The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-10-01

ten pounds" he remarked.
arthur" exclaimed his wife, II
have made up my mind!''
"Well, DEAR" he replied, you often
do. What result have you arrived at at
the present moment?'
ave will go to Christie's and sec the
vases soldr' exclaimed Lucilla.
MY dear!''
"Yes," she continued "Mr. Power
says we are certain to get ten pounds
for them. Ten pounds will pay all our
expenses for week in London; with
economy it will also enable us to go to
. q good doctor and get an opinion about
Won. We will go, Arthur. We will start
tomorrow.
my love- he answered, looking at
her in his tenderest way, ''even if we
do get this money, would it not be best
to save it?"
1--WE will save it, she answered.
ave will save it best by spending it.
Don't oppose me, Arthur; my mind is
made up"
Two DAYS later the Fields found them.
selves in lodgings-rather uncomfort-
able ones-in West Kensington. They
paid a small price for their rooms. how
ever. which was a vast consideration in
their present straitened circumstances
Power came to see them and spoke
hopefully about the ten pounds.
"You may get twenty pounds; but
for heavens sake don't build your
hopes on it." he said.
ooh, Il WON'T" replied Lucilla; but
her eyes contradicted her words, and
Power found himself obliged to turn
away from their pleading glance.
The Fields went to see doctor, a
great man. who charged them two
guineas and gave considerable
amount of advice. Field was to rest,
have complete change, and as luxurious
living as it was possible to procure for
him.
The next morning early Mr.. and Mrs.
Field prepared to start off to Christie's.
They were leaving the house when
Field suddenly turned faint and sick.
IL cannot go, Lucy" he said, and he
sank into a chair in the dingy little
lodging house parlor.
"Oh! no, you must not CO." she said,
terror in her face and voice; mo, we
will go for a drive instead"
"A drive!" he said. MY dear, you
| forget our nearly empty purse"
II do not forget" she replied. 81
will take the risk. This is lovely day;
you shall drive. Arthur-we will hire
a carriage and go into the park"
"We ought not do it." he said, in a
weak, low voice.
The landau turned out a success, and
the Fields enjoyed their drive. They
were out for two hours. They went
into Hyde park, and for short time
their carriage occupied a position in
the line of rank and fashion. No won.
an in that gay assembly looked prettier
than Lucilla in her hired carriage, with
her shabby, last years bonnet on hel
head.
| It was very late in the afternoon
when the pair returned to their shabby
lodgings in West Kensington.
Field could not help uttering an ex
clamation of astonishment when he
saw Power standing on the steps. Lu
ella, on the contrary, felt no amaze
ment, for one glance into the little
mans face made her hopes become GER
tainties.
When they got into their sitting-roon
she turned at once to Power.
"Well," she said, 81 know by youl
face that you have brought the twenty
pounds sterling"
Not exactly" he replied.
Field turned pale when Power sale
this. The horrible thought that he hat
scarcely money enough in his bank t.
pay for Lucilla's unwonted extrava
gances flashed through his mind.
Mrs. Field, however, whose eye
were fixed on Power, had no sucl
qualms at her heart.
II know you have good news" sh'
said, in her brightest voice. perhaps
the ugly things are really valuable
perhaps they have fetched more thar
twenty pounds sterling"
"They have" replied Power.
He put his hand into his pocket, tool
out a book, from which he extracted
an envelope, and handed it to Mrs
Field.
Powers eyes looked SO full of mean
ing when he said these words and hi
voice had such ring of assured dehgh
in it that Mrs. Field found herself sud
denly turning faint and almost sick
She went up to her husband and CAV
him the envelope.
"Open it," she said, in a husky whis
per; 81 can't-I-Tm afraid"
He obeyed her at once. The envelope
contained draft on the Bank of Eng
land, pay able to Lucilla Field, for tel
thousand pounds.
''Good heavens, Lucy! Lucy, you ar
dying!" cried her husband. what is il
what is the matter, my dear?"
He scarcely took in the contents o
the note; his eyes were fixed on hi
wife's face, for she had read the amour
of the check payable to herself, and jo
had made her faint away.
ssT wish Won had been there" sal