The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-20

| she got out her hat and put it on the | bed Everything else was ready for | her to dress.
 | The engine bell of the 5:30 brought her to the window again and she went through the same performance of watching Yes-no-until she turned disgustedly and wondered if she would know her husband if she did see him, and how Jack would like it if he knew she had stared at that old telegraph pole for over a minute until it refused to walk and she, decided it couldn't be I Jack Dolly felt she must do penance for | that and going to Jacks room she got out his dress shirt, put in the enamel 1 studs, fixed his cuffs and laid out a col lar and tie. Then she hung his suit carefully over the back of chair and
 went back to her post The 5:45 was five minutes over the limit and Dolly
 ran to the door, sure that the very next man would be Jack. She heard him coming and stepped behind the open door, pulling it after her. He could be the one to wonder now-Dolly knew it wouldn't be long.
 Yes, here he was. She half gasped,
 nervously, and crowded against the
 wall so he shouldn't see her through the
 crack of the door. The step sounded on
 the stairs and stopped at the open door.
 He was playing trick on her and
 wouldn't come in, but Dolly wouldn't
 give him the satisfaction of peeping at
 him, so she stood her ground and kept
 quiet But this got wearisome.
 "Oh, I see you!" she said, In scorn-
 full tone. turning her head toward the
 crack where was absolute darkness. A
 surprised, very loud, half frightened
 voice made answer, quickly, "Paper!"
 Dolly nearly dropped. "Throw it in
 the hall please; I'm not dressed The
 paper dropped and Dolly gave the door
 a shove that shook the glass and came
 out very red, very angry and a little
 hysterical. She told herself she would
 never forgive Jack as long as she lived,
 and then laughed. The paper boy must
 have thought her deranged. but perhaps
 her fib about not being dressed saved
 the situation some, although it was
 hardly probable lady would be in
 hiding behind an open front door in
 dishabille at evening time.
 Dolly gathered her dignity and went and told the maid to keep dinner warm her husband would be late. Another
 train had just pulled in. but Dolly wouldn't go near the window. She sat at the piano and sang a song through very badly, trying to be indifferent. Then, when there was no possibility of Jack coming that time. two tears gath cred and rolled slowly down her flushed fao a{1 tper ho h to him--poor, dear Jack! In his hurry to get home some frightful accident had occurred and he had been hurt, even. Oh, no! that couldn't be, but she strained her eyes nearly blind at the next trainload, and when it brought no Jack she got his patent leather shoes out and oiled them tenderly. At 6:30 Dolly had just left the window from watching the stragglers of the last train, when a familiar whistle sounded at the corner. The sound was altogeth- CT too cheerful and worked a startling transformation in consequence. Dolly glanced at herself in the glass, gave her hair a touch, turned over an end of her bow and sat down calmly with the pa per turned and folded at the third page and look of absorbing interest on her face. Jack whistled gayly all the way up stairs and took an unconscionable time with the lock. expecting Dolly to ] hear him and run. but she didn't. He worked the key noisily and came in | with forced haste to find Dolly as com | placent as though she hadn't expected | him for an hour.
 I'm late, dear"
 Are your" with a surprised look at | the clock. He shouldn't know what | she had suffered. Jack came and | kissed her and Dolly noticed he was shaved. Then he hurried off to wash. As soon as he vanished down the hall the paper dropped in Dolly's lap, and she commenced to rock back and forth slowly. There wasn't really anything criminal in Jacks being half an hour late, except the inconvenience of 1t all the hurrying through dinner and rushing to get dressed, and-yes, 1t was pretty bad after all. He was sell fish to get shaved down town when he knew she wasn't going to dress until after dinner, but the worst thing was making light of his promise to her. Dolly was prone to exaggerate the inn portance of such things, because she was so exact and prompt herself, and -he fact that this was the first time | of the sort had happened )nly tended to make 1t worse. Six was the time people gene ally said man began to grow indif- erent if he was going to. That was it. And because Dolly thought so, there vas no other solution to the problem.
 But she would show him. At the dn- Ter table Jack was unusually attentive md full of elaborate explanations, es- aying a mild reproof to start with.
 That was nice way to treat a ellow when he came home tired and lungry I thought it would save time 0 get shaved down town"
 "Oh, yes Save time for yourself, ,ut what about me waiting to got ! Iressed and not able to do anything | nore than my hair until after dinner? But I will give you a chance to re- reve yourself" Dolly added. "I am ong shopping tomorrow and will meet you at Weber's for lunch. Come 0 the east entrance at twelve o'clock" , ack was delighted at his apparent es- ape
 You will surely be on time, won't ou, Jack?"
 "Ill wager pair of gloves I am here first" Jack volunteered gayly as ( hey got up from the table,
 Dolly's eyes twinkled, for she was Z