The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-11-11
Nc walked toward Old qraIaro,s

1 I
1 house at IRe enDmgt lon discoursing on
different topics. ] was careful not to
alarm him with too hasEy a reference
to the subject of the morning, for 1
knew bis natnres and how liable he
was - take fright, and now he could
be il sharply questioned. Besides.
1 did not care to offend him. The
regard of his daughter was too valua-
BILE for that. tt4,sl'. sSyf
She met Us at the door, with kiss
for her father and o warm smile for
me. What o brightieyed, glad-heart-
ed, round little divinity she was!
With such light in my home 7 would
not have envied old .Bustler himself,
with wife in May Fair of many
pounds avoirdupois, and three stately
daughters who might have sat SEN
tries at the Horse Guards. And when
she brought us into trinity ordered
parlor, which her taste had rendered
attractive beyond the landlady's rosi-
est dreams of luxury, and presided
over pleasant arrangement of the
cups and saucers and water crosses, q
very Hebe of the tea-board, thought
wistfully of Wylde's bank-note in
my pocket, and of all the comfort it
could purchase to lay at my darling's
feet,
After tea, her father left us for O.
moment together. It was ON oppor-
tunity not to be lost, if 1 would learn
whether she knew anything of what
was evidently within old Graham's
knowledge, and what he would not
disclose.
l drew my chair CLOSE to hers.
"Kate," I began, ''I want to ask you
something in confidence"
She moved back hastily. SCI am
afraid, George, we mustn't have any
conidences-at least, if they are very
particular.
"Why, Kate, dear?" I asked, in
some astonishment. "What do you
mean?"
go. don't call me that" she cried
in distressed way; "there must be
no more of that between you and
me-"
'But, Kate! Are we not good
friends?"
so yes, yes; but friends only.
Don't look unhappy; I didn't mean
to wound you; but indeed, you must
be guarded, for your own sake and
mine, in the feeling with which you
regard me-"
"Guardedl Good heavens, why?"
Because" answered Kate, with
sob which she strove hard to stihe-
"because L am going to be married."
T. In the suddenness with which the
blow fell upon me 1 did not notice
that the door had opened, and that a
tall, sallow-f faced man stood contem-
plating US. A harsh, sneering voice
woke me from my misery.
'It is we'll you have made the an
nouncement to our young friend
here" said the newcomer sarcasti-
cally; cit is well that he and all such
interlopers should know they are
trespassing upon private preserves
when they make free with my pro-
perty."
I started up in undisguised trepi-
dation. "Your property, Mr.. Muir
don!' I cried. 'Do you mean to
say that you are going to-that you
have the right to say this?''
had never liked our sallow-face
SNohtO15 no thuu lhOulOub L positively
hated him. He was tall, corpulent
man of five-and-thirty, with yellow
skin and yellow whiskers, which
would not grow on his cheeks, but
wandered aimlessly down his long
neck, and ended somewhere out Of
sight. He had an execrable taste in
dress, for he wore pale yellow shirt
collars, which matched villainously
with his hair and face, and q green
scarf. His short coatee and baggy
trousers hung from, rather than
clothed, his ungainly stoutness. He
had halt when he walked. His fea-
lures might have been handsome but
for sneer which always played on
them when he spoke, and look of
unhappiness which sat on them when
he was silent. Evidently on ill-pa-
tured man, whose temper tormented
himself as much as it annoyed
others.
"I don't know about the right. nv
young FRIEND" said Mr.. Murdon,
grimly, "but L have the power, which
is quite sufficient for your book.
Tell this fellow the same, Kate, and
let him CO."
She was too deeply agitated to con-
firm his insolent words, as I look at
her with heavy heart. The cashier
sWunO himself into q chair on6 od