The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-11-29

'But IL IL neeueQ 10 cilncn the mat
ter No, there is no drawing back now,
Clara, or we shall ruin everything.
Papa Is sure to come back by the 9:45.
He will reach the door at 10. We must
have everything ready for him. Now.
just sit down at once, and ask Harold
to come at 8 o'clock. and l shall do the |
same to Charles"
The two invitations were dispatched,
received and accepted. Harold was al
ready q confidant, and he understood |
that this was some further develop |
ment OF the plot. AS to Charles, he |
was so accustomed TO feminine eccen-
I tricity, in the person Of his aunt, that
the only thing which could surprise
him would be rigid observance or ell
quette. At 3 o'clock they entered the
dining-hall OF No. 2, to find the mas
ter of the house absent, a red-shadcd
lamp, a snowy cloth, q pleasant little
feast, and the two whom they would
have chosen, as their companions. y
merrier party never met, and the house
rang with their laughter and their chat
ter.
"It is three minutes to ten" cried
Clara suddenly, glancing at the clock.
Good gracious! So 1t isT Now for our
little tableau!" Ida pushed the cham
payne bottles obtrusively forward, in
the direction of the door. and scattered
oyster shells over the cloth.
Have you your pipe, Charles?'
my pipe! Yes"
Then please smoke It. Now don't
argue about it, but do 1t, for you will
| ruin the effect otherwise"
The large man drew out red case
! and extracted q great yellow nicer
| schaum, out of which, n moment later,
he was pulling thick wreaths of smoke
Harold had lit a cigar. and both the
girls had cigarettes.
"That looks very nice and enamel
pated," said Ida, glancing round. Now
l shall lie on this sofa. So! Now,
Charles, just sit here and throw your
arm carelessly over the back Of the
sofa. No, don't stop smoking. i like
it. Clara, dear put your feet upon the
coalscuttle, and do try TO look little
dissipated. 1 wish we could crown our
selves with flowers. There are some
lettuces on the sideboard. oh, dear,
here he is! hear his key" She be-
gan to sing in her high, fresh voice
little snatch from French song,'with a
swinging ira la-la chorus.
The doctor had walked home from
the station in a peaceable and relent-
ing frame OF mind. feeling that, per-
haps he had said too much in the morn
ing, that his daughters had for years
been models In every way, and that, If
there had been any change Of late, 1t
was, as they said themselves, on ac-
count OF their anxiety to follow his ad-
vice and to initiate Mrs. Westmacott.
He could see clearly enough now that
that advice was unwise, and that a
world peopled with Mrs. Westmacotts
would not be a happy or soothing
one. 1t was he who was himself 10
blame, and he was grieved by the
thought that perhaps his hot words had
troubled and saddened his two girls.
This fear however, was soon dissi-
pated. AS he entered his hall he heard
the voice of Ida uplifted in rollicking
ditty, and a very strong smell of to-
bacco was borne TO his nostrils. He
threw open the dining-room door, and
stood aghast at the scene which met
, his eyes.
The room was full Of the blue
wreaths of smoke, and the lamp-light
shone through the thin haze upon gold
topped bottles, plates. napkins, and q
litter of oyster shells and cigarettes
, Ida, flushed and excited, was reclining
! upon a settee. wine-glass at her ell
bow, and a cigarette between her fin
: gers, while Charles Westmacott sat be
side her. with his arm thrown over the
/, head OF the sofa, with the suggestion Of
a caress. On the other side OF the room
Clara was lounging in an armchair
with Harold seated beside her, botl
smoking, and both with wine-glasse'
beside them. The doctor stood speech
: less In the doorway, staring at the Bac
I chanallan scene.
Come in. papa! Dow cried Ida
/, won't you have a glass Of cham
6 pagne?"
II Pray excuse me-" said her father
d coldly. II feel that 1 am intruding.
. did not know that you were entertain
v ing. Perhaps you will kindly let m
:. know when you have finished. You will
f find me in my study" He ignored tn
: two young men completely. and, clos
a ing the door. retired, deeply hurt an
e moctified, to his room. A quarter OF Al
hour afterward he heard the door slar
and his two girls came to announce tina
: the guests were gone.
= ITO DE CoNTINUED.l