The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-03-28

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 adj
dressed to Henry Stewart, Esq, ana
marked private and confidential
she opened it without moments hesl-
tation.
"Mv DEAREST HRNRY-It is so sweet to bo
near you again. Just as the wind signs 1or tLe
seashore, do 1 sigh for you Can you I'M
agine what you are and ever have peen 10
me? You are indeed my king ana you kno"
that am your willing slave Yours falth1uiiy'
CONSTANCE BAGGE'
Young Mrs. Stewart sank down on
a low deck-chair and gasped ana
looked across at the two.
"Well," she said, this now is fear
full
There would be good half an hour
before Henry returned, and IN thas
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
I,.4, az hot
never come bacl1?''
The letter seemed to explain his
slight diflidence 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 a shrill
Hill" 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
wish to Gawd," added the boy, pious~
~, 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 Gf he did
come baclz), just half an hour to ex-
tract from him a confession, and then
a rush for the last train up. At Water
loo ashe 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 stern man, and he treated
Nv n1u fhN11rh hav
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. II
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.
''She's an impossible creature" said
Stewart. He sat down beside his 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 something 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 mere youth then. But now she's
too terrible for words. l suppose if
girls don't get married they get warped
and changed"
II want to speak to you, Henry" she
said, steadily.
'Oh, bother that boy" he exclaimed.
"We must get rid OF him, dear; he's
nuisance.
1T wasn't about the boy"
Not the boy? Well, then-Hullo!
Here's funny case"
She wcnt on very quietly:
Il want to speak TO you seriously,
Harry, about q matter that has, by &C
cident, come to my notice. | don't
want to seem to bother too much about
it, and | suppose if l were as free a.
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 no
reason why we should have any high
words"
Il beg your pardon, dear. l haven't
heard word that you were saying"
lie 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"-she raised her
voice to pitch of distinctness-
that
Look here; here's an idiotic letter
the girl writes to the fellow"
Il don't want to hear it, thank
YOU
"Yes you do. Listen. This is how
it goes: Just as the wind sighs for
the seashore, SO do l sigh for you
Why, the wind doesn't sigh for the
seashore, does it?''
go on, please" she said quickly;
''read the rest of the letter. Is it re-
ally in the paper, Henry?''
Look for yourself. dear. It's too
funny for words. so do 1 sigh for
you. Can you imagine what you are
and ever have been to me? You are
indeed my king, and you know that l
am your willing slave"
Why" cried Mrs. Stewart, that's
word for word the same"
"As what?"
at doesn't matter, dear"
She took from her blouse the letter
that the disappointed Miss Bagge,
with deplorable lack of originality,