The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-27
CHAPTER xxIlI.-(contInued.)

l
weeks, and then only in company Of Mrs.
cambridge, with whom he was desperate
ly In love- But the morning after Thanks
giving Day received-in common. l sup
pose. with the rest of his parishioners-a
simple, engraved announcement of his
marriage to Mrs. Cambridge. "At home
after Dec. 1. at the rectory."
l called the first possible moment and
found them, three little Bainbridges
insanely happy. Poor fellow! he had been
alone in the world for years and could ap-
preciate home better for that.
yes, we are desperately happy, Jackie"
he said In answer to my congratulations.
1 have found the one woman who was
divinely ordered to be mine, I am sure
Lily supplements and rounds out my ma
ture, and I am just the sort of man she
needs" g. -
20, may nothing come between you to
break up your happiness, Phil!'
answered. My tone betrayed me, for he
turned suddenly. 49,
Jackie, you are miserable. What is it?
I have been SO absorbed in my own affairs,
I haven't seen or known Where is Joe?"
Here in Chicago" Unanswered. But
not at home any more"
$50 bad as that?" ~ ~ .s
$50 bad as that. The anonymous let
ter, and then an inopportune call from
the count-it was too much for him. .-
Its all wrong he said decidedly. II
will go to him tomorrow and tell him he
is in the wrong
THAT won't go with Joe," I said; but
you can tell him, for you know, that there
was nothing wrong between the count
and me. He will listen to you, Phil"
I 'Tl go in the morning." he replied.
! go where?" cooed his wife, coming
| over and leaning affectionately on his
arm. Anywhere I can't go?"
! To see Joe Henning," he answered. II
| can straighten this matter out, if any one
can Was I mistaken, or did shade of
annoyance flash across her face?
EVERY one listens to my husband" she
| cooed to me. 1T is wonderful the effect
he has over every one with whom he
comes in contact. o. I am so proud of
him.
I turned abruptly, as he put his arm
around her and drew her toward him.
| But went home in better spirits, feeling
sure that somehow Philip Haven would
| straighten out my tangled affairs. In. the
morning he would see Joe. Perhaps be-
fore another nightfall my husband would
come home and beg my forgiveness, as he
ought.
was just turning into the Lake Shore
| drive when another carriage drove along
| side mine. A hat was being raised to
| me- and almost before my face turned
toward him I knew it. There sat the
Count de Beauvais.
| I sat like one stunned, for a few min
utes. Then I gave orders to the coach
| man to drive to the Parsons establish
ment, where I was SO fortunate as to find
| Mrs. Parsons in.
Whom do you suppose saw on the
drive just now?" asked. THE Count de
Beauvais.' IS
"Never' she cried "Why doesn't he
go back to Europe? tell you, Jackie, he
Is carrying this thing too far There will
! be no chance for you in the club If you
are known to receive him again. He will
probably go to your house tonight. Sup
pose you stay here" .
I assented, for I was heartily tired Of
the count and the complications into
which he had brought me. Mrs. Parsons
| telephoned my mother that I would not
return until morning, and we settled down
to enjoy q quiet evening. For l have
something I want to talk over with you
after everything is quiet" said she.
Mr.. Parsons had brought a gentleman
home to dinner, and it was nearly be-
| fore that function was over. We were
about to withdraw into her boudoir when
the servant presented the card Of a caller.
''Show him into the front drawing-room,
she said tersely, passing the piece OF
pasteboard. ''You go up to my room.
Jackie" The card bore the name and
titles in full of the Count de Beauva1s.
I went upstairs and waited for a full
half-hour, my heart beating wildly all
the time. I did not love the foreigner. OF
that felt sure. But the strange hypnotic
power which he exercised over me when
in" his actual presence influenced me even
now. felt that I ought to face him
and give him his congo in a decided way,
but I also knew that I could not trust
myself with him, and that, if once came
under the spell Of his eyes, I should have
no will but his. I waited in terror, lest
l be called to meet him. but Mrs. Par
sons was too wise for that, and at the
end Of a long half-hour came up tc me.
THERE she calculated, as she closed
the door. II think I've eliminated him
from Chicago society, but it took nerve
Ibid he know I was here?" asked.
/ "Of course he knew it," she replied
He was bound to see you. I invented
every kind Of excuse and I suggested
every sort Of reason why you should not
come downstairs, until finally I came
down fat-footed and told him he had in
volved you In a scandal that was actually
/ upsetting our whole club, and told him
that it was his duty as a gentleman d
W ledf0 OllCaSO once LOT all. Y lie
was aghast at my plainness Of speech, al
first, but I finally got his promise tt
shake the dust Of Chicago from his fee
this very night
How did you manage it?" I asked
" 'Well, let my fancy have free rein ant
told him you loved your husband devoted
W wildly, madly; that he had brough
great domestic trouble upon you, and tina
4 you were eating your heart cut for love
not Of him, but Of your husband. AND
that it was your wish never to lay eve
\ upon his noble, foreign countenanc,
: again."
"Oh!" I calculated feebly.
Yes. And he grew angry at las
and went away in rage SO tina
you need never see him again
unless you are a more senseless lido
than take you for she added with
keen look at me- .tAnd now let's con
slider the incident of the count close,
and go back to the anonymous letter TIL
J rest Of your committee gave up the in
] Ivestigation some time ago. but I've beef
on still hunt ever since-and hav
found the writer
"Surely?" asked
Beyond the shadow OF a doubt .
sat quiet for what seemed like a Ion,
time. Then, Well, why don't you tel
me7' I said.
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