Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-12-25

IL ISL l. CEdG, she answered.. II wanted
to know, er-l thought, er-I wanted to
ask. Oh, Tom dear, aren't you very wet
and cold up there?"
'Thank you, one could scarcely expect
there should be a draft up here, or to find
it parchingly hot-but Pm quite comforta-
BILE, thank you all the same." With Il
males inconsistency.
Down went the skylight. The great !
.stagnation slowly uprose and they drove
on again. 1t had begun to clear up. Mrs. !
Lancaster thought she knew her way
about town, but Mr.. Lancaster should
have known it still better, and yet he took
her round Grosvenor place as a means to ,
reaching Park lane. 1t seemed as If he
took a pleasure in driving by the most op. i
posite and roundabout route.
Perhaps he wasn't thinking of where he !
was going; perhaps-a little quick sob
quivered up to her lips and she bit them !
perhaps he, too, was thinking of those days
at Venice, Nice, Vienna. Perhaps he was
thinking that if only she had been not
quite so hard and un%forgiving when his
fancy had rather wandered toward La
Sorella, with her ten-and- sixpenny a bot
tie "Golderine" hair, attracted probably
more by her diablerie than anything else
perhaps, if she had been a little softer, he
might have told her of the real remorse he
felt for his Inconsistency, the remorse of
having lost all his income (thereby indi-
rectly reducing her OWN, spent in good
ness knows what follies, that had played
the very mischief with the dollars. Had
she been gentler perhaps he might not
have been exalted to the high position he
now occupied, which, with hanging, is
probably the only position of elevation
which does not bring eXaltation along
with it.
She had money of her own, a good 81, 500
n year., and when the final split came-a
split born of a very small rift-he had been
too proud to let her know how his money
matters stood, and so it came about that
husband and wife had not met for quite a
year, and that during the last five weeks
he had driven a raking bay about London,
harnessed to II luxurious IS. r." hanson.
And he? Well, he was thinking of what
a laundering ass he had been, and how he
had tried her love and faith in him.
And she? Well, had She, too, not firted
just u bit with Lord Racque and Colonel
Targeut, and when he had demonstrated
ever SO little had she not fared out on him
and thrust that odious, yellow haired
Signora Sorella in his face?
II wish he wouldn't drive quite so fast"
she thought. eve shall get home so soon
if he does"
They were passing a restaurant. She
slanted her umbrella toward it, and he
drew up instantly.
"If you don't mind," she said, II am
just going in for Il glass of wine; l feel a
little faint"
1t was no such thing, for in two minutes
she was out again, the wine untouched and
the glass in her hand.
"You must have got so wet and cold, l
wish you-would you?" she stammered
timidly-"would you mind just taking a
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. me?"
She had taken off her glove, and the
broad wedding band caught his eye. A
spasm Of pain came upon his face. 1t was
like driving your fist through a mirror and
smashing the smooth, even surface into
bits.
"Thank you," he said, Il little unstead-
lily, in Il rather husky voice, as he descend
ed slowly from his perch.
"Oh! l will take it in for YOU"
II could not think of giving IL lady my
glass to put down." he answered, with his
old characteristic courtesy toward the
womanhood.
Two young ladies'" behind the bar had
been watching the proceeding.
Goodness gracious, Louie" said one,
"well, l declared Fine ladies do carry on
nicely. She's giving him her ~wine-thare's
NO accounting for tastes" ,
Quoth her friend, "There's every &C.
counting for them when it's a tawny mus
, tache."
About a quarter of an hour later the
hanson drew up in Norfolk street.
Mrs. Lancaster got out and walked slow
ly up the steps. Before ringing she turned
around. a. little ragamufin was inspecting
her.
"Would you like a siXpence?" she asked
him gravely. A s%uperfluous question, to
which he replied, with the knowledge of
past experience to guide him and a wisdom
beyond his winters:
"Sixpences were not to be 'ad fl, moth
I'M"
"Of course not" she answered, and YOU
have only to hold the horses head for u
little; you needn't he afraid" she added,
rashly guaranteeing the beasts peaceful
nature, "and you shall have sixpence."
Thus, having reduced the legion of un-
employed by one, she turned and rang the
bell.
DO you mind coming in for a few min
utes?" she said, addressing her husband;
II want to tell you something's
He looked at her for an instant, then set.
tied his whip in it's socket, tied the reins
securely and descended slowly.
but the servants?"
"The only W whom you will see are
new ones"
The door opened-"Dinner at once and
lay another place at table,"
"YoG remember this, and this rpausing
before some picture or some hanging), and
this vase; do you remember how nearly I
was drowned out of that gondola at Ven
ice-it was just opposite those glass works,
and you insisted on our going in and buy
ing something to remind you and how
thankful you were that it had ended in
nothing worse than a drenching:""
81 have forgotten nothing" he answered
gravely.
mot ever the way to your dressing
rooms" she said archly, turning around.
Mot even the way to my dressing
ROOM" replied Mr.. Lancaster.
81 dare say the gas isn't lighted though"
She led the way and entered the room
together.