The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-10-08

was no harm in them, according to his
ideas Why, Milly was quite welcome
to play the same little game, if she chose
in moderation, be il understood
Feeling this, and foreseeing that his
dull moments would be apt to increase
with each coming day, it was not with
total indifference he had witnessed q
new arrival the week previous, and had
noted an inclination on the part of the
bewcomer to bestow upon him various
significant glances and smiles. Said
new arrival WAS very fiirtatious widow.
with red gold hair, big blue eyes and
plump white neck and arms, of which
she made rather liberal display when
dressed for dinner.
She was not a person of much refine
ment, but she had q ready tongue, an
unfailing flow of spirits and big. high
voice, with which she would call upon
sR-r-r-obert, Robert, tot que Jaime, and
also hold forth in various other rather
antiquated selections from the hack
neyed old Italian operas. She had also
an Unsuitable appetite for admiration,
and was never contented without some
man dangling after her. As Mr.. Golfer
was quite her opposite in appearance,
being black eyed and dark haired, she
had at once selected him as her cavalier,
regardless of the fact that there was q
Mrs. Golfer, who might reasonably OBJ
ject to having her husband monopolized
in this way. As a matter of fact Mis-
tress Milly had felt quite easy on the
subject, simply because everything had
! seemed so entirely on the surface, and it
was only the finding Of Mrs. Lessons
mischievous little scrawl which had
made her believe that Robert could de-
ceive her.
And now what should she do? To be
sure it was not, so far, very serious
matter, but it was enough TO make her
loving, jealous heart very sore and re-
sentful; and not being by any means of
the Griselda type Of woman one of her
first thoughts was to retaliate. Hence
her resolution to bottle up her indigna-
ton and quietly outmaneuver the widow
by keeping an eye on Robert until din
ner time and so prevent the proposed
walk.
| In due time the fishermen returned,
and lunch being over, the usual after
: noon dispersion began. A sailing party
drew away some of the guests, and 9TH
ers retired for lounge and a nap. Mrs.
Lesson stationed herself on the piazza
with book, and seemed unusually tact
turn and inclined for her own company.
But Milly was not going TO trust to this
seeming indifference, so she got together
half a dozen pool players, and carried
Robert and also young Dugall off in her
train. Rather to her surprise, Rob
evinced no reluctance to being thus cap
tured and seemed to enjoy the game,
which was prolonged until almost din
ner time. But having become suspi-
cious, Milly imagined further duplicity
perhaps postponement OF the walk
until the twilight hour as being more
conducive to sentiment-so she remained
firm in her resolution to pay back in his
own coin her recreant husband, and was
SO charming to young Dugall that his
head was quite turned. Which effect
was still further increased when she ap-
peared at dinner time in q delicious
black lace and satin gown, lighted up
by knots of orange ribbon and a corsage
bouquet of great glowing marigolds-
one Of the special products of the island.
Dinner over, Mr.. Dugall proposed q
stroll over the long pier to welcome back
the sailing party, which had been over
to Stonington TO lay in a supply of bon
bons and enjoy the delicious peach ices
proc1rable in that sleepy old town. And
after that what was more natural than
to wander around by the bathing beach,
where the waves were coming in with !
greater force than usual before rising |
wind, which bid fair to be a small sized |
gale before morning. Then back TO the |
hotel for a promenade on the piazzas,
and finally a cosy tete-a-tete in the most |
secluded corner, where Mistress Milly's |
scheme of retaliation progressed so rapid |
ly that within an hour Mr.. Dagall was |
eloquently portraying the delights of a |
sail over to Watch Hill and dinner at |
one of the hotels. And would Mrs. |
Golfer let him escort her over tomorrow
"Oh, but-these women, you know. !,
How they would talk!"
well, surely, you don't mind them.
Well just start of quietly after break |
fast, as If for an hours sail, and If they |
do gossip we'n have a nice day anyhow, |
and be home here by dinner time. And |
you know it won't half equal Mra Lee
sons doings."
"By the way, where is the widow this |
evening, Mr.. Dugally"
why, don't you know? Sumner came |
over an hour ago with his catsmaran and
invited your husband to try its speed |
around the island, and nothing would do
but Mrs Lesson and her sister must go |
along. And they haven't got back yet |
Come, nowl won't this give the gossips |
enough to talk about tomorrow, so they
won't be thinking Of rs: You'll 60. Mrs
ColterY'
"Well, ! won't promise, but il come !,
down in my boating suit you can see
Tom about engaging the Mermaid"
Then her spirits seemed to flag. Flirt-
ing wasn't much fun after all, and, oh,
where was Rob all this timer After
quarter hour Of wandering thoughts and
increasing indignation against the whole
sisterhood of widows she felt that she
must have solitude; so, with merely
glance into the parlor, where Major
Larned, the proud father of the loveliest
baby in the hotel, was delighting an ad-
Iniring audience with the inspiring
strains of "Nancy Lee" she ran up
stairs and locked herself into her room
for the inevitable good cry In which
feminine human nature finds safety /
valve in most emotional crises The
better to indulge in this luxury she got
into q wrapper and cuddled down on the
50 sha d.rk.