The Bottineau pioneer., 1895-04-13

p cked it up and saw that 1t was ad-
dressed to Henry Stewart, Esq, and
marked "private and confidential" she
opened 1t without a moments hesita
ton:
MY Dearest Henry-It is so sweet
to be near you again. Just as the wind
sighs for the sea shore, so do | sigh for
you. Can you imagine what you are
AMI ever have been to me? You are,
indeed. my king and you know l am
your willing slave. Yours faithfully,
Constance Bagge."
Young Mrs. Stewart sank down on a
low deck chair and gasp,d and looked
across ut the two.
WELL she said. NOW this is fear
full
There would be q good half hour be-
fore Henry returned, and in that good
half hour it was nee sSary to decide
what was to be done. What was quite
Gear WAS that the creature must have
had some encouragement 10 induce her
to write such Il letter, end
why, she is taking his arm!' she
cried.
Indeed. Miss Constance Bagge was
resting her hand on the arm OF Mrs.
Stewards husband. Henry was carry
ing her banjo. and, looking back, laugh
ingly waved it at his wife.
Does this mean" asked Mrs. Stew
art, distractedly, that they will never
come back?'
The letter seemed to eXpain his
slight Indifference in agreeing to the
lady's dismissal. 1T explained also
why, when Miss B'gga had that morn
ing made her unexpected appearance
on the bank. hailing the boy with a
shrill Hi" Henry had only laughed
very much.
Mrs. Stewart summoned the boy.
Eyes, men, there is a trine up liter
than this 1t leaves Thames Ditton at
Ills and you get to good old Waterloo
at about 10 to l.. And l wish to
Gawd," added the boy, piously, that
vas there nah. This place is a lump
too quiet for me-"
That would give half an hour to
speak her mind to Henry Gf he did
come back. just half an hour to ex-
tract from him a confession and then
rush for the last train up. At Water
loo she could take cab to Uncle
Georges and if Uncle George couldn't
see her through, why, nobody could.
Uncle George Was an agent general.
He was a stern man and treated every
body as severely as though they were
his fellow countrymen.
THE white-fanneled figure came back
to the river side.
He has managed to say goodbye,
then" sad Mrs. Stewart 1iercely. Il
should like to have seen the parting"
Henry came on board anu went
straight to her. and, with the assur-
ance of new husbands kissed her neck
"She's an impossible creature" said
Stewart. He sat down beside his wife
and took an evening paper from his
pocket. II believe she took the extra
away with her. I've had to buy an
other
There was something in little Mrs.
Stewards throat that prevented her
for the moment from starting her lect-
ure.
''she wasn't so bad, you know" he
went on, "in the old days. or course
1 was mere youth then. But now
she's too terrible for words. I sup
pose if girls don't get married they get
warped and changed
Il want to snrak to you, Henry"
she sail It adiiy.
"Oh, bother that boy!' he exclaimed.
1--WE must get rid Of him, dear. He's
q nuisance,
1T wasn't about the boy"
"Not the boy? Well, then Hello!
Here's funny case"
She went on very quietly.
To To "
Henry, about a matter that has, by
accident come to my notice. l don't
want to seem to bother too much about
it, and I suppose if were as free as
some women are l shouldn't mind 1t
in the least. But my mind is quite
made up."
He was not listening, but her head
was averted. and she went on.
II have left the keys in the bedroom,
and my account book is totaled up to
date, with the exception of the bill
that came in to-day. There is no rea-
son why we should have any high
words"
81 beg your pardon, dear, l haven't
heard a word you were ~"ving."
He had found the news page in the
evening paper, and was reading with
much interest a diverting breach of
promise case.
Il was only saying" and she raised
her voice to pitch Of distinctness,
'that-'
"Look here; here's an idiotic letter
the girl writes to the fellow
"Yes, you do. Listen, this is how it
goes: Just as the wind signs for the
sea shore, so do l sigh for you
Why. the wind doesn't sigh for the
sea shore. does it?'
"Go on, please" she said quickly.
"Read the rest of the letter. Is 1t
really in the paper, Henry?"
"Look for yourself, dear; it Is too
funny for words. so do sigh for you.
Can you imagine what you are and
ever have been to me? You are indeed
my king and you know that am your
willing slave
why" cried Mrs. Stewart, that's
word for word the same"
LAS what?'
1T doesn't matter, dear"
She took from her blouse the letter
that the disappointed Miss Bagge, with
deplorable lack Of org :nahty, had
copied from the evening paper.
Don't people do some silly things.
Winifred. dear. when they're in loveY'
She took marguerite from the bowl
on the table and stuck it in her hair.
Then she tore up tn" letter and gave
the pieces little puff to send them on
on the stream.
II believe you," said Mrs. Stewart.
"Shan you want to be rowed across
for the last trine, mem?' demandet
the boy, putting his head out Of a win
dow, cor is the guv'nor going to do 1t?
'"The last train?" echoed Mrs. Stew
art. why, Of course not, James. G.
to bed at once"
"That boys quite mad" said Stew
art, turning over page of the pape