The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-23
tCOnttnued Jrom oar last issUel
ACT II.
YENDALE MAKEs LOVE.

The summer and the autumn had passed.
Christmas aud the New Year we're at hand.
AS executors honestly bent on performing
their duty TO wards the dead, Vendale and Bin
trey had held more than one anxious consulta-
tion on the subject of Widines will. The law
yer had declared from the first, that it was
simply impossible to take any useful action in
the matter at all. The only obvious inquiries to
make, in relation to the lost man, had been
made already by Wilding himself with this
result, that time and death together had not
left a trace OF him discove1able. To advertise
Tor the claimants to the property, it would be
necessary to mention partculars-a course of
proceeding which would invite half the impos-
tors in England to present themselves in the
character of the true Walter Wilding. "If we
find a chance OF tracing the lost man, we will
take 1t. If we don't, let us meet for another
consultation on the 6rst anniversary of Wild
ing's death.n So Bntrey advised. And So with
II e most earnest desire to fu6l his dead friends
wishes, Vendale was iain to let the matter rest
for the present.
Tuning from his interest in the past to his
Interest in the Future, Vendale still found him
s-lt confronting doubtful prospect. Months
on months had passed since his first visit to
Soho. Square-and through all that time the one
language in which he had told Marguerite that
he loved her was the language OF the eyes,
assisted at convenient opportunities, by the
LANGUAGE of the hand.
What was the OBSTACLE in his wayi The one
immoyable obstacle which had baen in his way
from the hrst No matter how fairly the oppor-
tunities looked, Vendale's efforts 10 speak with
Marguerite alone, ended invariably in one and
the same result. Under the most accidental cir.
cumstauces, in the most innocent manner pos
sibe, Obenrezer was al ways in the way.
With the last days of the old year came an un-
expected chance of spending au evening with
Marguerite, which Vendale resolved should be
chance of speaking privately to her as well.
cordial )te from Obenreizer invited him, on
New Years Day, to little family dinner IN
Soho Square. I'VE shall be only Jour-" the note
said. 1--WE shall be only two, Vendale deter
mined "oefore the evening is out!n
New Years Day, among the Eugllsh is asso-
ciated with the giving and receiving OF dinners,
and with nothing more. New Years Day,
among the foreigners is the grand opportunity
of the year for the giving aud receiving OF pre-
sents. 1t is occasionally possible to acclimatize
foreign custom. II this instance Vendale felt
no hesitation about making the attempt. His
one difficulty was to decide what his New Years
gift TO Marguerite should be. The defensive
pride of the peasants daughter-morbidly SEN
sitiye TO the inequality between her social
position and his-would be secretly reused
against him if he ventured on a rich Offering.
A gift which poor mans purse might purchase
was the one gift that could be trusted TO find its
way 10 her heart, for the givel's sake. stoutly
resisting temptation, ia the form OF diamonds
and rubies, Vendale bought brooch of the
flagree work OF Geuoa1the simplest ana most
unpretending ornament that he could ind IN the
jewellers shop.
He slipped his gilt into Mtrguerite's hand as
she held it out to welcome him on the day OF
the dinner
'Ths is your first New Years Day in Eng
land, y he said. viii you let me help to make
it like New Years Day at home?"
She thanked him, little constrainedly, as
she looked at the ie Teller's box, uncertain what
it might contain. Opening the box and dis
covering the studlously smple form under
which Vendale's little keepsake offered itself to
her, she penet etrated his motive on the spot.
Her face turned on him brightly, with look
which said, II own you have pleased and HAT
tered me-" Never had she been so charming,
i'm Vendale's eyes, as she was at that moment.
Her winter dress--a petticoat OF dark silk, with
a bodice of black velvet rising to her neck, and
enclosing il softly in q little circle OF swans
down-heighteLed, by all the force of contrast,
the dazzling fairness OF her hair and her com
pleXion. 1t was only when she turned aside
IRON him 10 the glass, and, taking out the
brooch that she wore, put his New Years
gift In its place, that Vendale's attention wan
dered far enough away trom her TO discover the
presence OF other persons IN the room. He
now became conscious that the hands OF Oben
reiZer were atfectionately in possession OF hti
elbows He now heard the voice OF Obenreizel
thanking him for his attention TO Marguerite
with the faintest possible ring OF mOckery in iu
Tone (''such simple present, dear sir anC
showing such nice tacJ!') He now discovered
for the first time, that there was one other guest
and but one, besides himself whom Obenreize
presented as a compatriot and flend. Th
friends face was mOuldy, and the friends hgur,
was tat. His age was suggestive of the autumna
period of human life. In the course OF tue eve
ming he developed two extraordinary capacities
One was a capacity for silence; the other was
capacity for emptyIug bottles.
Madame Dor was not in the room. Neithe
was there any visible place reserved Tor he
when they sat down to table. Obenreizer eY
pIaned that it was ''the good Doris simple habi
to dine al ways i'm the middle OF the day. Sh
would make her excuses later in the evening.
Vendale wondered whether the good Dor had
or this occasion, varied her domestic employ
ment from cleanine Obenreizer's gloves to cook
ing ObenreiZers dinner. This at least was ceI
tan-the dishes served were one and all, q
achievements in cookery, high above the reac
of the rude elementary art of England TIL
dinner was unobtrusiVely perfect. As for tn
wine, the eyes OF the speechless friend role
over it., as IN solemn ecstasy. Sometimes h
said Good ~ when a bottle came in full; an
sometimes he said ''Ah ~ when a bottle wen
out empty-and there his contributions to tn
gayety of the evening ended.
Silence is occasionally infectious Oppresse
by private anXieties of their own, Marguerit
and Yendale appeared to feel the influence G
the speechless friend. The whole respousibit
OF keeping the talk going rested on Obenrelzer
Shoulders and mantully did ODenreiZer su:
tain it. He opened his heart in the charace
OF an enlightened foreigner, and sang ia
praises OF England. When other topics ran dry
he returned 10 this lneXhausliOle source, an
always SCI the stream running again as cOplOusl
as ever. Obenrcizer would have given an arm
an eye, or leg TO have been born an Englisl
man. Out OF England there was no such in
stitution as a home. no such thing az a tiresid,
no such object as beautiful woman. His dea
Miss Marguerite would excuse him, if he az
counted for her attractions on the theory lhf