The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-08-08
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

NV "Bich thAhS ""U bJO
About midsummer he told Lena that
he had business In Burlington, VT,
and had to go ~there-alone, Of course.
She pouted, and cried, there was an
exchange of unpleasant remarks, and
Herbert left the house, feeling very
unhappy-one of the unhappiest men
in New York.
An hour later, at the Hoffman
House, he met his old college chum,
Reginald Mansfield, to whom he re-
lated his troubles, and asked his ad-
vice.
"Follow your own ~inclinations, old
fellow" advised Reginald. Don't
permit yourself to be tyrannized by
your wife. ! am astonished at her
efforts to rule you, and only four
months after marriage. Go to Yer
| mont and she will soon realize the
fact that a husband was born to con-
troll"
This seemed sensible advice, and in
less than a week Herbert Latimer had
gone to Vermont. He had gone with
out leaving his address with his
friend, Reginald Mansfield, and the
latter was on his way from the club
to Iatimer's house to obtain it.
1t was his first visit. He had been
in Portland, Oregon, when Herbert
had married, and he had returned but
a few days prior to h conversation
just reported. On h evening of his
arrival he had zone to see a middle
aged lady, an old friend of Herbert
Latimer, once the friend of Reginald's
own mother. She was a Oma of
the world, who had kept the depth of
her heart and feeling, and who had
looked on many of the chances and
phases of life with her clear, steady
eyes. The talk had turned on Her
bert Latimer's wife.
'She is a simple country girl, is she
not?" asked Reginald.
"She has a rare and charming n
ture, strong and sweet-far to good for
Herbert. But she adores him-as girls
of that character adore men of his"
ooh, Herbert is not bad"
"Not at all. But weak. A weak
Adonis. Men of that kind always have
the best love lavished upon them"
Mrs. Percy paused a moment. Then
she raised her eyes to ~Reginald's.
"She looks like Eleanor" she added,
In a gentle tone.
She saw that he changed color.
How that memory lives with him"
she thought. She alone knew this
man as he was. She alone had known
closely the dead girl who had beer the
dream of his young manhood. When
people spoke of Reginald as a
Lothario, she would remark, quietly:
"Let us not jcdge too much from the
surface"
"She looks like Eleanor"
Those few words of Mrs. Percy had
been persistently in Reginald's mind
as Herbert Latimer had come to him il
few days later with his grievance.
They were in his mind as he rang the
bell of the young mans house.
Like Eleanor. Was it true? For an
instant, as he waited in the dim draw
ing-room, he wished that he had not
come. Then a curtain was raised and
dropped again. A slight. girlish figure
in a straight, flowing dress advanced.
Mrs. Latimer put out her hand.
you are a good friend of my hus.
band. have heard of you often. l
am very glad to see you" she said.
But Reginald Mansfield stood for an
lHStdHl as OuG DcGell u sense. MIS-.
Percy was right. Here was the same
rare Madonna type of beauty, the
same low, broad brow, the same pa
thetic mouth, the same expression of
the violet eyeS-hiS heart beat fast
with the sudden ache that he had sc
often hoped was stilled.
"Are you ill?' asked Lena Latimer
startled. He had already recovered
himself with an effort.
You will think me absurd" he said
lightly; but you look strangely like
some one l used to know"
In his agitation he forgot the object
of his visit.
1t was a warm. cloudy morning il
August. Herbert Latimer had returned
from his outing, and, to his diSmay
learned that his wife had gone on 9
yachting excursion to New LondoI
with the WentSwOrths, a family Will
whom he and his wife were very init
mate. But this was not the most i'm
portant part of the disclosure. Regi
maid Mansfield was with the party!
This was rather too friendly on thu
part of his old college chum.
Herbert fastened to the home OF
Mrs. Percy, and to her related his
troubles.
That lady endeavored to calm hin
by such words as these:
"Oh, that yachting excursion is nj
right. Mrs. Wentworth is the mode
of propriety. And young married wo
men must amuse themselves-evei
when their husbands are away
"Oh, this is outrageous" exclaimed
Herbert. "Probably o see nothin:
wrong in Lena leaving New York yes
terday to 'amuse' herself. as you say
on the very afternoon that she knew
would arrive"
Mrs. Percy shrugged her shoulders
Her visitor had turned toward tn,
door.
where is the yacht likely to b
now? | take it you are informed, Mrs
Percy"
Il believe it is to return to Ney
London tomorrow or the day after
YOu are not gOing?"
But he had vanished.
One moment Mrs. Percy stood mus
ing; and her teeth. white and fin
still, showed in the peculiar smile tina
parted her lips.
what will the outcome be-" sh
murmured. And then-alas! wha
fools. what astonishing fools men "a
be, ut times. to be sure!'
y 4 -
, y mist had come up and lay. an in
( penetrable vail. oven the sea. In tn
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