The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-11-24

=
they?"
"Louise Siggers and Tom Wedding
ton."
''Umph! Nothing should be easier
shan to avoid them, and-'
ooh! Is it,"
81 have found no difficulty"
perhaps not. But then you are
not the object of Louisa's tender re-
gard"
care you?"
calais! I ami"
81 condole with you, my dear chap.
You must find it deuced embarrassing
especially in view of that other little
affair"
"Ah, you're right! When my chief
object in paying this visit was to be
lnder the same roof with Amy Bill
tnghurst. Then to be Swallowed by
This confounded Louisa, and to have
al my tete-a-tetes with Amy interrupt
ed and spoiled-wcll, it's the most ir-
ritating thing ever knew!"
cit must be. But in what way does
Tom manage to interfere with your
happiness? He is q bit of bore, no
doubt. But I have not noticed that
he has cottoned on to you particularly"
"Nor has he.. I do not complain of
the fellow on that score. It is as a
sportsman that I object to him-at
least, when I am posted las / have
oeen the Last three times) ths next
gun on the fellows left" )
''Is he very dangerous, then r
deadly dangerous. You kAsw, d
course, that he is as blind asiS bat.
Can't distinguish any object at'msre
than ten yards !
'T thought he was a good shot.
''He is. He sees confused blob,
pots at the middle Of it and hits it. A
bad blind shot is awful enough, in all
conscience. A good blind Shot is too
terrible for words" I
"Has he ever shot anybodi?"
IT believe lie has been flnown to
wing beaten, and I undo rstand he
once took the crown off somebody's
headkeeper's hat
n.9 ss; SSE does ss ss: host such
ooh! Business obligations, I'm
told. And you will have n bticed that
he never places himself wi &hin range
of Weddington. But here he comes!"
It was in the billiard room of Sir
Thornton Thorndale's country seat,
near Ilkley, where he was entertain
ing large party for the grouse shoot
ing; and the, speakers wfre Charlie
Buckley and the Hon. Horace Sturti-
want, two Of the younger men among
the baronet's guests. Louisa Siggers
was cousin Of Lady Thorndale, and
possessor of anot insignificant fortune.
She had attained the age of forty one
and was spinster still.
Just now she was desperately sweet
on Charlie Buckley, q fellow guest,
and it appeared that she was under
the delusion that Buckley entertained
q tender regard for herself. Of Amy
Billinghurst all that need here be said
is this: That she was young, we'll
born and very pretty and charming;
also that she took no steps whatever
to repel Bickley's attentions.
Later in the same evening Horace
Sturtivant strolled into Bickleys bed
room to have a quiet chat with him.
There was grin on the formers face
as he entered, the grin of a man who
is fresh from the effects of some good
joke.
81 say, Charlie, he remarked after
he had taken an easy chair. GIVE
just heard such funny thing from my
man. It will be of special interest to
you, too. It is about your sweet,
heart"
'About Amy?"
"No! About Louisa.
"Pi-s-h."
"The dear girl has been reduced to
a state Of frenzy tonight. She has
actually committed assault and battery
upon her maid
'For Why"
"Because in undressing her, OF
rather in taking her to pieces, the maid
placed Louisa's best golden bun too
near the candle. There was draught
from the window, it appears, which
blew the flame onto the arrangement;
and hey, prestol it caught fire aud was
reduced to ashes before you could
WiRk, EoHiss was Ia such 4 rage That