St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-24

you. forsaken by all my friends, about
to shoot myself"
'Pll spare you that trouble" vent
ured Bob. Say. do you know young
lady by the name of Marjorie Elmore?''
What question: rOared Burton,
administering forcible punch to his
companiou's fifth rib. know her!
books;' you've heard that, dare say.H
But PearsOn's face assumed a severe
expression as he calculated: Look
here, Carroll, Pm in love with that girl
yes, asked her to be my wife," Bob
took savage pleasure in being misera-
Bile. Somebody's been telling her a
string OF lies about me, and am going
to slrangle him."
'Who is the cad?" asked Carroll.
"Teil me and I'll help you do ito
The calmneSS OF his friend somewhat
staggered Bob. HE is either Innocent"
ne thought, "or else a consummate
AT this critical moment Burton
groaned aloud and brought his fist with
q resembling wha:k down upon the in
nOcent gate post. Bob" he almost
shoutedin his excitement, ''sho0t me,
erase me-; am the guilty party. Pm
the biggest nOndeScript in ten counties
-Pll walk around for the next year so
that can kick myself"
"Well. out with it. Tell me the worst
at once: l must say. however, that it
was blackguard-"
That's just it," agreed Carroll; at
was blackguardly thing to do; worse
than that, simply asinine. Do you
know, Bob he said, confidentially,
Ppm an awful foolr"
There was a moments pause. Carroll
laughed.
''Silence gives CONSENT" he said
it was this. There has been a rumor
about these parts-perhaps you have
heard OF it-that l once asked little
Venus to be my wife. Pm proud to say
that did, and l am also proud to say
that the young lady had sense enough
to refuse me. We've always been very
good chums since, and have leased her
often about you. She's in love with you,
dOteS On YOU"
Carroll" stammered Bob, do you
really think so?''
never confess it, pretended to dislike
you. One day l was rallying her about
you until she finally grew absolutely
angry.
"'Mr. Burton she said, Il don't care
snap for MIR. Pearson, and you know
it,
"'Of course, Marjorie, 1 said. Il was
only fooling. 1t would be quite too
awful if you did care for an old married
man like Bob. He speaks very nicely
about you though, says he hardly likes
your rude ways. but that you are good
fun and almost pretty
You see. Bob, thought she wo uld
know that was joking, and the tenn pta-
TO mic I
thought she'd believe a word OF it. |
beg your pardon, Bob, most sincerely.
Ii you'll just come in and get bit of
something to eat and spend the nj ght,
why, in the morning Pll get up early
and run down to the Elmores and tell
Venus the truth; oh, come On.''
1t was far into the small hours of the
morning when Bob and Carroll sought
their beds. They had smoked and
talked over old times and-well, they
had drank just little.
CarrOlPs butler, Anatole, heaved a
mighty sigh of relief as he deposited
his master carefully OH his bed. "Shall
l fetch Mr.. Pearson hupstairs, sir?" he
queried respectfully.
',Anatole," said Carroll. with some lit
tie difficulty, "Bob's gone drown him.
self; sleep; good night"
Now, what can he mean by that?"
thought the dignified Anatole, as he
softly latched his masters door," Drown
himself! Very likely he's drunk
enough. Well. it hain't none o. my
business. Hello! What's that?''
1t was the limp figure of Bob slowly
creeping up thu stairway. 1t stopped
and regarded the butler solemnly.
'An'tole," he vouchsafed gravely,
Pm dead. Drown myself; said i would ;
told Burton l would; so did. Always
keep promise. An'tole; # anybody calls
fore Pm up, tell 'em Pm dead-drow n
myself"
Anatole bowed. Eyes, sir; good light.
SIR"
Eight O'Clock on bright summer
morning. Seven Pines, the summer
mansion of Carroll Burton, is strangely
quiet. Even the maStitf on the piazza Is
only half awake, and the droning of
bee IS the one sound that disturbs the
stiffness.
The figure of the young girls darts
quickly up the pathway which leads to
the house, stands irreSolutely for mo-
ment before the door and finally pushes
the bell. Anatoie himself comes down
the hallway and looks curiousIy at the
pretty, haggard face which greets him
as he turns the corner of the hallway.
"Is Mr.. Burton at home?" asks Venus
timidly.
"Yes'm," answered the butler, with
slight elevation of the eyebrows, "but
it's OnlyS o'clock. Mr.. Burton is still
in bed. Is the message important,
miss?'
''Oh. very; that is never mind. Per.
haps you can tell me about Bob-Mr
Pearson mean."
''Yes'm. He's dead. Drowned him
SELF" Anatole shook his head sadly.
Say, Anatole. you blithering idiot,
pve been yelling at you and punching
the bell for seventeen hours. Get me
some hot water and towels and b. and
S., and be lively about it, you hOary-
headed son Of soil"
Eyes, sir" answered the unmoved
Anatole. There's lady to see you,
sir. in the parlor."
You lie!" shouted the incensed Car
roll from the next floor. "Hurry up
with my water, will you?"
But"
The noise of hastily descending foot
steps was heard and Burton appeared
in his shirt sleeves. and with his face
covered with shaving soap.
Venus" he stammered. "You."
Yes, me-" sobbed Mistress Venus,
land you are miserable wretch to go
stiN iOe oOO dtOWu uliDSClis i lONGU
him and hate you. AND Pm going to
drown myself too, so am and, oh. oh.
oh"
Venus threw herself prone upon the
oak settle and gave way to violent
weeping.
Boz stole silently down the stairs and
over to where Carroll stood in blank
dismay, regarding the scene. He knelt
down and put his strong arms about
Marjorie.
Half an hour later they were eating
breakfast together as happily as il
nothing had ever happened.
Venus grew suddenly sober. "BOb,"
she said, tenderly. you are not feeling
we'll. Your eyes are red and your face
Is just as pale!'
''My darling" sighed Bob, very feel
ingly. Il have passed a miserable
night"
HE was quite overcome. 1 assure
you, Miss Marjorie" asserted Carroll,
al rio