San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-26


close III an houc, till then Miss Parkin-
IS IN WAS engaged in the showroom, and
SO on.
But Matilda carried her point at last,
and was shown to a room in the base
ment, where the assistants took their
meals. there to wait until Miss Parkin-
son could be spared from her duties.
Matilda waited in the low, dingy
room. where the tea things were still
glitIering the table, and as she paced
resGlessly about. trying to feel an inter
est IN the lOng-discarded fashion-plates
which adorned the walls, her anger be-
gan to cool and give place to something
very like nervousness.
She wished she had not come. What,
after all, was she to say to this girl
when they met? And what was Lean
der-base and unworthy as he had
shown himself to her any longer?
Why should she care what he chose to
do with the ring? And he would be
) told of her visit. and think No! that
was intolerab!e; she would not crafty
his vanity and humble herself in this
way. She would slip quietly out, and
leave her rival to enjoy her victory!
Brt just as she was going to carry out
this intention, the door opened, and
short, dark young woman appeared.
I'm told there was a young person ask
ing TO speak to me, " she said: I'm Ada
Parkinson.
AT the same time Matilda's heart
swelled again with the sense of her in
juries; and yet she was unprepared for
the face that met her eyes. Surely
her rival had both looked and spoken
differently the night before? And yet
she had been SO agitated that very like
| ly her recollections were not to be de-
pended upon.
IL did not want to see you," she
said, and her voice shook, as much
! from timidity as righteous Indignation.
when l tell you who l am, perhaps
you will guess why. am Matilda Col
! lum."
Miss Parkinson showed no symptoms
| OF remorse.
what" she cried, "the young lady
that MIR. Tweddle is counting? Fancy!"
after what happened last night"
said Matilda, trembling exceedingly,
| "vou know that that is all over.
didn't come to talk about that. If you
| knew-and [ think you must have
lznown-all that MIR. Tweddle was to
me, YOU have-yOu have not behaved
| very we'll: but he is nothing to me any
| more. and it is not worth while to be
angry. Only, / don't think you ought
to keep the ring-not that ring"
Goodness gracious mel" cried Ada
! "What in the world is all this about?
What ring Oughtn't to keep"
You know" ret0rted Matilda. "How
| can you pretend like that? The ring
he gave you last night at Rosherwich."
"Ihc girls mad" exclaimed the
other. "Ie never gave me ring in all
his life. I wouldn't have taken it if
he'd asked me ever SO. Mr.. Tweddle,
| indeed"
"Why do you say that?" said Ma
! tilda. He has not got it himself, and
your sister said he gave it to you, and
and l saw it with my own eyes on
your hand"
"Oh, dear mel" said Ada, petulantly,
holding out her hand, "lOoll there's
| that it's this? Well these are all
| have, whether you believe me or not;
! one belonged to poor mother and the
other was present, only last Friday
| from the gentleman that's their head
| traveller, next door, and is going to be
nv husband. Is it likely l should be
wearing any Otier now?-ask your
| self"
You wouldn't wish to deceive me, I
hope" said Matilda; land oh. Miss
| Parkinson. You might be open with me,
| for I'm so very miserable! | don t know
what to think. Tell ne just this: Did
| you-wasu't it YOU who came last night
| to Miss TIvy0.ics?"
No" reformed Ada, impaticntly-
| "no, as many Ji..cs as YOU please. And
| i Bella II.,,5 to say did. she may; and
! she ALWAYS was misunderstanding
| thing. How could I,when l didn't know
| there was any Miss Tweddle to come tcP
! And what do you suppose | should go
| running about after Mr.. Tweddle for?
I wonder you're not ashamed to say
| such things!"
But" faltered Matilda, "you did go
to those gardens with him, didn't you?
And-and l know he gave the ring to
somebody"
Ada began to laugh. you're quite
correct, Miss Collum, she said, $50 he
did. Don't you want to know who he
gave it tot"
: eyes" said Matilda, "and You will
tell me- l have right to be told. l
was engaged to him, and the ring was
given to him for me-nOt for any one
else. You will tell me, Miss Parkinson,
l am sure you will?"
'"Well." said Ada, still laughing, an
tell You this much-she'sa foreign lady,
very stiff and stuck-up and cold. She's
got it if any one has. l saw him put it
! on myself"
Tell me her name, if you know it. "
al see you won't be easy till you
know all about it. Her names Arid
dity or Froddity, or something out
landish like that. She lives at Kosher
witch, a good deal in the open air,and-
there, don't be ridiculous-it's only a
statue! There's pretty thing to be
jealous of"