The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-11-19
A SOCIETY BOMB.

petrified, stood on the platform.
"Not know me in London! How dare
you, Lady Silchester; how dare you? II
I have tripped and got my name be-
smirched, you at least are no better than
I, though society accepts you while L
Lord Alistair almost lives in Silchester
house. Not know me in London! Some
words cut deep, but trust a woman TO
outwit a woman"
She laughed out loud, forgetful of her
surroundings. Not till an official sug-
gested that the station must be cleared
did she seek the automobile in which
she and Lady Silchester had a few min
! utes before been chatting and smiling
as trusted friends.
In the next days express Mrs. Mum
roe was seated. She, too, was going to
London. ~"
Leaving her luggage and her maid at
the G~rosvenor hotel, she drove to The
Albany, in a quiet nook of which Lord
Alistair Bruce's rooms were secluded
from noise and traffic. She rang the
bell as she had often rung it before,
but not for many months.
"Ah, madame, quel plaisir!"
1t was a welcome and a recognition
that marked for success.
lord Alistair," she inquired.
"He is, alas, not to the house, chere
madame. ~nevaire, nevaire at this hour.
She knew that as we'll as did the serv-
ant.
"How unfortunate! My business is SO
important, and | am so tired" she muir
INJURED, as if talking to herself.
"Entrez, madame; entrez and rest
awhile. Will madame perhaps like O.
cup of tea?"
Indeed 1 should, for I have just ar
rived from Paris"
"Ah!"
He opened the door of a room where
bric-a-brac and flowers prevailed in eff
Terminate luxury.
Gone of your good cups of tea, Mat
thieu, and don't hurry; l will rest a lit
tle."
The man bowed and left her, closing
the door softly, but rest did not follow.
With feverish hurry she turned to Lord
Altstair's writing bureau, opened a little
drawer, where she found a very small
key.
Well did she know the lock that that
key fitted.
'They should be here. Here it was
that mine were always kept Exactly
the same identical blue ribbon. What
a large packet! No fear about being
compromised; even I was less pldcky.
Beatrice Silchester, your loving Bee
Ha, hal"
The door opened. Matthew had
brought the tea.
Mrs. Munroe was reclining in an arm
chair. her eyes half closed. The letters
were in her pocket.
Matthew looked at her, wondering
why she had come. but had no suspicion.
Ten minutes later she rang the bell.
81 will not wait any longer, Matthew;
| am too tired"
She put a sovereign in the mans hand
as she passed out of the door.
Two nights later there was a fash
ionable gathering at Silchester house.
Mrs. Munroe was among the guests.
"Sorry 1 cannot know you in London"
had apparently been forgotten at the
will of a magnate that knows neither
prejudice nor prudery-bridge.
Mrs. Munroe was one of the BEST
bridge-players of the set. Lady Sill
chester had thus been forced to invite
her. but she was more annoyed than she
generally allowed herself to be.
WHY HIS Ou0 WOuldn Jill w lAOh7
don?' she repeatedly asked herself.
"She never limited in Paris that she was
likely to come. If only Alistair does not
put in an appearance"
Lord Alistair Bruce was announced.
There was a question on every face as
even bridge forgotten-the assembled
fashionables looked at each other.
A society bomb had fallen. Everyone
To- n, ay,ho ~ Tho ctnryattQ ahn1It Mrs
Munroe and Lord Abstain. A storyette
scandal and stirred with its exaggerating
fnger-remembered, and looked for the
issue.
Lady Silchester was visibly discom-
flied, but Mrs. Munroe's face was radiant
and her eyes twinkled.
Lord Alistair, having been greeted by
his hostess, nodded to several acquaint-
ances, and finally shook hands with Mrs.
Munroe without the slightest symptom
of annoyance or confusion. He certain
ly did not look as if the present notice
oppressed him, yet even Sir Henry Sill
chester, man of the world. though he
was, was mentally cursing himself for
having prevailed ON his wife for bridge
considerations to invite the much-talked-
of Mrs. Munroe.
The bridge sets broke UP quickly as
though everyone had had enough of the
game. Mrs. Munroe, who had been Sir
Henry Silchester's partner, sprang up
from the table and making a sweeping
curtsey to her host, said.
II congratulate you, Sir Henry-con-
graduate you and myself"
Mrs. Munroe had waited till this mo-
ment to make the point for tine making
of which she had come to SilcheSter
house.
Frora a pocket she had insisted that
her rsl,etant maid should make in her
lovely rock she produced the letters
that Sne had stolen from Lord Alistair's
bureau and tossed them on the table to
Sir Henry.
"There," she said, "there are your
wife's letters to Alistair Bruce. She
cannot know me in London, she says;
why should society know herr"
The words rang out clear, and then
there was silence.
Everyone looked a~stounded. Only ON
Sir Henry's face there was an incom-
prehensibie smile.
The whip which should have been laid
across her shoulders was in readiness.
A fair young girl, the daughter of the
house, came up and snatched the letters
out of her fathers hands.
"Mine-my letters" she cried. "Oh,
Abstain, why did you let this woman
have my letters %
A murmured @Bravai7 breathed