St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-09-09
VOLUME 45---NUMBER 1902.

on curries and mulligatawny soup, and
who throws the dishes at the heads of
his black servants
"No doubt he is.n
''But then, one must be civil to next
door neighbOrs, you know"
"Oh, of course Good breeding en-
joins that. But do not fancy the new
owner of Woodlands will be such an
ogre as you imagine"
"Why not ?"
POSSIBLY I have the honor of his
acquaintance"
"'You f'-and Victoria looked up at
him with unfeigned surprise.
"'What is there so extraordinary in
that ?" asked he, laughing.
"YOu do know the new owner of
Woodlands, then ?"
ale stands before you."
Victoria Kemp's surprise was so
great that she could not utter word.
''Listen, Victoria, dearest said the
young man, taking both her hands
You and your father have been the
victims of IL plot"
"a plot ?" exclaimed the young lady /;
but she did not withdraw her hands.
"Ies but before | tell you about it.,
| wish to ask you question. We are
neither of us children, we are neither
of us, l think, likely to express our
feelings in many words. You must
have seen that | love you. Victoria,
will you be my wife ?"
1t was IA straightforward wOoing in
deed No protestatiOns IL single
unnecessary word How different from
the general run of lovers But Vic
toria understood the straightforward,
manly nature of Sydney Chevilstone /;
she admired his character and loved
him. SO she simply answered:
"Yes."
He put his arms around her and
kissed her paSsionately.
'But about the plot, Sydney ?n asked
Victoria, after Il brief interval
''Oh, yes Well, then, that letter
was concocted expressly to deceive
yourself and the colonel"
"0h !"
"Yes, dearest the medical adviser
who recommended me to pass two
years in Europe was no other than my
self. | was surgeon to the -th, as
any army list will show the Colonel
had he consulted it."
''TO think we should have been de-
ceived !"
ayes, you fell into the trap easily.
But, you see, this was it. The late
owner of Woodlands, who, as you
know, had neither kith nor kin, was
my godfather, and at his death he be-
queathed the estate and large sum of
money i'll the funds to myself OF
course, upon this determined to quit
the army. While my father and my
self were making inquiries about my
own property, it oozed out that the
owner of the adjoining estate, the
Beeches, was no other than Colonel
Kemp, my fathers old comrade in
arms.
"Ah ~
"Well, though my father and yours
had not seen each other for some years
they had occasionally corresponded
and so, when my matchmaking sir,
heard that Colonel Kemp had an only
child a daughter-he proposed very
pretty little scheme. 1t was neithe
more nor less than to join the two es
tates."
at was very impertinent! I" said Vic
toria, trying to appear angry.
at was, ! own"
And have great mind to retrac
what have said" she added with !
charming smile.
''Ah, | am not afraid But listen
OF course, my father and | though
that if | announced myself as man
should not be received at the Beeche
as permanent inmate, but that if W,
so wOrded the letter as to leave it il
doubt"
eyes, yes you knew that, once on
guest, we should not be so rude as t,
turn you Out.n
"That's just it. And now will yor
} forgive me, Victoria"
"FOr what ~
"For having descended to subter
, fuge unworthy of gentleman"
She looked up ut him, her brow
eyes full of tender light.
alt was not the right thing to do,
. she said "but | am the gamer by il
and so | forgive you, sydney"
The young man took his pardon frOI
her lips.
"But," added Victoria, II don't kno,
, what papa will say to all this"
, But after having heard the story G
his "ward." the colonel came to tn
conclusion that .'all's well that end
: we'll"