The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-09


CLEANS of daylight.
II hope he will not keep US waitiEg!
exclaimed the widow. "Ah! you have O
letter from my brother. What does he
s;.y?''
He cannot come up until the end OF
Eext week." returned Miss Gilmore. He
thinks it would be well IL We could man.
age our marriage while he is in town.
and pass a brief honeymoon at York on
our way homer
"A very good suggestion-only''-
MIR. Lisle." announced the landlord
throwing the door open.
A rapid. earnest apology and Lisle swept
them off to the carriage that waited be-
low.
Lisle seemed In unusually high spirits
and their drive from the far west to
Her Majesty's' seemed wonderfully
short.
There's an uncommon fine womanv'
.ajd one of two men who might.
from their aspect have been medical stu
dents. They stood close to the entrance,
but on the wrong side. as Lisle and Ais
companions passed through the doorway.
YES" said the other. but not quite the
Same stamp as the man with her. Did
you notice him?'
II did. Do you know him?'
NO. but 1 know who he is-a deuced
deal too well-he is Godfrey Lisle, u
precious young scamp. Only for him I'd be
next heir to fifteen thousand year and a
fine old place."
Keep out of his way, then. or you'll
be tempted to give him bill. He Is a
regular swell
Anyhow. he is gcing the pace pretty
fast. but he doesn't drink. So he may
last good while yet
We'll, Norris. I'd rather not be the
chap that stood IN your way" returned
the elder with chuclxle
Pooh. nonsense. Do you think Ia be
SUCH q precious fool to risk my neck
even for fifteen thousand a year?'
"Wol / don't know" began the other,
and they moved off into the transparent
darkness of q summer night.
Meantime Li3le and his friends ascend
ed to the box he had secured. anxious to
be in their places at the beginning of the
opera.
The curtain had risen. however, and
they hastily settled themselves while.
from behind the chairs Of the ladies Lisle
silently surveyed the house.
At the end of the first act a stout gentle
man of middle height. with gray hair
fierce. waxed moustaches. angry. light
eyes, and a we'll It up soldierly ca-riag ge,
presented himself.
and Mrs. Aerr!ck exclaimed:
General Blair! l thought you had gone
to Scotland?"
mo. my plans are a little altered Good
evening. Miss Gilmore. Didn't think young
ladies were brought to plays of this kind.
eh?"
mo. general Only wicked old women
like me- said Mrs. MCrrick, shaking her
fan at him.
IL admit your wickedness only in ono
seIse, my dear lady"
Now that is a cruel speech Mr.. Lisle,
you must not let the general abuse me-
General! Beware." cried Lisle. dramat-
ically.
What delightful box" Mrs Merrlck
continued, zone can see every part of the
house so well. Who are those people IN
the stage box?"
Whercupon Lsle began to explain who
was who to his interested listeners until
the curtain drew up and both became alb
sorbed in the joys and sorrows of the
fascinating ''poitrinaire."
When the drop scene next went down,
the general, who had been annoyed be-
cause Lisle had put him right about some
choice bits of high life scandal. now took
his revenge
''Iisle my dear boy. 1 am deuced sorry
to hear that your uncle Is 10 be married
next month to the Hon. Miss Dynevor.
Bad luck for you. eh?''
Internally bad, general!'
"Wnat DO you think Of doingT The
holidays are over; you must go back TO
school. chr
IN enlist in your regiment. general! 1
hear you are TO have command in the
northwest provinces!"
Indeed! | did not think the appoint
ment was generally known! In 1act' L
thought of retirins"'
And why. pray?" asked Mrs. Merrick
with "A delightful smile. Il am sure YOU
are as fit t. command Il division as when
L met you at Rumchupder."
"WiH you excuse me. Mrs Merrickl
said Lisle. who had been looking down for
the last minute or two fIom behind her.
his glass fixed on the stalls. Il see a man
l want to speak TO down there, and
know he is going out of town. May / go
and catch him?'
My lear Mr.. Iislei Why. Of course"
"And 1 leave you under the care of 'his
'preux chevaller,' with u wave of his
hand toward the general as he left the
box.
Its perfectly astounding how rarely
one meets d sensible. unaffected young
man. nowadays" growled the genera.
looking anerily after him.
My dear general. if GeOff Isle is any
thing in particular. he is unaffected.''
Il cannot contradict lady" pompous-
ly but ii YOU knew the estimation he IS
held in by men!'
PRAY, why can you not contradict
LADY, my dear general? Because We are
children-or idiots? Pray, do not make
uncivil speeches"
Bless my soul, Mrs Merrickl you know
1 would not say an unciNil word TO you,
not TO win the chief command of-of-"
Then, why do you do it? l feel quite
hurt, You know l don't ike you to think
little of me! l never could bear it!' and
she looked bewitohingly at him.
My dear Mrs McrrIck. my dear lady,
I-I-think you are--n short. I'm afraid
to say now much l think of you,' stam-
mered the general. cEnpietely routed. Il
beg you to believe that L have the highest
esteem and regard for you, by Jove!'
do look at that lady in the third box
from the stage. left side, Interrupted
Mrs. Merrick. is she not wonderfully like
Lady Markham? You remember Sir Gill
bert Markham's pretty little wife. up at
G.mla9'
mo. L can't say 1 see the likeness
81 am almost disposed to think 1t Is
Lady Markham herself" Mrs. Merrick
protracted the discussion In spite of her
elderly admirers attempts to return to
more personal subject till the ultain
drew up again.
Meantime, her att-nti,- the deepen
ing tragedy of the opera v diverted by
her increasing surprise at Lisle's con-
tinued absence.
The curtain fell again. and still their
host did rot reappear. General Blair went
away for a few minutes to speak to some