New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-29
MISSING-A HUSBAND.
RY ADA C. INCHBoLD.


The BRIDEGROOM was successful young ylne-
grower of Sonoma County the bride daughter
0t his nearest ncighbor. They mad driven on 70
tho railway station, followed by the good wishes
Of their combined families, and had arrived III
San Francisco late in the afternoon Rooms had
been reserved for them over sunday, ana IT. was
their intention TO start for the East on Monday, 70
visit relatives Of Mr.. Hunters, and spend 'he
coming months in more congenial sufrouhdlhes
than the rainy monotony OF winter season Ia
The usual electrical atmosphere enveopng
ordinary bridal couples. discharginS the secret OF
tie newncSs Of the bond to the rude gaze OF a
sYoand this distinguished and decidedly gOod,
looking pair. Olga was of Danish extraction, ana
uossessed the delicate refined features. slender
shape and stately bearing common to her fellow
countrywomen; and Marshall had been UNI
versity man. and stroke in his college boat before
lie em,grated to California and took up ranclliil9
At any rate covert glanccs followed their course
from the cars to the boat: from the BOAT 10 Ile
hotel and even there the elevator-Doy DeaneG aLo
piowed on Oga's unconscious face. as though ne
then and there took her under the special pro-
lection of his beneiicent wing ,.,.. ,ooro 60
Mrs. Hunter retired behind the slldlng-dools TO
remove all traces of the dusty journey, WhlIe
Marshall delvcd into the mysteries oil MS trahci
linc-bac TO bring forth still more lmmacul3e
nccktie than the one already enGlpcng ms his sats
throat. After adjusting 1t entneX 10 ms sH,,s i
faction, he stepped on tiptoe 10 Ogas door ana
tanned gently. II response came nnt,er o.
Iielt footstnps and the door gided just TAR enough
back TO allow pretty head TO peep out afo
inquire what was the matter a.. on.
aOnly this darling-l am going down 70 see
about dinner and tell them not to send al! In.'s
n;lc of trunks M here | may be quarter OF
an hour. but not minute lonser so saSi bsri ho
took his young wlfes face oe,wteh nls sa n' ho,
gaZed fondy into her eyes, anu lhe" Missy" ~
Blushing and smiling. Olga retreatcd. and in a
few moments reappeared IN the slttlisIo9 rr
rs q morning glory Her husband was sun ap' t
so she made tour of the room. and Oy WhSelinG
The table 10 one side and manoeuNring sklllulN
with chairs in the way that Women uo Inv
SiNnfn q f-uD
lounce-f-yOu-dare mien assumed DN each pdL
Ocular piece of furniture that has not been p4sneo
or pulled into its place by feminine myers 'U nne
foot hv the door to listen IL they were her nus
bands When they passed by without pauSlng
at the threshold she walked over to the WINDOW
and sat down in a big easy-char. 1t was Satur-
day afternoon: the streets were thronged WIN
people, the traffic was noisy and vigorous; the
lights were being turned on, as it was growing
dusk. From Olgas point of view, limited by a
country life to rare gmpses Of human nature as
net with in busy city, especially IN us ouzzln9,
eeming centre. this was an interesting ensfossIIg
sight She forgot her new condition of life for the
> time being till figure crossing the street In re
distant maze of the growing twilight reminded nor
of Marshall She began TO wonder where ne was
she was growing hungry. and il must Dc nearly
dinner time. She took out her watch: IT. was
o'clock. Why: he had been gone quite nan o an
hour. he said he would be only ten minutes. She
again turned her attention 70 the lively scene De
low, but her cars were ebert to catch any souhd
that might he the herald of her husbands return
\ all dark but the running streaks rejected on
N the walls by the outside iilumnatlons. olga was
passing from state of wonder TO one OF
~ keen resentment. Marshall had no business to
leave her alone so long: She was not accustomed
10 hotels. and he must know she would not like
10 he left alone for an hour SO soon after Their
arrival. She made up her mind 70 be silent and
reserved upon his return, yet when ten minutes
later she heard q key turn in the outer door, she
forgot her stern resolve and rushed out, eXcialm
ing: Why. Marshall wherever have You been ?"
Excuse me. ma'am! l didn't know you was
here. / thought you was down at dinner, came
in strange accents to Oga's frightened ears.
Who is it? What do YOU want?' she fa-
tered out
It's only the chambermaid, mo'am Law,
you've no light ma am it's awful lonesome sitting
In the dark" the good-natured woman went on III
reassurng tones on, catching sight of the pale,
Thank YOU said Olga. with all the dignity,
as she ilattered herself, of a matron OF at least
FIVE years standing; Il preferred sitting in the
dark Till my husband came The woman had
already lighted the gas and proceeded 10 draw
the heavy windOw-curtainS closely together, Won
derinc at the same time, what the husband was
about not TO come and take his pretty young wife
down 10 dinner in proper time some intuition
made her turn kindly TO Olga, and say
Here Is the bell button. maam and if Yen
answer it She then went out. closing the door
gently after her.
not as grateful as she ought to have been. she
locked at her watch again; it was o'clock.
II was really remarkable that Marshall still de-
iaVcd. lie knew she had eaten nOlnlnE al tilc
grand weddng-spread before they left, and she
was furnishing. She put her watch on the tapl'
in front of her. and said " ii he does not CONF
in ten minutes | shall 90 downstairs alone ana
have NV dinner This was mere bravado, as she
inwardiy knew, but it helped TO Kill time. II was
the longest ten minutes she ever experienced ana
before it over she GOT up ana paceo III
patiently up and down the room
In front of the mirror she stopped and regarded
herself nteny to see II she was I"on cH as dp pS
the little passage 10 the outer door of the rooms,
and hesitated before gaining courage TO open IL
and look out. The first glance into the corridor
emboldened her 10 step outside and reconnoitre
Had she lingering hope OF catching si@ht OF heI
husbands cOat-tails round the corner ana was II
the oucnchng of that hope or the RAPID lnfOads
of a rampant, healthy hunger that made ner turn
bacl, quickly with a sick, sinking sensation at
her heart? She felt she would Ely III one mciIei,
il he did not cone, and as he dld not turn up Az
that limited space Of time, she dld cry ana IcIt all
lie better for il. Then she looked again III the
mirror reflected that red cyehds were unDccomlng
and wnilcd away another ten minutes in bathing
her eyes with cologne-water happy thousht
struck her There was nothing to prenent hei
and telling him she wanted some dinner brought
20 Der room. No sooner thought DIAN done: 10
her relief the boy did not look at all astonished
aud said "Yes'm!" with the same alacrity as il
he were hourly in the habit OF sending up stray
meals 10 hungry people -.
Wien he Knocked at the door second time
Oiea forgot for an instant and jumped up de-
T@htedly 10 greet Marshall. as she fondly hoped
IL is painful confession, bat true, nevertheless
That the wellapp0lnted Tray OF SaNOIN, ouoIOue
cdibcs filing UP the doorway. restored her
eauanimity and instantly dspelled her dlsappoint-
mcnt.
well. il he doesn't come, he doesn't she said
with stoical indifference. she sat down at the
table with an air Of resignation. This pretty
! plaintiveness soon changed its character when q
! o'clock struck and she still alone. Ten
o'clock came round all too slowly, but brought no
husband with il. She was frightened, indignant
frantic with dread and anger, in rapid succession
no one in the world could ever have had such q
wcddiDg-day she had had. II was awful
4 shameful preposterous! She wished she had
never met Marshall was furious with herself for
having married him: naturally like other heroines
Of both real life and fiction. she wished she had
never been horn. No idea that some accident
could have detained him crossed her mind till /
b n'clock When il did fash ncrnss her Size rnse