The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-11-25

toilet.
do you really like me?" and Maggie
Fawcett turned slowly round that no
item of her dainty ball gown might be
lost.
MY dear, you'll be the success OF the
= evening: and o., what an exquisite
bangle that Isl" and with an exclama-
ton of delight, Lady .Carew caught her
cousins wrist, on which glittered a
magnificent bracelet set with diamonds
and emeralds. Surely that's new
isn't 1t? 1t wasn't a wedding present
was it?"
/. Mrs. Fawcett flushed n~ervously'
NO; you haven't seen 1t before
only had it yesterday"
You lucky creature, to get promls-
cuous presents like that! Who gave 1t
you?"
The flush on MsAgie's cheek deep
ened. Eric, of course" she replied,
with a laugh. He spoils ME dread
fully, you know"
Lady Carew's lips quivered into an
~indefinable expression.
my dear" she answered smiling,
beware of a husbands ~unprovoked
presents"
What do you mean" asked Maggie
quickly.
Only that their source is more often
a guilty conscience than an overflow
ing affection"
Laura, why will you say such
things? Come, the carriage is ready"
$50 ana 1; but isn't Eric coming?"
Not with us; he was lunching with
the Delawares and sen over for his
things. He will go with them, and
he goes back there to sleep"
The two women took their places in
the snug brougham. It was a fairly
long drive to Treloar Hall, where the
Darshire hunt ball was to take place,
but there was absolute silence in the
carriage, partly because, as cousins and
intimate friends, there was no neces.
sity for conversation between it's occu'
pants, and also because Maggie Faw.
cett knew Of old that Lady Carew hated
to tire herself out with talking before
the serious business of the flirting and
Waiting began.
Maggie Fawcett's appearance at the
hunt ball was something of an event
She was the bride of the occasion
Early in the spring she had married
Eric Fawcett, and this, was the first
winter she had spent on his estate in
Darshire.
Now and again Lady Carew glanced
at her cousin. Maggie leaned back in
her corner, the white fur of her wraI
nesting round her throat, and hel
small head resting against, the cush-
ions of the carriage. 1t struck her com
panion that the young wife's face was
q little pale, and that it wore a look oil
suppressed excitement. mingled with
something which seemed almost like
anxiety. What can be the matter with
the girl?" murmured Lady Carew to
herself. "She is evidently disturbed
about something. How she plays with
that bracelet. l wonder-but, no,
Maggie is the best little soul alive; and
besides, there isn't$an eligible mar
within a dozen miles. Still, | neyel
should have expected Eric Fawcett tc
have turned out a model husband
and she laughted softly to herself. :
Laura Carew was a good six years
older than her cousin, and she remem.
bered very distinctly that at the same
ball last year, before Maggie had
flashed upon his ARMAMENT, Eric
Fawcett had been her very de.
voted slave, and naturally she
smiled at the recollection "a lit
tie pityingly, perhaps, for Lady
Carew could not quite understand an
admirer deserving her for Maggie, and
though she was fond of her cousin. she
was rather sorry for Eric. Women
generally are sorry for the men who
marry some one else.
But, in spite of Lady Carew's moder-
ate estimate of Maggie's powers of
attraction, her card was full before she
had been in the room ten minutes
as full, that is, as she would allow II