The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-23
The Globes Daily Short Story

her maid, who spent an extremely bad
half hour in dressing Lady Laura. This
| task accomplished, a cab was sent for,
| and by o'clock her Infatuated LADY,
snip stood upon the doorstep of Mai,
Blacker's house in Grosvenor Square.
The butler, who was evidently sur
prlsed to see visitor at so early an
hour. informed her that his master
was not yet down.
/ will come in and wait please"
SAID Lady Laura, reSolutely. Kindly
take up my name to Mai. Blacker and
say that my business is most urgent"
She was kept waiting in the library
for about wenty minutes. Then the
major made his appearance, spruce,
1resh, faultlessly attired, and entirely
| possessed, as usual. He bowed to
Lady Laura, who, plunging in medals
| res, exclaimed, with uncomfortable
rage:
What do you mean by lying to me
the other day, Observation-Disclosures me
in this scandalous manner? 1 demand
! an explanation"
Very sorry" replied the major, per-
fectly polite and unmoved. Merely
the exigencies of war, Lady Laura"
The exigencies of war be -" she
cried. 0ou must remember that size
was really beside herself.) "Are you
aware that you have-swindled, yes
y
| drel?"
WAS that the sum you stood to win
| over Aurora Borealis?'' he asked, cool
ly.
yes" she said, cit was; and 1 won-
der you have the face
Excuse me-" interposed the major,
quietly seating himself as he spoke at
| his writing table and taking out his
| check-book. Il never intended from
the first that you should drop money
over this little affair. There is check
| for the e 400, Lady Laura. Pray ac-
cept it with my very best thanks"
Lady Laura took the check readily
enough. 1t malified her In an instant.
But she was utterly puzzled both by
his unexpectedly generous behavior
and also by the enigmatical words with
which 1t was accompanied. And she
exclaimed, in great mystificatiNl:
Your best thanks? What have you
to thank me for Maj. Blacker?"
He looked full into her face, his
| searching eyes seeming to read her
through and through.
Tell me-" he said, did you keep
your promise Of perfect secrecy? Did
you really not breathe word Of what
1 told you to a living soui?"
Lady Laura flushed. Then, for once
in way, she spoke the truth.
'Well-only to one or two very init
| mate friends" she admitted.
Quite So" remarked the major dry
| ly. "And your one or two very init
| mate friends told their friends, and
| they in turn told their friends, until
| the whole thing became public prop
| erty, as l wished and anticipated"
wished? Anticipated? What do
| you mean?"
Simply, that I intended to lay
against my FLY, on commission, for all
/ was worth, and 1 desired to make
sure that plenty of money would be
I forthcoming replied the major, with
| an unblushing effrontery that was
nothing short Of sublime.
The truth now began to dawn Of
| Lady Laura.
do 1 understand" she CALCULATED,
| chat you-were-wereu using me mere
! ly as a decoy to induce people to back
Aurora Borealis?"
| Precisely" confessed the major,
without $50 to speak, turning hair.
why, then" she replied, with a
| tinge of reproach In her tone, did you
not confide you real scheme to me, in
| stead of going about 1t in that round
about and extraordinary way"
There was nothing roundabout or
extraordinary, assure you" answered
| Maj. Blacker, quietly. TT was the
direct and natural method.p
| But how could you foresee"-
mo foresight was needed. One
merely had to understand one thing"
What one thing?'" demanded Lady
Laura, quickly.
Women replied the major. with a
| synicaI grin,