The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-11

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We passed into our humble apartments
very dIscontented trio. l could see that
CIssie was angry by the way In which she
sat down with pouting lips to the supper
table. As Tor Grey. the lamplight revealed
him to be white as death. MurmurIng
some excuse about q headache, he said he
wanted nothing 10 eat, and TOOK nimseii OH
to his own room. was too much an.
noyed to trust my self to speak at first, but
when we were alone / could no longer Keep
silent.
reproached her for her folly In encour-
aging the attentions OF Lord treeiand.
whose object, | assured her, could not bo
matrimouy; whereas MIR. Grey, who really
loved Inc would gladly marry her. was
evidently deeply hurt at her Irritation with
the brainless young aristocrat.
She p~assionately resented my remarks
and my interference, and demanded my
reasons for refusing to believe that Lord
Freeland would propose. she was sure
hat he was deeply In love, and reminded
me that many stage artists had married
into the aristocracy.
As to Edmund Grey, whose cause 1
pleaded earnestly, when 1 referred to him
Clssie coIored deeply. She knew perfectly
we'll what meant, thCugh she ~obstinately
pretended not to do so.
IL don't understand you"
"Cissie. that 10 not true. For the last ak
weeks you have let Edmund Grey believe
that you favored his suit. You have ac-
cepted bis attentions and his presents. If
not actually engaged to HIM. you have let
the world think you were. Are you going
to throw HIM over nowf"
Certainly not. There is nothing to
throw over. Mr.. Grey is my friend. and /
suppose he will continue to DO So"
You are playing with me. You know
that he Is more than -four friend; that he is
deeply in love with you. You have seen it
and encouraged IL. and If you jllt him now
1 Will not answer for the consequences"
Cissie was silent. and | went on:
Grey is a genius. with more
brains in his little finger than that idIotic
lord of yours has IN his whole body. and
geniuses are more sensitive than fools. Ii
you do this thing you will cut him TO the
very soul-perhaps spoil his whole life, and
the SIN Will lie at your door. And when
you have wounded him. will your fine lord
marry yous Not a bit of it! He will in
suit and leave you, ~unless-whlch God for.
bid.-he drags you down with him."
lyon seem To know all about it." cried
Cissie, pertly, as she left me and ran up to
bed.
/ was afraid my remonstrance had not
mcnded matters, and the sequel proved it.
Lord Philip was in his usual place the fol-
lowing evening. and a few days after wards
as Sir. Grey and / were walking quietly to-
gether. we met her, oil smiles and bushes,
-promenading by his side. Edmund ala not
remark ON the occurrence. but l saw his
pdlc ldC6 tuEu 6tiuOob llNlus anu uc CoIu-
pressed his lips tightly together.
..Cissie is very thoughtless, but she means
no HARM" / said. Her head 10 turned
with the iattery she receives, but her heart
Is in the right place."
Il hope so,' he replied. and then ] knew
rs eyes were Is open as my. own. He spoke
to Cissie for the first time after this en-
counter, and there was q quarrel betw cen
them. She was unhappy about 1t as we'll
as himself, though she professed to be only
incensed.
81 can't stand this kind of thing any
longer" she said to me, with flashing eyes;
land if i am not to speak to q friend with
out being subjected to abuse and fault
finding. l shall look out for other apart
ments."
"Come. Cissie. be good, and acknowledge
that Edmund has reason to be dissatisfied"
There is no harm in . little walk" she
pouted, and edmund is absurdly jealous.
A nice sort of husband hell make if I'm
never TO speak to another man."
You do think of poor Edmun as q pos
nble husband, thenf
She colored.
IAN, Cissie, You are not so heartless az
you pretend TO be. You know that that
mans heart is worth q dozen titles. which
after all will never be your own"
I'm not so sure of that" she answered,
land I'm not going to give up my priv
ileges for any man absurd jealousy"
Indeed, after that conversation she ap-
peared To encourage Lord Freeland more
than ever. Grey never mentioned the sub
ieet, but l could see that the iron entered
into his very SOUL. He was n proud, sensi-
tive man, and his cheek seemed TO grow
thinner 6nd moro wan every day.
One evening We walked home in q very
subdued manner. Cassie had refused to
come with us Lilly Arnott. who played
principal boy, had invited her and Lord
Philip to sup at her rooms. and Cissie had
accepted the invitation. So Edmund and
/ returned to onr humble meal alone. Ed
mum went to his room and l volunteered
to sit up Tor Cissie.
She was very late. / took up my work
60 beguile the time away. 1t was in the
small hours of the morning that she re-
turned home. escorted by her friends. and
flushed and excited by q champagne sup.
havior. and said if she was going to adopt
that sort of habit the sooner we parted
company the better.
Heres q row about nothing she ex-
me, why do itf Nobody asked you, and |
could Just as easily have slept at Miss Ar
motifs. i shall do so next time"
well, but il Is past 2 o'clock
well, i couldn't run off in the middle
of upper could Ii And | don't see that il
makes q difference To any one but myself.n
"You have made Mr.. Grey very unhappy"
i said, taking up my candIestick.
Unhappy. Rubbish! What business is
and cry like q molly-coddle every time /
am q few minutes later than usual, we'd
better come to an understanding on the
matter"
II think you had. However, run off to
bed now. Cissie. for can keep my ey es open
no longer"
She kissed me good night in her usual
fashion, and / had not the heart to repulse
her. for i believed her to be simply thought
less and nothing more.
AZ soon as breakfast was over next morn.
ing | went out and left the lovers TO them
selves. i thought they would come TO an
explanation better without me, aud being
housekeeper for the party. l had a good ex-
cuse to go marketing. When / returned 1
found Cissie alone. flushed and angry,
reading q novel on the sofa.
Where is Edmundf" | asked, cheerfuIly.
Il really don't know" she answered.
Dinner time came, but he had not ap-
peared.
shall we wait for himiD / said.
lyon can do as you please" replied
Cissie. ndifferently. He knows that we
dine at three"
i saw that something had occurred, but
it was not the time to question her. After
waiting for half an hour, we had our meal.
LIZ was finished and carried away. Still
Edmund had not joined us.
"Cissie,"n l commenced. "have you and
Mr.. Grey been quarrelingf"
Isaw her lip tremble, but she laughed as
she replied
What makes you ask thati"
because he told me he intended sneak.
ing TO ysu to-day about your behavior with
Lord Philip Freeland."
"Oh. we'll; if he told You so far. you NAV
as we'll hear the whole story. Yes: he has