Arizona republican., 1895-01-25


Now an odd thing happened. AS
Stewart handed his charge into the
boat letter fell from her pocket on
the deck of the Gadfiy. Mrs. Stewart,
in her usual good temper now that her
husbands old admirer was departing,
called to her as soon as she noticed the
letter; but Miss Bagg paid no atten-
ton. 1t almost seemed that she did
not want to hear. When Mrs. Stewart
picked it up and saw that it was ad-
dressed to Henry Stewart, Esq, and
marked "private and confidential"
she opened it without moments hest
tation.
my DEAREST HENRY-It is so sweet to be
near you again. Just as the wind signs for the
seashore, so do I sigh for you Can you i'm
agine what you are and ever have been to
me? You are indeed my king, and you know
that am your willing slave, Yours faithfully.
CONSTANCE BAGGE."
Young Mrs. Stewart sank down on
a low deck-chair and gasped and
looked across at the two.
"Well," she said, this now is fear
full"
There would be a good half an hour
before Henry returned, and in that
good half hour it was necessary to de-
eide what was to be done. What was
quite clear was that the creature must
have had some encouragement to in
duce her to write such letter, and
"Why, she is taking his arm!' she
cried.
Indeed, Miss Constance Bagge was
resting her hand upon the arm of Mrs.
Stewards husband. Henry was carry
ing her banjo, and. looking back,
laughingly waved it at his wife.
"Does this mean," asked Mrs. Stew
art, distraetedly, that they will
never come back?''
The letter seemed to explain his
slight difidence in agreeing to the
lady's dismissal; it explained also why
when Miss Bagge had that morning
made her unexpected appearance on
the bank hailing the boy with shrill
clip Henry had only laughed very
much.
Mrs. Stewart summoned the boy.
Eyes, mem, there is trine up liter
than this. 1t leaves Thames Ditton at
eleven fifteen, and you get to good old
Waterloo at about ten to twelve. And
I wish to Gawd," added the boy, pious-
ly, that l was there nah. This plice
is lump too quiet for me-"
That would give half an hour to
speak her mind to Henry if he did
come back, just half an hour to ex-
tract from him confession, and then
rush for the last train up. At Water
loo ;she could take a 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 he treated
everybody as severely as though they
were his fellow-countrymen.
The white-fanneled figure came back
to the riverside.
HE has managed to say good-by,
then?" said Mrs. Stewart, fercely. 81
should like to have seen the parting"
Henry came on board and went
straight to her, and, with the assur-
ance of new husbands, kissed her neck.
"Shes an impossible creature" said
Stewart. He sat down beside mis- wife
and took an evening paper from his
pocket. 81 believe she took the extra
away with her. I've had to buy an
other"
There was mething in little Mrs.
Stewards throat that prevented her
for the moment from starting her lee
ture.
'She wasn't so bad, you know" he
went on, lin the old days. Of course
| | was a mere youth then. But now she's
too terrible for words. 1 suppose if
girls don't get married they get warped
and changed"
81 want to speak to you, Henry" she
said, steadily.
"Oh, bother that boy" he exclaimed.
''We must get rid OF him, dear; he's a
nuisance"
1T wasn't about the boy"
Not the boy? Well, then-Hullo!
Here's funny case"
She went on very quietly:
II want to speak to you seriously,
Harry, about matter that has, by ac-
cident, come to my notice. 1 don't
want to seem to bother too much about
it, and l suppose if l were as free as
some women are l shouldn't mind il
in the least. But my mind is quite
made up"
He was not listening, but her head
was averted, and she went on.
81 have left the keys in the bed
room, and my account book is totaled
up to date, with the exception of the
bill that came in to-day. There is nc
reason why we should have any higl
words"
Il beg your pardon, dear. 1 haven
heard a word that you were saying"
. He had found the news page in tn,