Arizona republican., 1898-11-21
A GittIe @omedy
 of Errors BY 6 q MQRTQN
BY S. s. MORTON.
Continued From Yesterday)

| ricdly uttered words prOvcd
 II have seen Miss Hilary before, Mrs. Maynard. We are quite old friends. he said.
 The mockery in Mrs. Maynard's smile instantly changed 10 something else not quite transla:able, but suggesting utter [ disbelief in his statement.
 ''Indeed!" she said, coldlv. ''No one would have suspected this from your manner of meeting her here two weeks ago.
 My manner of meeting her" North abruptly checked the indignant dis claimer. adding, desperately: There has been a misunders1 anding, Mrs. May nard, which I cannot explain now, but in few days more shall be at liberty to speak. In the lneantime-will you not pity rather than condemn?'
 It was an involuntary appeal wrung from him by the fear that before he could have an opportunity to plead his cause before Myra some malign fate might interpose and separate them again. If he regarded Mrs. Maynartt as the impcrsonation of that fate his heart must have failed him. for marble could not have been moro cold and pitt less as she turned away from him with the words:
 ''Unless you deserve condemnation. you surely do not require pity. Your re- quest is a confession. Mr. North"
 She left him then, in order to receive some one who had just entered the dIawing-roOn; and North, reviving as if from the effects of q sudden dash of cold water, found his wits sufficiently to resolve upon an immediate departure.
 He had succeeded, after waiting a few moments for the opportunity, in nall- ing his adieux to Mrs. Maynard, and had reached the drawing door when Williams confronted him with a mes sage.
 Maj. Maynard's compliments, he said. lowing low, and wilt Mr. North please come un to the major's study for q few morncnts?''
 It flashed upon North's mind instant lE that there must not appear in his manner the slightest hesitancy about complying with this request, and he therefore aSscnted at once: but he was in no cnvidhlc state of mind as he fol- lowed Williams up the broad staircase Oddly enough lie had never calculated upon the probability of his heinz com pellcd to meet Maj. Maynard, and he li;.d not prepared his mind for such an emergency He had no time now to do more than to rally Lis self possession and nerve himself to meet the uncx- pcctcd in whatever shape it might pre- sent itself to him. falling back upon measurably clear conscience as a sus- taini1g factor.
 The majors ''strdy' so-called. d. though there was nothing in the ap- pointments of that luxurious den CT i'll inc occupations daily pursued within it's four walls to warrant such 9 dcsig- natiOn-vvas situated near tho first land ing of the winding stairway.
 As North entered he perceived q gen tlenan in a richly rr1}r0ldcred dress ing gown. lying at fuil length in re- clining chair. In his first glaurc North recognized in this person the irasclble invalid whom he had within the past hour encounter ed on the street
 This speedy Identification of his as sailant affected NDrth solnc0 hat as an carthIualA" shock might have done; but, conccaling hls feelings as well as possi- ble, he advanced with the greeting:
 ''Gnoh not ming. Mai. Maynard be- licve this is he sccond time to day that l have had this Ii.Innr.'
 A silent, snccrng scrutiny was at first his only aa5,-Hr. and North was be ginning to feel seriously annoyed, when at last the major. Inntipning toward a chair which NOIth declined, began in d mocking way:
 ''Oh, you re not 'prcoccupicd' now, eh? You recognize me, do you, Mir. North? Heavens ani earth. sir! It's {; wonder that you didn come in pretcnd- ing that you bad never seen me before. Do you often get drunk, NoIth?"
 Never, sir" returned North indg- nantly.
 Never. Oh, very lillcly-vcry likely, indeed! Then I have no explanation of your extraordinary behavior this morn ing; none whatever. Now, North, am going to ask you fcw plain questions. and l expect you to answer them. Do you hear me. Nnrth?" 1
 Certainly, Mai Maynard" returned North. with q delicate sarcasm in his emphasis, "I hear you" For the majors voice had been anything but soft and low"
 We'll" pursued that gentleman. i'm periously, ''arc you going to answer lnc?"
 That will depend altogether upon the nature of your questions" said North. looking him steadily in the eye 1t is prrhaps unnecessary for me to say that shall use my own discretion in the matter"
 'Oh, you will ell? Use your own dis cretIQn, sir? Heavens and earth, I'll not stand this!" roarel the major, per fectly furious at North's hauteur. ''1ou'll find, sir, that your best discre- ton will be to treat me with proper respect. Now, I've kept myself posted about this case. Oh, you ncedn't ask me what ease! You know per trctly well that l allude to that forged will It's a very mysterious affair, North. very mys- icrious, and have my own suspicious about it. Now ] want to know in plain terms. without any cowar,ily evasions.