The Penn's Grove record., 1882-07-22


"Not that one" said Bessie, colorina
holly and snatching it hastily away
II L only have M ring on that
hand.n
With a final goodbye they then
went down stairs.
zone thing you must promise me,
Ernest" said Miss Norton, as they
went along, land that is that you re-
turn this ring to Mr.. Harcourt to-mor-
row with a full explanation of the
circumstances"
81 PROMISE" said King, ''on one
condition-and that is that you let me
wait until after u leave has expired.
Uncle Eric isn't always on his good
behavior as he was today and he
might cut it short If he found he'd
been taken in"
And Bessie consented, for in an
other week she would have left
Broadbeach and she felt-of course it
was ridiculous but still she felt she
had rather be at home when the ex-
PLANTATION was made.
The Broadbeach festivities wound
up with a grand ball, at which Cliff
managed to declare himself n the
most romantic manner in a flower
uncovered nook especially designed
for the reception of lovers. But Bessie
said mo" and when he pressed her,
roundly told him she liked someone
else better.
The next day saw the big house
emptied of all its recent guests, and
getting ready for another edition.
IA gentleman for me, Sarah ?"
Eyes, miss, he asked for you, Pm
sure Miss Bessie Norton he said"
"And you are sure you never saw
him before ?'
Never, miss. He's a stranger, l
think, for [ watched him as he rode
along, looking up at the houses as
though he wasn't snre."
Bessie felt a little and a lit
tie shy as she went down stairs to the
reception-room. Nevertheless she
managed to look very pretty, in her
dainty morning dress, when she went
In.
"Why, Mr.. HaTcourt ~ she ex-
claimed, with perhaps more wonder in
her voice than she really felt.
YOU'RE surprised to see me?' said
Eric, smiling as he shook hands.
81 am indeed, and very glad too,
though after u lsst meeting, [ think
if I'd known it was you L shouldn't
have had the courage to come in"
II guessed as MUCH" he said, laugh
ing, land therefore withheld my
name. Now a you conjecture what
brought me here ?"
"No, unless it is to give me the
scoldiRg L so richly deserve and which
I dare say you have already admins
tered to those unfortunate boys"
mo, not tina, but to ask you to take
back my ring"
mo, indeed 1 coul Int, MI. Har-
court. You know L obtained it on
false pretenses."
"But I'll take my chance about your
having iton false pretenses this time.
You see, Bessie" dropping his voice.
II want it to be the one ring on that
left hand of yours"
The girl could no longer appear to
misunderstood him and looked with
indignant little flush on her face.
Really, Mr.. ,"-she began.
"Ofcourse not yet" he pleaded very
earnestly, "but when you get to know
me better. Do you, Bessie-do you
think you could learn to love an old
fellow like me, if / am very, very pa
tient? ?"
"But 1 thought" she argued with
pretty defiance, you'd made up your
mind so i~rrevocably never to marry"
"I did" he admitted, "but that re-
solve only dated from my introdaction
TO Mrs. Forester"
dOoh thOICy S@iN VIM o"No5ShJi
six months later, ~finging the paper
with the announcement of the engage
ment across to his friend. That
precious uncle of yours has cut noe
out"
"Well, I wouldn't have believed 1t
of her." said Ernest, up in arms on
Cliff s account. "B1t never mind
you shall be avenged, for I'll call her
Aunt Bessie from this time forth"
And he kept his word, bat Bessie
was too Supremacy happy to care, and
instead, often called him yer the Goals
in the most crushingly aunt-like
fashion.
Ernest and Cliff still remain chums,
though toe latter left Mr.. Harcourt's
employ just before his marriage. He
lived to enjoy many vacations at
Broadbeach and in course of time
married-though for years it seemed
doubtful whether he would ever quite
recover the effects of THAT Fib and
What Came of It,"