Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-28

showed Vincent into the little parlor, with
which he was already abundantly familiar.
| There were few alterations. The old man 9
books, Maisrie's music, and similar personal
belongings, had disappeared. and hideous
/ purple vase stood for ornament in the mid
die of the table. The pallid Autographs
were still on the walls, Maisrie's chrysanthe-
NUNS were out there in the little iron
balcony.
"would you like to see therooms upstairs,
sir?"
The young man hesitated for second.
"Oh, very WELL"
Hobson led the way up to the next land
/ ing; and there the first door he came to he
flung wide open.
'"The young lady's room, sir"
But Vincent did not accept the implied
invitation. He hung shamefacedly back.
"Oh, yes, that's all right, said he. u
only wished to-to have 1t kept for her."
And yet he fingered for another second at
| the door Of this chamber-that seemed so
sacred-that seemed to shut him out. He
could see the dressing-taole, the chest Of
drawers, the neatly folded bed, the rather
dingy window.
'.Look here, Hobson" said he, IF were
to get some things to make the room little
more cheerful, 1 suppose that could be done
without letting Miss Bethune know who
sent them? The looking-glass there-you
know, that is not the right kind of thing at
all; there should be a pretty mirror on the
dressing-table, with some lace round the top
of it."
Here he ventured in half a step or so, and
rather timidly looked round.
That one gasjet can't be half enough,
when Miss Bethune is dressing to go out in
the evening"" he said, omplainingly-per-
haDs to conceal his inoomprehensible diff
dence and shyness. "She must have can-
dles-one on each side of the mirror, for ex-
ample. And that screen,across the window,
why, it is so common; it ought to be piece
oi pale silk-tO let the light through"
He ventured few inches further, and
again looked round.
"What do you call that thing?-the
coverlet-the counterpane-isn't it? Well,
it shouldn't be white, and cold, and cheer
less like that; it should be deep crimson
'satin-and there should be pretty things at
the head of the bed-loops and bows of rib
bon-my goodness, what is Mrs. Hobson
about-a young lady's room shouldn't be
like cell in prison"
"Law, sir, I'm very sorry," Hobson said,
in bewildered way: crimson satin cover
let sounded grand thing; but 1t also meant
heap of money.
"But come away out and / will talk to
you," Vincent said, Just as ii they were in Q
mysteriously sacred shrine, where the talk
ing of business affairs was sort of pro-
fanation. Or perhaps he resented the In
trusion of the amiable but gin-odorous Hob
son? At all events, he did not resume the
conversation until they were both down.
stairs again in the parlor.
"You understand, then," he said, and
there was no more timidity about his speech
now, II am willing to get number Of
things tor the room, and to make you and
Mrs. Hobson present OF them, on the dis
tinct condition that Miss Bethune is kept in
absolute ignorance how they came there.
One word to her-and out they come again,
every rag and stick. Why, you can easily
invent excusesl You can tellthem YOU took
the opportunity of their absence to brighten
up the place bit. 1t is in your own inter-
est to keep the rooms smart: it doesn't imply
any favor conferred on your dodgers. Don't
you see?"
''Yes, sir. Very kind of you, sir, indeed"
said Hobson, who seemed little confused.
"And what did you want me to do?"
"Do? want you to do nothing: and
want you TO say nothing. Don't you UNDER
stand? I am going TO send in few things
to smarter up that room; and they are yours
so long as not any one of you hints to
Miss Bethune where they came from. Isn't
that simple enough?"
But far less simple was his own part In
this transaction, as he was speedily to dis
cover. For when be went outside again,
and made away toward Regent street, think.
ing he would 60 to q famous shop there, and
buy all sorts Of pretty things, it dawned