The Forrest City times., 1893-02-24

tndI nat 1T ASCOC tnc oay UciOTc yes
terday."
was wearing it?" she cried. sharply.
''one of our reigniug professional
eauties-Lady Loddington.'
Lady Loddington." gasped Nina,
catching hold of the chair behind her.
Ronald, are you sure you aren't max
ing any mistaken"
u swear I'm not. She had on trock
the color of the hat, and she looked
simply ripping. l paid her all the com
pliments | could think of in the five.
minutes was talking to her"
THE cheat, the swindle of it, cried
my cousin, white with anger.
My dear girl. calm yourself. I'm
sorry for you, but great minds, as you
know, will jump. and some other clever
wo man has had the same idea as you.
Your sentiments, madam, are mine
But | don't think theyshould be vast
ed on the mere fact that some other
woman has made hat like yours.
she HASN'T" cried Nina. indignant
ly. "But Lady Loddington was wear
ing this very hat Listen, III tell you
the whole story. The same afternoon
you called a lady came in beautifully
dressed and asked to see some hats. l
saw who she was, though I've never
met her, | don't want to meet her."
savagely; ''One sees quite enough Of
her in all the shop windows"
lone does" | remarked, soto voce.
.She wanted hat the color of this
one, SO | brought it out and showed it
to her and told her the price and ex-
planned why it was SO expensive. Oh
l don't mind giving that for the hat
she said: it is well worth it. / am
quite in love with it, Nine. Dcstrier,
but dare not buy it without letting
my hus band see it. He is SO very par
ticular about what | wear. Could /
have it sent round tonight fer him to
look at? | would let you know some
time tomorrow whether would take
it or not OF course | said should be
glad to send it, and she gave me the
address. and the hat went round there
that evening. Last night she sent it
back and said she was very sorry, but
Lord Loddington didn't think it suited
her. ! thought it looked little tum-
bled but one has to run those risks
when one sends goods on approval.
She had determined to have that hat
just to wear for the one day, and she
was too mean to get it honestly"
''Of course you'll have it out with
hcr-you'l expose herr" said.
/ was as angry and disgusted as Nina,
who stood opposite me, with her pretty
eyes and cheeks flaming with honest
| indignation.
MY dear boy. would if dared, but
| can't afford to. 1t would drive half
my customers away from me, and
must think of Hugo and Giles. They
don't cost much while they are tinies,
but / want to give them every advan-
tage, the darlings. and l was left SO
badly off, and the business is just be-
ginning to pay SO well. dare not run
the risk of exposing Lady Loddington's
meanness.
81 had forgotten your children. No,
| it wonld not do. Trust me to give
her mauvais quart d'heure, if i get
the chance.
Promise you'll be careful Think of
the little boys
II won't injure the dear chaps, you
| best Of mothers.
"Well. in that ease. only hope for
tune may favor you"
| Fortune did favor me at last, but she
kept me waiting till the autumn, like
! the tickle jade she always is. My
chance came in this wise My uncle
asked me up to his place in Scotland
for shooting. and | went. The old gen.
/ lap,ap v1.rp conro,sSa of laartu
and every pretty woman of note is
bound to be asked up to D. sooner
/ or later. got there in time 10 dress
hurriedly and appear in the drawing
room just as my uncle was telling
/ everyone whom he was to take in.
was introduced to some girl have
not a notion who she was, but l gave
| her luy arm and took her down to din
ner. Hurmuring commonplaces on the
way. The truth is, | was half fam
ished with my journey, and my one
idea was dinner. j. was not until
was well on with tie fish stage that
looked at my left-hand neighbor. 1t
was Lady Loddington herself.
-, haven't seen you since we met at
Ascot. she remarked, pleasantly.
she certainly Is most lovely wom-
an, by the way. | stared blankly, and
she went on with an air of well acted
reproach:
Il believe you have forgotten we
ever met there"
Hers was my chance; seized it.
forgotten. Why, remember every
word you said, the color of your gown
and eyen the very hat you wore-the
loveliest and most becoming hat ever
/ saw I'm r,,y life ;,