ONLY A SLIP OF PAPER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue XIV, 7 April 1894, Page 332

ONLY A SLIP OF PAPER.

BY ADNA 11. LIGHTNER. GRANTLY was standing by the window. Cel' looking out with careless eyes that were half Uh um hidden under golden fringed lashes, her fair face dreamy with its wealth of happiness, and her lips unconsciously forming the words of a love song. ‘lrma! Irmi ! Where are you, deal V At the sound of that voice the lovely face flushed with joy, and the violet eyes deepened into liquid darkness. ‘ Here I am, Gus ! What do you want ?’ Gus Grantly entered the room and halted by the side of his young wife, who had been all the world to him for six short months. * Why, Irma, I wish that you would mend the pocket of the vest I left off this ni irning. I shall want it this evening.’ ‘ I will, Gus ; but arn't we going to Put in Bay next week ? You know that you promised me a month ago.’ Irma laid her white hands on his sleeve, and her eyes were uplifted with all their rare power of entreaty to his face. Gus Grantly, looking down upon his young wife, thought what a lovely little tease she was as she stood there with the sunshine leaving purple gleams amid her dark hair. ‘Yes, Irma, I know that I have promised. But it is impossible for me to go now. I cann >t leave the city at present.’ ‘ Cannot leave the city ! Why not, Gus ?’ ‘ Business, my dear, business. Can’t my wife put off the trip until another season ?’ She looked up quickly into his eyes. Was he in earnest or only trying to torment her? Gus Grantly’s face grew tender and indulgent as he smiled upon her 1 Perhaps lam too selfish, Irma. If you have set your heart on going why not go with the Lacys ? I have no objections to that ; but I cannot leave my business just at this time.' ‘ Oh, Gue, for shame ! You know that I do not care to go to such an extent that I would leave you behind.’ Irma turned her sweet face, now a trifle clouded, back toward the window, perhaps to hide the tears gathering in her eyes, or to bring the smile back to her lips. Her drooping figure and tear-filled eyes touched the heart of her husband, and he bent his head suddenly and kissed her.

‘My little girl gives up her trip like a soldier. Well, Irma, yon shall not regret that you have made it easier for me to refuse you than I had thought it possible.’ • There, there, Gus ; it is all right now,’ said Irma. 1 Look across the street, quick ! What a graceful form—the one in black—and what a handsome face ! Why, Gus, she is bowing to one of us. Do you know her ?’ • .Slightly, Irma. Her name is Leslie.’ ‘ Well, I am glad in my heart that it is only slightly. She is too handsome for a gay married man like you to become very intimate with. You don’t know how jealous I

Her dark eyes sparkled archly and she laughed merrily as she spoke.

‘ Well, may you laugh, you witch, when you know that I have eyes and heart for none but yourself. But I must go. Remember the vest, and laughing he went out toward the down-town business house where he spent his working hours.

Irma went gaily upstairs, returning soon with the offending vest in her possession, and sat down in her easy-chair to do her husband’s bidding. Her fair forehead drew itself into comical wrinkles at the task before her.

‘ Well, I should say this pocket did need mending,’ she said to herself. ‘ Now I wonder how he used it at all. Well, the careless boy ! Here is a five-dollar gold piece, my glove buttoner that I have looked everywhere for, and a scrap of paper. Why, what does it say: “July 21st— Paid Mrs Leslie fifty pounds." Let me see, that was the day before yesterday. Gus did not say anything about paying money to a lady. Mrs Leslie, Mrs Leslie,’ murmured Irma, thoughtfully, trying to remember where she had heard the name before. ‘ Oh, I know now 1 That is the name of the beautiful lady who bowed to Gus this morning ! Ido wonder what he gave her the money for. Of course, it is all right, but I wish he had told me all about it.’ She picked up the slip of paper that had fallen from her hand, and read those simple words over again. She turned it over and found the name of Lilian Leslie written upon the other side.

‘Lilian Leslie! What a pretty name?’ she said, still talking to herself ‘ I t can't be possible that Gus cares for her? Why, no! Of course not. What ever made me think of that? He hasowed her the money, and paid it off. That is all. But I wonder what for ? She cannot be a book agent ; she is too dainty and modest for that. There is so much wickedness in the world—could it he possible ? Why, what can be wrong with me? Now, if I were the least bit jealous I might fancy that Gus had fallen in love with Mrs Leslie, and that was the reason he did not want to leave the city. I cannot see that he has any more business now than he had a month ago when he gave me his promise.

And how willing he was for me to go without him ! Slightly acquainted, indeed ! I would have to be very intimate with one to give him fifty pounds He has been so absent-minded of late ! I wonder if Lilian Leslie was the cause I Oh, how I wish I had never found that slip of paper !’ Poor Irma ! This was a sorry ending to her bright dream of married happiness. She sat with the scrap of paper in her lap, her cheeks tear-stained, and her lips quivering, as she tried to decide in her own mind whether Gus was true or false. And while a curious feeling of misery crept into her heart she began to repair the pocket, her thoughts far from her work. The last half hour had been like some horrible dream. She had read of husbands being false to their marriage vows, but she could not think it possible that Gas could be one of that description. No, she would not believe it—he was true. But for all that she had a good cry, and when evening came, she concluded to go down town and ride home with Gus, just to while away the time. She was so anxious to tell him how wicked she had been to doubt him, and to ask his forgiveness. When Irma alighted from the car she found herself on the opposite side of the street from the business house of Grantly and Co. And, as she stood upon the crossing waiting for a carriage to pass, a sight met her gaze that seemed to chill every drop of blood in her veins. She saw her husband standing on the pavement across the way, and with him the same graceful form, the same fair face that had wrought so many dark stitches in the web of her day. To turn and fly back home like a frightened bird was her first thought, and to think just now was to act. Home, home ! She had no home now ! Yes, she had a home way off in the distant hills, where her mother was - the one heart that was always true. She would leave all to Lilian Leslie, and go away forever. Up in the elegant chamber that her husband had fitted up with so much taste the sobbing wife kneels by the open trunk packing, she knows not what. Her hot tears fall unnoticed, and she does not hear the step an I voice outside until the door is thrown open. * Irma, Irma ! Child! what is the matter? Have you heard bad news from home ?’ ‘Gus, I am going home to mother. Far better had you never taken me away,’ and the pretty head sunk still lower over the open trunk. ‘ I am going out to make room for the handsome Lilian Leslie.’ •Going home! Lilian Leslie! Why, Irma, are you mad? What has Mrs Leslie got to do with your going home ?’ * How dare you ask! You but left her presence a moment ago. And if that is not enough, read this bit of paper I found in your vest pocket. Men are not so generous nowadays as to give fifty pounds to a stranger or slight acquaintance. Oh, Gus, how could you deceive me so ?’ ‘ I deceive you, Irma? Can it be possible that my wife distrusts me ? And you think this little slip of paper positive proof of my guilt, do you ? Have you forgotten that I am secretary of the K. of P. Lodge ?’ ‘No. Gus,’ replied Irma, with a sob; ‘but I did not know that Mrs Leslie belonged to the lodge too.’ * She does not, Irma, but her husband did ; and he died about two months ago, leaving a wife and child without money. Our lodge donated her fifty pounds, and I gave it to her. That slip of paper was but a memorandum to that effect. She came to the store to day to let me know of the successful arrangements she had made in her settlements. Is my young tyrant satisfied, or must I bring the lady and ‘ Oh, Gus, say no more !' cried Irma. ‘ Can you ever forgive my doubting you ? What a mountain of misery I made out of that slip of paper ?’ ‘ Never mind, Irma, I will make you a present of it. I think I can remember what is on it,' said Gus, laughing, ‘and I think after this that I will leave lodge matters in the secretary’s desk. And you were going to rnn away, were you, Irma ?' In a moment Irma’s arms were around his neck, and trembling lips on his laughing mouth. ‘ Only say that you forgive me, Gus ; that is all I ask. I can never forgive myself.’ ‘ I have nothing to forgive, Irma. It was only a mistake, and I will admit that it did look a little out of the way. I will not forget soon how near I came to losing my wife all on account of a slip of paper,’ said Gus, with a shake of his head and a fond smile into the face of hi i wife.