The record-union., 1892-11-05

She again started this formula, but in
quite different kind of voice from that
which she had used previously, thereby
showing that the unmarried state was not
entirely devoid of its compensating adj
vantages.
/ This letter was accordingly sent to the
theater, and Mrs. Lyle resolved that, if
no answer came (as of course would be
the case, she would confess the whole
affair and plead forgiveness. But if (oh,
horrible pOSSibilityj he did answer, and
did fix rendezvous. then she would APP
pear at that rendezvous, armed with the
letter, and clothed in the garb of out
ragged womanhood.
The next DAY she went to Booker's
library and inquired, in ALTERING ac-
cents, whether there was anything for
Marguerite" The attendant handed
her letter. The direction was in her
husbands handwriting. Mrs. Lyle
rushed into side street, tore open the
envelope and read as follows:
SWEETEST MARGUERITE: So you have
/ guessed my secret. y S! the moment saw
! your tender, piquant face looking down, how
/ cou-d but play to you? OF course, / Will
meet you gladly, but do not come To the thea
Ter; IL may arouse suspicious. Come to sup
per, Thursday next, after the play. Private
room, No. 3, Cafe lmI eriale. " ear a dark
amress, and, whatever you do, be discreet.
Don't be later than IL, Tor my wife is going TO
a dance thai evening and might call for me AT
the the tthee;a.tersso l shall try to get away betore
she Is likely TO arrive. Yours, devotedly,
'The monsterr' sobbed Mrs, Lyle.
the base, false-hearted monsterl OF
/ course, Thursday is the night of Lady
| Fortescue's dance-and to think-oh, this
is intolerable!
"My dear" said Gerald that afternoon
at dinner, "what is the matter with Won?
! Y ell Nd 81
"Oh, nothing. Perhaps it is just lit
tie dull for me always here by myself,
while you," she added sarc;istically, ARE
exciting alteration. By the way, could
you give me box for next Thursday"
~ m afraid not" said Lyle. "You
should have asked me earlier. Every
place is booked for the next fortnight"
Ihen, perhaps, you will take me to
/ Lady tortescue's dance after"
certainly" said Lyle, ''if I can get
pack Ia time; but it's no use you coming
to the theater, considering Lady Fortes-
cue lives across the street."
Mrs. Lyle said nothing, but reflected
long on the deceit of man. Further trust
IN her husbands fidelity was impossible:
ana any inclination she might originally
have had to confess to him her stratagem
mad, OF course, disappeared on receipt of
the letter. No, she would go to the res
taurant, and there confront him with his
! pertidy.
Accordingly, on the Thursday night.
having left word that she was going to
Lady Fortescue's, she drove in a cab TO
the Cafe Imperiale. Here she was re-
celVed by the manager and ushered into
a snug little room where a suDDer-table
was LAID for two. There were oysters, a
game PIE, which thanked by a couple of
/ bottles of Perrier-Jouet) looked very in
Vltlng. But Mrs. Lyle's appetite was not
at the moment particular keen. She re-
moved her heavy cloak and sat by the
! ire with a beating heart. Quarter past
| twelve struck, then half-past, and Mir.
Gerald Lyle did not appear. Mrs. Lyle
grew nervous, looked again at the letter.
and rang the bella smirking French
waiter appeared. She inquired if a cen-
tleman had not ordered the supper Tor u.
lie grluned at her approximately and
sald he would inquire. One o'clock
struck. The waiter returned and said a
gentleman had certainly ordered the sup
per for II, but, he added, with signifi-
cant grin, that some gentlemen were un-
! punctual i'll their appointments with
ladies. but no doubt he would come: and
the walters admiring leer made Mrs.
| Lyle's blood run cold. All this was
| very, very unpleasant. Indeed the poor
| lady began to feel almost a thrill of indig-
nation that her husband could treat even
! Marguerite with such discourtsey. If ne
| did make appointments he might at least
] them.
Half past one O'Clock, and Mrs Ivle be-
gan to wonder whether her husband. in
an opportune fit of contrition, had re-
! turned home. This, though gratifying to
| Mrs. Lyle. was truly horrible to Mar
| guerite. For she had but a few shillings
IN her purse, and how was the supper to
| be paid for? If she gave up her name to
the manager her husband, when he called
| the next day to pay for the supper, would
1 very probably be told the circumstance.
and discover all. Then, again, if she did
not leave her name she would have no
| option but to leave some valuable article
| of jeWelry. Besides all this the position
of lonely woman in a public restau-
rant, even though this particular apart
ment was private, was at least einbar-
| RAISING. Still there was no help for it.
and so she sent for the manager and ex-
planned her position with undisguised
agitation.
"Oh, madam said the manager. with
the utmost courtesy, pray do not trouble
about paying. | am quite sure the gen
tleman-though he is not personally
known to me-will call tomorrow,
Some unforeseen accident must have de-
tanned him. 1t frequently happens. And
now permit me to get you a cab.'
And SO, as the clock struck ?, Mrs.
Lyle, tired, cross, half-disappointed. half
relieved, arrived at her hall door at Crom-
well Gardens.
HAS Mr.. Lyle returned?' she said
sharply to the maid, who was waiting for
| her.
'Lor', yes, mum; he came back early
a-purpose to take you to the ball, but,
finding you was gone he went to the
study, where he's a-sitting now"
Could all have been a mistake? Mrs.
Lyle thought as she entered the room.
well, dear, enjoyed yourself?D said
| Gerald Lyle, looking up from his book.
'How early you went. l was here by II
and you were gone"
| You did come for me, then, Gerrv.,
she said softly.
| "Of course, Etfie. What you said lately
about being dull weighed upon my mind.
so L fastened back to take you TO the
| dance myself And" he added. with a
little laugh, there was another reason
which will amuse you. During the run
of the present play have been more than
ever pestered with those horrid letters
from infatuated women. Well last week
l got particularly unblushing effusion
from lady signing herself Marguerite.
Goaded by these prosecutions, and know
ing how such little rebuffs 90 from one
woman to another (of course, in secretl.
for the first time in my life | replied to
the letter, telling the woman to meet me
at the Cafe lmperiale tonight and have
supper. L went to the manager yester-
day, who evidently is not playgoer. and
didn't know me, and having ordered
supper IN private room, explained to
him that possibly l might not turn
up, in which case he was to treat the
lady with great courtesy, see that no one
else went near the room, and reassu1e
her in case she was perturbed about pay
ing for the supper. without of poT1rSe