The herald., 1893-05-24

MY COUSIN.


grown into provocante woman, with a
dirty complexion and tendency to hint
on insufficient evidence that men whom
she met were in love with her. She gave
these hints to confdanto, and the con-
fdante always told the men, and the men
as q rule were very angry. Sometimes
they complained to me. She was Just
pretty enough to make her story proba-
Bile, and this was exasperating. Ipointed
out to them that Elsa was the kind of a
girl that had to do something to make
her mother suffer, that there was no au-
thentic instance Of any one who knew
her well having taken her seriously, and
that it was best to bear quietly with the
ways of women. did what | could. /
told her that it was vulgar to pose as the
car of Juggernaut, but although she is
quite vulgar enough to consciously avoid
vulgarity she wonld not see it.
came upon her late one night at one
of hc- rloCher's parties when nearly ev-
cry one had gone. She was wearing the
most affected clothes, liquid eyes and a
small pout.
Poor little mer she said in her favor
lite girl of manner, what have done?
feel positively certain that Mr.. Wy
sloup will kill me-"
"Ycs?"
Indeed, yes and yes and yes! Ee
would take me into supper. and ever
since if said word to any other man
he has scowled at me in positively MUIR
derous way.
Elsa | said. II win give you fix
/ lessons III the art Of implication for 4
shilling 1t is cheap, but hate to see
you doing things inartistically. Is,is al
right with me, of course, but fancy that
you had better not tell other people that
| Wysloup is in love with YOU,
Il never said he was. And why
mustn't tellf'
/ Because Wysloup is dangerous"
"Oh! Why dangerous? Then think
II will" III
She did, and WysIoup heard of it. He
is connected with the proprietor of the
Wysloap nlultiplex sock The multi lex
sock is if one may trust the advertise
ment, an added lu-rry to life and can
not wear ont. 1t has certainly conferred
more fortune than honor upon the neph-
ew of the proprietor. Fin your ignorance
you cheerily ask Wysloup if he is con-
nccted with the nultiplex SOCK, he will
tell you frankly that he is its nephew
But when once he knows that you are
aware Of the connection he does not per-
NIT any further reference to it. For in
stance, Denner happened once to be talk
ing at the club about the possibility that
he might have to leave his house. A GER
tain railway had great envy to go
through his front garden. Some one
asked him if he felt anxious about it.
eyes" said Denner, II am in a state
of the most awful suspense, like my null
tiplex socks Wysloup was present and
heard this, but he said nothing Later,
at whist, Major Birdmount-whoi is all
liver and suspicious was coupled with
Wysloup against Drisfeld and Denner.
The major is quite unable to believe in
extraordinary luck at whist unless it
happens to come to himself. He would
distrust his own mother if she had seven
trumps. Consequently it was unfortu-
nate that Denner commenced by dealing
himself the whole of thN 10. With great
difficulty the major held his tongue and
spoke nothing, but his face darkened.
Denner was greatly surprised. Wysloup
smiled faint ghost of a smile. Pres
entity Dcnner noticed that the major was
watching him intently. AS Denner is
a perfectly ordinary and honest man he
was naturally annoyed. But in spite Of
his honesty when it came to Dcnners
turn to deal again he dealt himself II
trulnps with the ace and king of another
suit. He could hardly believe his eyes.
He flung down his cards and won the
rubber.
AS the major rose to go he said, "My
children had been meaning to take mo to
the Egyptian hall tonight, but Wrists
good enough for me-" No man probably
likes to have it implied that he is cheat
ing for the sake of shilling points at
whist. Denner was furious and lost no
time in making the major very much
less vague and very much more humble,
but he was nevertheless exceedingly an
noycd about it. OF course it may not
have been Wysloup that was responsible,
but | have noticed that those who vex
him generally get punished. and he can
do anything with the cards. Besides
Wysloup was very busy losing money to
the major at ecarte ON the following
day. Now, the major cannot play ecarte,
and Wysloup can. This was the only
occasion on which it had occurred to me
that Wysloup had the battered relics of
a conscience.
was curious to see how he would
take my cousin Elsa's audacity. She
had limited at Wysloup's devotion in a
conversation with young Cecil Banks.
Banks is repeater. He told Wysloup
all about it. Further, ho told mo that
he had told Wysloup. Now. l thought.
Wysloup will cut her dead and make no