The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-07-14


bad temper, as dull as death, envying
Dana her Launcelot, but you have re-
stored me to my naturally amiable con-
dition."
"Yet you object to my playing
Launcelot to your Danapn said Mr.
Quest, plaintively. "You might have
your own Launcelot if you were she, I
suppose. If you were the heiress,
your charms would not be lost in OBJ
security. What would you give to be the
heiress, Miss BraxtonP''
"You are talking nonsense now"
said Miss Braxton, shortly.
Il am talking the deepest sense, as
you may live to see. What would YOU
give if | were to make you an heress?
Would you marry me out of gratitude
if could put you in possession of a
fortuneP"
Lex laughed again. The idea of
Harmon Quest making love to her was
irresistible. Had he attempted it with
Dana, it would have been quite in keep
ing with her appreciation of his illimit-
able ''cheek." Lex rather liked him
for that quality. She was "cheeky"
herself; but not ungrateful, withal
said. ''If you had the fortune and were
to ask me to marry you, | might
But no, Harmon, wouldn't; not if you
were TO lay it at my feet. won't raise
your expectations only to disappoint you
when the time comes. Do you expect
to make it out of this detective expert
ence of yours? Do you expect to prove
me the missing heir of the man who was
hungP don't think would like that
at all. If my father ever murdered any
body I'd rather not know it, and he
died in his bed, poor man! SO it couldn't
have been he"
Nevertheless, if you should come
into possession of a fortune some day,
through my agency, will you give me
the half for bringing it about?" persist
ed Mr. Quest
"Oh, I'm willing enough to promise
that" said Lex, fippantly. provided
it don't include any legacy Uncle Power
may be leaving me in his will / sup
pose he is leaving me one?h with a sus-
picious glance at him. sis that what
sent you so suddenly to play the devot-
ed to me?' ...
"He never mentioned your name in
the instructions he has given me-" de-
clared Mr.. Quest.
well, then, give it up as an I'M
readable riddle,' said Lex, turning
away, and Mr.. Quest looked after her
through the gathering twilight with a
satisfied gaze | t..
"It's well to be guarded on all
points," he reflected. THAT will ism t
drawn yet, and it may never be. I'm
to have it written out and bring it down
to sign by the end of the week, Mr..
Oiphant says. but there's little trip
to Cuba, my dear sir, to come between.
As if / couldn't see it was manufactured
business to draw me away from that
purpose! 1t bothers me to know how
much he is victim, how much pGrticepS
cTiHihiS.
A little earlier, when the bright
hues Of sunset were painted on sea and
sky, our two lovers were driving upon
long strip of beach road, as level as
floor. They were reunited after q
separation of four days, and Launt was
ready to declare they had seemed four
months.
"Your father need-neVer think to
send me away without YOU" he was
saying. MY interests in the South
may suffer-let them. 1t matters very
little since l am to close everything out
there whenwe go on our wedding-tour
1t must be in September, not later, my
darling, and this is only June"
"Only June!", echoed Dana, with a
laugh. ".And it was only May when
we were both very miserable. You
pretend to be happy, and time drags
with you like thatn'
q am so happy that / am afraid il
will not last. am taking it for grant
ed that have you safe, and yet | am
denied the promise indefinitely. l won
der, Dana, if your hard-hearted parents
should demand you to give me up after
all, if you would break my heart and
your own to obey"
81 owe them so much" said Dana,
wistfully. "And you, too, Launt! l
never have realized, never can realize,
that | am only an unknown waif.
Back upon Launt's mind. like an I'M
pleasant wave, came that insinuation of
Harmon Quests. Whose child was shep
DANA" he said, more gravely than
he had spoken yet, 81 accepted what
Mr.. Oliphant had to tell me, and asked
no questions; he entered into no details.
viii you relate what you know of your
adoption, how it came, who your own
parents wereP"
1.-THE last am afraid / shall never
know" said Dana, with sigh. And
the story is a strange one. 1t was
when papa and mamma were newly
married, in New York, and about to
sail. They had gone on board ship
when respectable looking German girl
approached them with me in her arms,
and asked, brokenly, of mamma, if she
were the lndv who WAS to take the ha-