Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-09
an UNEXPECTED VISIT.

Strickland, twitching his cuffs and stretch
ing his arms before letting his hands fall
into his lap, sank back into the luxurious
armchair by his library fire, after throw
ing on the table the letter that announced
his promotion to an enviable post in the
civil service. AS he thought of the past
his advancement seemed to him no subject
for congratulations but only one of those
grim jests with which fortune delights to
mock disappointed men.
An old man servant, one of the sort
growing rare, entered the room with an
evening paper. He laid it at his masters
side and stood at respectful distance,
waiting half hesitating, with some anxiety
legible in his countenance.
"Well. Thomas?" asked Strickland
81 beg your pardon, sir; but do you re-
member what day it is to-day"
"No, Thomas"
''Your wedding day, sir"
Strickland's face clouded.
81 did not know, sir, whether you would
wish for dinner the same wine as-as YOU
used to have"
mo, Thomas; l shall probably dine at
the club"
81 ordered dinner, as usual, sir, and
bouquet, in case"
"Quite right, Thomas quite right"
For an instant the heart of the promo
ted official sank The fidelity of his old
domestic was humiliating. How he would
have once resented the suggestion that
Thomas would remember this anniversary
IL II tIo+
fall to the old servant to order from the
florist the bouquet Gerard himself had
been formerly SO proud to bring home on
this evening to his wife! But the slight
sense of annoyance passed away quickly.
1t was with absolute indifference
that, seeing the man servant still waiting,
he asked:
Anything else, Thomas"
"This morning, when you had but Just
gone, lady called. Hearing you were not
at home, she said she should call again
this evening, about six. She wished to
see you on important business"
"Her name@
"She left none"
"Did you see her?"
'No, sir"
'Did John say what she was like?"
Rather tall, sir; young lady, dark,
and fashionably dressed"
''If she calls l will see her You may
go, Thomas" The servant left and Strick-
land continued to himself: Tall, young,
dark, business with me. Who can she
be?p
"The lady is here, sir, in the draw
ingroom," said Thomas, returning to the
library after about ten minutes.
Strickland went to the drawingroom. AT
the door he paused moment to steal a
look at this visitor. She stood bv one of the |
tables, idly turning the leaves of a photo
graph album. Her back was toward him,
and he could distinguish only the tall and
graceful figure of a woman, well dressed
and wearing expensive laces.
MADAM |" he said, advancing.
The lady turned. Strickland started as
if he had received an electric shock. To
conceal, to the best of his ability, his sur
prise, and the sudden pallor of his face, he
made her profound bow.
al hope / am not inconveniencing you"
she said, at the same returning his salute
Then, with quiet ease she selected
chair and sat down.
"Not in the least; 1 am at your service"
said Strickland.
GAS | shall avail myself of your conde-
~scension, hope that was not merely COM
pliment."
May ask how l can oblige your"
The lady stroked the soft fur of her muff, |
and once or twice lifted her searching eyes
to his face. Apparently she was hesitating
to name the purpose of her visit Mean
while, Strickland gratiied his eyes with a |
good look at her, lovely, fascinating still, |
as the first day he had seen her. Only her |
pure profile had gained more decision, and |
her eyes had a profounder meaning than |
when he last looked into them as those of |
woman who had lived and suffered.
At length she said
ado you still correspond with my
fatherY
Yes. 1t is, however, fortnight since
/ last wrote to him."
81 received letter from him yesterday.
He is coming to town tomorrow"
This time Strickland made no attempt
to conceal his surprise
Tomorrow Your father who never
leaves homer
"The medical men order him to the
south coast, and he will, on his way, stop
in town, to spend the night with"
She paused.
"His daughter said Strickland
'fHe says his son And so we find our
selves in pleasant embarrassment
She leaned back, and with a small hand
began drumming waltz on the table at
her side
You call it pleasant" said Strickland.
did not come here to discuss words,
but to discover plan of action"
see none"
"And you are politician, man Of
genius If those subtle arts that have
been so successfully employed in your own
advancement could be, without prejudice
to you, this once employed to extricate me
from"
Excuse me, madam; but your re-
proaches are scarcely likely to assist me to
exercise my imagination"
"Bah WE'LL | have 4 plan. First,
don't wish. cost what it may. to let my
father know-the truth"
''The unhappy truth"
She made a little grimace and pro-
ceeded:
"My father would be cruelty hurt, and
the sins of the children ought not to be
visited upon their parents. Ny remorse-
/ beg your pardon, that is Of no conse-
quence here'-she looked aside TO warn
him not to expostulate, and continued
"Hitherto, thanks to our precautions, the
distance of my fathers residence and the
seclusion in which he prefers TO live, he
has been spared this sorrow. Tomorrow
our clever edi6ce of dutiful falsehood falls
to the ground, and / at least am unable to
conjecture the consequences"
"And l."
@Mr. Strickland, it is absolutely neces-
sary to prevent this scandal. trust you
will assist me- My father must find us
together; and we must avoid everything
that would serve to awaken suspicion"
She spoke sadly as well as earnestly. A
deep shadow of concern settled on her