The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-19

"What stuff man Like that viii write
to a woman, /" he said. And then, twist
ing the letter in his white, shapely
fingers, held it over the blaze of a lamp
till it turned to ashes.
"Now o line to you, my beloved
friend, and think you viii not trouble
me with any more letters for Miss Law
ton."
He drew his writing desk toward him,
and wrote, in the middle of a long letter.
IS And now, Charley, dare say you've
skipped half the preceding, looking for
something about Miss Lawton, and the
way she received your letter. I deliv-
cred it into her own hands, limiting that
I knew what had passed between you, as
an excuse for it coming through me. She
took the letter, and, tearing it open, read
it at once in my presence. As she fin
ishes, she broke into one of her musical
laughs-you know how sweet her
laugh is, sometimes. Dear me,
she said, what an absurdly in earnest
man your friend is Only read this, Mr..
French Of course declined but how
woman could look very saint, while
acting SO like Satan, is one of the mys-
terious dispensatons of Providence, /
think. But forgive me, Charley, for
speaking lightly of what TIM afraid is
rather q serious matter with, you.
thought it best to tell it to you just as it
was. Forget her, old boy; she isn't
worth a thought.
g There, said Basil, sealing the let
ter. eff she should become my wife,
why, men have said harder things than
that of women, and married them after
wards and SO I should tell Captain
Grayson, and, of course, there would
never be any explanation between them.
If I don't marry her, it's likely he'll
never see her again. And now he's dis
posed of, think it is about time to be
about my own wooing."
For French had been too wary to make
any move until Grayson had been gone
some time.
Meanwhile, poor old Mr.. Lawton had
been puzzling his brains as to what was
the matter with Genie or whether there
was really anything the matter with her,
| or was it all his inaaginationl It wasn't t
that she was less Say-rather that she
was too much SO seeming restless and
uneasy unless her life were q whirl of
excitement. Somehow, he missed some
thing in her-the old, childish way she
had of being pleased at nothing and
once OF twice she had burst into
sudden tears when he had stroked her
hair, and called her his yellow-haired
lassie'-the very name Grayson had
called her more than once. But when
her father asked anMously the cause of
her tears, Genie laughed, and said she
50 fancied she cried because she was too
happy-people did, sometimes"
Perhaps that was the reason she cried
sometimes in the night, when the wind
raved and tore, and the big waves tum-
bled in the harbor and broke, booming
like guns of distress, on the beach.
Why couldn't she forget him-him who
had his love in every porte That was the
ugly ghost that refused to be laid, but
rose and walked before her if ever she
had a thought that she might have been
hasty. Laura Rice might have been a
mistake; but, of course, Basil French
knew his friends character. Then Genie
would VOW to herself, as she had a hun
dred times before, never to think of
Charles Grayson again.
There were only these two-Genie and
her father-for Mrs. Lawton had died
early, and everybody in Rockport knew
that Genie dearly loved her father, whose
heart was bound up in her. Basil thought
it might be well to have a friend at court,
and commenced his wooing by making
Genie's father his proxy. Basil's garden
and Mr.. Iawton's adjoined, and every
day Basil came and leaned over the inter
vening fence while Mr.. IAwton was in
specting the hower-beds, his favorite oc-
cupation.
When Mr.. Lawton began to sus-
| pect that Genie might be the magnet
| that drew Basil SO often to his house, the
| idea was not unpleasing to him. To be
sure he had once thought that Captain
| Grayson and Genie were going to make
a match of it but he had been mistaken.
He was getting old and il he should die,
Genie would be left alone in the world.
Basil's father had left him handsome
property (of which Basil bad squandered
the greater portion in Paris, but Mr..
Lawton didn't know that and, in fact,
Mr.. Llawton didn't know of anybody he
would sooner trust Genie with than with
Basil French
/ AS for Genie, though she could not
help liking Basil for his attention to hen
father, and being little touched by his
silent devotion to herself, she had made
up her mind that there was no such thing
for her IS lovinga any man again. She might
have many friends, but hers was a nature
that admitted of but one love.
But one evening there came sad blow
for Genie. Her father had a paralytis
stroke and in her distress and alarm
Basil appeared SO honestly sympathetic
SO hopeful and strong, that the poor gir
really chung to him. He was SO thought
full, and tender, and kind-so good tx
Genie! She could never forget it, she
thought.
When Mr.. Lawton rallied somewha
from his illness, he appeared mucl
broken and shattered, and little child
ish. He manifested great affection TO
Basil, and was very anxious about Genie
being constantly tormented by a fear o
dying, and leaving her alone. "Wha
will she do when 7 am gone, Basil2' b
said, one day-s' my poor lamb, all alon'
in the world; and her large fortune vii
attract all kinds of adventurers -
My dear sir, said the sanity Basil
's would you intrust her happiness to m,
care if could prevail upon her to homo
me soa''
4 To nobody SO quickly" said the ol,
man, pressing Basips hand in his feebl
clasp.
4 Armed with this "good-speed, !" Basi
! sought Genie, and urged his suit wit
the same quiet tenderness that ha
marked his manner all along.
But Genie would give him no encou
: agement.
ssI shall never love any man," ala
said, vehemently, fiery blush suffusin
her face g it is impossible = imposs