The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-08-06
HER ADVENTURE.
espite the Gossips He Was
Worthy of His Bride.


Worthy Of His Bride.
.'ernaps it was because Edward Slo-
comb was in love with Carrie Tracy
that he disliked Jack Mourdant so
much
On the morning after Mrs. Aspinwall
Jones dance Slocomb was leisurely
dressing in his room at the hotel.
There was knock at his door and a
telegram was handed in.
Come at once" he read. He glanced
at the ignature-simply Grace"
Slocomb read the telegram again and
ran his fingers through his hair in per-
plexity.
"Who the dickens is Grace?" he NUT
tered
Then he looked at the telegram
again. There was mistake. Slocomb
rushed out into the hall. The messen-
ger boy was just going downstairs. He
shouted to the boy, but he continued
on his way. Slocomb threw slipper
he held in his hand and struck the boy
between the shoulder blades.
Cant you hear?' he said, angrily.
Come back. This telegram is not for
me; it is for Mr.. Mourdant. His room
is Is, mine is 1S."
The boy took the telegram off and
Slocomb went on dressing. When he
found himself trying to shave himself
W tn a clasp knife instead of razor,
he looked intently into the glass and
cried:
whats up? What's the man going
to d.? BY Jove, he shan't marry Carrie
if can help it,
After this very emphatic speech Slo-
comb went down to breakfast.
His perplcxity and anger were not
out of place, however. If you ever
happened into conservatory and
found man kissing the girl you love
you know how Slocomb felt.
This is exactly what took place at
the dance the night before. Slocomb
was very much surprised at Carrie. He
thought she knew better than that
She danced with Mourdant alto
gether too much, ami She ran off with
him into the conservatory altogether
too many times 1t looked odd, indeed.
People noticed it, and commented on
it without mercy.
eff they are engaged, all right" said
they. "OthcrwisC- and shoulders
were shrugged and eyebrows elevated.
Jack Mourdant was a social success
at Lenox; and that for man means a
good deal No one cared to know
where he came from; no one cared to
know about his family. He was hand
some in his dark Spanish way, q good
dancer-dancing men are so very
scarcc-and he always said tie right
thing in the right place.
But Slocomb was not at all satisfied
with him. He could not take him as
the rest of the people did. A man who
danced with his cousin, Carrie Tracy
must be something more than four
weeks wonder.
Carrie was Slocomb's cousin in a dis
tant sort of a way, and half engage
ment existed between them. S.ocom b
had not spoken, however. He was
Carries constant companion, and. with
Mrs. Tracy as chaperone, they were
out a great deal together.
1t was the mothers place to put O
stop to this Mourdant business, but she
was quite as much fascinated with the
man as her charming daughter. There
fore it fell on Slocomb's shoulders to
see that nothing came of the rapidly
growing intimacy. He had done his
best, but he came into the conservatory
just too late.
Carrie Tracy was annoyed at his APP
pearance. Mourdaut excused himself
hurriedly. Slocomb took occasion to
lecture Carrie in a consinly way. She
was very sullSy, however, and snubbed
him without mercy.
Why Slocomb distrusted Mourdant
was on account of a very odd episode
that had occurred week before. There
had been tennis party at ono of the
cottages. and going home S1ocomb had
stumbled on Mourdant in bypath,
talking earnestly with strange
woman. 1t was very embarrassing.
Slocomh begged pardon, was awfully
sorry and withdrew as quickly as pos
sible. He said nothing to the man about
it, however, until the dance. Mour-
dant's attention to Carrie was so notice
able that something ought to be done.
This thing must be stopped" said
Slocomb, savagely, to Mourdant, later
in the evening.
What thing?" asked the young fell
low, with frank smile
This kissing my cousin, for one
thing, and secret meetings with a
woman for another" said Slocomb in
his blunt way.
Mourdant grew angry. Slocomb had
no right to talk that way.
III not explain about that affair
after the tennis party" he said, hotly.
''1'll not betray a woman's secret She
came to the hotel to see me; it was
necessary she should see me at once.
They sent her to the cottage. Our
meeting was accidental"
Mourdant stalxed off and deigned no
further explanation. an s,~.~.----,., '-~s"r .~~
Some time later Slocomb found him
self in Albany and he saw Mourdant
and "Grace" again. Mourdant was just
coming in on the train from Lenox,
''Grace" met HIM at the station. It was
the day after Slocomb got the telegram
by mistake. The thing did not look
well at all. Slocomb hurried back to
Lenox. He resolved to tell Carrie
Tracy the whole miserable story.