The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-05
CBefore)

NBeIOfel
Mrs. Beverley Carlton stood in an am
Der tinted houdoir. clad in a sweeping
white silk dinner gown. The waving
masses of her dun. black hair were gath
cred back and coiled in simple fashion
about her shapely head A snowy ostrich
| ran, with an amber frame. lay on the
dressing table beside necklace of mag
nincent diamonds. A wreath of holly had
tumbled TO the floor. and shaggy terrier
was amusing himself by scattering the
berries broadcast. The woman was
standing as if lost in thought Her maid
had disappeared with a sigh of relief ten
minutes before. Madame had been very
| particular that evening. and Marie's pa
thence was on the wane. She had arrang-
ed Madame's hair no less than five times.
and she had studied the effect of that
old fashioned tiara for fully quarter of
an hour. She had brushed madame's eve
DroWs until her fingers ached She had
devoted so much attention to madame's
| eyes that the brown orbs sparkled until
| they rivaled the very diamonds which
Marie had clasped about madame's fair,
neck fun four and twenty times. No
wonder that the little French girl wasted
no time I'm gliding along the richly car
| peted corridor, and finding her way to the
servants hall, where a good looking foot
man was sure to be waiting to sympathize
with her. Had Mrs Beverley Carlton been
gifted with second sight. she might have
been more cOnSiderate where Marie her
treasure of a maid. was concerned. But
how was she to know that every time she
| tried Marie's patience too sorely, she was
| sending her treasure more surely into the
| realms of protection from which none can
retreat-save by the gateways Of death
or divorce, Mrs. Carlton had forgotten
Marie's existence by the time the girl had
given vent to that sigh of relief The
| woman in the amber tinted bOudoir sur
veyed herself in the long mirror. She
knew that she looked daZZingly brilliant.
| She snatched up the diamond necklace
held It in her we'll shaped hand for mo-
| ment, and then decided to wear it, II
suited her to perfection. and she smiled
dreamily as she noted the effect. long.
long time before. certain Sydney
Strange had told her that when she wore
| those gems against her white skin they
| looked like so many cleaning dewdrops
on snowy satin.
The white terrier. having played suffi-
cient havoc with the holly. turned his at
tention to Mrs Cartoons train. Anything
that Mischief choose to do. as a rule, met
with the approval of his mistress But
for the first time in his existence. the ami
NAL was treated to no more consideration
than was the French maid. He was ig
nored- his feelings were hurt and there
was an expression OF injured dignity in
his blinking eyes as he crawled away and
ing room.
a clock struck g. Mrs Beverley Carlton
descended to the drawing room. and Gid
ed toward her. girllsh hostess Constance
Daintry.
'Oh." the girl commenced. I'm so glad
you are down. Mrs. Carlton. I've been
watching that door for an age"
Really dear? Am l the last to appear
upon the scene. say, Connie. who is
this Mr. Strange who is 30 have the ex-
treme honor OF taking me in to dinner?
oh, Mr.. Sydney Strange, he's cousin
of Mr. Harvey's.'
lis he here YETI"
Hush. here he is. Mrs. Carlton. may I
introduce Mr.. Stranger
No one but Jacob Harvey noticed the
flush that overspread Mrs. Beverley Carl
tons, beautiful features as the introduc-
ton was acknowledged 1t was by the
merest chance that he caught the follow
ing snatches of conversation during din
nerir taJts use.
The tones were discreetly mOdulated.
but their drift was not lost upon Jacob
Harvey. 49,
sydney do you remember the last
Christmas. dinner we had together"
Il say. Violet do you mind II We talk
politics until after we've finished soup?'
Il agree. That's the only course during
which 1 'eveu venture on SO dry topic.
Fascinating as ever, violet?''
s.OnIy when l am in a good humor,.
Nowadays. that happy state Of AFFAIRS ex-
lists very seldom. 1t used to be chronic
with me, | believe. That Was long ago,
when"
When
Long before / Became Mrs. Beverly
Carlton"
You used TO admire this necllace!"
TT is beautiful. l always did admire
beautiful things
and beautiful people. Sydney! re-
member you once said
Did L ever make such idioiic speeches?
No wonder you"
Sydney Sydney"
Constance is such a good natured girl
She often reminds me Of
'iOf what you were yourself. in the
olden days. Is that what you were going
TO say Violet? She Is"
eArtichokes2 Like fishes. they're good
for the brain
They are. I fairly lived on them Ave
years ago."
Politics or weather. 1 say. You
know men, when put to the test"