The Hickman courier., 1882-10-13
courtland stood by the piano, and every one

tenor. ana said that she would sing if any one
would take the tenor; she Stood with the
music in her hand, looking dubiously at the
circle of men around her. Not one could sing.
Mrs Delsncey, my companion at the dinner
table, looked at me.
ssMr Valentine sings, Helen. I am sure he
will be happy TO sing with you" M
Miss Courtland turned tc me with a smile
tha 5was positively bewlld ing VII you
sing this duet with me- Mr.. Ialentineso
Mr.. Courtland flashed furious glance at
me- which said: Don't dare 70 sing with my
niece.n OF ali my haniliations this stung me
the most Mr. CJurtlard, however seemed to
regret having shown so much feeling, for his
manner changed.
~ hope YOU will oblige us by singing, Mr.
Valentine y he said, stifIfy. -. =
Z OF course / sang, although / was tempted
10 refuse and leave the house instead. How
could l refuse Miss Courtlands Her voice was
though could confle in hei- what if.
should! Yes and be cut he next time we met
/ felt painfully the chasm tha' divided us
gentle and cordial as She was, and left as soon
shall see nor again!
FEHRrEARY 13.--1 have been out several times
this week, and twice have met Miss Courtland
Her uncle never goes out, and Mrs. Delancey
chaperolls hen. She alWayss seems glad TO see
me, ndeertainl ylfas the most ciarming e man
ners. Never mind the fact of my being a
whied sepulchre. Letme enjOs the goods the
gods have sent me. That confoun1e i Morton
when he succeeds in engaging her TO dance
before do, he looks at me with his insolent
smile. Il -FsF
FEBKuARY Is. Nf1rtoI's malice is unspealx
able. Feeling convinced as DO that he sus-
pee s my Ssatf, il Is positive sOrtur0 10 see him
talk to Miss Cour land as ne q \ liste night
I He eyiasatly spoke 2 ns apd she listened to
expression That man has me in his power,
FERRU 4RY 2o---sI feef that tits sllaprineipIed
70 send Miss Courtlahd fowers, Tor tworeasolIsl
first, because l cannot do it and pay nv bills
as we'll; secondly because il adds to NV decep-
ton in making friend of her, and vet | can
not resist the temptation TO show her my ad-
niration.
FEBRUARY 2L-NIatters are coming 10 a
climax. Last night Miss CourtElndH said, with
dgnifej sweetness that VAS ire stible
''Mr- Valentine, l have noticed hat You have
never been To see me. have. not asked You.
because l supposed you wnuldfeel at liberty
to come after having dined with my uncle
Il assure you, Miss Courtland, | said ~
should of course have done so, but the truth
is have had slight misanders landing with
his h use" FsfE N
OF course ] added lie to the rest of my
dupleitY. Her face was igfted Witha charm
ing smile. ''rhatis no reason for not coming:
YOU owe my uncle "a call at all events. L VIII
be NJ home to-morrow-no, Thursday after
noon. Come in about five O'Clock. aud I will
give YOU cup of tea. Ms uncle is never at
home until sixo eloelSsand when he does come
him, Il vii oe q good opporsnnity to make
your peaeeATith him y
In Kind of dream recklessly consented
VI lrtQn came pushing up at that moment
''By the way. Miss COurtland," he said
''wiiL. you be at home Thursday afternoon
II So with your permission, viii call upon
you.p
0fco1rse he had Overheard me, aud wished
TO irritate me. fortunately some one spoke
to Miss Courtland at that moment and she
TUNED away without having heard Morton
For once ms anger aamedout. | caught him
by the arm. and held it Ike a wise
BE careful" / said, between INV teeth
''Ihis sort OF thing may go too far.'
He gave me furious look and shaking me
OF, left he room.
FEsssfztRY %, "a. N. My brain is reelisc.
Mvworid IS upside down. There is no use
in trying 70 lecp. i viii write down what has
happened II may calm me- This evening
when entered the house where l was to en-
terrain others az the expense of nv self-respect
/ found l was before the time The rooms
were empty, with the excep ion of my hostess,
q very old ladv, who held a formidable ear
trumpet in her hand. Precedingfne down the
brightly dshted room was gentlenafi.
There was something an pleasantly familiar Ia
the cut OF his coat and the carriage of his
head. II was my evil genius, Norton I
made up my mnd to wait untf1 some one else
came, before going in. As | stood in the
background this scene was enacted before me:
Morton bowed. The oldlady looked blanklY
- am Mr. Morton, madam. said he.
Shc continued TO stare at him, and then held
out her trumpet. Morton took it and repeated
his words intOits depths
" Horton9n she said. interrogatively.
" Morton. y he called.
- o. YES, I.awton- Mr. Lawton."
" Mortonl" he fairly shouted
&" O yesn she said, intelligence breaking
oveE her face. - MOrtor-Mr. Morton, from
the Globe office. Where's the others There
were 10 have been two just take care of
YOURSELF, please, for amomcrt, have 70 go
"A 1d.fsH. .frf natl AZ
She hlftered oatof the r9omsahd Morton,
turning, confronted me. he. saw that / had
overheard al. BeforeI conld speak he came
toward me with an ale OF dssper1fioa. Fl
''For heavens sake don't betray me Valen-
tine, now that you kuox my secret he ex- l
claimed. Il have felt from the FIRST that YOU
suspected-that was in. .yourpower- | throw
myself on vour mercy. In goursafe aud pros
perous coadition YOU don't know-you can't
kuow+-svliat frightfnl posttionI am i'm
Ny lace must have changed in some ghast-
ly manner as he spoke, for he stopped aud |
looked at me with deepening CONSERVATION.
"What Isl What's the matter!' he asked. !
| saw my mistake aud tried to look uncon- |
eerned, but at that moment the old lady came
back into the room.
80, there's the other.n she said, as she saw /
rght'' Il
seyeral.peoPle came into the room and she |
went forward TO greet them. MortonIookei 4
at me in dazed silence for minute; then he
seenled 70 master ms astonishment hg almighty I
effort.
$50 he said, huskilv, 1--WE are quits. lam /
in your power, but you are equally in mine. I
Be careful how YOU interfere with me-
We did not sPeak again together during the /
evening. What is 70 be the end'of thisl 10 4
made uP.my mind 70 confess everything. Per-
haps she VII fhinizno worse ofame. 'fliequeen
s III loved Kuy Bias after she found he was 4
laelSeyS lsrfFK zNsSkssrfss3 s. k4as = \
What nonsense am dreaming Oft
.akEBRI5Al2Y 23-Iie game is nm | went this I
afterIoou to Mr. Courtlanf house, and found \
Miss Courtland at home. alone. She was in (
q m little room, with the drelight fiekering on 1
her beautiful face. She saw that | was con- |
strained and anxious, and at once asked me +
the reason. Something in her kind manner /
broke down mE eomposure.
feel If l we're to confess that i have been de- /
ceiyipg you-that 1 am not what seem to
Os; ..wfat a. von nsa,.,.. ste $500 ~
iously.
''Tell me first" l said, 'sthat whatever tell I
you, you viii stih be my friend, and will be.
lieve fne-when I say that have not wished to |
deceive you-that have bitterly regretted if,s !
She locked at me with frank smile. .sYon \
may depend upon me'' A@~Rs = stts
In few words told her everything from
the time OF my going to the Globe Office up to
turned to me again with smile:
You have told me nothing sdishonorable 4
(although you can surely lhld some thing fetter
TO do), and | will still be your friend. 1 am
glad you told me, for Mr.. Morton said1some
things about you last night that madev me
fear
This was too hard, and / interrupted her
''Mortonr' said. Morton is the1ast per-
son to dare to say anything against me .
Here checked myself, but Miss Couriland's
curiosity was aroused.
@'sSNlat do YOU mean?r she asked
Nothing" / said. 81 will not talk of
Morton; it is enough that YOU are still my
friend" = -s~-1
Seer ainly am" she said.
She held out her hand as she spoke, and !
took it and raised it to my lips. .At.the same
moment two people entered the room by diff
ferent doors. One was was Mr. CoGrtland:
the other, Morton Mr.. Courtland seemed
stupefed with as onishment, for he stood |
mo ionless. but Morton strobe toward me. i
- How dare you'll he gasped- s' I viii ext
pose you"