Smyrna times., 1877-01-24


number OF dead and wounded being con-
siderable. Major Geotirey Howard was re-
ported among the fallen, and Mary had to
mourn at once her lover and her father.
The death Of M.jcr Howard left Mr..
Slythorpe sole trustee OF Mr.. Hopes will.
This to Mary was a matter of the most per-
iect indifference. SuSpectlng evil of no
one, she was as willing that her little Tor
tune, amOunting to some five or SIX thou
sand pounds, should rest in Mr.. SlythOrpe's
hands as in those of any other person.
But of late the attorney had begun to per-
secute her with attentions which, under
existing circumstances, would have been
dIStasteiul from any one, tut were dOuhy
So from IL person whom she could not help
regarding with AN instructive dislike. And
in truth Mr.. SlythOrpe was not precisely
the person to win fair lady's fancy.
UndersIzel, lgh-shOuldrred, with blinking,
lashlesS eyes, and Il general augularlty, not
to say knObbnpSs, of feature, he might
nave been expected to rise superior to amy
weakness as TO personal appearance; tut
such Was by no means the case. In Mr.
Samuel Slythorpe's own opinion Mr.. Samuel
Slythorpe was gentleman of considerable
personal advantages, and 1t Was his constant
rndeavor to make the very best of them.
extensively, clean. His shmt-iront, collar
and wis, bands We're all of the most liberal
dimensions, and Of intense whlteness ana
starchlness. giving him the appearance OF
being, so to speak, "ail Shirt" whlle his
hands, which were naturally coarse ana
red, We're made still cOdrser and reuder Ly
perpetual washing. He was always pro-
| luSely scented, and his short, scrubhy har
was tortured 10y the combined use of the
crush and the pomatuul.pot into the selii-
blanCe OF the split almonds whprewIth tlpSy
cakes are wont to be decorated. HIS hats
and coats were always intensely new, ana
he perpetually creaked as he moved his
| patent-leathtr boots, maintaining Il friendly
rivalry III this particular with his we'll
otarched shIrtiront. In his habItuil gorge
Gus array-indetd, if possible, looking even
cleaner and newer tuan usual-Mr. Sly
| thorpe this morning knocked at Mrs Mur-
satroyd's door, That good lady was at
the moHent engaged in busting Miss Hopr ;
| .nOnI, and Catching sight of his approach,
exclaimed:
There's that nasty, worriting lawyer
again, | do declare. S.ytnorpe indeed
"a Slythorpt him!
1t would Ge hopeless to endeavor to eX-
press on paper the intensity OF meaning
Mrs. MurgIlroyd threw into her nrwIy
oGntd verb; but it was evident that Sly
horplng" III her mind included all til,
tortures of the Middle Ages, with 1t suppl,
mtnt of horsepOnd ana other modern IN
ventluns. Mary smiled at the good lady
| vehtmencr.
My dear Mr.. Murgatroyd, you really
nou.dn't Le SO severe. Mr.. SlythoIpe Is Il
little peculiar, tut | have no DOUBT Ia,
.eans kindly, and you know he is lii,
trustee OF poor papa's wall
= know he Is, my dear, and wish ht
wasn't. | know he shOuldn't be trustee to j.;
"n ot mine, dr:It hIm!'
Now, really. Mrs. Murgatroyd. you are
too bad, said Mary, smlling IN spite OF her
elf. " ! am sure poor Mr.. Stythorpt lsn'I
nearly 50 dreadful as you make out"
At this point the conversation was inter
urIed 10y the entrance ot the gentleman
in question, and Mrs. Murgatrnyd, passin,
nm with II final sniff OF adherence, qultteC
The apartment.
Mr.. Slythorpe, for once in his life, ap
| cared i'll at ease. He was rot up with In
,ccustOmPd care, and the suggestion o
cented soap which accompanied him wa
ven stronger than usual hut his usua
eli-satl>he'i air was wanting. He evidently
Iad something on his mind--sOme piece o
ascality, "a physiOgnOmlst would have con
Jectured, which he either had recently per
etrated or was about to perpetrate. lie
IS hope that the physloSnOmlst would have
| rPen wrong.
My dear Miss Hope" he began, afte
the first greetings had been exchanged
Il grleve To he the bearer of very unpleasant
Intelligence"
Mary looked up with quiet indifference
scarcely believing that, after all she ha'
zone through, any news, good or bad, cOul'
iave for her more than the most passing
interest. Slythorpe continued:
IL am sure that you will believe did j
,or the best but nIisiortunes will happen
YOU know, even with the utmost care 8n'
ution. ] am sure | thought the invest
nent was as safe rs the bank hut there
no trusting anything nowadays
What is the misfortune, Mr.. SlythOrpe
FIR you haven't yet told me2 Nothin
very serious, hope"
"Only too seriDus, my dear Ma" n
, tried to say Mary" hut couldn't get
out, and substituted Miss Hope y" moth
; ing less than the loss, fear, OF the who'll
/ | pi your little fortune"
1 Mary turned very pale, but gave no othe
| sign of emotion. How did it happen?
{ she said. with an effort.
!. Your money was, as you know, in thre
!. per cents, where it produced a miserabl
/ el60 year. In the hope Of doing bette
! for you | sold out and invested it in a net
mining company, the Wheal Marina, whic
@ promised 10 pay a minimum dividend {
h ten per cent, and so would have ju,
i trebled your income. And this morning
= am grieved to find from the Times that tn
:. company is an utter smash. The director
,. have bolted, and the shareholders will los
y every penny of their money"
n =" Is all gone? Nothing left2"
h Not a sixpence, and you remain liahl
- or calls to the amount of about as niue
n more"
d Poor Mary's for;itude quite gave wa.
''Oh dear, what shall dol haven't
Il friend in the world"
Il mo. nos don't say that, Miss Mary
said SlythOrpe in gently patronizing mai
ner 1T isn't SO bad as that comes to.
haven't disguised my own feelings towar,
d you; and though you've lost your moDP
n you know, that needn't make any diffe
/, rnce between you and me. My affectc
IN amt Of the mercenary sort in fact, as
d got you into the mess, Though with Il
., best of intentions, mind you'll it's only ia
10 | should get YOU out Of it,"