The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-25
A Lover in Spite Of Himself,
CHAPTER II.

deep laughing voice, penetrated by pre-
poster0us Yankee accent "Yon'd better
keep your shirt on, guess. IF carving
ligers is your game, Pm thar; but"
"Floydp
"Hnllo, Tom! Ha, ha, ha. Why, you
looked as wicked as catamount for a
moment. Dear old chap, how goes it?''
We had grasped hands; but the next
instant We threw our arms round each
other, and hugged each other like a cou.
pie Of Germans.
Floyd had grown an enormous mus
tache, and was as thin and almost as dark
as an Indian; but he was the same old
Floyd, lazy, audacious, and full Of fun.
We sat down and gagrd at one another
ip silence for more than minute.
"How did you get hereT' | asked at
length.
) N"Well, I dropped round from the
plantation. Tired Of niggers--thought
ia take rest-want my portrait paint.
ed" a #
"Inever was so glad to see fellow in
my life"
$50 thought from the way you open
ed that door,
'Six years since we parted, Floydp
"We never parted at all, if | remem-
ber right. You sneaked out of it-too
proud to say goodbye 10 purse-proud
aristocrat like me, I suppose. Much
obliged to you for the legacy, all the
same"
70 "What do Won mean?'
"Nothing particular. i only found
sou out about three months ago. How
ever, we'll come to that presently. Been
enjoying yourselfw
"Oh, Pm all right-at least, until
within the last two or three days" |
added, a little embarrassed.
"Ah! Well, You know you always
were an eccentric chap; and it looks as
If you hadn't changed much, so far as
that goes. When man with twelve
thousand year in the three-per-cents.
takes to living in German attic on six
shiIlings day, and painting pictures
that won't sell for liping-eh%'
"The fact is, I lost a good deal of
money-after you left, you know; and
well, / see you must have heard some
thing about it,"
,,"Me? Oh, no, don't imagine such a
ching" returned Floyd, with a lazy spar
kle in his long mischievous eyes. II
never hear anything, and never suspect
anything; just take things astley come
and never stop to ask where they come
from. 1T wouldn't do, you Sc; / have
such extraordinary luck. 1t isn't every
every man, / guess, who would have the
luck to inherit fortune of a million or
so from fellow who didn't know of his
existence-and who thought all the time
he was leaving it to somebody else. But,
bless you'll think nothing of thing
like that"
"What sort of a notion have you got
into your head now?'
"a notion that you are a hypocrites
for one thing. But never mind for the
present; time enough for me to walk into
you tomorrow. l say, Tom, haven't
you anything to wet fellows whistle
with9 Where l hail from stranger,
liquor up when they meet" "s
laughed, and rang for beer, which
happened to be the only beverage at that
moment subject to my orders. Old
Joanna brought in bottles and glasses on
a tray, and as she set the tray down, 1
observed that there was a note upon it,
in rather soiled envelope, though orna-
mented with a handsome monogram. I
took no notice Of it at the time, nay
mind being occupied with other thoughts.
The. hints which Floyd had dropped
made me uneasy. I could not doubt
that he had by some means either found
out. the.whole truth about ny transfer
of my grandfathers 'bequest, or at least
learned enough Of the circumstances to
enable him to ask me very pertinent
questions ..- ...... -.,..... e-. 4
And inasmuch as possessed nothing
of his command of ceuntenance and
readiness of wit and self-possession, it
was plain that was destined to let the
cat out of the bag whenever he chose to
make me do SO.
BE that as 1T might, I was resolved to
allow no readjustment Of the property;
and as 1 had reason to believe that my
tenacity of purpose was fully equal to
his, whatever my inferiority otherwise, |
scopsoled myself as well as the case all
4Owed. asr,
q Meanwhile Floyd had produced a gi-
santic cigar-case, which seemed to be the
only thing in the way OF. luggage that he
had brought with him, and held it to-
wards me. The cigar WHICH I laid hold
of proved To be upwards of six inches in
length, and thick in proportion, while
the aroma which proceeded from it, even
before it WAS lighted, wassuch rs would
slaye made the least euth usias5ic smoker
devoutly bless his stars.
They're wretched little things, 1
know." murmured Floyd, as he stuck
one Of these brobdingnags into the cor
1ner of his mouth and scratched match.
a general thing, of course, 1 only
smoke them before breakfast, or between
courses at dinner. My regular weeds
the big ones-are in my trunk at the
Sake Raised 'em myself. Well, now
10 ahead, Tom, old man; let's see what
sort of an account yod can give Of your
adventures since the old Cambridge days
-ehp' XII. -, 1
TlN