Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-02-10
HE TINTED VENUS.
FARClRL ROMANCE.
By T. ANsTEY.
CHAPTER VII.

sue Browning
Immediately after breakfast the next
day Leander went out and paid a visit
to Miss Twilling's, bringing away with
him hooded cloak of the precise kind
he remembered Matilda to have describ-
ed as unlikely to render its owner CON
spicuous. With this garment he succeed
ed In Disgusting the statue to such a
degree that it was far less likely than
before that the goddess appearance
in public would excite any particular
curiosity-a result which somewhat re-
Heved his anxiety as to her future pro-
ceedings.
But all that day his thoughts were
busy with Matilda; he must, he feared
have deeply offended her by his abrupt
change on the previous night; and now
he could not expect to meet her again
for days, and would not know how to
explain his conduct IL he did meet ler
If he could only dare to tell her every
thing, But from such q course he
shrlnk. Matilda would not only be Ok
tremely indignant Though in very truth
he had done nothing positively wrong
as yeti, but with her strict notions and
well-rf gulated principles she would as
Suredly recoil from lover who had
brought himself into a predicament SO
hideous. He would tell her all when
or if, he succeeded in extricating him
self
But he was to learn the nature Of
hatilda's sentiments sooner than he cx-
Il
was unpacki1lg u parcel Of goods in his
front shop-for his saloon happened to
be empty just then when the outer
door swung back and IL slight, girIish
figure entered. after pause of indeci-
sion on the threshold. 1t was Matilda
Had She come to break it on-tO re-
proach him! He was prepared for no
less, she had never paid him a visit like
this alone before; and some doubts of
the p1epriety Of the thing seemed to be
roubling her now, for she did not speak
Matilda" he faltered, don't tell me
you have come i'll Il spirit of unfriendli-
ness, for | can't bear it,
Don't you deserve that | should"
she said, but not angriIy. You know
you were very strange in behaving as
you did last night l couldn't tell what
to make Of It,"
Il know" he said confusedly, sit was
something come over me, all of sud
den like. | can't understand What made
me like that; but Oh, Iillie, my dearest
love, my heart was bursting with ador-
alton all the time! The circumstances
was highly peculiar; but | don't know
that | could explain them"
You needn't, Leander; | have found
you out" She said this with q strange
Significance.
WHAT" he almost shrieked You
don't mean it, Matilda. Tell me, quick,
has the discovery changed your feelings
towards me! Has it,
Yes" she said softly; II think it
has, but YOU ought not to have done it,
Leandpr."
Il know lie groaned, Il was Il fool,
Tillie; a fool! But | may get out of it
yet, he added. II can get her to let
me Off. must willr'
Matilda opened her eyes. But Lee
an,her, dear, listen; don't be SO hasty.
never said wanted her to let you off,
dihI?'
He looked at her i'll Il dazed manner
Il rather thought" he said slowly,
that it might have put you out Il little
| see l was mistook."
You might have known that | should
he more pleased than angry, | should
think" said Matilda
More pleased than | might have
Known exclaimed the bewldered man
"Oh, you can't really be taking it as
cool NJ this! VIII you kindly inform
me what it is you're alludin to in this
way?'
What is the use of pretending: You
know l know And it is colder. much
colder, this morning. | felt it directly
l got up
Quite Il change in the weather, I'm
sure, he said, mechanically. 1t feels
like Il frost coming on" elias Matilda
looked in to tell me the weather has
changed?' he was wondering within
himself Either | am mad or Matilda
Isl
You dear old goose said Matilda,
with an unusual effuSiveneSS; you shall
not teaze me like this! Do you think
I've no eyes and no feelings? Any girl,
| don't care how proud or offended,
would come round, on such proof of de
vOtedneSS as I've had this evening.
When | saw it gone. | felt l must come
straight in and thank you. and tell You
! shouldn't think any more of last night.
| couldn't stop myself
When you saw what gomez" cried
the hairdresSer rubbing his hair.
The cloak" said Matilda. and then.
as She saw his expression, her own
changed. 'Leander Tweddle," she
asked in a dry. hard voice. have I been
making wretched fool of myself? Did
Mt you buy that cloak"
He understood at last. He had gone
to Miss Twilling's because he was in Il
hurry and it was close by. and he knew
nowhere else where he could be sure of
getting what he required. Now. by
some supreme stroke of ill-luck which
seemed to be pursuing him of late he
had unwittingly purchased the identi-
cal garment on which Matilda had fixed
her affections! How was he TO notice
that they took it out of the window for
him?
All this flashed across him as he re
piled, Yes, yes. Tillie. did buy cloak
there. but are you sure it was the same
You told me about?''