The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-28

Mrs. Darlington muttered something
about ''bad headache"
But have you always bad headache
nowadays" continued Mrs. Brandon,
more seriously. 81 should not have al
luded to the subject if this were the first
time that have seen you thus But for
weeks have observed you growing
more and more gloomy and depressed.
You are getting quite unlike your old
self, and | cannot help feeling seriously
uneasy about you. What does it mean?'
To Mrs. Brandon's surprise her friend,
instead of answering, only burst into
tears and buried her face in her hand
kerchief Evidently, thought Mrs.
Brandon, the once gay and sprightly
Ada Isaacs was very changed indeed.
Come, Ada" she said, drawing her
chair closer, and taking one of her
friends hands, ''you have something on
! your mind. thought so before; now
am sure of it. Tell me all about it. 1t
will do you good to confde in some one,
and you and | have never had secret
from one another during the last twenty
years. Is it anything to do with TomY'
''No, no-indeed it isn't! Pray don't
think that!" sobbed Mrs. Darlington.
"Well, that's mercy!" observed Mrs.
Brandon. Then it must be something
to do with yourself. What is itT'
There was short pause, during which
Mrs. Partington's sCbs slightly sub
sided.
Nell" she said presently, sit is all
your fault"
"My fault, dear~ exclaimed Mrs.
Brandon.
Your fault" repeated Mrs. Parting
ton. ut has all come Of your introduce
ing me to that hateful Pompadour club
Oh, how wish | had never entered the
placel"
"You don't mean to say Mrs
Brandon paused and looked at her
friend
81 mean to say that, unknown to Tom,
l have been playing there every after
noon, and losing constantly, until-oh,
Nell, promise-swear that You will not
tell Tom thisT"
"Of course not. Have we ever be-
trayed one another's confidence, dear?
But you must promise me something
too. Promise that you Will tell Tom"
ZIP Oh, Nell you don't know what
you are asking You have not heard all
yet. l would not have Tom know it
for the world. Rather than that l
would"-
Mrs. Partington's sobs had burst forth
again with renewed force. Suddenly
she sank back on the sofa with cry Of
pain which alarmed her friend. Per-
ceiving that she was really i'll Mrs.
Brandon summoned assistance. Many
minutes did not elapse before one Of the
servants was hurrying off for a doctor.
Very shortly after the arrival of that
functionary, Mrs. Brandon herself left.
She drove direct to the club where Tom
Darlington occasionally called of an af-
ternoOn on his way home from the city.
By good luck be was there now, and the
message which Mrs. Brandon sent in
quickly brought him to her carriage
door. A very few words passed between
them, but enough to make Toms face
grow to twice its normal length.
81 will be off at once" he said
DO" replied Mrs. Brandon. ''But
mind, not word yeti Not until she is
quite well again"
Trust mel" cried Tom. He was al
ready hailing passing hanson, and
with hurried bow to Mrs. Brandon he
jumped into it.
When he reached home he sprang up
the steps and rang the door bell sharply
1t was opened in about half second by
the cook, who, with a look of deep i'm
portance on her face, gasped out: "Please,
sir, will you be as quiet as possible. And
-and-it's boy!"
Before her bewildered master had
time to make any inquiries relative to
this information the doctor, who had
been descending the stairs when he en-
tered, came up to him and shook him by
the hand.
Il must congratulate you, my dear
sir" he said, ''on the birth of a remark
ably fine son. am glad to tell you, too
that Mrs. Darlington is going on as well
as can be expected. But she is naturally
very weak. So if you go in to see her
do not stop more than minute or allow
her to talk. Anything calculated to ex-
cite her must be most carefully avoided.
will call in again later and see how she
ID progressing"
Under these circumstances MIR. Part
ington was compelled to abandon for the
present the hope which he had enter
tanned of inducing his wife to confde to
him the trouble which seemed to have
recently oppressed her. He accordingly
restrained his patience as best he could,
and waited until her strength should re-
turn. At the end of the week, however,
it was evident that Mrs. Darlington was
only mending very slowly, and the doc
tor was by no means satisfied with her
progress. Indeed, he expressed his con-
viction to the husband that something
was weighing on his patients mind, the
removal of which was essential TO her
complete recovery. After this Tom re-
solved to endeayor at the earliest oppor-
tunity to come to an understanding with
his wife.
So. on the same afternoon, as he sat by
his wife's bedside, with one Of her hands
in his, he said kindly, "Ada, my dear,
you have something on your mind"
\ quick flush overspresd her pale face,
and she averted her gaze, murmuring in
a confused tone, What makes you fancy
that, TomY'
The eyes Of love are quick to sae such
things replied her husband tenderiy, as
he stroEed her head with his disengaged
hand. did you think failed TO remark
it lust now, when, as your glance fell on