The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-12-01
sMiscellansn1rs.
MYSTERY OF A TRUNK.

ike DeSC-Une WnlCe blouse or Cne
pink?''
MY dearest Blanche, you look love-
ly in either"
mo, but really ~
And truly ~
You're too ridiculous, Phil" cried
Mrs. Lorimer, laughing. LAS a lady's
maid you are not a success-go and
smoke your cigarette on the balcony,
and I'll be ready in second.n
Mr. Lorimer obeyed with the sub
mission and alacrity of a newly-made
spouse, and, moreover, waited with
patience and resignation only to be
found in u man whose married life can
still be counted by weeks.
81 haven't been long, have l 2" ask
ed his wife, with delightful conviction,
when she returned after an interval
land oh, Phil, don't you think this is
the most perfectly lovely place on the
face of the earth %
Mr. Lorimer's answer was somewhat
wide of the mark and by no means
unworthy of record, but certainly
Eden-on-Sea was delightful spot.
Its delicious,n repeated Mrs. Lori
mer, ecstatically; but come, Phil,
I'm quite ready for my drive! Oh,
there, my shoe is undone; do tie it up
for me-"
Philip was kneeling at her feet, and
she was laughingly instructing him in
the art of tying a shoe lace when, to
the unutterable confusion of both,
the room door opened and stranger
stood in the doorway.
Excuse me, | am afraid | have
made a mistake"
Mr.. Lorimer jumped up, glaring at
the intruder savagely.
81 thought this was my room, No.
"a"
"This is 24A,n growled Lorimer.
"Your room is the next on the left"
"Thank you thousand pardons
and with courteous bow the stranger
withdrew.
Idiot ~ began Phil, but Mrs. Lori
mer interrupted him.
"Oh did you ever see such hand
some man? He had a face like an
archangel!'
| "Archangel be-pulverized think
people might take the trouble to see
| that they don't blunder into other
peoples rooms Come along, Blanche,
the carriage is waiting"
The evening passed pleasantly
| enough, and when toward its close
Mr.. and Mrs. Lorimer lounged upon
their balcony in the moonlight it SEEM
ed as if there could be nothing to mar
the delights of this best of all possible
worlds. Suddenly a terrible discord-
| ant note was struck.
| "Listen ~ whispered Blanche.
"Eh, what p said Phil, whose whole
| attention had been engrossed by his
companion, and who, unlike her, had
| not the feminine knack of doing two
things at the same time.
| Don't you hear some one talking in
| the next room p whispered Blanche
| "Well? ~
But they're quarreling listenr'
Not l! Why shouldn't they quar-
rel if they like? Let's go in ~
But at that moment a woman's
voice, low and piteous, reached thei:
| ears :
ooh Frank have you no pity? ~
"There, didn't you hear - whisper
| ed Blanche, in awestruck tones.
eyes, and l don't mean to hear any
more. Come in, Blanche"
Chow stupid you are, Phil! They
are in the next room, l tell you J" she
reiterated impatiently.
"What of it -
| Mrs. Lorimer gave little petulant
stamp.
There was no one with that gentle
man who came in here this afternoon,
and he was alone at table dhote
| Now, do you understand -
Phil gave low whistle, but before
he could make any remark the wailing
voice reached them again:
Frank, don't force me | cannot
l will not. 1t is too awful -
Dill Hrau his Iuifa nnipS w into the
room and closed the window noisily.
but, Phil, amt you going to Go
anything? Suppose"
'Stuff and nonsense ~ interrupted
Phil, gruffly; it's no business of ours
But your archangel does not seem TO
be very amiable person
"But don't you think"
Il think tit time to turn in ~ re-
piled her husband, decisively; fol
Philip was a true Britisher, with a
noted objection to putting his fingers
into other peoples pies. Every man
for himself, and Scotland Yard for US
all, was his motto.
Blanche, on the other hand, was a
true daugher of Eve, and she deter
mined to discover, if possible, whose
voice it was that she had heard and
what was the meaning of its plteous
appeal. But how was it to be done
Chance gave her an opening which
she was quick to seize. Having gone
up to her room after breakfast next
morning she found the chambermaid
still busy with her busting.
"Oh, you can go on" she said, smil
ing, as she seated herself by the win
dow. The maid was clearly the very
person to enlighten her. But how t.
come to the point
81 am afraid l am dreadfully I'M
tidy Blanche began, after moment
with q conciliating little smile.
mot at all, madam" replied the
girl, demurely.
Have you many rooms to do?'' con
tinued Mrs. Lorimer, with kindly in
| terest.
1.-The whole of this floor, madam.
"Does the lady in the next room
give much trouble p
''There is no lady in No. "a, madam
only a gentleman who arrived yester
day. Anything l can get for you
MADAME
"No, thank you"
Here was a mystery No lady il
No. "a, and yet that was undoubtedl.
, a woman's voice last night 1t wa
most extraordinary, and Blanch'
communicated the result of her lnves