Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-09-16

the billet and laughed: then paused an
said,
No use Of my trip up FIVE pair of stairs
Mr.. Robert Watson has the freedom of thi
house for the next five seasons
And down stairs he went again, while tn
opened cared maid, having lost not a word
returned to her mistress to find her absorb
ed in pcnning another note. This wa
written with great care, and many pauses
1t was finally finished, and read as follows
Mr.. Watson will please excuse the bold
ness of this note: but having been wi mes
to the meeting between yourself and Mr.
Evans on the piazza, [ feel encumbent OF
me to say that I fully Justify your proceed
ing and your words. [ ask no apology
from you. Indeed, will be panied to re
ceive it. Believe me, am exceedingly
famed at the interference you have drawn
namely; that I could find a justification il
dropping your acquaintance in the fact o
your temporary embarrassment Alas fol-
my riches if they compel me to bear such
lmputations on my sense and motives!
am, sir, yours very sincerely.
HELENE ORoMANEs.'
This missive the maid bore to the fifth
story. 1t found the romantic Robert in
bed but the letter was flung in over the
door ventilator
"A letter for Monsieur Watson from my
lady said the voice at the door; and Wat
son sprang up as the letter foated down to
his feet.
GA note from my lady!' What on earth
did that mean Another rumpus brewing,
OF curse! Turning on the gas, he read
astonished. pleased, delighted, as the rich
color mounting to his temples testified
And then, foolish man, he kissed the note.
80 very preposterous fo~ one in his cir
cumstances
Many were the guests who turned out
fully two hours before their usual ten o'clock
breakfast the next morning, in order to see
Mr.. Robert Watson depart 10 their sur
prise, there was Watson, cheerful content,
arm in arm with Miss Oromancs, and Ma
jor Snow looking on admiringly. To Evans
and his set it was declaration of war but
who would dare take mp arms against the
spirited heiress to million They all retir.
ed, resolved to let events take their course.
And they did take their course, of course.
In three days time magnificent equipage
drove to the stand, and Watson soon ap-
peared with the beautiful Oromanes for his
companion in the morning drive.
Whose equipage is that? demanded
Evans Of the Major, who had escorted his
guests to the carriage
oh, that's Watsons to be sure! = was
the reply.
'Watson's be hanged! Say, Major, has
he paid his bill ? Lord bless you, he is
rich enough to buy out this whole concern,
and to hire you and me for call boys
Explain yourself, then, sir ? demanded
Evans, irately. Did you not inform the
guests that be conld not pay his bill, and
that you had sent him up stairs out of his
second floor suit
Not Some of the clerks may have said
something, to which others added more;
but really thought too much of the gentle
man to mention the matter to any one
Now it turns out that it was all little
game of his own
Lit game? What object could he have
had in playing such hide and seek?' de-
manded Evans again, in tones peremptory.
We'll, in part, suppose, to test the
value of friendship in general, and the pow
er of money in articular-both Of which, I
have no doubt, he has done to his entire
satisfaction. Ha, ha, ha! What do you
think Of it, Mr. EvansY
Think of it? Why, it was-that it
was
WAS what ?
why, a very artful dodgc-nothing
less
Capital dodge, that's fact, seeing that,
as poor man, he won Miss Oromanes,
and
Now. what do you mean p fairly shout
ed Evans in bis excitement.
mean That before ten o'clock on the
morning Of the day when he was to have
had his walking papers, by your orders, he
was dead in ove with the heiress, and
And what, sir ?
And she dead in love with him p
1T is false, know ? cried the man, now
white in the face With some inexplicable
emotion.
False, ell p Going off in that carriage
together to the preachers, looks like it,
dou't it :?
Good heavens?'
The Majors conjecture was premature,
as he we'll knew hut the shaft had struck
Evans to the heart, and he fairly staggered
to seat. Evans had played long and
deep game to win the heirsss. He had long
been her recognized suitor-hc had dis
counted her possessions in his gay life and
the result was-he was dead broke
He left the watering place that day.