The Silver Butterfly

oiselle Mariposa that evening,--a fact that rather surprised Hayden, as he h

phy he could summon, he went home and wrote a note to the seeress, requesting an early interview and signing an assumed name. He was gratified to receive an answer, dictated, the next morning in which Mademoiselle Mariposa stated that she would be pleased to receive

n Wednesday. He heaved a sigh of relief that there were enough things on hand to give time wings, even if artificial ones, when it seemed bent on perversely dragging leaden feet along

a connoisseur of all things beautiful. So sensitively was he organized that inharmonies or discords of color, or any lack of artistic perception affected him acutely, often to the verge of illness, and always irritation. Although he permitted his wife no voice in the decoration an

nths, and then declaring her environment depressing to her spirits, she refurnished the house from garret

large in size but crowded with furniture. Little tables, chairs, footstools, anything which would serve

the usual light-weight coin of conventional greeting, looked about him for a familiar face. Most of the people he knew only casu

irably suited to her, giving depth and opulence, the rich restfulness of color to her too sharply defined

"and I haven't fallen once. If I came here often I should bring an ax, notch the furniture and

But indeed, I am glad you got here. There is some distorted, goggle-eyed Chinese monster at my elbow

hink I ever saw such a hideous room in my

ing-room; but they do say that the wall-paper in her bed-room is of a bright scarle

s strong nerves," he said. "Do you su

the food were good. Her table is as perfect as her house and gowns are dr

s. Symmes in passing, "is Mrs. Ames.

o-day--never, if I had fancied she would be present. She will be sure to launch out on Marcia O

ty. "Where is this pepper and vitriol old d

s she for whom we are waiting? You will see her in a moment

d a jaw like a nut-cracker. The skin of her face was yellow and deeply wrinkled, her eyes were those of a fierce, untamed bird, a

hat it was served at small tables and that he was placed between Mrs. Ames and Mrs. Hab

's ear. "But just the same, I shall not give that old witch a chance to air any of her grie

gether they seized and held the ball of conversation, occasionally tossing it from one to the

rsham introduced topics so inimical to Mrs. Ames' frequently aired views that this lady rose passionately to the fray. Woman's Suffrage, Socialism

stening with a smile of faint amusement to the arguments which surged and eddied abou

d for breath, and in the brief ensuing silence Penfi

ly ladies," he said to Mrs. Habersham. "But your

d indifferently. "The purple and yellow butter

a cool, blank gaze, "that, saving your presence, Mrs. Habers

eyes of Mrs. Ames, that lady sniffed audibly and tossed her h

let burned in her cheek. "Marcia's are nothing to compare

itive. "I am surprised that you should say that, for M

n the market, wouldn't she?" queried Mrs. Ames in what

ry beautiful," said M

ted now; there was no stopping her. "If one wears beauti

n asked him when he had last seen his cousin Kitty Hampton

g woman who hasn't a penny to her name can afford a superb necklace. Such things cou

ssed her clearly: "It seems to me that such imaginary and absurd behavior wo

e swollen knuckles with diamonds dim with dust, then she dropped it in her lap with another dry

rs. Habersham. Perhaps you will be able to tell me the identity of the rather

momentary apprehension gave way to a swift admiration for her po

longing to take Horace Penfield by the scruff of his thin, craning neck and drop him from the window instead of perm

ath of relief. Eve

he whispered as he dre

"Thank goodness, it's to be br

bles and except for the occasional low-toned voicing of

not drive down-town with her and let her drop him at his apartment. He accepted gladly, h

the fortunes of the game; the excellencies of this player, the atrocities of that; th

per and the green and blue parrots in gilt cages

s falling fast; the spreading lawn-spaces, the dense shrubbery, the irregularly disposed trees were no

for a few moments. Then she turned to Hayden, her

hat old witch of Endor saying all those horrible untrue things

then deliberately chose another word--"to my pain, heard various hints and innuendoes before of the same kind. Now, why is this? Just malice, envy, jea

from what you have just said that you do, you must admire her. No one could help it," she added, with a simple and loyal conviction. "So you may understand how difficult it is for us who love her, for the

grown pale, he smiled down upon her his charming smile. "Mrs. Habersham, let me go further and tell you that I have never met a wo

ng would please me half so much as for you and Marcia to love each other. I don't know you awfully well, Mr. Hayden, and yet," she laughed, "I do in a way. True, we have only met a few times; but for many years I have been well acquainted with Kitty's 'Bobby,' But," and

den lifted it and lightly kissed it. "Dear

t every one says, I am sure that she and Wilfred Ames are not engaged and that she does not begin to see as much of him as people think; and I do know"--again her voice was shaken with indignation--"that there wouldn't begin to be as m

l key-note of his character--"I desire nothing so much in the world as to be of assistance to Miss Oldham. Can'

ears in her eyes, "we who lo

u will h

er radiant changes of mood. "But," and she fell again into dep