The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1920-10-02
A SLIGHT
MISTAKE
By sAIDEE E. BALLOON.

eYou are temperamental," profound
~ announced Prof. Erastus vandelier
to Ronald Dempster.
"What does that mean?" inquired
the latter and he winked at his
friend, Don Parker, who had induced
him to expend a dollar to get the cru
dite bump expert to cast his horoscope,
so to speak.
"You are prone to jump at conclu-
sions."
"You've hit 1t right, professor" &C
knowledged Ronald buoyantly. "And
why not? Have missed it? Got mar
ried on an impulse, and what treas
ure I've won! Changed my business
| over night and drifted straight into the
| current of success"
"You are also quick-tempered," con-
tinued Professor Vandelier.
"But sunshiny, and come up smiling
the next minute"
"And you are disposed to be jeal-
ous."
At this Ronald fairly hooted.
"Whats that? Say 1t again.. Don, do
you hear? Me, Jealous! Why, man,
could only be so of my wife, wheloves
| me to distraction and Is as near an
angel as a superior human being can
| be-"
The imputation dwelt with sanguine
Ronald Dempster after that He ex-
pressed himself volubly on the matter
as he and his friend left the sanctum
of the bump reader. Ronald told his
wife of the circumstance and together
they laughed over 1t.
"The idea!' resented Edith, and
wanted to visit the professor and give
him a piece of her mind. "Why, Rom
add" she cried, "you are just perfect"
4 It was two days after that when
friend, meeting Ronald on the street,
passed the time Of day with him and
made the remark:
, sI saw Mrs. Dempster out for an
airing over at the park" he observed.
"How well she looks. And that hand
some man with her! Some visiting
relative, 1 suppose?
"Wife-handsOme man-relatlveF
repeated hOudiu AiS you SuAS ~ "
my wifef"
"Didn't see her face, but couldn't
mistake that chic blue hat she wears
and the coat to match, and the fur col
lar"
"Nonsensel" calculated Ronald, o
: good deal stirred up and then, steady
ing himself, II suppose more than one
woman in the world wears that same
outfit. AS to relatives, handsome OF
!; homely, we have none nearer thar
Chicago"
"That so? MY mistake. So long,
nj Ronald was restless and uneasy al
that afternoon. He arrived at h2m'
half an hour eaglisr thar n4sllaMla sssa N!
first question.
'Dear me, no, with my sore throat
Although it's little better this eve
ming. Besides, this is the maids day
off, you know"
Ronald was satisfied and relieved
But as he left the house that day
| to a week the fierce fire of a terrible
fear drove him forth with a torturine
idea. In the upper hall he had picked
| up q half-written sheet Of paper. II
bore in pencil some lines unmistakably
| in Ediths perfect handwriting. II
| read:
Because 1 really believe you love
me as you say you do / will meet you
in Forest park, south end, at two
o'clock Thursday afternoon"
Heavensl Horrorsl A demon OF
frantic bloodthirstiness seemed tug
ging at the wildly beating heart OF
Ronald Dempster. His own wife's
handwriting The same park where
his friend had seen Mrs. Dempster'
How he withheld himself from return.
ing to the house and giving expression
to his agony before her he could no:
analyze. He passed wretched fore
noon. Long before two o'clock he was
at Forest park-at the south end
From a clump of bushes affording q
clear view Of the various paths he
peered and fumed and fretted.
"At last" he bolted forth, and his
eyes glared and he clenched his hands
and his face grew red and furious.
A man, and handsome one, occu.
pied bench not thirty feet away from
the spot where Ronald stood. Beside
him was seated-oh! who could ii be
but Edith?
Ronald had been smoking furiously
to calm his perturbed nerves. He
pulled wildly as he stole up to the
couple on the bench. Within two feet
of the pair, he removed the cigar from
between his lips. Squarely, crushingly,
he jabbed it against the hand of the
handsome man.
| With a wild howl of rage and pain,
the latter sprang to his feet. He inn
mediately discovered his assailant and
he started to make wild rush, tor
tured with the agony of the burn. Just
then his companion turned. Ronald
fell back with gasp.