Middletown transcript., 1900-12-01
HEN DICK oRDwAY
went to Peru he took Mrs.
Ordway with him. he ex-
J pected to remain for a term

Il va gNcAAo III btlC Idllu Ol lu-
cas-. Ordway loved his young wife pas.
sionately. He paid heavy tax for this
delightful privilege, He had two qualities
with teeth like rodents-that gnawed
him to anguish, viz: jealousy and pride.
It was a trial to him to present even his
best accredited men friends to his charm.
ing, vivacious little wife. She-thought-
less young thing!-was SO bewitching, Sc
prettily animated, SO artlessly fascinating,
when with agreeable men that her hus-
band was tortured by her airy prodigali.
| ty Of charm.
| The thought that this Peruvian ap.
pointment would translate Mrs. Ordway's
magnetic Establishments to a more re.
stricted field made Ordway hail it with
delight. The small coast town which was
the company's center Of dealings in oil
had only handful Of Scotch, English
and natives. He did not reflect that 8
healthy appetite deyours even plain food
with relish when that is the best it can
get.
Ordway's pride made him cloak his
jealousy. His wife was SO openly and i'm.
personally gay that it should have been
disarming. But jealous nature is not a
calmly reasoning one.
It's green eye has crystalline lens Of its
own, whose exaggerations the brain does
not correct.
They had been at their post on the Pc
ruvian seaboard only few months when
a matter Of business called Ordway to
Lima. As he was really fond Of his wife
and did not know how long he might be
detained there, he took her with him.
Not that this was absolutely disinter-
ested conduct. He liked, for obvious rea-
sons, to have tlis sprightly partner Of his
joys within range Of vision.
There was young gentleman Of Lima,
by name Pedro d'Alcantara Martinez.
He was immensely wealthy, fascinating
rather than handsome, and of family
that trailed back to the Spanish adven-
turers who had conquered Peru. In the
middle Of his smooth olive forehead glis-
tened scar an inch long. Senor Pedro
had plucked it one morning very early,
in the Bois de Boulogne, ten years ago,
when be was fiery blade in Paris. He
was still gallant, with blood easily stir
red by pretty woman.
Somehow Through no fault Of Richard 8
one may rest assured he became acquain-
ted with Mrs. Ordwav. He fell in love
with Mrs. Ordway. She, serenely con
scious Of her innocence and strength, saw
no reason for declining pleasant atten-
tions that the gentleman with the long
name was SO ready to bestow.
The effect on Ordway may be imagined.
He could not leave Lima, nor could he
find dignifed excuse for sending his
wife back to the small coast town in the
South. So he went on accumulating pent-
up irritation.
But one day there was a climax. On
returning home, he passed d'Alcantara
near his house. When he entered it he
found Mrs. Ordway flushed and troubled.
The simple fact was that the young
descendant of Spanish conquerors had
| wished to be credit to his ancestors by
doing little conquering himself. He
had expressed his sentiments warmly to
Mrs. Ordway, and had kissed her hand
with an ardor that she could only recall
with confusion. She had promptly set
him back and informed him with de-
cision that this must be the end.
Her first impulse was to tell Richard.
Then she thought Of his violent jealousy,
and of his unreasonableness under its
attacks. So, on second thoughts, which
are not always the best, she decided to
say nothing about it. She felt equal to
coping with the matter herself. The
foolish young Spaniard had forgotten
himself. She would simply give good
jog to his memory.
Therefore, she met the few remarks her
husband made about the young fellow
evasively, and with the air that d'AIcan-
tara was not worth considering. The re-
suit was that Ordway put the worst pos
sible construction on the affair. His vie
wes deliberately, clandestinely fitting
with this Peruvian Lothario!
The next day, as good or bad luck
would have it, he left home later than
usual, and encountered at the door
messenger from d d'Alcantara with note
for Mrs. Ordway. He promptly possessed
himself Of it, hurried back to bis room,
and without hesitation, read 1t all
through. It was tropically forid and,
while foolishly amorous, was enough to
confirm Ordway's worst suspicious. Ills
Jealous resentment was famed to frenzy.
Had he spoken to his wife then, and
had an explanation, the matter might
have been peaceably settled, for she
would have told him the whole situatlod.
But he I'D not. Mrs. Ordway unavold-
ably met dAlcantara day or two later,
and, through his complaint that his note
had been disregarded, learned that It had
been sent and, Of course, intercepted.
She was indignant at the whole business.
1t disguised her greatly that the agree
able, though conventional, acquaintance
with the young Spaniard should have
taken on this character. That dAlcan-
tara should be persistent, after her e1-
plicit ultimatum, was particularly annoy
ing. With more heat than was necessary,
she told him that in future they would
meet as strangers. He acquiescep, with
the worst possible grace, and took oc-
casion to convey to Mrs. Ordway DIS
opinion Of a woman who encourages a
man only to affront him, by cutting ms
acquaintance. This remark was not cal
culated to soothe the lady.
| When she saw Richard OrdWay, ana
wanted to know why he tampered with
her letters, she was too indignant by fae'
He told her hotly that he had intercep-
u ~