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Show The Painting ol Satan. dv ktheivn m:sme iiuston. (Copyrlsht. I'M. by Dilly Story Cub Co ) Although the rct( of tho KUettt of the gentler sex at tho Hotel Helena sometimes said unkind things about Mrt Weston, that llghthcnrted little lady wai, perhaps. Ilka a certain person per-son not mentioned In polite, society, not quite a black ai sho was painted It i4 ,. I. true aba dlil Ilka to talk to interest-tuv interest-tuv "' Inn men, whether they happened to be i married or not, and the men, Interest ing and otherwise, liked Tory much to Ulk to her. And when Mr. Ilartlelgh began to show a distinct preference (or htr society In that laiy hour or two after dinner while digestion went comfortably com-fortably on to tho soothing strains of tbo mandolin orchestra, Mrs. Weston took It as a matter of course. The Hartlclghs had always shown - their fondness for each other aa much as good breeding would permit, and to the casual observer, there was no change In their mutual regard Hut Mrs. Weston scented trouble, (hrough her high-bred llttlo nose as accurately as a thoroughbred racer sniffs danger borne to his quivering nostrils on the summer breeze. And when Ilartlelgh brought his Indolent In-dolent pott-prandlal revolutions to an anchorage beside her chair, tho received re-ceived him with the tact that questions not, but waits. And such tact la worth unmlnted gold to women. If they but knew It. A few do. Bo, one evening, aha learned all about It. She know that Ilartlelgh waa not In love with her, and she knew that Hartlstgh's wife, under her usual gently gracious air, was fretting about tho Intangtblo something that bad thrust Its llanquo-ghost Into tbelr happiness. hap-piness. That evening when Ilartlelgh mado aomo reckless statements to her about her Irrlilstable attractions generally "But Mra. Ilartlelgh " and bis appreciation thereof, and all the rut of It, Mra. Wciton nodded bor sensible little head and assumed an air of fitting gratitude for the compliment compli-ment paid her, and then faltered, with a becoming touch of hesitation, and n quite fetching little quaver In her aoft voice "Uut Mra Ilartlelgh" ' Ilartlelgh tossed bis cigar behind the gas-log of the big fireplace and laid, with gloomy Irritation: "Oh, she doesn't care. Tho best of us are conceited beggars, you know, and I used to think she did, which ahows what an ass a man la " Mra Weston smoothed n smllo from her lips with her big black fan "And becauso sho doesn't," sho reflected, re-flected, whllo her eyes danced "I am to bo n sop to his lordship's vanity. Dear, dear. How very clumsy men are, to bo sure Hut 111 try to fix (ho thing up Though I'll get no (hanks for It Ono never docs " So she purrod a few sympathetic purrs, which nro all a clever woman needs to do when a man la bothered, and tho whole story came out. Ilartlelgh, It appeared, had gone to his wlfo's desk to scribble a note one Had aeon an open letter, evening when abe happened to bo out, and on pulling out a drawer for some note-paper, had seen an open letter that had been tossed carelessly In there. Ills sensa of honor was too fine to tolerate any thought of reading what waa not Intended for his eyra, but tho second's glance caught two or three words that had sent tbelr sting down Into his heart's core. And ho had closed tbo drawer, and that was all "And you havo not spoken of It to her? ' asked Mra. Weston. "No. What's tho uaoT" he replied drearily. "She's tired of me, I suppose, but I cannot very well gn and ask her to say ao. Tho woman must take tbo Initiative In a thing of that sort." Mra. Weaton nibbled (he edgo of hor fan and tho muscles around her pretty mouth twitched. Ilartlelgh bad entirely en-tirely forgotten, In the unburdening of bis sick soul, that bo bad declared a deep and abiding passion for Mra. Weston but five minutes before, and waa plunged In gloomy reverie. Mra. Weston pressed the fan sternly against her rebellious lips, and finally turned toward him a face of bevomlug grav-Itr. grav-Itr. "Perhaps It la not ns bad as It looks," sbo eald seriously. "Wo may provo an alibi yet. do away now, and give Mr. Stanton your scat. You have been talking to mo long enough, and tho tabbtea are looking unutterable thlnga my way." Tbua whllo sho talked sweetly to the enraptured Stanton, her busy and clover brain was at work on the Ilartlelgh Ilart-lelgh problem. Sho was unshaken In hor belief that Mra. Ilartlelgh was In lovo with but ono man, and that man was Ilartlelgh Conaequently, that letteror let-teror portion of letter that Ilartlelgh Ilart-lelgh bad accidentally seen, must kayo aome explanation. Hut bow to get at It! It la a thankless task to try and aet I tho matrimonial misunderstandings id unplcatmtnetsea of one's frlenls 1 Ight and Mra Wreton sighed as sho signed herself to tho ordeal The boles looked daggers and battering-ims battering-ims as they saw her lift her eye ows In Hartlelgh'a direction and (hat ntlcmnn promptly resume (ho seat , :antun had Just vnea(ed at ft slightly ( ore Imperative signal from Mra lanton 'My beloved Christian friend," raid rs Weaton. gravely "There la ono ilng due Mrs Ilartlelgh, under all k rcumttnnce and (hat la an apology.' 'ti "Ilecause I T ' J "r.xnclly 1( was a breach of honor, I i owever Innoceni, and It la Incumbent I pon you, na 'an offlccr and a gentle- 5 inn.' (o admit your Indiscretion, or b rror, and mako tho nmendo honor- 1 lile generally" Ilartlelgh drew a long breath, and inved uneasily In his chair 1 "Well, It will bo doshed unpleasant, o said heiltatlngly "Hut If you think lere Is no other way-nnd It U tho roper thing" "Assuredly, the proper thing,' aald Is mentor sternly "You bad no ght lo fumble around the private esk of anybody, and If you found jnicihlng you did not want to find, ill was retribution And tho penalty lercof Is sack-cloth and ashes" , "Hut it sho la permlUlng tome black-uard black-uard (o write Ihlngs " "You do not know what sho Is per- lilting, or anything about It," aald Irs. Weaton. "Uut 1 tell you I aaw " "Thrco worda. Eactly And (here- ' y hangs a hlalory which ou havo w lied In wl(h (he aid of a lvld Imag- d latlon and doubtleas some peraonal I xprlenco " (ilartlelgh again moved ti neaslly In hla chair "and It hat II ever entered our head thai (hero (I lay bo tome (hlngs In (he beavena ( boto and (he earth beneath, of which J on nro not altogether cognltant. In t ny case, two wrongt do not make one Ight I had lhat In my copybook at b chool You mutt apologlte" T Tho next evening the blttre shadows rr hat bad begun lo deepen around Mra. fi lartlelgh's soft gray cyca, were gone, r nd the llelene guests congratulated Ic er on tho deliverance from the dull (1 cadacho that had clung to her to ( sng After dinner, Ilartlelgh drew II Irs Weston aside for a moment. tl He told her how Mra Ilartlelgh bad bi nslitcd upon hla reading (ho wbolt. (1 e((er, which was tho unwiso effusion di f an unwiso man who had loved her tl ong before sho met Ilartlelgh, and had II rrltten her a ttormy reproach for not l ven requiting bis long devotion wllu IC i algn of friendly Intereat In bla wel-' ip fare Ilartlelgh waa Immcntcly relieved and a good deal athamed of himself, and after ho had explained fully, out I of tho gladnrae of bis heart, and dl-l latcd upon tho blessings (lint Ilrarenl bad beatowed upon him, and of which ho was most unworthy, and bored poor J Mrs. Weston almost to extinction, htj took himself off to hang Over tho back 1 of his wlfo's chair for the greater pap. of thq -evening-. " And alwaya after that Ilanquo-ept-sode of the Ilartlelgh'i, Mra. 1 lartlelgh's lart-lelgh's demeanor toward Mrs. Weston waa tinged with a chllLruiervo. Which Mrs. Weston received with (be calm philosophy of one who knowi her kind. "lllcsted la Ihe peace-maker," ihe quoted to hcnelf, with her shrewd little lit-tle smile "And I could have mido all torts of trouble, bad I wished, Dear, dear." And she milled on Mr Stanton sweetly and plalnthcly aaked him (ho aecrct of his perennial youth, whllo Mra Stanton glared at her Icily, and presented her with a large and heavily bead-armored shoulder for the balance of the evening |
