Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-01-27
surprise when he walked in to his SOL

surprise when he walked In TO his sol
tary meal and found her there.
She had noticed the occupants OF
the next table when she entered be-
cause they were strangers to her and
because one was so surprisingly pref
ty. with masses of blond hair and
spoken first.
lovely coloring. The older woman had
Are you going out again this eve
ning?" she had asked. 81 noticed Mr..
Winnick's car being brought around
as l came in"
YES" the pretty girl had answered
HE telephoned from downtown an
hour ago saying it was such a fine
evening that it would be pleasant to
take ride and get supper somewhere
The last time he took me out"
By this time Mrs. Winnick had
Strengthened up with beating heart
and begun staring at the third knob
in the fresco, meanwhile giving her
waiter perfectly unintelligible order.
And she had been plying Harold be-
cause Of his siege of loneliness!
81 don't know when," the pretty girl
went on, 1--WE met a man who was as
fascinating as Mr.. Winnick. And he's
been so lovely to me since came"
WELL" remarked the older woman,
that's mild way of expressing it.!
He has hung around you every min
ute of the time, to tell the truth! ="
Her Harold! What a monster Of
duplicity! Mrs. Winnick fiercely ate a
piece of celery SO covered with salt
that it strangled her.
Hes so amusing" said the pretty
girl. And witty. He kept me in a
perfect gale Of laughter last time all
the way out and back"
And Harold in all the years Mrs.
Winnick had known him had been dis
tinguished for his quietness! Mrs.
Winnick ate her dinner mechanically.
thinking bitter thoughts. The worst
of all was to find there were angles
to HaroId's nature which had been
hidden from her, his wife. She never
had been kept in gales of laughter for
hours at a time!
She heard the pretty girl mention
ing Mr.. Winnick and the theater. Mrs
Winnick regretted wildly that she hat
been so idiotic as to abstain from a
theater party while away solely be-
cause there was to be a man present
whom she had Tilted in order to
marry Winnick.
She had heard that the more you
care for a person the more violent is
your dislike when you begin to hate
him or her. Now she felt that she
hated Harold Winnick desperately. Al
| she hoped for was that she might be
able to maintain a cold and calm de-
meanor when he came in. At that
instant she saw him enter the big
dining room and watched feverishly
as he threaded his way toward her
corner. Her heart sunk hopelessly a:
near the next table, he bowed beam
ingly to the pretty girl and her com
paniOn.
At his own table he paused in be
wildered surprise. Then, with joyous
exclamation which Mrs. Winnick la
beled hypocritical, he bent over ant
| L.. haF haHvy
"Well, if this isn't splendid" he
cried.
"Is it," asked Mrs. Winnick icily
with her eyes On her plate.
Don't you feel well?" asked Win
nick, anxiously. you look pale. Ant
I've been boasting to Tom about YOU
pink cheeks"
"Who is Tom?" queried Mrs. Win
nick, with no animation.
"I've been saving him for a sur
prise" explained her husband. my
cousin, Tom Winnick, who is here OF
business for a few weeks. I had hin
came to our table-he ought to be
here TOW. [ thought he'd he lot Of
company whAle you were away, bu
he got so interested in that pretty
blond at the next table that-Goot
gracious, Mabel, what on earths the
trouble? What are you crying about?
oh" quavered Mrs. Winnick, hys
terically, because you are just thu
same as you always were!"
"WeIl, why shouldn't l be-" de
rnondnd tho. rrn1rStifind Minnink