The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-10-26

maneuvered the threads OF this intrigue with
the patience and dexterity of wise and ex-
perienced matron.
"Where shall l take you now ?" demanded
Wauburton, after having obtained his compan-
ions permission to act as her escort
"To my house, il you have the heart for it.
1t is long distance, but am as good walker
as you are an agreeable talker. You will make
me forget that Pacific avenue is far from here
and that am dying of hunger"
"lf you are dying of hunger, there is only one
thing to do-you must come to dinner with me-"
"Sir ~ said the young woman, contracting
her pretty brows in affected anger, ~ think l
must have misunderstood you. II l did not
know who you are"
eyes, but you know who am. You know
how | love you and how much l love you.
Would you not go to the end of the world with
me?n
"To the end of the world, yes; but not to
San Francisco restaurant, where we would be
seen by some imbecile who would talk"
"a little sooner or little later, sincerely
hope they will have something to talk about.
BE kind, my dear-madam. l ask you for your
entire life-surely you can give me two hours
in the mean time. Come, what do you fear
Do you wish me to serve you like queen, not
sitting down to the same table with you, erect
behind your chair-or, rather, before you, so
that can see your limpid eyes, your pearly
teeth, and your rosebud lips ?'
"Serpent-tongue, accept But do not flat
ter yourself. The fact is, would be less COM
PLEASANT If a good dinner were waiting for me at
my house, instead of such meal as my maid
can produce-and she doesn't know how to boil
an egg properly. So, sir, you may thank for
tune that am a bit of gourmet and will deign
to permit you to eat alson
This difficulty was to decide upon restau-
rant. 1t must be in good neighborhood, but
not too prominent for fear of meeting some
one they knew. After coming over the list
Clara, who had the city at her fingers ends de-
cided upon a restaurant not far from Market
street
'But they don't know me there'' objected
Wauburton, who was a man of fixed habits.
$50 much the better. That will spare me the
pleasure of hearing the walters whispering
Never twice in succession with the same one.'n
"Ungrateful woman, you know we'll that
am entirely reformed. If my reformation
should be to no purpose, it will lie heavy on
your conscience
sSsMrs. Hastings replied with slightly reassur-
ing glance. She was, at that moment, rather
well disposed toward her amphitryon. Perhaps
her appetite had something to do with it.
Wauburton walked upon air. He poured out
declaration on declaration, madrigal on madri-
gal.
"How beautiful you are this evening" he
said
"Truly-this evening? Poor me How sad
1 shall be tomorrow when L have to go back to
my accustomed hideousness,n and she smiled
happily, as if she were not uneasy at the pros
pect.
Wauburton made the regulation offer to un-
hook for her any star she might choose.
"No, sir" said she; "you need not do that
yet. For the present l shall content myself
with rose to pin in my corsage 1 could not
enjoy good dinner without flowers"
They were just passing florists. They en-
tered, and Wauburton selected a handful of
Gloire de Dijon roses and rendered a five-dollar
piece in payment. The charge came to dollar
and half; the florist had not the change, and
neither had Wauburton. In vain the man
rumaged about in his till; he could only raise
three dollars in silver, and had to go out to get
change from neighbor. Clara waited, little
surprised to see her companion hagge so about
fifty cents. Finally the change was brought,
and they proceeded on their way.
From that instant Wauburton was no longer
the same. He had lost his lovers elation and
seemed constrained
sis it possible" thought Mrs. Hastings,
''that he is angry with me because made him
get me few roses"
But at the restaurant this man of fashion
evinced a surprising parsmony Under the
pretext that he did not care for oysters, he or
dered them only for his companion. He had
medium-priced wine served, and offered cham
payne frappG with such evident reluctance that
Clara refused it. The menu, while comprehen-
stYe enough to be sure, was studied out in such
fashion that it came well within reasonable
limits. She had rather expected pompono for
fish, but the waiter brought smelt.
And worse than that, Wauburton showed
himself as saving of his wit and jollity as of
culinary prodigaities. He was preoccupied,
morose, extinguished. Mrs. Hastings, in ac-
cepting this tGte-at6te dinner, had committed
If not an imprudence-she knew she was with
man OF many gallantries-at least slight
eccentrcity. But, after this exhibition of his
temperament, she felt as calm as if she had
shared the repast with schoolmaster or a gouty
sexagenarlan,
The dinner was carried through eXpeditously;
indeed, one would have said that Mr. Waubur-
ton awaited the end Of it with some impatience
He swallowed his coffee at gulp, took no
liqueurs, and when the bill, which he asked for
Immediately, was brought, his brows contracted
as If at sight of deputy sheriff distraining on
all his worldly goods.
Clara could not get over these niggardly ways,