New-York tribune., 1903-01-03

udHHeT cI the unexpected and their frfendS al
said-one always knows what friends say in these
circumstances. The only weak point in Jobs char
acter was his inability to say Not at home to
that historical trio who never waited for him to
return their calls. but 'comforted" him with
persistency worthy of his bitterest enemies
Although Bingham had Miss Sartoris only
once previously she was handsome enough to make
him remember~that first meeting-a glorious bru-
nette, with flashing dark eyes, which simply burned
into man and knitted up his soul. And the girl
knew that she had these exquisite eyes, figure
simply superb. ravishing face. a pretty wit; but
she did not know that she was a romantic simple
ton and that Bingham another. Are
these things written foreheads by the fingers
Of the Prophet. and who shall escape them? What
satin the Koran? Gaze not into the eyes of houris
lest thou be taken unawares and art cast down
into the pit. Bingham gazed into the eyes of this
particular houri, and was cast down into the pit
before he was aware of the fact
AS he said afterwards "It was all that unex-
pected' dinner party to which the Allinghams had
asked on the eve of my sudden departure for
India" viii you take in Miss Sartoris,' said the
hostess and Bingham took her in cheerfully. She
was wearing something diaphanous. Gems glittered
in her hair but could not equal the sparkle of her
eyes she gazed at the handsome Bingham, that
favorite of the gods who had been too busy study
ing medicine to fall in love Her arms Ghey were
very much in evidence) were exquisite; she had
pretty lips the upper curled at the like the
pink convolutions of a shell; dainty ears and fash
tive than the pearls to which poetaster at the
table audiby compared them. AS matter of fact
pearly teeth in a woman look hideous. Miss Sar-
toriss teeth whittier than those OF negress
and she had clear. coloress skin of satiny text
and softness-that kind of cheek which elderly
gentlemen consider themselves privileged to pat
when making Christmas presents. An elderly gen.
tleman had brought Miss Sartoris present on this
occasion. He took advantage of the fact to pat her
cheek until Bingham longed to pat him-with a
,f1p 1fp1Y11 rTlp a LET hal
weapon. If the old gentleman had not been at
tentive to Miss Sartoris. Bingham would have en-
joyed his dinner all the AS it was, the elder
ly ones devotion annoyed Bingham. and he men
tally vowed that he would 'cut out the old buffer
Which rude, but action inspiring.
The "old buffer evidently wanted to monopolize
Miss Sartoris. From time to time he murmured
something into her shell like about "conceited
boys" Miss Sartoris, who did not want the "old
buffers presents, although he had been friend of
her late fathers after much sef-restraint allowed
faint blush of annoyance to become visible her
satiny cheek. Yes; the "od buffer was nuisance.
She stole side glance at Bingham from beneath
the shelter of her marveousy long lashes. and the
trick done. Bingham also stole glance at
Miss Sartoriss from beneath the shelter of his
long lashes Che had eyes blue forget-me-
not) and their velvety fire enmeshed him. He said
to himself that Miss Sartors the handsomest
girl he had seen, and that the "old buffer was
the most annoying excrescence on the face of the
earth-an excrescence which, for some inscrutable
reason had been allowed to disfgure it too long.
He would annihilate the "old buffer or perish in
the attempt.
Bingham hitherto had labored under the delusion
that a career constitutes mans chief object in
life Just before going to dine at the Allinghamss s
he received an official letter entrustng him with
the charge of expedition to India In search OF
certain microbes which, unlike anything else IN
that country declined TO be subsidized by the gov
ernment and persisted in taking rreverent liberties
+be haIf 'ETommiPS" sent out to main
tain our Eastern empire So many "Tommies" sue
cumbed to the mcrobe that the government
decided to have inquiry, medical and sc1entlnc'
into the subject. The government INFORMED 6hs-
ham that If he succeeded in analyzing or frighten-
ing the Tommy Staying microbe. things would pe
well with him in a pecuniary sense. If he fell IN
combat with the microbe. one young fneulcdl
genius more less. would not Vislnly upset the
worlds economy, and it might be prudent PROVIDED
Bingham had anything to bestow on anypoog' 10
make his will before quitting England
Being thus on the of perilous inVestlgauon'
with the odds greatly against MIN. II III oecdile
Bingham TO make even more dangerous one
roatrimonv. TO wit He might have known that when
such rnicrobe obtains entrance into the Inascu-
live sx,stero il is extremely difficult to eradicate
But he was so busy with the Indian mcrobe that ne
had no thought of more commonplace nome ploouc
tions Hence he warmed to his work as the dinner
progressed, and said things to Miss Sartorls which
made her wonder she had never before oiscoVereo
his attractiveness 1t would have astonished Bing-
ham himself had he been in a condition 10 tnihh
the matter over cooIly On this particular occasion
however he was not in condition to do So AS tne
Zulus say Bingham saw blood; ana the oloo"
was the blood of the old bufer
Miss Sartoris gradually became conscious OF bins-
hams blue eyes A soft. warm color stole into heI
creamy cheek She wished that the ola June
Ia Io+ dared to pat it. Most of her fhlngs-
,o-akarcbiefs gloves etc.-fell under the taoie
whom Mrs Aringham signalled that 1t was tlne
e. +ha ladies to go elsewhere. Although Bingham
,,,+,,, dived after these feminine accessories ne
.+riexed only one glove and half nlrny lace manu-
1-arcbief She could the end OF the otheI nan
where he had hurriedly thrust IT, close W !ii' ~
when ne hit his head against the laoie
emerging from under the cloth HIS olue eyes
a caress She shot Parthlan glance d. nm a . -,
If+ the room He would fain have gone a1ter hei
had not Allingham motoneo MN - ,hioh
chair round and try some wonderful loA"S -O-
I,u;ngban, had picked up last year.
N 1,.-,-, drank his Tokay, but to him, in MS
-. 1o-,e hern,sed condition, the precious lqulo
-, 1i,,a toast and water He was living III inc
- - ,Iiss sartoris's wonderful eyes; the glove
ranoeine IN his heart, in company Win 'ho Ice
- of handkerchief, burning INTO IT, Ho
,,or+ad IN get up and make an end OF inc sia's
50 +ha -oid buffer" who. now that the ehchahtne'S
"a 5isapneared turned his attention 10 tne ioAds
49,, COW, that il was good. THE love OF woman.
-, It'd with meaning glance at ms young tlie'
st. Int a nassing Joy; good wine Is dh ulii.e
u,brarce A wife be had for the aShiiie'
-. -rol,ay, NoIr He absently oechoheu " ~
- 70 refill his empty glass. and, III MS he
g Loor+s bingham cursed him for a papolhS 49,
,,nahibber hidebound helot "ho St'7