Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-01-13
ats in My head" said George. dis

mally. But he smiled his pleasure at
Tom Danforth's appearance, and
wrung the young mans hand and took
his coat and hat 'Im glad you came
glad to see you Stay to lunch, won't
you? Have this foot rest. Constance
is home-upstairs, he said, in a
breath. Just wait" he added, eager
ly. 'Ill go and get her."
But he came back sullily.
"She went out with Kate, it seems"
he explained in an injured manner. II
didn't know It, They're always CAD
ding about. Have some maraschino or
something's"
Cordial at this hour of the day?"
Tom protested, looking the soul of
reassuring good nature and betraying
no excitement at the fact of Constance's
absence
He even took up newspaper.
''He doesn't care" George mused
gioomily. "Maybe he isn't in love with
her after all"
And he sat and eyed his stalwart
friend, and thought what good hus-
band he would have made for Con-
stance, and how blind and contrary and
exasperating they all were, and how
helpless he himself was to arrange mat
ters as they ought to be arranged He
fell into unhappy silence.
HAS the cashier of the Freesborough
bank really gone off with the funds?"
said Tom, with his handsome nose in
hn ttrrhara1c 10 hot
effect. Stewards his name. He's
rich enough anyhow. He ought to
be -
The bell rang again! 1t was Mrs.
Parftt, looking pretty and pink
checked after the fresh air and as
blithe as though going to the Carpen-
tiers reception in her old beaded wrap
were not going to be horrid neces-
sity.
ooh, you, Tom?" she cried, cordially.
81 am so glad! Poor George is so
wretched with that cold, and you can
cheer him up"
81 don't need cheering up" said
George, budding his shawl closer.
"Where is Constance?"
"Conny?" said Mrs. Parfitt, brightly.
'Oh! we met Hugh Dudley in his cart
and he took COMFY along with him.
What stylish turnout he has!"
Mrs. Parfitt unpinned her bonnet
"He did, did he?"
Her husb twitched in his chair so
violently that his elbow knocked the
ginger tea cup to the floor. Tom picked
it up.
81 wonder if that scamp has taken
the money--if it will burst the bank?"
he said. SITS a shamev'
"What bank?" Mrs. Parfitt ques-
toned.
An animated discussion ensued. Mrs.
Parfitt knew the defaulting cashiers
daughter; Tom Danforth had known
his brother. George, who knew more
about him than either of them, con-
tributed nothing to the conversation.
He leaned back and shut his eyes, He
confessed to himself that he was en-
tirely out of temper; but he had-cer-
tainly he had-ample cause for being
, so-ample distracting cause. He even
began to think about going upstairs TO
bed as temporary escape from his af-
, flictions,
t And I'm sorry enough for Sally
{ Stewart There's COMFY" said Mrs.
: Parfitt "Said she shouldn't be gone
: long"
Constance came sweeping in. Her
; stylish long dress trailed after her
. with fine effect. Her light coat was
{ open and showed the white silk vest OF
, her dress. Her little hat set back
r prettily on her fair hair, which was
blown into many straying tendrils.
George thought with mental
i, groan, that she had never looked SC
: lovely.
D "Oh, Tom, you?" Constance cried,
9 quite as Mrs. Parftt had done.
And then, not at all as Mrs. Parfitt
had done, she gave him both her hands
, and-it was no hallucination, it was a
E fact-and let him kiss her.
She turned upon her cousin with her
!; blue eyes sweetly dewy.
, do you like it, GeorgeP" she said
. Are you glad? know you like Tom.
9 Aren't you pleased? We'd have told
: you before but we've only been en-,
d gagged u week, and nobody but Kate
: has known it so far"
s "And l thought / wouldn't blurt il
, out" said Tom, standing, flushed and
I beaming. II thought I'd let Conny
: tell You, you know"
care you two engaged" George
3 roared. He sought vainly to get his
wife's eye. Then how about Hugh
, Dudley?"
o "Mr. Dudley?" said Constance
vaguely. "Oh, Gcorge You haven''
thought that Hugh Dudley wanted me
: or / him? Why, it's all about Grace
9 Quinby. They were engaged, yoy
know, and then they had some
n ridiculous trouble or other; and Grace
2 and have been so chummy ever since
o I've been here that Mr.. Dudley came
right to me with it. He's been hert
! two or three times to tell me things Il
tell her and I've told her all of them
+ for Grace was foolish and hasty, anC
= it really wasn't Mr.. Dudley's fault a
S all, and I've been anxious for them tx
i, make it up. And now they have. He
came this morning to get me to &c
there with him, and he met me on tn,
: street and we went. And Grace begar
I to cry when she saw him, and came
y away and"
Constance was sympathetically tear
!. full.
l. "We'll never quarrel, will we, Tom?
It she demanded, tenderly.
S Tom stroScd her hand
s. Kate" cried Mr. Parfitt, sternly.
o But his wife, laughing until her pinl
cheeks were red, slipped her hant