The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-09-25

mo window came up, and Jack sat down
beside the charming young woman. Ilo
was so exhausted hO had TO-
on, thank you 50 much said she.
1T Is 50 lrlrl 10 gct these windows up.
AS WAS Coming through on lie main limo
tried So ln.d TO get ono up and no one
offered Ia help me-"
'liayc YOU ever been ont this way be-
FORE he asked
"Oh, yes uscil to live in Boston or
about here"
eyes, indeed know-cr-that is, IL
do not know any one now. Everybody has
moved away"
Now, what the dickens made her blush
like that?" thought jack Us tho young
lady suddenly became intensely interested
In tho passing landscape. She turned back
again after II time, but evidently had great
oiiiiculty III meeting her companions eyes.
Every reference to Boston or its vicinity
was discouraged with restrained confu-
SION Jack made some tactful attempts mt
getting her name, but every one was foilcd.
she's bright girl" said jack to him
self, but what makes her want to gigglo
all the timc?"
The train approached Alton Centre, and
the young lady made preparations to leave
tho train, and while it pulled into tho STA
ton Jack carried her bag to the door and
wished her goodby. She turned as If to
speak to him ana thea ran down tho stems
"She is mighty pretty GIRL" unused
Jack as he resumed his seat. "But what
-wondcr il ia better say anything to
Edith about it. No, I won't--no ncod of
it," And he began to read his paper.
His wife met him mt tho gate and hcr
face worc u look of disappointment.
"Naudc is not coming today, Jack" she
said. "Shc wrote mo sho was going to
stop of 10 sec IL friend and como on to-
morrow on the afternoon train. Isn't st
mean, after all my preparations too?''
Jack thought il was, and tho subject
dropped In the evening they went over
to tho Van Pluys' to play whist, and Edith
and Mr.. Van Pluys beat Jack and Mrs
Van Pluys, much 10 F,lith's delight and
Jack chagrin, for if there was one thing on
which Jack pritlcd himself ii was his whist
and his famous combination play Of the
king second hand which Ind never failed
of its object, but did fail signnlly that
night.
For some unaccountablo reason tho next
day did not pass rs well for Jack in tho
city. Everything seemed to go wrong.
His typewriter spoiled two briefs when
they wcro almost done, and he dropped his
big inkstand and spilled all of the ink OH
selected to make the Office look moro
CHEEKY. When it came time for him to go
to the station he WAS glad and sank with
in his accustomed scat with IL sigh of re-
lief. lie remembered tho affair of the dny
before and wished that he had told Edith
and compromised with himself by dccid-
ing to tell her when no reached home. Tho
monotonous rattle of clicking cars Jared
upon him, and he could not read. When
tho train stopped ut West Alton, his tom
per had not improved materially, and
when he ran into Il fat man with two grips
he did not even beg the fat mans pardon.
although he knew that it was his own
fault, but muttcrcd savagcly something
about people not looking where they were
going.
Edith did not meet him at tho gate rs
usual, and that irritatcd him moro. AS
ho ncarcd tho little porch he heard the
sound of animated voices. One was Edith's.
The other sounded strangely familiar.
Where had he heard it before? He rackcd
his brain, but could not determine As
no opened tho door to the cool, tlarkcncd
sitting room Edith met him.
"Maudo has come, Jack" she said ana
dragged him into The room where, seated
on tho divan with the big cushions, was y
white form which his eyes, unaccust omcd
w INV uiliilicHS vi INC fOOll cOtilu not make
ont.
NIaudc, this is my husband, Jack"
said Edith. you remember JACKIE
81 believe that SIC have had the pleasure
of meeting moro recently, Mr.. Strong"
said Maudo, with IL roguish smile.
Firth, yes yes, of course" ho man
aged to gasp. Dolightcd"-- And he sank
down upon the nearest chair with the per
spiration standing out upon his forehead
His wifo stood like statue of leo and
looked from Maudc, who was smilingly
self possessed, to Jack, who looked like IA
melting molassos candy image.
do not quito understand" she began.
Maudc said nothing, but kept her calm,
roguish smile. Edith turned To Jack and
almost caught him in tho act of making n
wild appealing gesture toward Maude
He wiltcd further.
John" said Edith-and when sho said
John" sho meant what she said, and
Jack knew it-'John, what does this
mean"
"Er-my dear-it means Tho fact Is
oh, dash It'll SAW her yesterday i'll
tho car. That is what it means" And
Jack blurtcd 1t out in Il voice which was "a
combination of Il groan and IA shout
Met her in tho car? We'll, L SEQ no
reason why you should DO so confused
about ii" Edith had become very naughty
Jack said nothing. He was swearing
he was swearing to himself Maudc saw
that it had gone far enough, and that it
was time for her 10 speak.
Come, Edith, shc said ''I'll confess
When l entered tho car Yesterday after
noon, l recognized your husband mt onco
anu was going To speak to him. but saw
uii'tU iiu ts:u iiou i7'uo.;nIzc mo. I-wcll,
DO not know why | did ii, but you know
my fault is liking fun and practical jokes
and all that, and l just Thought that it
would BIO fun TO play Il trick on him and
lllrt with him and thcn tell Won ILL nhnut.