The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-08-14

suade myself that there was no way
out of the matter. but the truth Is
that in my heart | didn't wish to find
q way out of it. ! had no place to
spend the evening but my club. and l
was tired enough Of it. l wished to
bask in the light Of Mrs. Bryce's
cheeriness.
Resolution is OF no use where a pref
ty woman is concerned. and ! could
scarcely wait after business was over
for the dinner hour. 1t came at last
and was made welcome by Billy and
his wife. Billy regretting that he was
obliged to 60 ont during the evening.
but he would come home as early as
possible. He was ever so much oblig-
ed to me for the favor done him of
keeping Lu from being lonely"
lust before dinner was served l saw
a servant carrying a tray COVERED with
dishes upstairs. I supposed BILLY and
his wife were alone in the house ex-
cept for the servants and asked II
any one VA Ill.
"A relative Of LUIS" said Billy.
"She's not i'll, only bashful: doesn't
like to meet strangers. you know"
Billy didn't more than half finish
his dinner before he arose from the
table.
Sorry to leave you. old man." he
said. You'll excus me. won't you?
Lu will take good care of you. I'll
try to get in before 10. Don't 60 till
I come back"
l was left tete-a-tete with a pretty
woman, and Billy had taken care to
have a bottle Of good wine on the
table. so that had I not been sensible
Of the danger Of the situation I should
sured by a twinkle in Mrs. Bryce's eve
when she kissed her husband goodby.
for I began to think. after all. they
had conspired to get rid of my belief
that Billy's marriage would be .
deprivation to me.
Whatever was their design. l fell into
It. I did not fear for Mrs. Bryce, but l
did fear for myself. She showed no
disposition to 60 back on Billy by deed.
word or look. 1t was ! who in my
heart envied my friend his wife.
Billy did not return at 10 O'Clock or
at II. At half past II I tore myself
away after having passed q delightful
evening.
During the next week Billy and his
wife were constantly telephoning for
me. I found myself becoming infatuat-
ed with her and tried to keep away.
but they wouldn't let me do so. Billy
was as persistent as his wife and she
az persistent as Billy.
A guilty conscience needs no &C.
cuser. and 1t seemed to me that Billy
must notice my embarrassment. my
shamefacedness. But he didn't. At any
rate. he was as cordial. as jovial. AZ at
fectionate IA he had ever been. And, 40
for being Jealous Of me, such an idea
appeared ~ to enter his head. In
deed. he seemed to be constantly con.
irving to leave me alone with his wife.
had not been introduced to Mrs.
Bryce q week before Billy announced
that he was called away on business
and would be absent for about ten
days.
WHAT" exclaimed. Leave your
wife 80 oon after your wedding?"
What can l do? Business won't
wait while a man is spooning with a
new wife. Besides. Lu won't go with
me-"
Indeed. l won't" said Lu. II detest
travelling. Besides, how would I amuse
myself. shut up in q hotel. while Billy
was attending to business? No, thank
you. I'm comfortable here"
THERE" said Billy. "You see what
marriage is. They're very sweet on you
till they get you: then you discover
that it's all put on"
His wife r~eproached him. but seemed
to have difficulty in depressing q smile.
Truly they were taking a great deal Of
trouble to make me feel that ! had been
4 gamer instead Of q loser by Billy's
marriage.
l spent every evening at Billy's house
during his absence. ! made one sickly
effort to miss an evening. but Mrs.
Bryce asked me what in the world she
would do alone. l asked her II the rel.
alive Billy had mentioned as being
with her would not be a companion for
her. but she said that person had gone
the same day as Billy.
BY the time the ten days Of Billy's
absence had ~gone-and they seemed but
half q week. had SO far given nv
heart to his wife that I dared not meet
him. I asked Mrs. Bryce when she ex-
pected him. and she said not for a cou.
pie of days. But when dining with her
I heard q key in the latch Of the front
door and knew that my bosom friend
now my bosom enemy-had returned.
He ushered in q lady who l noticed re-
sembled his wife. She came up to me
smiling and put out her hand.
Il am Mrs. Bryce" she said. I'VE
have al been playing q game. Billy
thought It would b . good joke to in
troduce y0u to my sister. Edith. @
biz wife. He said he thought It would
break the Formally Of your coming
under the new condition.. KENT ont