Smyrna times., 1901-05-29
THE SUBSTITUTE. :

throwing herself into a chair, an ex-
preston of disgust and perplexity
wrinkling her forehead.
"What's the matter ?' inquired her
cousin, looking up.
"Why, Mr.. Stanley has just called.
/ didn't know what to do at first. |
There was Dick Marston in the parlor
and-and the gas wasn't lighted. You
know he came before it was quite dark,
and we thought we woulden't light up
because it would attract the mosqui-
toes, you know. Finally 1 ushered
Mr.. Stanley into the back parlor, and
then excused myself for the moment to
collect my thoughts and see you.
Whatever am going to do !" Blanche
gave the carpet an impatient scuff with
her foot.
"You might offer Mr.. Stanley the
evening paper and tell him you have a
prior engagement in the parlor, and
ask him to wait" said Grace.
Nonsense !" replied the other, with
an impatient laugh.
"Well, L have it !" exclaimed her
cousin. I'll go down and entertain
Mr.. Marston, while you attend to the
other; that is if you will introduce me
of course"
Blanche looked at her companion
doubtfully. 81 don't see any sense in
that, she said. 81 might as well go
and tell him, and be done with it, that
I've got another visitor, who has just
arrived, and that his own time is up. !"
Her cousin looked thoughtful. eyes
/ suppose he would consider the pro-
ceeding 1 suggested virtually hint to
go, and you wouldn't just like that. "
She glanced slyIy at her companion.
81 have an idea! You say the room is
dark. Couldn't impersonate you so
he wouldn't know the difference, while
you in the meantime dispose of Mr..
Stanley as soon as practicable?"
Blanche stared in some astonish-
ment. 'Do you suppose you really
coald!' she said finally.
st can try. At the worst, if he does
discover the trick, we can laugh it of
as joke"
Blanche pondered seriously for 6
moment. believe you could do it.
Grace, you are so clever. To begir
with he doesn't know anything abou
your being here visiting me, you saw
him the other day, you remember, bu
I, 1,3k ba
our voices are alike, and I'm sure h,
won't be able to distinguish your face
and even that is not so very differen
from mine. All you have got to do i
: sit ON the sofa in the corner, where
is the darkest. Yes, you might try il
{ Oh, and one thing-I had just aske
him, before leaving the room, if b
had seen the play at the Blanks, an
he said he had Well, you have bee
there, too, you know, so you can cor
tinue the conversation all right"
I'll manage it," Grace replied, cor
fdently. "Now you go down to Nh
Stanley, and-don't let him stay to
long, you know"
An hour later Blanche bade her sec
ond caller good night. She was Gel
tainly relieved when he was gon'
She realized that she must have al
peared somewhat abstracted, dull an
constrained in his presence or thi
particular evening. As to Mr.. Stanle
she acknowledged to herself that
was very cultured and entertainir
gentleman, and he was repute
wealthy. She also appreciated Il
fact that he was growing in the sho
time she had known him more al
more tender and devoted in his ma
ner toward her, and she might ha
the opportunity before long of becoI
ing Mrs. Stanley, and that would n
be so bad, truly, but-and then 81
thought of the dark haired handsom
featured young man down stairs
the parlor, and her eyes soften
and
'sBut why doesn't Grace come up
she muttered impatiently, "She mi
have heard Mr.. Stanley go out, j.
now. I wonder how they are getti
along down there anyway. L doi
believe he has discovered his mistal
as Grace hasn't left him yet. l W.
der if he will be very angry if he dc
fnd it out. Well, it's too bad to p
suoh trick on him, anyway; but W
doesn't Grace come up?"
She went to the head of the sta
and looked down and listened. No
ing broke the silence. Then she W
back to her room and waited.
She waited nearly an hour. |
,ther and mother would be he
hortly. That hour was marked
constant trips backward and forw
between the stairs and her roc