National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-27

L hbt NOu hO AOudlhOut hbu-
ding with his head toward tho cigar l
held in my hand.
| ayes" / assented; "at my time of lifo
a little indulgence in the habit is permits
sible, IL not positively beneficial. But it
is ono greatly deprecate in young men."
"Ah, you're quite right" no rejoined,
taking q case from his pocket aud OK
tracting q large cigar. do you know"
no went on easily, IT fancy you and 1
have many ideas in common. You like
good cigar; 1 can tell by the smell
that's n first-rate brand you're smoking.
So do /. Our opinions as to tho sanctity
Of property are similar-that is, so far as
our own is concerned. And / shan't be o
bit surprised If we were agreed upon the
merits of n glass Of sherry for stimulat-
ing ones circulation after immersion in
cold water"
Really, this young man was carrying
things with rather high hand, and had
IL not been that looked forward to his
support later on, should have been in
clined there ana then to show him the
door.
As produced tho decanter said rather
dryly, ~ don't know what my daughter
would say IL she knew this"
by Jovew no replied, helping himself,
80 you've got daughter. Isshe pretty 2"
Fairly So" replied. Then remem-
bering that IL was only right to give him
q hint as to her peculiar temperament, |
continued, 'sho takes after her mother"
IL guessed as much" he interrupted,
| lifting the glass to his lips. II presume
she inherits her intellectual qualities
from her father"
was on tho point of replying angrily
to the remark, but before l could do so
he resumed: "'Pon my soul, sir, I'm
almost sorry came now; for, to tell the
truth, Pma desperate lady-killor, and if
she took fancy to mo thered be the
deuce to pay"
In the actual state of affairs the idea of
Clare falling in love with this young
swaggeror was so delicious that forgetting
what was due to guest, l lay back in
my chair and laughed till the tears
coursed down my cheeks.
He looked at me gravcly for some time,
and then said: Its awfully funny, no
doubt, but for the life of me can't quito
see the point of the joke"
His words recalled me to a sense of my
duties. -.
Really, sir" resumed, II owe you an
| apology for my rudenoss, but when you
have known my daughter1a little l think
you will understand my merriment.
Come, what do you say to an immediate
presentation ~.
He assented to tho suggestion with o
nod, and, ringing the bell l instructed
the servant to ask Miss Glare TO step into
the study. At the same moment / re-
membered that had not ascertained the
newcomers name.
by the by" l remarked, II have
omitted to introduce myself. Ny name is
Denby-Rev. Matthew Denby."
Charmed to make Rev. Matthew
Denby's acquaintance" the stranger an
swered, with an inclination of his head.
"My own is Panton-Joseph, SO called, or,
in the vulgar tongue, Joe Panton."
"Panton," l repeated: mot surely one
of the Wiltshire Pantons?"
swell, suppose" he answered, II can
claim kinship with them, as l inherited
the larger bulk of my property from
distant relative who lived in that
county"
A man of property, then! The fact
threw new light on his behavior. What
had taken for common impudence was,
after all, mere eccentricity; his forward
manner but the natural assumption of
superiority which the possessor of many
acres may rightly claim over his less for
tunate fellows. Well might i congratn-
late myself upon the farseeing sagacity
which had not led mo to take offense at
| what now recognized as the utterances
of a superior ifsomewhat playful mind.
"My dear young friend" said, as /
rose and took his hand, you delight, you
overwhelm me. Although l have lost
sight of them many years, tho Pantons
| were once among my most intimate
acquaintances"-a statement, by the way,
slightly in excess of the fact-still little
exaggeration might under the circum-
stances be pardoned. But what are you
doing in this out-of-the-way part of the
worldW
Studying nature, suppose you'd call
it," he replied. Knocking about tho
country and taking sketches here and
therein short, playing at being an artist.
It's not bad fun as game that one can
throw up when ones tired Of it, but it
must be decidedly dreary work as
means Of earning a livelihood"
An accomplished amateur also! My
opinion Of the young man was rapidly
rising.
"And where are you staying" asked.
an the village, at the sign of the Green
Dragon"
My dear boy" returned, 1--WE must
put stop to that at once. This house
must be your headquarters while you re-
main in the neighborhood. No, no." l
continued, anticipating the refusal which,
however, he seemed in no way eager to
offer, "rll take no denial; and here comes
Clare" added, as my daughter entered
the room, ito second my request"
Glare came forward in her quiet and
somewhat chilling manner. you wished
to speak to me, pap she said.
ayes, my love-" answered; "let me in
troduce Mr.. Panton to you, O relative of
one Of my oldest and dearest friends"
The two bowed. Clare on her side show
ing no trace Of emotion and very little of
interest.
"Mr. Psnton, my dear,p went on, "has
promised to take up his quarters with US
for time, 80 you will see that he is made
as comfortable as possible. You had
better give orders at once to tho COACH
man to bring up his luggage from the
Green Dragon"
"Yes, papa" she answered in tone of
such indifference that felt quite morti-
hed.
II give you too much trouble, Miss
Denby," interrupted Panton, whose some-
what confused manner betrayed that he,
too, suffered from the depressing influence
of my daughters reception. Il fear you
will think the game is hardly worth the
CANDLE"
| Inc expression IN Clares race was not
reassuring. My fathers friends arc al
ways welcome" she said quietly. Then,
turning to me: Perhaps | had better
have Mr.Panton's room prepared at once"
1T will be as well," assented, going
to the door and politely holding it open
for her as. with slight bow to Mr.. Pan
ten, she quilted the apartment.
When returned to my place that gen.
| tleman remarked dipping the ash from
the end of his cigar, "Your daughter
does not inherit your sprightliness OF wit,
SIR"
NO" / replied perhaps now you
understand my amusement when you ex-
pressed some fears as to her tranquility
of mind on meeting YOU"
at is harder TO melt an iceberg than q
ball of snow, but the very difficulty of the
| In IL lands IN IL nlhitinnnl nhnrmsU