Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-09-27

for the sake Of sauld lang sFne.' 1t will
not be the first picnic dinner that Mr..
Bartels has eaten with US
"You are quite too kind" said Mrs.
Bartels stiffiy, turning to go. ''Good
evening, and thanks for your care OF
the package"
"And no message for Mr.. Bsrtels?" in
tone OF innocent raiilery. 81 know he
will accuse me of cheating him out OF 1t
IL you do not give me one"
''(iiye him my love, please" turning
back slowly, ''and tell him that he must
enjoy himself enough to counterbalance
my loss and loneliness without him."
tOh, don't you worry about that.
with a significant little nod, her red lips,
moist like a dhild's. curling in laughter.
"He will have good time. ''Of course"
she added, with sweet air of innocent
cordiality, 1--WE shall keep him with US
at the Park"
"By no means!" cried Mrs. Bartels
sharply. He must not think OF impos-
ing on you to such an extentas that"
: Imposing! An old ehum like him!
Nonsense, Mrs. Bartelsl we could en-
| JOY nothing more than having him with
Us; and as TO any trouble on his account,
nobody knows anything about trouble at
the park. We all rough it and have a
good time. Indeed, we shall insist on
his staying with u.s."
Mrs. Bartel's pale lips parted as II for
further protest, but suddenly she turned
away without q word. ''Goodby," she
called back over her shoulder, with an
afterthought Of courtesy, ''and pleas
ant trip to you"
Back again in her own darkened home,
she felt her way slowly to the nearest
chair, sinking down heavily, her elbows
/ on her knees, her chin resting On her
upturned palms, and the little clock on
the mantel had struck the hour, the
half hour, and licked its way round to
the point of ringing out the time again,
! while she sat there motlonless in the
shadows, hat and gloves still on, moodily
lost In thought.
So this was the outcome OF her deyo-
votion and self sacrifce-to give Mrs.
Rogers opportunity to complete a hall
won conquest. And had Donald stopped
to such contemplate planning as this?
Mrs. Rogers was to visit on ranch, ne
had said, had he deliberately lied? Had
he, bent on going with these people
whom he liked, thought it the easiest
and smootheSt course to deceive the
jealous wife into eomplGeent consent?
She rose at last, YEARLY moving from
room to room, lighting the lamps and
I drawing the curtains. How pretty 1t all
was under the warm, rose shaded lights!
What boyish delight Donald had shown
in gratifying all her modest whims in
the matter OF furnishing! Not another
home in all the place was half so artistic
and charming. And how happy they
had been together all those blessed
months in the new nest How tenderly
kind Donald had been TO her always!
All, it was impossible; he could not
poison their happy love life with such
puerile deception as this, and suddenly
she broke into a happy laugh. Why,
surely, Mrs. Rogers had said that her
going had not been arranged until the
last moment. Naturally, Donald had
known nothing about it when he rode
away from the ho1se that morning. He
had been innocent OF any thought OF con-
ceaimeat. II that odions woman had
not worried her into such temper she
must have understood and exonorated
him at once.
But the fact remained that he would
lunch with Mrs. Rogers on the morrow;
that he would journey on TO Lake park
in her company, and that for the next
week or two he would be thrown more
or less continually in the society OF that
too fascinating little coquette. Anita
could not have dreamed that her i'm
pulsive generosity was TO cost her so
dear as this
But Donald must not be trapped into
staying with these people, and she seated
herself at her desk. IL was a long letter
she wrote, designed with tender art TO
appeal TO all his love for her, and finally
In an uncousequeutial little postscript
came the real gist OF the matter: MRS.
Rogers told me that she should Insist
upon your staying with them az the
park. Apparently she IS indifferent to
the possibility-indeed, in that event,
the certainty-of reviving the silly old
gossip that bracketed your name with
hers once on time. 1t is comfort in
expressible to me to know that you,
dearest. have more discretion-that you
will not let yourself be drawn into any
foolishness of that sort, for my sake, II
for no other reason. know that need
not beg you not to. for when have ever
had TO ask you TO be thoughtful and
considerate Of me?"