Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-01-26

L Ou l. IL Soeh q cav y $500
cle," she went on. as if forcing herself t.
speak.
"Will you tell me how much money Co
"a and I have each got?"
"About ten thousand dollars, Lisa. Blu
what makes you ASK"
HAnd can I do as I please with it?'
"That depends on circumstances. Prob
ably yes."
"Nell, uncle, I want to lend it to Mr.
Kirkwood, to help him get into business
again..
"Child, what for ?"
"Because he has no friends left, uncle
because I feel SO sorry for him" said Lisa
| Segrist. with deepening color and down.
cast eyes. "And, uncle, he must not know
who let him have it,"
"Why not, you little network Of riddles
and mystery?"
"Oh, because [ couldn't bear to have
him know. 1t could be managed, couldn't
it?"
eyes, I suppose. But are you really in
earnest, Lisa?"
eyes, uncle"
"And the interest of the money, which
has always supplied you with pins and rib.
bons and tape, and grimcrackery general
ly?"
81 can do without that, UNCLE" Lisa
resoIutely answered. "But you mustn't
tell Cora. She would think it silly and
romantic"
"Well, well, child" said Uncle Segrist,
smiling, though he was in reality deeply
moved; ''you shall have our W way"
The next week Mr.. Kirkwood's lawyer
informed him that ten thousand dollars
lay at his banking house, subject to his
draft OF order at any time.
..'Ten thousand dollars!"' cried poor Guy
quite overwhelmed at the magnitude OF
the sum; "who would lend me ten thou>
sand ~dcllars?'
sTbat is what I am not a liberty to tell
you," said MI. Jessup, stif1y..
And it was in vain that Guy Kirkwood,
marshalling in his memory all his probable
and improbable friends, tried to fix the
benefit upon one or the other Of them
No. he could not place it anywhere, this
mysterious benefacJion; he must just ac~
cept it in the spirit in which it had been
given
esAnd 1 will try to prove to my unknown
friend" he said, with a choking voice,
shat the favor has not been bestowed in
vain. Upon this foundation, Heaven help
me, [ will build up the beginning of a new
fortune, a more prosperous career"
Mr.. Kirkwood's words proved almost
prophetic.
Five years from that time. he had not
only regaiaed his former position III the
commercial world, but had shot beyond it;
and Cora Segrist, who in the meantime had
INDUCED in several futile firtations and
broken off two engagements, began seri-
ously to consider the propriety of once
more spreading her net for the bird she
had let fly SO long ago.
"Because [ really am getting quite mid
~dle~aged!" said Cora demurely; land Mr..
KirkWood certainly is more charming than
ever"
Guy Kirkwood came often to Mr.. Sc
grist's mansion; but Cora, disposed though
she was to take thc most favorable view of
matters, could not but mistrust that it
Wos more on her sisters account than her
own.
sDoes he really care for her, I wonder?"
thought Cora, '.or is it only to revenge
himself upon me for the cavalier manner
in which I dismissed him five years ago ?
Nonsense! Lisa isn't half as pretty as am
and she never was. I shall win this battle
yet"
Mr.. Kirkwood had just posted a letter
a missive %whereupon hung his fate-direc-
ted to Lisa Segrist.
For he had learned to love the shy, gen
tie girl, and lacking courage to tell her SO
in words, he had put the substance of his
hearts hope on paper.
"For | WON'T live in this sort of suspense
any longer" was his secret resolve.
From the post Office he went directly to
old Jessup's law sanctum.
"Have you paid back that ten thousand
dollars, according to my orders?' he said.
81 paid it to-day, with legal interest,
both simple and compound. for five years.
answered Jessup, s%uccinctly.
II only wish Iknew whom to thank for
this s~tepping-stone to fortune"
Old Mr.. Segrist, who was sitting by,
looked up queerly over the tops of his spec
tacle-glasses.
"What would you give to know, Guy ?'
said he.
"Half 1 am WORTH" was the impulsive
answer
"Weil," chuckled the old man, 81 can
tell you on cheaper terms than that. I
was bound over to secrecy for five years,
but the time was up last week. Your
mysterious good angel was none other
than my little niece Lisa"
Kirkwood scolored-his heart gave a
a great upward bound. Lisa has Lisa !!
He turned silently away, and left the Of
flee.
"a GURUS way Of acknowledging a favor
cried Mr.. Segrist, a little testify.
"Hem Recommended Mr. Jessup, sThere
are some people who feel to little to say
,thank'e," and some who feel too much
My client, I rather think, belongs to the
latter class. L do Ut believe he is I'M
grateful"
"Nor I either-on the WHOLE y said MI.
Segrist, repenting him of his haste.
AS for Guy, he went straight to Lisa.
"Lisa," he said, Il have written you a
letter which you will probably receive to-
morrow morning. I cannot wait for it to
come now, l have learned this evening
whose hand lifted me from the depths of
poverty and discouragement-whose hid.
den bounty carved out a new path for me.
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