The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-02-19

i,aal, it Is easy enough to preach discre-
ton and oircumspcction. You've tine key
to all your apartments You're Fatima
with n BluebCard who doesn't know the
meaning Of locked door" Here Agnes
laughed in n sort of hystcric way and
pointed to n near chair. "Ihats one of
his overconts, now" While speaking she
slipped across the room and lifted mass
of dark broadcloth, holding it aluft.
"Why yes" said Marion raising her
quiet brows In surprise. Gle came back
this morning after leaving for down town
and ordered u thicker one Of Strayne be-
cause of the changed weather. Strayno
must have left it there. Hos n good serv
ant enough, but he has his careless moods"
Agnes, with another odd laugh, thrust
her hand into one Of the pockets. you've
no fear of finding anything, you irritat-
ingly happy Marion. You are'-
Suddenly she paused. She had drawn
forth Il lilac tinted envelope which had
been raggedly torn open at one of its sides.
"a woman's hand, Marion" she ex-
claimed, or I've never seen onel And
the date Of arrival four days back 1t
smells of violets too. Well, reallyr'
"Agncsv'
Marion went forward and took the motto
from her friends grasp with uncharacter-
]
grew paler as she scanned the superscrip-
| ton and then raised the envelope to her
nostrils.
She loved her husband intensely and
knew that he returned her love. Not tho
slightest incident of her life had she ever
kept concealed from him, and she had al
ways felt confident that on his own side
there was like absoluton of confidence
and candor. 1t stabbed her to the soul as
she thought now that no forgetfulncss
had prevented him from telling her of this
note. They led fashionable lives, but they
led them together. For all that they might
sometimes pass hours apart, their constant
intimacy and comradery were beyond dis
pute.
For few seconds she stood perfectly
still, holding the letter. Then she went to
the overcoat which Agnes had just re-
placed upon the chair and slipped the let
ter back into one of its side pockets.
! She was n woman who had always been
! held to possess no common share of self
command. She justified this belief now.
Bluebeard's chamber she said, with
| a smile, but it was smile quite dim and
| joyless. And then she raised one finger
and put it against her lips in u gesture
that not only symboled silence, but en-
joined it.
Agnes watched her IN establishments
She knew that there was never any pose
about her friend; that what Marion seri-
ously did and said were done and said from
q sincerity ut daggers drawn with sham.
"And you'll never even ask him whom
it's fromY'' Agnes exclaimed.
"Neyer.i'
But you suspect
"No matter what suspect"
and you'll never lut him know you
saw it and didn't open it?''
Never"
But this thing, Marion, will come be.
tween you and him. 1t may ruin your
future happiness.
THAT can he helped. If it's what
/ think it is Cher placid voice broke II lit;io
here), "then letting him know would Go
more harm than good"
but perhaps it's the merest triile, after
all, " said Agnes, she herself now gener
ously turning CONSIDER despite her own sor-
rows, 'some request for financial advice
or loan of money from some woman
whom we both know
Perhaps" returned Marion musingly.
And then it passed through her mind:
"IIe would have told me if it had been
that. He tells me everything-or so till
now I've believed
"Ah, good morning, Agnes" voice
suddenly said in the half open doorway.
"Having cosby powwow with my wife,
ehY You didn't expect to see me here at
this hour, did your You thought l was
too much of poor, Woodworking Wall
street drudge, didn't you? And you were
quite right. l am"
Trent" faltered Marion.
She had instantly seen that her husband
was a trife paler than usual, and that
some inward agitation, which he struggled
to hide, controlled him. His eyes, wander
ing quickly yet covertly about the room,
lit on the overcOat
"Ah," he said Its here" And then
he caught the garment up and thrust "A
hand into one of its pockets. Meanwhile
he was talking with speed and now ad-
dressed his wife without looking at her.
"The fact is, Marion, l remembered
} when half way down town in the elevated
that II left an important business letter
in this coat. Strayne has just told Inc
that he forgot to take the coat up stairs
! stupid fcllOw-so l hurried down stairs
again to get it All, here's the letter l
wantr'
Marion saw If her friend did not see,
; the CLEAN of II lilac tinted envelope as it
was swept into "a breast pocket Of the
overcoat which adorned the person of Mr..
Trent Kingsland.
And then this gentleman, a little flushed
after his late pallor, said "A few words of
genial farewell to Agnes, made u few
buoyant waves of the hand toward his
wife and gracefully disappeared.
The two women looked at one another
in silence.
Marion" at length said Agnes in a
! voice vibrant with feeling, she came back
= to get that letter. And he was very con-
J cerned about it, was he notP"
Very"
Agnes FASTENED to her friends side.
"Marion, do you mean that you'll never
say word to him even now?"
mo. l shall never say word to him
: even now.
Agnes looked steadily at the floor as II
In deep meditation. Then she caught one
, of Marion's hands in both her own.
But you will suffer"
"Yes | shall-suffer -