The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-06


knew, but when she looked again they
were sitting there hand In hand. like
two children. In the prettiest state OF
uncJnsciousness - to the people about
them and to the fact that cynical old
DIR. Newcomb was sitting only two seats
back aud had screwed his face into
very peculiar smile The doctor We
confirmed old bachelor and had proba-
bly, never known tho bliss OF quarreling
and then kissing and making up. Lou
iso was glad to DO neglected for the re-
mainder Of the evening, and, In fact,
sho fell into reverie 10 long and abb
sorbing that she only came out Of il
when the curtain fell for the last time.
Both Monte and Helen were pensive
when they came out of the theater and
scarcely inclined to talk much. They
walked home with Louise, and at her
own door she contrived to insinuate q
malicious little whisper into her friends
ear:
"What beautiful time you and
Monte had this evening, Helenl One
would almost have supposed that you
were counterparts
"You dear old Louise, returned Hell.
en-, with furtive blush, which happily
the darkness concealed, you don't un-
derstand these things, as you have new
er been married, and now. Of course.
you never will be"
NO." said Louise meekly; 81 don't
srppose / ever SHALL" and she closed
the door behind her.
The next morning Louise arose in q
frame OF mind SO peculiar and unusual
her two maids could not but remark the
change in her. She seemed more rest
less than ever and for the first time in
her life capricious She ate but little
breakfast, and after giving several con-
Trajectory orders she went to her own
room to change her morning gown. II
seemed an unusually difficult matter to
decide among her various dresses as to
which she should put ON. She took
white wool one out of the closet and
decided that Ii looked too young, too
dressy, too much as IL she were expect
ing some one, and yet when she glanced
in the mirror the face reflected back
was not an old one. There was pretty
flush on the cheek, the eyes were bright,
and the brown hair smoothly brushed
and banded showed no gray lines. But
still the white wool was rejected, gray
silk as well, and at last she put on q
dark blue serge, extremely plain, with
out sn ornament of any K 4, yet even
the blue serge did not make her look
old in its severe tailor simplicity-in
fact, il was the most becoming Of all.
She went down stairs and said to
Rosa, the waitress, IF gentleman
calls. Rose, you may show him into the
parlor."
"And is il strange gentleman 70 are
expecting:" asked Rose, with round
eyed placidity.
''No; am not expecting anybody,
but he might come just by accident,
and / should not like to miss his visit.
have no reason to think he will come.
Indeed am almost sure he won't, at
least today, but thought would tell
you that If he did will be up in my
room writing letters"
Louise left Rose with her mouth gap.
ing wide open and ran up stairs She
sat down in low chair and clasped her
hands about her knee and broke into an
idiotic hysterical laugh. For the first
time it had occurred to her that she had
not the slightest ground for expecting .
visit from any strange gentleman; that
for hours and hours she had been build
ing ridiculous castle in Spain, with
no other foundation than air and moon
shine. And then her mood changed, and
she buried her face in her handkerchief
and began to sob. There she sat, motion
less, hour after hour, listening to the
great hall clock as 1t struck 0 and 10.
1t so chanced that 1t was just on the
strike Of ii when the doorbell tinkled.
Louise heard it, and with her heart beat
ing loudly crept out and listened over the
balustrade. Rose was opening the door
to tall stranger with quite . distin.
guished head, the thick, black locks
crisped with silver about the temples.
the dark eyes pleasant and full Of light.
He asked for Miss Lancaster, and as
the first sound of his voice reached her
ear Louise ran down the stairs, with q
glad light in her face, and pushed aside
Rose, who was just shutting the parlor
door.
''Oh, Frankw she cried ~ she came
forward, with hand extended. He grasp
ed IL, and they stood there for moment
silent, looking each into the others
face.
How did you know me, an old man
nowY' he murmured at last
Fourteen years have not made such
q difference, Frank. should have
known you anywhere, even IL had not
heard your voice"
Fourteen years. is IL, Louisei Well,
it seems at moments an eternity to mo,
and then again a. il we had just part
ed"
"Soit seems to me. Frank"
docs IL, Louise? ] am delighted to
hear you say so. " He still held her hand.
and they sat down side by side on the