San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-22

was to- be be there, and when told MIN,
| AS we were driving down, 1T was all
could do to prevent him jumping out OF
1 the ,cab!"
| I'm highly fiattered to hear il, said
| Bella; "but he didn't seem to be so
afraid of Ada when they did meet; and
YOU best know, Mr.. Tweddle, the things
| you said to that poor trusting girl all
| the time you were walking and dancing
and talking foolishness to her."
| II never said a word that couldn't
have been spoke from the top of St.
| Paul's," protested Leander. al did
dance with her, own, not to seem I'M
civil; but we only waltzed round twice.
"Then why did you give her the ring
Ian engagement ring, too?" insisted
| Bella.
"Who saw me give her ring?" he de-
manded hotly; "do you dare to say you
| did? Did she ever tell you gave her a
ring? You know she didn't"
| "If can't trust my own ears" said
| Bella, Il should like to know what
can trust. | heard you myself in the
railway carriage ask my sister Ada not
| to tell any one about some ring, and
| tried to get out of Ada afterwards what
| the secret was, but she wouldn't treat
But any one with eyes in their head
could guess what was between you,
| and all the time you were an engaged
| mani"
"See there, now!" cried the injured
hairdresser; there's thing to go and
| make all this mischief about! Matilda,
Mrs. Collum, aunt, declare to you 1
! told the - the other young woman
everything about my having formed
new ties and that was very particular
| not to give rise to hopes which were
| only doomed to be disappointed. AS to
what Miss Parkinson says she over
heard, why it's very likely l may have
asked her sister to say nothing about
a ring land | won't deny it was the very
same ring that | was to have brought
here to-day, for the fact was, | had the
misfortune to lose it in those very gar
dens and naturally did not wish it
talked about; and that's the truth, as l
stand here. AS for giving it away,
swear 1 never parted with it to no
mortal woman!"
after that, Bella" observed Mr..
Jauncy, you'd better say you're sorry
you spoke, and come home with me
that's what you'd better do"
IL shall say nothing of the Sort" she
asserted; "I'm too much of a lady to
stay where my company is not desired,
and I'm ready to go as soon as you
please. But if he was to talk his head
off, he would never persuade me what
ever he may do other partieS) that he's
not been playing double, and if Ada
were here you would soon see whether
he w0slld have the face to deny it. So
good night, Miss Tweddle, and sooner or
later you'll find yourself undeceived in
your precious nephew, take my word for
it. Good night, Miss Collum, and Pm
only sorrow you haven't more spirit
than to put up with such treatment.
James, are you going to keep me wait
ing any longer?"
Mr.. Jauncy, with confused apologies
to the company generally, hurried his
betrothed off, in no very amiable mood;
and showed his sense of her indiScre-
tionS by indulging in some very plain
speaking on their homeward way.
As the street door shut behind them,
Leander gave a sigh of relief.
Matilda, my own dearest girl" he
said, "now that the cockatrice has de-
parted. tell me, you don't doubt your
Leander, do your"
NO." said Matilda, iudicially, II
don't doubt you, Leander; only 1 do
wish you'd be little more open with
me; you might have told me you had
gone to those gardens and lost the ring,
instead of leaving me to hear it from
that girl"
$50 | might, darling" he owned; "but
thought you'd disapprove.
And if she's my daughter" OBJ
served Mrs Collum, "she will disap-
PROVE"
But it was evident from Matilda's
| manner that the Inference was incor
rect; the relief of finding Leander guilt
less on the main count had blinded her
| to all minor shortcomings, and he had
the happiness of knowing himself fully
and freely forgiven.
If this could only have been the end;
| but, while he was still throbbing with
| bliss, he heard sound, at which his
"bedded hair" started up and stood on
end-the ill-omened sound of a slow and
heavy football.
"Leandy," cried his aunt, "how
strange you're looking!"
There's some one in the passage, he
said, hoarsely; an go and see her.
| Don't any of you come out!"
"Why, it's only our Jane" said his
aunt; "she always treads heavy"
The steps were heard going up the
stairs; then they seemed to pause half
way and descend again. an be bound
she forgot something" said Miss lived
die; al never knew such head as that
girls" and Leander began to be almost
treasured.
The steps were heard in the adjoin-
ing room, which was shut off by fold
ing-doors from the one they were oc-
cupying.
"Leander," cried Matilda, "what can
there be to look so frightened off" and
as she spoke there came a sounding
solemn blow upon the folding-doors.