Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-05-25

L With the first puff Of fragrant smoke
be had finally settled himself to glance
over the paper when Wee looked up and
sharply addressed him.
s'It seems to me, North, that you are
trying to carry things with q paxticu-
larly high hand this morning." he ak
claimed, snceringly.
North glanced mp over his newspaper
with an air of surprise.
''Well, what now, Weep" he demand
ed, holding his cigar lazily between two
fingers and throwing his head back
against the cushioned chair in which he
was reclining.
''Oh. nothing, nothing! AS one OF
our future city officials, you are of
course privileged to ride rough-shod
over everyone else!' returned Wee, with
chilling sarcasm.
"Ah!" thought North. smiling lit
tie, 'Wec is jealous OF Noll's political
prospects. Is that the sequel at the
heels of all this amiability?"
Then aloud he continued, with Slight
impatience in his tone and manner:
"My dear Mr.. Wescott, are you not q
trife unreasonable? I give you my
word that cannot imagine how / have
annoyed you now"
sit seems strange" said Wee, still
with the angry sucer on his face, ''that
you, who were the very first to insist
that there SHOULD be no smoking in our
private dice, should also be the first
one to transgress the rule. Yet no, it's
in character, after all-unreasonable
and inconsistent to the last degree"
! North instantly rose, tossed aside the
l H.. I~A
was struggling to maintain an outward
| gravity that should conciliate the much
offended Mr.. Wescott, while inwardly
he was convulsed with amusement.
II beg your pardon, Vice." he said.
gravely. "You are certainly justified
In complaining of me in this instance;
but faithfully promise that will
never again transgress my own adj
mirable rule. Since ! cannot forego
the pleasure of this cigar, must deny
myself the salutary influence Of your
society. painful to both of us though
the separation be; Mr.. Wescott, good
morning."
Wee shrugged his shoulders with an
air Of supreme contempt, and conde-
scended no answer beyond an inarticu-
late growl which might have been
translated into a very unfattering
comment on North's department.
Nothing daunted by this gracious bene-
diction, North retired at once from the
office.
$50 much accomplished" he reflect
ed, complacently, as he regained the
street. 81 have located Wee and safely
passed through the perilous ordeal Of
visiting the Office, and I consider that
my position is materially strengthened
by both Of these achievements. And
now for a more agreeable duty. must
seek an interview with Mrs. Maynard"
=. -
CHAPTER VIII
Ham, will speak daggers to her.
Ant. Ell tell you, twill sound harshly in
her ear. Comedy OF Errors
During the time that interviewed be-
tween his leaving the Office and pre-
senting himself at No. SO Delaplaine
street, North had hastily arranged the
plan Of his attack, his own assumptions
and conclusions being the basis thereof
There was a pitiless mood beneath the
suavity with which, on reaching Mrs.
Maynard's residence, he inquired for
that lady.
Williams, answering that Mrs. May
nard was at home and at leisure, took
Mr.. North's hat with an air of great
solicitude, leaving that gentleman to
make his own way to the drawing-room
and enter unannounced.
Mrs. Maynard was quite alone there.
Leaning back languidly in crimson
fauteuil, with the train of her white
cashmere morning dress sw eeping in
soft graceful folds around her, she pre-
sented a picture that struck North's
artistic fancy at once. She was par
TALLY turned from him, as he entered;
and, as she rested her head thought
fully on one slender white hand, the
clear, delicate profile of face and figure
in its perfect repose reminded him of an
exquisite piece of statuary. He invol-
UNFAIRLY paused to contemplate her;
and, proof though he was against the
fatal spell of beauty, even he, the
cynical North, felt singular thrill
which was all admiration, but which |
might have been something else had
the soul of an unspoiled man been in it. |
Suddenly recollecting himself, North |
advanced toward Mrs. Maynard across !
the rich, velvet carpet. The scarcely |
audible movement aroused her from her |
reverie. Lifting her head quickly she
met North's eyes; slight change came
over her as she rose to receive him. She |
stood for an instant
. 'peither self-possessed
Nor startled, but betwixt this mood and that
Divided n graceful quiet"
A delicate flush, faint, sweet smile,
q doubtful, questioning, wondering
perplexity; swiftly as a ray of light or
a passing thought these changes came
and went; and then, as if by magic-so
quickly that North almost doubted
she had changed at ala cold
came into her manner, a
touch of hauteur that made him feel as
If an impossible distance had suddenly
been put between them; as, acknowledg-
ing his greeting with a gracious formal
ity, she said, in her low, flexible tones:
''Is it possible, Mr.. North? You
never came more OPPORTUNITY. I am
suffering from ennui."
''You, Mrs. Maynard" cried North,
4