The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1903-07-17


HUI % u needed 10 olinch the mat.
ter. No, there ~ no drawing back now.
clara, or we shall ruin everything.
Papa r. sure To- come back by the gt5.
He Will reach the door at 10, We must
have everything ready for him. Now.
Just slt down at once. and ask Harold
TO come at o'clock. and / shall do the
same TO Charles"
The two invitations were dispatched.
received ana accepted. Harold was al
ready a conndont. and he understood
that this was some further develop
ment of the plot As to Charles he
was so accustomed to feminine ecccn-
tricity. In the person OF his aunt. that
the only thing which could surprise
him would be a rigid Observance Of ell
quettc. AZ . o'clock they entered the
dininE-hall Of No. 2. to nnd the mas
ter ~ the house absent, "a red-shndcd
lamp a snowy cloth, n pleasant little
Feast and the two whom they would
nave chosen. as their companions. \
mcrricr party never met. and the house
rang with their laughter and their chat
ter
IT n three minutes TO ten cried
clara suddenly. glnncinR at the clock.
Good graciousl SO Il isl Now for our
little tablcaui Ida pushed the cham
payne bottles obtrusively forward. In
the direction OF the door, aud scattered
oyster shells over the cloth.
Have you your pipe. Charles7'
My pipel Yes"
Then please smoke Il. Now don't
argue about II. but do H.. FOR you will
ruin the effect otherwise"
The large man drew out a red case.
and extracted great yellow nicer.
schaum. out OF which. a moment later,
he was pulling thick wroaths Of smoke.
Harold had M cigar. and both the
girls had cigarettes.
That looks very nice and enamel
pated," said Ida. glancing round. "Now
shall lie on this sofa. Sol Nov.
Charles, Just sit here and throw your
arm carelessiy over the back of the
sofa. No, don't stop smoking. like
II. Clara, dear, put your feet upon the
coalscuttle. and do try to look little
diaslpated. / wish We could crown our
selves with flowers. There are some
lettuces on the sldeboard. oh. dear.
here he lAl l hear his key" She be-
gan TO sing In her high. fresh voice "A
little snatch from n French song, with n
swinging ira la-la chorus.
TIA doctor had walked home from
the station In peaccablc and rcient-
INK frame OF mind, feeling that, per-
hnps. he had said too much In the morn
Ing, that his daughters had for years
been models In every way, and that. II
there had been 0ny change OF late. Il
was, as they said themselves, on ac-
count OF their anxiety TO follow his adj
vice and TO initiate Mrs. Wcatmacott.
lie could see clearly enough now that
that advice was unwise, and that a
world peoplcd with Mrs. westmacotts
would not be happy or a soothing
one. IL was he who was himself 10
blame, and he was grleved by the
thought that perhaps his hot words had
troubled and aaddened his two girls
This fear. however. was soon dlssl-
| pated. Az he entered his hall he heard
/ the voice OF Ida upilfted In a rolllcklng
atty. and n very strong smell OF to-
bacoo was borne 10 his nostrils. He
threw open the dining-room door. and
stood aghast at the scene which met
his eyes.
The room was full OF the blue
wreatha OF smoke, and the lamp-light
Hhone through the thin haze upon gold
topped bottles. plates. napkins, and n
litter OF oyster shells and cigarettes.
Ida. flushed and excited. was reclining
upon n settee a wine glass at her ell
bow. and a cigarette between her I'M
gers. while Charles Westmacott sat be-
side her. with his arm thrown over the
head OF the soft with the suggestion OF
a carenH. on the other side OF the room.
Clara was lounging IN an armchair.
with Harold seated beside her, both
smoking. and both with wine-glasses
beside them. The doctor stood speech
less In the doorway, staring az the Bac-
chanalian scene.
Come In. papal Dor cried Ida.
Wont you have a glass OF cham
pagne2"
pray excuse me-" said her father.
coldly. ~ feel that I am intrudlng 1
did not know that you were entertain
ing. Perhaps you will kindly let me
know when you have finished You will
mud me In my study" lie ignored the
two young men completely. and, clos
Ing the door. retired, deeply hurt and
mortified. TO his room A quarter OF an
hour afterward he heard the door slam
and his two girls came TO announce that
the guests were gone.