The age-herald., 1898-10-16
A MIR. FOSTERS WEAKNESS X
BY EVEN MCPHERSON.

way as he took his seat. Then the lady next to him on his right, who had already taken her seat, politely said, Mot i'll, hope?" and Foster answered, No. Only very tired" Whereupon the lady began a monologue on the exacting nature of the legal profession, while Foster refreshed himself with soup and wondered whether the other lady on his left, who had not yet come down, would interest herself in his health when she came. He meditated deep ly on the drawbacks of boarding house life and said "Yes," at intervals in the mono logue, until the other lady came and joined in with the kindliest and most intimate in- quiries.
 It was more than Foster could stand, all this friendly interest A bone-chilling sleet was falling, and the pavements were slip pery, but he put on his overcoat as soon as it seemed to him that he had made a color able pretense of eating, and seizing his hat and umbrella, rushed out of that exasper- ating boarding house. as if he had business on hand which would not wait.
 As a matter of fact, Foster had no busi- ness of any kind to take him out into the sleet. He found himself moving all too rap idly without intending it in the direction of MabePs home, and, realizing that at his present rate of walking another minute would bring him to Mebels door, he halted. An explanation with Mabel Pelham was manifestly in order. But, having inoppor- tunely met that young woman and her sis ter, Mrs. Carmay, less than twenty-four hours before at the door of a theater, where he was profusely thanking irresponsive policeman for retrieving his hat from be- meath the wheels of a carriage he was ap- palled at the prospective awkwardness of the interview He had come out without any thought so audacious as that of precip- itating the ordeal which he knew must be gone through. He had reason to know that it must be gone through, for he had gone through just the same ordeal six months before in the spring.
 But while Foster stood in the seet, shiv- ering, not with cold but with dread, by some strange chance he was reminded of much-quoted phrase: Damn the torpe- does. Go ahead" He took that for an in- spiration, and ahead he went to the Car mays.
 Foster resolutely walked up the front door steps and rang the door bell. The steps were so slippery that he very nearly lost his balance and fell. When he heard the bell ring, his heart fiuttered and seemed to fall like a wounded bird. He actually wondered why it had not occurred to him to tumble down squarely and break leg or an arm. If he had done that, womanly sympathy would have cast a veil over his transgressions.
 The door was opened promptly and Eos ter was shown into the parlor. The maid asked him to wait until the ladies had nnlShed dinner He had forgotten how he himself had hurried through the agony of dinner at the boarding house and so brought himself to the Carmay front door long before the correct evening calling time.
 When, after long and anxious period of waiting, Foster heard the rustic of skirts and got on his feet, with three different apologies ready for Mebel to be used &C., cording to the mood she might happen to be in, 1t was not Mabel who leaned over the table and turned up the shaded light of the lamp, but Mrs. Carmay.
 And how are you feeling this evening, MT Foster?" she said. Mabel has gone up to her room and asked me to entertain you little for her. You don't mind?"
 "Oh, delighted, Mrs. Carmay. That is, I only hope your sister isn't i'll, is she? You were at the theater last night?'
 Yes. No, Mabel is only little tired. I