The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-19

| rage before. am glad he escaped; there
| Is one gone for good and / expect we shall
get ria OF another before we go in. Come
| and walk round the garden again: l have
something else to tell you tonight, when
| you are cooler"
| While Mrs. Armstrong cajoled the hus-
| band she worshipped into a better mood
not very difficult task, for his anger was
snort lived, and stroled with him, like the
| lovers they were, round the garden, Jack
! Luttrell waited with folded arms and beat
| ing heart, leaning against the willow Flor
| ence had pointed OUT. He had come to be
forgiven. 1T behooyed him to be penitent. if
ne wished to taste the full sweetness of his
pardon, and the memory of Mrs. Arm
strongs anger made him fear his passion
was hopeless; and yet the promise she had
given that under certain conditions he
! hope.
He was susceptible to the influences of
| nature. his soul was in harmony with her
| present mood, and he yielded himself to the
| SUBTLE spell of midsummer nights beauty.
And then athwart the reeds signing in the
summer breeze came the sound of the voice
he loved. and of footsteps he knew BODIED
! evil. and peering in the direction from which
| they came he saw Mrs. Armstrong and her
| husband. he with his arm round her waist
| and she leaning on his shoulder, come to-
| ward the willow against which he was rest
! ing
He slipped behind it as they paused close
| beside 1t, and presently he heard Florence
say: Jack, what would you do to any man
| who should dare to kiss me in your pres
ence?"
THAT is your little game is it, madam"
| ding at the trick she had played upon him.
Don't be foolish, my darling child, the
is not yet born said Armstrong. ''''''e
i am not so sure of that; but just try
and imagine what you would do if he did
We'll, / should half throttle him first,
and fog him within an inch of his life after
ward
"A pleasing prospect, and threat you
| m
| thought Luttrell.
But, as said before, no man would dare
| do such thing" continued Mr.. Armstrong.
| Don't be too certain / think know one
who would" said Mrs. Armstrong.
7 am sure know one who will thought
Luttrel
who is hep" asked the farmer
III whistle. and perhaps he will appear"
| said Mrs. Armstrong.
He won't if he is wise said John Arm
strong grimly. and he still carried riding
| whip
! place, but he quietly kicked off his shoes
and waited his opportunity.
| Il am afraid you will have to be content
with your old husbands attentions. now we
have got rid of that young scamp Allenby,'
| said Armstrong, and Jack Luttrell wondered
| how this had been accomplished since din
ner.
Il shan't be content till we two are alone
| once more and never, never never will I
| have any pupils again. Promise me you will
est?"e nave my way III '''i'' VIII YOU oe'i
|
in" said Armstrong fondly.
| We'll, | wanted some one to come to my
ry aean P She hSd y way IN that h
still Luttrell did not move.
Are you quite sure you want to be alone
with me again?" asked John Armstrong
| tenderly.
Jack. you know am never happy except
| when you are with me-
And you certain you won't miss these
| three?"
II am certain I shall be truly thankful to
rot nf Tn Isxy1
| for you; want no one, nothing but you,"
| said Mrs. Armstrong.
| by St Patrick. then. you shall have
| something you don't want before you are
| much older / did not come here for moth
| ing tonight, madam thought Luttrell
he watched the. pair move slowly away,
| Mrs. Armstrong; cheek pillowed her
husbands shoulder, his arm round her
| waist.
They were too much absorbed in each
| other now to have eyes or ears for any
thing else. Mrs. Armstrong had forgotten
was as unsuspicious of his presence as he
was of the fairies and elves, the sprites and
| pixies that lurked in the sleeping flowers
and hid among the fragrant summer
| Noiseiessly, treading on tip toe Jack Lut-
| trell crep behind the unconscious couple.
| who had paused for moment to gaze ST.
| lently at the stars, for John Armstrong was
| still young enough to feel the witchng spell
! gazed into the star depths. Luttrell bent
over Mrs. Armstrong and kissed her up
by surprise that she gave a little screa n
as she clug closer to her husband: but be-
fore Jack Luttrell had time to escape the
farmer had seized him by the collar with his
left hand there was a brief scuf1e and then
Luttrel wriggled away, leaving his empty
coat with John Armstrong, and ran toward
the front of the house.
The farmer followed, but Luttrell was
younger and had three or four stones less
to carry. and he turned the corner toward
the front of the house a few seconds be-
fore Mr.. Armstrong. When, the, latter
turned 1t there was no sign of Luttrell. it
was impossible he could have reached the
hall door so quickly, equally impossible he
could have crossed the wide sweep of gravel
between the House and garden: nevertheless
Puck himself was not less visible than Jack
Luttrell.
dered astonishment, half wondering if he
were awake and in his sober senses, and
then he went into the house through the
open door where he met maid servant
Did Mr.. Luttrell come in just now?" he
asked.
No sir" answered the startled maid:
and her master rushed out again to look
for his quarry. But he did not set eyes on
Jack Luttrell again that night, nor for many
a long year While he was searching the
garden and out-premiseS Luttrel was pack
ing few things in his own room. having
entered the house by the dining room win
dow, which was open as he passed, and be-
fore John Armstrong gave up looking for
him he was well on his way to Norwich
The next morning a telegram, summon
ing George Taunton to Devonshire, arrived
with the letters. and the farmer and his
wife were left alone once more; and then
Mrs. Armstrong made clean breast of
what she had done to rid herself of the trio
and why she had done it,
But bow did Taunton know anything
about it?'' asked John Armstrong.
He overheard us talking: he was in the
summer house and knew he was there.
or her three blind mice.
The Argosy.