Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-12-13
A TEMPTATION.

ITS confoundedly awkward, Don.'
rate seems to have given you all the
honors in the game"
Il hate the thought Of leaving Gladys.
She's such darlingl Hang the foreign
oflce"
When to be even chosen for such an
Intricate affair is the highest distinction.
IL you carry it through, you'll win your
laurels with his lordship. Lucky dogr'
And I've only been married six
months
You will be back in three or four
weeks"
AS If you don't know what orientals
are for delay Three or four months
most likely"
"Shall you decline 1t, thenY"
Look here, Dou. l want you to take
care of Gladys for mo while I'm away.
The men rave about her So she can't help
flirting little. OF course she doesn't
mean anything"
Temple spoke hurriedly, but he looked
delantly at Desmond. with q courage in
his handsome eyes that did not show the
anxiety he felt.
Lady Arlington will come and stay
with her. But If you'll promise to see her
every day, Don, 1t will be such a weight
off my mind. Poor little grill am afraid
she will be very dull without me- Give
me your word, old man, and 1 shall go
away happy"
"All right II you really mean It. But
won't Mrs. Temple think me frightful
borep She might not like me to come ev-
cry day. Are you particular as to the
hourS" laughed Desmond, as diplomatic
as the other in his turn.
II shall tell her that l have left her in
your care, J." Temple declared emphatically,
land you will come when you like, Don.
1 shall start tonight leaving my happi-
ness safe in your hands"
1t was q cold, frosty night, and the
wood on the fire crackled cheerfully,
throwing bright light on the furniture.
Very pretty the boudoir looked with it's
delicate hangings, thick Persian rugs and
carved cabinets, chairs and tables of no
particular date but all in harmony with
each other. A few palms and bowls of
flowers, placed about the room judiciously,
relieved the wintry aspect, as did the vari-
GUS knickknacks, chosen with good taste.
The necessary tone, without which all
pictures are wanting in perfect beauty,
was supplied by the woman reclining at
her case in the low chair by the fire. The
subdued light from the lamp shade, made
to resemble gigantic blush rose, fell soft
| ly on her silken draperies of amber, con-
fined at the waist by broad golden CIR
die. Her hair was of that rich auburn
which glistens at night, and the delicate
complexion which accompanied it was en-
HANGED by the faint flush on her cheeks
and the deeply tinged lips. The eyes were
almost indescribable their hue matching
the hair, but darkened by the long, curl
ing lashes. One could see that she was
tall and svelte, her figure daintily proper.
TONED. The hands and arms left bare by
the long loose sleeves were white as alN'
baster rounded and delicately dimplc
Temple had not exaggerated when he said
his wife was a very lovely woman.
81 took the liberty of calling, Desmond
said, "to ask If might have the pleasure
of escorting you and Lady Arlington tC
Sir Patrick and Lady Lundy'sf'
"You are very kind, but my aunt hal
neuralgia, so we are not going"
81 am sorry for Lady Arlington. May
stay little while, or do you prefer me Il
leave youY'
care you not going to Lady Lundy'sP
she asked, holding up her roses to her fac
and inhaling their fragrance.
~ am not a dancing man, so it is M
privation to me to stay away" he laughed
his tall, well built figure as he stood Their
by the mantelpiece making him look yer,
distinguished in evening dress, despit
the plainness of his features.
"What a good likeness this is Of TEN
plel" taking up photograph on porcelain
from the little table under the lamp.
Eyes. People say it is iattering.
must get a frame for 1t. "
HAS Temple said when he is oomin
backP" he asked as he replaced the photo
graph and sat down by the fire.
"Not for another month, he thinks.
get letter nearly every day. Quite
wonderful man, is he not9 Women are al
ways the better correspondents.
"When any one cares as much for hi
wife as Temple does for you, he can ger
orally find time to write to her."
81 dare say he is flirting desperatel
with the pretty Turkish girls, all tn
same in spite Of their yashmaks."
81 am sure not. When Temple saw 20
first, he nailed his colors to the masthea
and went down with them flying, so
speak. 1 know he has never thought
! another woman since, and he is too hol
orable to be capable Of infdelity, howevt
slight"
: "How do you knowf" And she locke
at him with laughter in her face. "Yo
Q have never been in love, and you kno'
nothing of it. You said so once"
7 "Forgive me- Mrs. Temple. 1 nevC
{ said that" he said, looking into the fire.
q "What did you say, then, Diogene
Will you not tell meP" There was untol
P sympathy in the low, haunting voice. an
5 he thought that the winning tones wei
like the chords of Lutte struck by tren
. bling hands-when she chose.
b "If you wish" He reused himself frol
. the momentary abstraction. 81 may ha'
b said once that no one had ever loved sue
an ugly DEVIL beg your pardon-as m
j. self. But am not bound to be an icebel
in consequence"
a "Who was shef" very softly.
b He smiled at her conclusions. "Beau
IS and the beast, you will say. She was II
n tie Irish girl, with lovely eyes. Poop
called her the belle of Limerick. 1t
IS nearly ten years ago now, and 1 ma,
1t myself an idiot about her"
n "And sheY'
Z "What other could you expeotP 81
laughed in my face"
/ "How utterly vile and heartless" b
n eyes flashed.
r. "Well, she was beautiful, you see.
70 looks absurd when people are i'll matche
ID 1 think. Do not your Now Temple al
yourself are in perfect harmony, SO y
1t cannot fail to be happy"
% "And do you mean to say that becau
you do not happen to be pink and viii
% ladies' darling you are doomed to ex
~ without the delights and torments a
a. miseries of lover What a hallucination
4 49,