Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-06-03

. Are you acquainted with any OF
the people in your house?" Mr.. Car
ruthers asked her on one occasion.
mo. don't believe one ever knows
ones neighbors in New York." re-
piled Jean.
Shortly after this, while walking
across Madison square one bright day,
she met Arthur Blake, who asked II
he might turn and go a little way
with her
"Carruthers gives a bachelor party
tonight in his fat" he announced in
the course of conversation. Hes
taken a great notion for having the
fellows there lately, and he always
serves, among other things, home
made cake that beats any i ever ate.
wish | knew who makes those cakes;
there's come mystery about them, I'm
sure. When we ask Carruthers he
laughs and says his sweetheart makes
them"
When Arthur Blake had left her
Jean hurried home with burning
cheeks and heart filled with wrath.
So, then, it was Howard Carruthers
who had bought the cakes, who had
left violets on the box, who had given
her aprons to make, and whom she
had presC nted with a bunch of jon
quils! And he had laughed at her
and called her his sweetheart!
That evening, having cooked and
eaten her dinner, Jean sat down in
her dining room to sew. When twi-
light obliged her to lay aside her
work she still sat beside the window
looking over the city through the mar
row cleft that let light and air be-
tween the building in which she lived
and the one next door, and pondering
the fact that in a town of 100000
inhabitants she should be so lonely.
The dusk became darkness, and
still she did not move. Shortly after
eight o'clock some one lowered the
shade in Mr.. Carruthers' dining room
and the gas was lighted. Soon Jean
fancied she could hear the murmur OF
voices About ten o'clock shade and
window were raised and she could see
all that went on in the room across
the court.
1t was a sufficiently striking picture
she looked at of half dozen men in
evening dress seated round a table
on which were bottles and glasses
and in the center the cake she had
made that morning Howard Car
ruthers was there, seated with his
back to the window. Arthur Blake
faced it, His eyes looked straight at
back, forgetting that the darkness
shielded her.
A second later she leaned forward
again. Arthur Blake had risen to his
feet and seized the cake, and with it
in his left hand and his wine-glass
held high in his right began to speak,
evidently to propose a toast
Jean could not hear the words, but
they were followed, first by burst
of uproarious laughter, and after this
had subsidized by the blinking of glass
es as the toast was drunk.
The guests were resuming their
seats when, as if suddenly realizing
the wisdom of such course, the host
moved over and lowered window and
shade.
During the moment he stood by the
window his figure, against the light,
showed strong and masterful; his
face was in shadow, but it's features
were craven on Jeans heart She
shuddered as she lowered her shade
and turned away. Why were wolves
given lambs clothing in which to
masquerade? Why could men look
good and true and yet be- a sob
rose in her throat.
She lighted the gas and sat down
to write a letter than when finished
read thus:
Mr.. Howard Carruthers.
Dear Sir: / regret the necessity for in
! forming you that / have changed my
mind about receiving you tomorrow
/ evening Ii will be useless for you to
call, as I shall not be at home.
Yours truly,
JEANETTE DALRYMPLE.
After this letter was sent Jeans
/ life went on as usual with the differ.
ence that she made no more cakes
and that she and Mr.. Carruthers were
as acquaintances.
II they encountered each other al
the house of some friend, the two ex
changed formal words of greeting
and good by; when they met in the
street, as they must occasionally, be
! ing such near neighbors, he passed
Jean with bow as cold as her own
In the latter part of June Arthur
Blake told Jean that Carruthers was
going abroad, adding: He needs q
change; he's become as silent and
morose as he used to be jolly"
One yellow, rainy day, shortly aft
er this information reached her, Jean
was crossing Fifth avenue. The
weather and the fact that her new
tan ulster was being literally sprin
led with mud combined to plunge
her into the deepest gloom.
Her common sense had warned her
when buying the coat, that so light
colored a garment would not prove
serviceable, but, being last years
style, II had been bargain so far as
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