The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-21
THE LiWYER'S SECRET,
By B. L. Farjeon, Author of Dread,
Cheese and Kisses
CHAPTER Iv.-CovrlNtrED.


believe me, "A man must have consider
able courage who can dare to ask HIM
self whether, in this tireSome journey of
life he has taken the right or the wrong
road. confess myself coward, and
implore you not to compel me to be
brave"
He rose as he finished speaking, and,
looking down at his dress, continued:
The first dinner-bell RANG a quarter
of an hour ago, and behold me still in
travelling costume; the sin is yours.
Mrs. Dalton. Till dinner time, adieum
Ellinor. left alone, sank into y gloomy
reverie.
"What-what can be the mystery of
this mans life?' she murmured to her
self. eff dared-but no, no! | dare
not answer that question"
TWAS difficult to recognize the gloomy
and bitter Horace Margrave of half an
hour before in the brilliant and versa
tile visitor who sat at Sir Lioners right
hand, and whose incessant flow of witty
perSifage kept the crowded diRner-table
in roar of laughter. .Ellinor, charmed
in spite of herself, beguiled out of her.
self by the fascination of his animated
conversation, wondered at the extraor-
binary power possessed by this man
$50 brilliant, so accomplished" she
thought; 80 admired, prosperous and
successful. and yet so unhappy"
That evening the post brought Eli
nor letter which had been sent to her
town house, and forwarded thence TO
Sir Lionels.
She started on seeing the direction,
and, taking it into the little inner
drawing-room, which was still mten-
anted, she read it by the lishtof the wax
candle on the chimney-piece She re-
| turned to the long saloon after refold-
| ing her letter, and, crossing over to a
| hall table. at which Horace Margrave
sat, bending over portfolio OF engrav-
iDgs, she seated herself near him, and
said:
"DIr. Margave, have just received a
letter from Scotland
From Scotlandr'
eyes. From the dear old minister,
James Stewart. You remember him.
Yes; a white-hcaded old man, with
family of daughters, the shortest of
whom was taller than /. Do you CORE
! spond with him?"
'Oh, no. 1t is so many years since
I left Scotland, that my dear old
friends seem one by one to have dropped
off. l should like so much to have
given them new church at Achindore,
but Mr.. Dalton of course objected to the
outlay of money; and as that is a point
never dispute with him, | abandoned
the idea; but Mir Stewart has written
to me this time for a special purpose. :"
| "And that is?'
ITO tell me that my old nurse, Mar
Rret Mackay, has become blind and
infirm, and has been obliged to leave
her situation. Poor dear old soul, she
went into service in Edinburgh, after
my poor fathers death, and | entirely
lost sight of her. | should have pro
vided for her long before this had |
known where to find her; but now
there is no question about this appeal,
and shall Immediately settle hun
bred a year upon her, in spite of Mr..
Dalton's rigid and praiseworthy econ
omy."
Il fancy Mr.. Dalton will think a
hundred ayear too much. Fifty pounds
for an old woman in the north of Aber-
deenshire would be almost fabulous
wealth; but you are so superb in you
notions, my dear Ellinor, hard-headed
business men, like Dalton and myself
can scarcely stand against you"
Pray do not compare yourself tC
Mr. Dalton" said Ellinor, with quiet
scorn.
Pm afraid, indeed, l must not,
he answered, gravely; 81 but you were
saving -
THAT in this matter | viii take III
refusal; no pitiful and contemplate ex
cuses. or presentations | shall write
to him by to-moTow's post. cannot
get an answer till the next day. i
that answer should be either a refusa
or an excuse, know what course tt
take"
"And that course" -
al will tell you what it is, when re
ceive Henry Dalton's reply. But l an
unjust to him. she said. he canno
refuse to comply with this request"
Three days after this conversation
| just as the half-hour bell had rung, ant
as Sir Lionel's visitors wert all hurry
ing off to their dressj' grooms, Eiino
laid her hand lightly Ii Horace Mar
graves arm, as he was leaving the larE'
drawing-room and said:
PRAY let me speak to you for few
minutes. | have received Fir. Ia ton
answer to my letter"
"And that answer?' he asks, as h
follows her into the little room commu
nicating with the conservatory.
&C Is, as you suggested it might be,
. refusal"
"a refusalr' He elevates his dark
arched eyebrows family, but seem
very little surprised at the intelligence
g les; refusal. He dares not evel
attempt an excuse, or invent reason
for his conduct. Forty pounds year
he says, will be comfortable compe
tence for an old woman in the north o
Scotland, where very few ministers o
the Presbyterian Church have large
income. That sum he will settle on he
Immediately, and he sends me chez
for the first half-year. But he will set
LIo no mOTe, NOT VIII ne euuedVOT
explain motives which are always mis-
construed. What do you think of hi
conduct?n
AS she spoke, the glass door, whicl
separated the tiny boudoir from tn
conservatory, swung backwards an
forwards in the autumn breeze, whic
blew in through the outer door of tn
conservatory; for the day having bee
unusually warm for the season Of yeal
this, door had been left open.
"My dear Ellinor," said Horace MAJ
grave, ''if any one should come into tn
conservatory, they might. hear US talkin
of your husband. "
Everyone is dressing she an
swered, carelessly. Besides, if any