The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-07


yet Stephen
Langdon was most unhappy man.
The demon of jealousy had taken
! possession of him and held him fast
1t did not take much to put him in this
condition, poor fellow-au too con-
scious as he was OF personal defects In
his own mind he magnified his ugly
whimsical face and ungainly figure
into something quite repulsive, and
counted for nothing the pair OF wrstfui
blue eyes that rested just now SO re-
sentfully upon Monica Leigh. That
young lady was pouring forth warm
praises of new acquaintance. whose
travellers tales seemed to have excited
her imagination good deal.
"Only think.'' she was saying, ''he
dug for gold in California at one time,
and evidently found lots, though he did
not say so: and then he became a cow
boy, and had the widest adventures!
l wonder if he wore a red shirt and
slouched hat, like the people with Buff
falo Bill? l wish l had asked him.
assure you it was quite delightful to hear
him talk; so different from anything
one hears here What is the matter,
Stephen? Is there no sugar in your
tea?"
SIT is all right, thank you. Pray, is
Mr.. Grant TO be our moral and mental
food for the next week or SOP"
81 think you are very unkind You
always say I take sudden fancies to
people You ought to be glad to see
me interested in anything. / am dull
enough as ruler This in deeply in
jured tone.
Monica ALWAYS maintained that she
had done with the vanities of life, OILY
she forgot this very often when any
new interest or amusement came IN her
way, and she usually took them up vio-
lently for short time. In spite OF this,
she impressed no one with sense OF
falseness, for she believed absolutely
all she said of herself at the moment.
Not really pretty, she nevertheless had
a great attraction for men-a fact which
she stoutly denied-and her delicate
complexion, graceful figure and pretty,
well-dressed fair hair, made more sue
cessful whole than many prettier girl
could boast of.
Her mother and herself, according to
their own account, lived on the pension
allowed to the widow and daughter Of
a captain in the navy; but the shrewd
better halves of naval and military men
shook their heads and secuted the idea,
as they remembered the dainty gar
ments, the pretty artistic rooms, and
the constant hospitality to all corners
Their curiosity was, however, success
fully bafiied, and her acquaintance
never guessed to what straits Mrs.
Leigh was often reduced.
One person only knew the real state
Of affairs, and that person was Stephen
Langdon.
He was lope ely, unsociable man
when he made the LeEhs' acquaint-
ance, with no belongings of his own,
and just enough of this worlds goods
to scrape along on, his health not al
lowing him to take up any profession.
Monica's bright smiles and ready inter
est came like CLEAN Of sunlight into
his life, and, having taken him up be-
cause no one else did, she had ended by
feeling sincere friendship for him.
On this bright summer day Mrs.
Leigh sat listening to the two in more
than usually absent manner. Presently
though seemed to strike her and she
asked
SIS this man rich?'
Il really do not know" answered
Monica, with whom such practical
questions weighed little. HE was
well-dressed. and talked Of his horse.
and of shooting and achting, SO he can
not be pauper."
THAT will be no drawback to his
charms" growled Stephen. HE must
be a bumptious, conceited cad to talk so
much about himself"
Monica turned Indignantly upon him.
but at the same moment Sarah opened
the door, announcing Mr.. Grant" and
a plessant-looking, dark brown sort of
a man entered the room.
II am in luck to find you," he ex-
claimed. bowling over the hand Mrs
Leigh extended to him. lyon are GER
tainly more comfortable here than in ,
the heat outside" He spoke in a low
caressing voice. constantly smoothing
his thick mustache. Miss Leigh.
have brought the sketches you wished
to see, but | really had forgotte how
bad they were" and he handed Monica
a small dirty sketch book.
How good of you to remember she
answered, when she caught sight of
Stephen standing By.
at
"3iy friend. Stephen Langdon-Mr.
Grant"
The two men bowed, and then Grant !
sat down by Monica 10 describe the |
sketches. while Langdon planted him |
self before the fireiess hearth. He noted |
with growing wrath how at.entively !
Monica listened 10 Grants descriptions.
and he could but acknowledge TO himself /
that the later was by no means una.- /
tractive. There was q sense Of repose
about him, in his slow utterance and |
gentle manner. that accorded II VIII, !
lis tales OF an active adventurous life, /
and made his hearers feel that there I
was more Of him 20 know. and some /
thing that was WORTH the knowing. /
Also the keen eye - jealousy remarked |
how sweet WAS The smile that III I'd the
dark face from tiE4ae 20 tine, aud With
wha: pleasure the Kindly brown eyes !
rested upon Monica IS she bent overthe
rough drawiegs-
~ length Re rose - depart, apoIogiz-
inC lsuehingiF for having made bis
OWE performances Tie SOLE subject o.
conversation.
or have been nsos. interesting"
said Mr. Leigh Monica, an sure
Augusta would be charmed to nee: Mr..