The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-14
lady 5 acquaintance Shouts be cnlti
waited by the family in The future.

lsdy's acquaintance Shouts be cult
waited by the family in The future.
"Do you remain long 10 New
York 7" asked my compaeion.
mo, return BY the s p. M. trail
this evening"
.'Ah I'm sorry | was in hopes
your stay would be long enough tt
permit Of your calling at my anntl
house," ana she smiled another o
those dazzling. bewildeIiag smiles. al
ber eyes sought mine.
IL only wish could. uiss Gard
ner.p ! said, "but ! rust we shall
meet again ere long"
"Ob. hope SO !" she exclaimed
do you, indeed, Miss Laura? ~
asked, becoming boIder and selling
the litlle hand which lav in her lap
.may | then aat,er mysslt that the
thought Of our fu,ure meeting
is not altogether an unpleasant
one ~
1 lh, usbt that / was an.immensely
eloquent and Fascinating fellow, and
that she knew il; think now that |
was fool, and have reason to sup
pose that she was quite aware of the
fact.
She gently drew her hand from
niue. uttered half suppressed sigh,
and said:
"Il is by no mears an uBpleasan,
thought Mr. Bascombe.
"And dare hope-?"I began.
She checked my impviuosity, say
ing:o
"Remember, Mr.. Bascombe, we
have been acquainled but q few
hours.n
Il feel as though ! had known you
lifetime | said; $50 pardon me
If l repeat my question but may !
hope?"
"You may hope for much in the
future" she interrupted gently; ''for
the present, however. it would be
well to dismiss the subject"
OF course, could do no less than
obey her bidding, but | battered my
self that she WAS considerably struck
by me.
Oa our arrival at New York, l
a. ked TO be allowed TO escort Miss
Gardner to her aunt's house. But
she replied that ber cousin had prom
ICED to meet her in the depot | at
opce conducted her TO the ladies'
room, where requested the privilege
Of remaining with her until her cous-
in's arrival. But she could not al
low even this, and | reluctant .ly took
my departure.
She was evidently anxious to get
rid of me for some purpose or other.
and | concluded that ii would be i'm
polite to oppose her wishes. As |
entered a car 10 go down TO my no.
tel, looked back and saw a. the
window of the ladies' waiting room,
my fair travelling compenion, and by
her side tall, iae looking man
They were both laughing heartily
For a moment ! imagined that they
were laughing at me. But conceir
soon came TO the reee3esUd banirh-
ed thai idea; what was in ny ap-
pearance To excite merriment The
notion was absurd
That Afternoon got the diamonds
from their hiding place in the bank
vault, and deposited them in y safe
corner of my valise, aud said to N.Y.
self:
Now, then, the man doesn't live
who is smart enough to get those jew
els awsy from p,e !"
The valise was not out OF sight
that day, and " ben | took nv seat
10 the s O'Clock train that evening, l
placed it by my side, and resting my
arm upon il, mentally congratulaling
my self ca my ssgacity end shrewd-
less
Presently | drew the evening pa
per from my pocket and was prcpar-
lug TO make myself comfortable as
possible under the circumstances,
when my eye tell upon the form Of q
lady in front Of me. the contour of
which seemed tam liar An instant
later sprang forward. vali-e in hand,
and exclaimed:
Good evening, Miss Gardner -
For The lady was no other than my
pretty travelling companion of the
morning
She looked up. and ! saw that her
face bore the evidences of recent
weeping.
"Ah, good evening, Mr.. Bas-
combe," she said, with an attempt at
a smile.
She removed ber bundles and /
seated myself hs her side which !
imagined, might have been reserved
by her in expectation Of my arrival.
| placed my valise on the floor at my
feet
You are returning sooner than
you rxpeeted," l remarked.
4 "Yes,, Mr.. Bascombe,D was the
fearful reply, Il received a telegram
ohfy an boar ago, stating that my
poor papa met With an accident this
Siternoon, and is lying in dangerous
condition. Of course started fer
home at oueep
] expressed great sympathy, offer
ed any and every assistance in my
power, ana, in short, did all could
to assure my companion Of the in
tense interest that | felt 10 her well
fare
But my solicitude about Miss Gard
ner was not so great as to Danish
from my mind the responsibility
which weighed upon il. l did not
forget that ! hsd in my charge ten
thousand dollars worth of diamonds,
which, possibly, some clever thief
might have bis eyes on even now. I
kept the valise tightly locked between
my feet, and did not allow my vigil
ance to relax even when l was the
most assiduous in my attention to my
fair companion.
"Will yop be kind enough to close