The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-03-30

of the door, sand then l can just slip
into my own rooml"
But no such inducement appeared
near at hand. Mr.. Castlewyne and
his friend sat themselves down, and de-
liberately lighted their cigars; the blue
yapor stole, spicy ana pungont, through
the key hole.
81 shall choke" thought Miss Betsy.
"Now look here, Tom" ssid Mr.. Er-
mine, e,apparentlyres conversation
which had been temporarily interrupt
ed, there's no use in being q faint-heart-
ed fooll Marry the little Elte, if she has
forty old maid auntsW
| "My goodness graciousW secretly as
pirated the captive maid. =.
81 say, though" said Castlewyne,
",what an old cat Miss Betsy is. Fifty, if
she's adayp
Frank.
"rhe impudence of the ,reatures!o
gasped the imprisoned subjec. -. o.4yi-
cism.
"But STILL" pursued CastIewyne,
"Eltie has some tender little notions
about never marrying without her aunt's
consent, and ii we could persuade her to
give it."
"Never," said Ermine. "Who could
except shriyeled up old fossil like
that, to-Hallo! what's. that noiseW
For Aunt Betty, half stif1ed in the
closet, and choked with cigar smoke, had
given little spasmodic "Ketch-a!" OF a
sneeZe.
Nothing but the cat on the verandah
roof"
81 tell you it's something in that
closetW
|. Ermine rose and tried the door. Aunt
rAc N on tn hnr OF do 1r
"If it is the cat" said Castlewyne,
coming to the rescue, "she's remarkably
strong in the muscular developments;
give good pull, Frank. Hal-loaw
For the door flew open with u jerk, re-
vealing Miss Betsy Whistleton shrink
ing back into a colnerl One moment
Castlewyne stared-the next brilliant
idea flashed across his mind; he shut
the door again, and bolted it, instanta-
neousiy.
pressed tonesl "Robbers! burglarsW
"Oh, my good MIR. Thomasp squeaked
Miss Betsy, wildly, through the key
Tor help; ips only me, Miss Betsy Whis-
Teton; it's all mistake--a mlsunder-
standing"
"a misunderstanding, eh?" said Cas-
tlewyne. "IJ mas rather burglarious
Gus look. 1 should be sorry to deliver
you into custody, Miss Whistloton, but
"Have mercy on mep shrieked Miss
Betsy, rattling at the d00r-knob. SIN
deed, indeed, meant no harm-it was a
mis- take, upon my word! Please let me
out, quick, before any one comes! and
me in u mans room, tOow
.'DreadiulW groaned Mr.. Ermine.
''Too frigntlul TO think oin hollowly
echoed CasJlew, ne.
"Oh, dear, dearw walled Miss Betsy,
as all the horrors of her situation dawned
upon her; ''do, please leJ me out, Mr.
Thomas! and IN give you anything
have in the worldw
Mr.. Castleyne paused; he appeared
to deliberate. Miss Betsy TOOK heart OF
nope.
"Will you give me your niece FL
fridaW
'Aly niece Elfrida2 N-ever-I really
could no."
ooh, very well! just as you elect. En-
mine, will you have the goodness to step
down stairs and call up the iandlord?" |
And at the same instant Eltrida's soft |
voice was heard calling in the next
room. |
"Aunt Betsy! Aunt Betsy! Oh, Mrs.
Parker, where can my aunt be gomez"
Search, an expose and detection were |
looming inevitable over the wretched |
victim of circumstances; she ratified |
madly against the door.
You needn't so, Mr.. Ermine-you
needn't go! Only let me out, and"
"You will freely bestow The hand Of
your niece upon meW
"Yes-yes-anyth nything-everyth thingw
Mr.. Castlewyne unbolted the door |
and threw it open with a low bow. Miss |
Betsy staid not to reclprOcate polite
ness, but darted from Inc room like AN |
arrow fleeing from the bow, never
stopping until she was safe in her own
room.
"Auntie" cried the astonished Ellie,
'where on earth have you beeur
But that was just what ''AunJy" never |
would tell her.
''Elfrida," said Miss Betsy, when she |
had calmed her agitated nerves. by |
green tea and nap, "rve changed my
mind about young CastieWyne. Ii you
and he are really bent to making a |
match of it"-here Aunt Betsy inyoIun-
tarily grimaced, as if she was taking
you must have your
own way, 1 suppose"