tho reckless extravaganza of our managers
mode Of life there could indeed be no ouesfion.
unless h,s wife had been an hsiress, n which