The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-12-04

they should be wasted on the mere
fact that some other woman has made
hat like yours.
She hasn't" cried Nina, indig-
nantly. Lady Loddington was wear
ing this very hat! Listen; I'll tell you
the whole story. The same afternoon
you called woman came in, beauti-
fully dressed, and asked to see some
hats. ! saw who she was, though /
never met her. | don't want to meet
her. savagely; ''oue sees quite enough
of her in all the shop windows"
.'One does" | remarked, soto voce.
"She wanted hat the color of this
one; SO | brought it out and showed it
to her. and told her the price. and ex-
planned why it was so expensive. oh,
1 don't mind giving that for the hat
she said; lit is well worth it. | am
quite in love with it. Mime. Destrier,
but | darcn't buy it without letting my
husband see it. He is so very particu-
lar about what | wear. Could l have
it sent round tonight for him to look
at? | would let you know some time
tomorrow whether I would take it or
not OF course. | said | should be
glad to send it, and she gave me the
address, and the hat went round there
that evening. Last night she sent it
back and said she was very sorry, but
Lord Loddington didn't think it suited
her. | thought it looked a little tum-
bied, but one has to ran those risks
when one sends goods on approval.
She had determined to have that hat
Just to wear for the one day. and she
was too mean to get it honestly"
''Of course, you'll have it out with
her-you'll expose her?" | said.
1 was as angry and disgusted as
Nina, who stood opposite me. with her
pretty eyes and checks flaming with
honest Indignation.
my dear boy, l would if | dared.
but l can't afford to. 1t would drive
half my customers away from me, and
must think of Hugo and Giles. They
don't cost much while they are such
TIMES, but l want to give them every
advantage. the darlings, aud | was left
so badly off, and the business is just
beginning to pay so well. l darent
run the risk of exposing Lady Lod-
dington's meanness.n
Il had forgotten your children. No,
/ see it wont do. Trust me to give
her mauvaiS quart d'heure, if | get
the chance"
Promise you'll be careful. Think
of the boys"
Il won't injure the dear little chaps,
you best of mothers"
"Well, in that case. l only hope
fortune may favor you"
Eortuoa Il ;I fa,-or ~, l,zt b,,t cIa n
kept me waiting till the autumn, like
the tickle lady she always is. My
chance came in this wise. My uncle
asked me up to his place in Scotland
for shooting. and | went. The old
gentleman is very connoisseur of
beauty, and every pretty woman of
note is bound to be asked to ID. sooner
or later. | got there in time to dress
hurriedly. and appear in the drawing
room just as my uncle was telling
every one whom they were to take in.
/ was introduced to some girl
haven't a notion who she was-but
gave her my arm and took her down to
dinner, murmurlng commonplaces on
the way. The truth is l was half fam
ished with my journey, and my one
idea was dinner. 1t was not till | was
well on with the fish stage that | looked
at my left-hand neighbor. 1t was Lady
Loddington herself
Il haven't seen you since we met at
Ascot" she remarked pleasantly.
She certainly is a most lovely woman,
by the way. | stared blankly, and she
went on. with an air of well-acted re-
proach:
Il believe you have forgotten we
ever met there"
Here was my chance; | seized it.
Forgotten! Why, remember every
word you said, the color of your gown.
and even the very hat you wore; the
loveliest and most becoming hat ever
saw in my life
The compliment told.
II don't believe you do, "she pouted.
Upon my word do. 1t was sort
of big affair of amethyst velvet and
feathers to match. | remember it with
double force, because | made It cousin
of mine quite angry with the mere de-
scription of it. | don't know if you
have ever met her? She has gone into
millinery, like everybody else. She
calls herself Nine. Destrier. ~
looked Lady Loddington full in
the face. and laid a peculiar emphasis
on the name.
never saw any one so thoroughly
caught in my life. l knew in mo-
ment that site knew | knew. as Punch
would put it. She turned perfectly
scarlet to the roots of her hair, and
then quite white. and didn't speak for
at least Il moment. Then she pulled
herself together as only woman can,
and adroitly changed the subject.
But she has been monstrously civil
to me ever since much to the surprise
of my friends. | am plain and unin-
teresting; | am not 4 personage;
haven't a farthing-not even expecta-
lions-and they can't make out where
the attraction lies. They had better
ask Nine. Destrier of Oxford street to
pnliuhtpn them - I0DIon World