Evening journal., 1892-11-10
COPYRIGHTED BYAMERleAN PREss' 'AssNel39l-

would it matter to Donald in what guise
she came to him2
Alone in the long hall outside the Office
She stopped, with swift feminine touches
striving to improve her disheyeled ap.
pearance; aud when she had brushed
her hat and with sundry little pats help
less to improve had assured herself how
far her hair was awry, when she had
| shaken her skirts and smoothed up the
long wrists Of her gloves still she linger-
ed, her heart tumultuously beating. She
would not 80 in through the large outer
Office, but went on to the door more sell
dom used opening into Donalds private
room, halting with the door knob in her
hand, swallowing lump that had risen
in her throat, while in incoherent thought
she tried to frame what she first would
say; but in the chaos Of her mind only
rose the vision of Donald as he would
look, the glowing love that would be in
his eyes as he rose TO clasp her in his
arms
Softly she turned the knob, a tender
smile curving her lips, her eyes luminous
with anticipation, softly pushed open the
door and entered the room.
| Donald was sitting at his desk, as she
had anticipated, but there the picture Of
her fancy ended She did not cross the
room to lay her hand upon his shoulder
because in the way, very close TO Donald,
and pushing back her chair with a little
start Of confusion, as if she had been
still closer, sat Mrs. Rogers.
"Well, upon my wordr she laughing
! ly exclaimed, first to recover her voice in
the surprise Of the renconter, "did you
blow down."
81 should suppose it would seem suffi-
GENTLY evident" with a faint, sardonic
smile, angrily conscious of her battered
hat and the dusty untidiness of her
dress. while her glance took in the ex-
quisite neatness Of the others toilet, the
smooth hair and the dainty, dustless
gown. Evidently Mrs. Rogers had come
in before the storm began, Anita shrewd-
ly inferred, measuring the time in her
mind, at the same time noting that the
door to the outer Office was closed.
Donald had hurried forward, flushing
a little with surprise or embarrassment,
to give her chair Its an i'll wind
that blows nobody any good, he said,
with that little moclery Of his old man
ner he had come to assume before others.
1t is pleasant that you let yourself be
4 blown this way; but / must say ] ap-
prove your taste rather more than your
judgment should hardly have sup
posed YOU would care to venture ont
such day rs this"
"Oh ! am sure you could not have ex
pected me. little sneer in her tone hi.
trained ear could not miss.
81 believe most women like to go beat
ing their way through a storm" chilned
in Mrs. Rogers in her viyacious way
sit seems somehow to satisfy that crav
ing for antagonism that seems to be in
herent in the female heart.
"Do YOU think SOP returned Donald
with a smile Of careless courtesy, tiny
, frown furrowed between his eyes, "And
( DO you enjoy this peculiar craving"
"Oh, yes; we all do. And most Of "a
wear our lives out beating against the
/ wind that is contriving imaginary
: troubles TO fight; don't you think So Mrs
Bartelsy'
) "We are not always driven TO taxin.
) our iinaginations, think; Proyidenc.
] spares us the effort, sharply glancin.
3 from under her long lashed, insolentl,
dropping eyelids. She had become per
, suadel chat Mrs. Rogers held soInethin,
b in her hand which she was concealing il
t a fold of her gown.
"providencel ahl" with ashrug Of he
shoulders. Better call it the devil an,
q spell it as it should always be spelled
y without the d. 1t is the evil in people
4 own minds that leads them TO look 60
I trouble and hnd it, nine times ont of ten
y Mrs. Bwtels If women never hates
l. until there was reason for hate. If the
were never jealous until they had cause
if they never went mad in any Of th
e thousand and one phases Of feminin
& madness there would be lots less trouble
d Mrs Bartels, and," with careless in
r consequential little smile, "Orodelphi
%, would be good deal pleasanter.
d "Do you think soy indifferently, he
y eyes fixed with the sharp scrutiny of
I. eat Watching mouse. She was boun
/. to sec what was in that hand All tn
" time it had been creeping upward Wit
scarce percepnble movement, crunI
q ling something more closely in its grasI
q nntil as Mrs Rogers rose with her las
b word. with "a swift movement she pushe
IS something under the edge Of her basqu,
?. but not 80 dexterously but that the kee
y eyes watching had caught a glimpse,
4 mere corner betrayed, Of a little roll c
b bunk notes
3. But must not stay here arguin
e moral questions while my poor boy iit
3 hazarding his immortal soul with pr,
J. family, she exclaimed with her childis
]. laugh. "The doctor is laid up with rheI
y matism, you know" she explained
!. Anita as if it We're the most cheerful b
OF news possible, "and his remarks SOM
{. times seem fairly to impart "A asulphuroi
L odor % the room It is considered goo
N Tor -sulphur-and don
10 know but the doctor has some scheme
q his own for lighting the disorder wi,
.e the fumes of his diabolical exclamation
3 at least it seems tOeasc his mind woudc
), fully
.r Donald Joined ia her laurh. lint wi.