The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-12-09
BLUE BLOOD AND RED
BY Patricia Dillon.
Copyright, 1898.
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ITON. CAPT. PLUNKET and his
II wife had been entertaining some
trends to dinner in small furnished
house in Mayfair.
The last guest had departed and the
captain, we'll pleased with his success
at cards, indulged in some airy castle
building, as he lounged back in COM
Portable armchair His wife's tall fig
ure was visible in the background; she
was putting away the songs with
which she had been entertaining her
husbands card-playing friends.
81 must really congratulate you, my
dear, on the way everything went off
this evening" The captain removed
his hands from behind his head and
plunged them into his pockets. There
upon the music his ears loved best, the
tinkling of gold coin against each
| other, could be distinctly heard in the
silent room. Mrs. Plunket crossed the
room, leaned one beautifully-shape
arm on the mantelpiece, and fixed her
flashing eyes full on her husbands S
face, with the fearless glance which
| always made him uncomfortable. She
put her hand up to her throat as if the
violence or her repressed emotion were
choking her.
From under his lowered eyelids, her
husband stole a furtive glance at her
face. by Jove! she's primed for an
outburst! There's no escaping it this
| time" was his inward comment
Jack, how long is this kind of thing
going to go on?" she asked in a vibrat-
| sounded like moan of the wounded
animal. 81 cannot bear it any
longer! 1t is killing mel"
This kind of thing is vague ex-
| preston" drawled her husband. "May
| ask you to express yourself more in
telligibly?"
"Oh, I'll be ineligible enough, never
fear" she retorted, bitterly. what
complain of is the degrading, dishon-
est life we lead. What right have we
| to give dinners when the landlord. the
servants, and the tradespeople are all
clamoring for their money? You know
| right well you never intend to pay
| them. When things become unbear-
able Hon. Capt. Plunket and his wife
| will do as they have done before, disap-
pear from one place to reappear in an
| other. What are we, you and |, but two
| dishonest adventurers? l for one am
| resolved to break with this degrading
life and ask you to give it up"
And if refuse to do so, what then?"
Then we part forever" she replied
firmly.
Part" repeated her husband with a
sneer. I'm afraid, my dear, you're
forgetting that very interesting cere-
mony which bound us to each other for
better or worse, richer or poorer"
'l,ask for nothing better than honest
poverty" was her quick reply. Il could
| live in two rooms and work from morn
ing to night for you and the children
without murmur."
Unfortunately, my dear, I've not
been blessed with the early training
and inherited instincts which alone can
render such life endurable."
His wife drew up her fine form to it's
fullest height, as she cast glance of
withering contempt at her husbands
nerveless figure; tide of warm Grim
son dyed her cheek; cutting rejoinder
trembied on her lips; but the earnest
ness Of her purpose inspired her with
self-control. and, allowing his insolence
to pass unchallenged, she proceeded to
put before him the plan she had been
maturing for several weeks.
Il have been renewing my connection
with the theatrical world and this very
morning ! was offered n good engage
ment in London theater. by an old
friend of my mothers; will you allow
me to accept i? ?" she asked.
Impossible, my dear! It's bad
enough for me to have taken a wife
from the stage. I certainly can't al