The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-07-21


suffering wood fire which had been
lighted on the hearth as relief from
staring out at the down-driving rain.
And this was the reward for his sacri.
flee, in tardily keeping his promise to
Launt.l l-ff ODD i- Flale
" 1t wasn't necessary to come all this
distance to pay my respects to the
madame thought he. teIt was my
interest in the young fellow himself
which brought me down. Much thanks
have for it, too. Five minutes cali
and shake-hands last evening will ex-
cuse him from any such duty to-day,
though he must know l am shut in BY
this confoundedly miserable rain in the
most utterly stupid hole it was ever my
fortune to drop into. He wouldn't run
the risk of being laid up by two weeks
rheumatism if he was to venture out.
/ never went out of my way to do a
disinterested act vet that | did not re-
greet it, so it follows in the natural
course that must regret this.'' aIt
He got up to walk about the room,
and some moving object on the road
without caught his eye. 1t was a
carriage which drew up before the ho-
tel, the driver on the box presenting
glstening surface of rubber coat and
cap, the horses stepping uneasily as if
unused to Drawing such weather, and
Launt Harrington, holding an umbrella,
springing lightly to the sidewalk, and
turning to assist some second person
from the vehicle. Mr.. Killuth had but
fitting glimpse of the shrouded fig
ure, then both entered, and a moment
of / ctn no, 4 10,
stairs, and he burst impetuously into
the room.
down in the doldrums, -Killuth?
l felt sure that you would be, so | have
not onlycome myself to cheer you up,
but l have brought you visitor; one
who is treating you with more consid-
GRAFTON than you deserve at her hands.
She is waiting below, but with your per-
mission will bring her up. She wants
to speak few words with you in pri-
waite, and very important they must be
to bring her out on a daylike this - ad,
q Is it Madame Farrington?ru 4.g..
1T is Mrs. Oliphant. She heard me
say something about walking over. and
insisted upon having the carriage out
and coming along. i want to bespeak
your kindness, my friend, if her mission
has reference to me-" .'
He was sure that it must. Mr. Oil
plant and Madame Pennington had
been won to.-his~-side;~the. date of the
wedding was under discussion; il was
conceded that it should take place in
September, yet Launt felt that Mrs. Oil
plant was far from being reconciled.
alt isn't in nature for q man to love
his 5mother4in-law, l suppose, and vics
CerSd,n he said to himself. but my
mother-in-law ELECT outdoes her TYPE"
MIR. Killuth faced the door. as it
opened. 1t was his first meeting with
his old friends daughter, face to face,
and he looked in vain for any resem-
blance to the slip of girliiwhom he
vaguely remembered as a rose-fair,
dark-eyed blonde. The dark eyes We're
here, larger, darker, if that might be;
the glitter of the golden hair was the
same, yet time had not dealt lightly
with her What struck upon him most
was the fixed, pale, wax-like, color of
the handsome face, almost the color of
a corpse. li'. s'''-.'d' Hallo ~ i"'
~ would have known you," she said,
giving him her hand. you have
changed so little. But I hardly. think
you would recognize me. "r1T37hg
What was it made Mr., Killuth
shrink away from her touch? Horror,
amazement, incredulity, all were de-
| picted upon his countenance.
You are-not Mrs. Oliphant-youm
az L am Mrs Oliphant. "0i" "''"i'''
No change in the soft, low tone; no
change in the face turned steadily to his
regard.
+" You are like many others who find
it impossible to reconcile the woman
of to-day with the girl of eighteen or
twenty years ago. 1 dare say am
sadly changed. / have not come to
talk of that old time Mr.. Killuth, so far
as it concerns me, but TO ask She
hesitated. The great difficulty of her
task seemed to rise before her over
whelmingly. ."'i H'' i'' |o't .
Down below Launt harrington court
ed the minutes. They spun themselves
out TO an hours length before the door
of the upstairs parlOr opened, and Mrs.
Oliphant came out attended by Mr.,
! Kllluth.
'"I will send the carriage for you when
the rain stops,'' she was saving.
Launcelot, do you return with me?''
"Iflyou wish it, certainly lr
He was burning with impotence to
know what had passed between. them,
half-suspicious of some plot to leopard
ize his happiness. He did not Ike the
look which Mr.. Killuth wore. Nor did
Mrs. Oliphant, though no one would
have known it from her manner of part
ing with him In the carriage, she
turned to Launt with a sudden bright
smile. ,........, al 81
"Ihave carried you away with me,
she said, "but / shall not keep YOU in