The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-06-11
TRAPPED BY AN HEIRESS.

at Hlllcrest would have been hard to find, if
one had travelled from Lands End to JOAN
OGroat's; and this eventual evening, when
the destiRies of two worthy people were
about taking definite form-two people vino
had never seen each other, and who had
heard OF each other SO often that both were
curiously eager to meet-on this important
evening the sitting room at EilIcrest had
never looked pleasanter or cosier.
A huge fire of logs gIowed like molten
carbuDcleS in the open fireplace. On the
table, in the center of the floor, whose cover
matched the glowing crimson of the carpet,
was silver stand that held dozen snowy
wax tapers, whose beaming light contrasted
exquisitely with the ruddy glow of the fire.
Beside the table, in big, cushioned chair.
with his feet thrust toward the genial
warmth on the hearth, his gray dressing
gown sitting comfortably on his portly
form, his gold-rimmed glasses on his nose,
sat the owner and master of Hlllcrest, Mr..
Abiah Cressington, rich, good-natured, and
fond of his own way. Opposite him was
the mistress of the little place-little,
shrewd-faced, sharp-nosed, merry Aunt
Cornelia, his sister, who. since her widow
hood, had come to Hillcrest to make her
bachelor brothers. home as pleasant as she
could.
That she had succeeded was very evident
by the way nov in which he looked up from
a letter he had been reading-the confden-
tial, kindly way IN which he did it.
"Walter writes curious letter in re-
spouse to my invitation to come and spend
a few weeks at Hillcrest as soon as he gets
over his fatigue from his ocean voyage
home, after his five years tour abroad. I'll
read it to YOU
He leaned near the softly glowing lights,
and began the short, concise reply that
Walter Austin had written from his cham
Der IN the Temple:
EYou are very kind indeed, Uncle Abiah,
to ask me down to Hiilcrest for as long as
wish to stay, and I can assure you that l
have been so long a wanderer that the idea
of home is very pleasant TO me. But when
l take into consideration the peculiar i'm
portance you propose attaching to my visit,
I am unwilling to accept the invitation To
me, the idea of having my fancies and in
clinations put into harness, and to feel that
I am on continual duty to win my way into
the good graces of my second cousin, Mabel
whom you are good enough to wish me to
marry"
Mrs. Cornella interrupted sharply:
''Abiah, you surely never went and told
our grandnephew that you had in view his
marriage with Mabel"
Her tone was energetic, almost reprehen-
sive.
why not? I certainly did. 1 told him
in my letter that it was a chance for him
he'd never get again, and that he needn't
feel under such terrible obligations to take
a fancy to Phil's little Mabel, but to come
GOWN ana De COuSiQly, dCQ IL 6uyGulER
should happen, it'd be right all around"
Mrs. Cornelia knitted vigorously, her
lavender cap ribbons qulyerlng in the mel
low taper glow.
All 1 have to say is, you're-a fool
Abiah! Walter is right. A young man
doesn't like to have his fancies under rein
and whip, and the very fact that we want
him to marry, will make him indisposed TO
do 1t. You've made very great mistake in
the beginning"
Mr.. Cressington looked aghast at his sis
ter's determined face.
s'Why, l really didn't suppose
''Of course you didn't It's only your
natural stupidity, you dear old felIowl Men
are all alike. Don't I know them like
book? And you've ruined your hopes for
Mabel and Walter at the very outset"
Mr. Cressington started discomfitedly.
81 am sure 1 meant it all right enough,
Cornelia. l certainly wanted Walter TO
know what little darling our Mable is, and
what a nice little wife she would make for
any man."
Very commendable, indeed; only if you
had consulted me upon the letter you sent,
I should have advised you to say nothing
about Mabel, or her charms, or expectations.
I should have simply asked him to come and
see us, and have left the rest to Mabel's blue
eyes. You sees Abiah?''
His lips compressed slowly.
81 think see. And my hopes IN that
direction are all ruined!'
The silver needles clicked rapidly, and the
snow-white yarn came reeiing merrily of
the ball under the arm.
Not at all. Leave that to me, and L II see
what can be done. Trust womans wit to
get even a biudering old fellow like yourseli
out of scrape."
She smiled and nodded, and looked alto
gether so mischievous that Mr.. Cressington
became quite excited over herlittle mystery
''Do explain. Cornel1s."
lasv ID ho mad hoo
in his chair with an expression of positive
awe and admiration on his face.
What woman you are, Cornelia? de
clare, it beats anything ever heard In thu
whole course Of my life"
After dusk-a glorious winter day. will
here and there star twinkliDg in the pal
gray sky, and the lights and fires In thu
Hillcrest sitting room making an eiegan
welcome to Walter Austin. as he stood II
the midst OF the home circle, tall, gentle
manly, handsome and self-possessed.
Old Mr. Cressington was in his riches
humor as he led forward two young girls
'Come, don't shy now. Walter, this
your COUSIN Mabel Cressington, and this
her good friend and inseparable companion
Irene Vance, come to help entertain you
NV nephew, Mr. Walter Austin. girls. An
this is Aunt Cornelia-you remember be
we'll enough, hey?'
And so the presentation was merr1ly go
ten over, and Walter found himself at nom
in the most pleasant family he had eve
known, .
They were remarkably pretty girls, wit
blue eyes-although Miss Vance's were dec
dedly the deeper blue and more bewitchir
and lovely, yellow-gold hair. Walt
found himself admiring the style OF Mi
Vance's couture before he had known b.
an hour; and when he went up to his roo
that night he felt as II between the tw
roguish Mable and sweet little Irene,
never would come out heart-whole.
"For Mable 10 . good little darling
thought he. land viii take great unc
Abiah's advice and fall in. love with be