The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-17

the ses.t, and her eyes were bright with
unshed tears.
~Don't take it so much TO heart
whispered George. "a satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION viii no doubt be forthcom-
ing"
"Of course 1t will" she said, proudly,
quick to resent commiseration.
'tAnd after all it is a relief to discover
that Dick is not invulnerable,' pur-
sued her brother, equally, unable to
resist q thrust at his brother-in-law,
whose refusal to aid him had engen-
dered enmity.
What do you mean? How dare youi'e
she flashed out petulantly, jealous
womanlike-of her husbands honor at
other hands.
what / say; for it is evident to me
your diamonds have gone to that pretty
actress to whom the Jew referred.
Otherwise, how account for the sim
ilarity of jewels and the exchange Of
your own"
stop the carriage, and leave me this
instant, George! How dare you weave
such falsehoods! Dick rarely f~requents
a theater."
"Hoity, toityl Nora, what a spitfire
you are! Why, / know for a fact that
your immaculate husband is often in
attendance at the Royalty, for | have
seen him flirting at the wings myself
with this identical actressl"
leave mel" she reiterated, passion
ately. ST will not be forced to listen
to your slanderous tongue!"
AT your own door, sis, and not be-
fore. Why, here we are! BY the way,
what am l to do now for that money ~
but she brushed past him and into the
hall with ears which heard nothing but
the knell of her own departed happi-
ness, and eyes that pierced the gloomy
future in abject misery. Lies sweet.
ness seemed crushed out, and 1ife's joy
buried in a breaking heart.
Foolish little woman! She did not
pause to reflect that the intrinsic value
of the diamonds was of no moment to a
man in her husbands position, and that
it was absurd upon the face of it to
imagine him risling detection and
STOPPING to deceit over their exchange
for paste. Jealousy had too deeply inn
planted her poisonous fang for reason
to hold sway, the vision of the lovely
actress, whose beauty Nora had fire.
quently heard extolled, perverting her
judgment.
MI. HARDWOOD glanced up in surprise
as she entered his study.
"Why, what is the matter, Nora?"
But she sprang aside as he advanced
towards her, and stood with eyes that
flashed in angry defiance behind UNI
shed teardrops. what is wrong, little
woman?"
where are my diamonds % she de.
manded, in a voice not quite under the
proud control she would have emulated.
What diamonds ~ he asked, in sur.
prise, forgetful for the moment of the
past.
Don't feign ignorance she cried
scornfully, 'sand deepen your deceitl"
'Try and compose yourself, and ex.
plain your meaning" he said, coldly.
stung by her ill-concealed disgust
What is it that 1 have done to offend
you so bitterly 2"
''Taken my diamonds and given them
to that horrid womanl'
"Your diamonds: why, Nora"
"And replaced them with pastel she
went on, Historically. "How could you,
Dick! How could you'll" she sobbedI
her fortitude crunbling away, and with
it all the recriminations she had
planned to utter.
But a light flashed in upon Dicks
d~enseness, and he threw himself into
a chair and laughed until the tears
came.
1T is no laughing matter, as you
will find to your cost! When a wife dis,
covers her husband making costly pres,
ents-at her expense, too-to actresses
it is time they-they separated"
"Silly child to jump so hastily to con,
clusions!" commented Dick, SOLDERING
down, as he began to realize that hi.
wife was taking the affair seriously IL
heart. why, Nora, the charming ac
tress who plays under the name O
Royse is my sister Matty, not long sine,
emancipated from the schoolroom, only
as she has been finishing her education
abroad you nave never met her. WheI
she wrote home declaring her intention
Of adopting the stagc as a profession
was afraid to mention the matter t,
you. And as to the diamonds, dear
"Oh, never mind them, Dick! Sh,
may keep them, and welcomed" and
Nora's curly head rested penitentIy
t upon her husbands shoulder and he
t hand stole into his.
"But they were not meant for her
little woman, and we will have then
hack again. and Dick hastily explained
his blunder, but his face clonded ON
inously when Nora, in answer to hi
query as to how she discovered the er
ror, narrated the events of the day, in
GLIDING Georges disturbing inuendos
HE deserves to suffer- said her hus
band, sternly. How dares he endeavo.
to poison your mind against me in tina
manner?"
But how could he tell that Mis-
Royse was your sirter? Be reasonable
dear"
who was unreasonable just now
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