The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-04-05


 ately taken advantage of his absence to come and see you on a subject which nearly concerns my happiness. should have spoken abou, it las, night, but that l could not command your attention save for lew minutes at a time. Nov, how ever. we are safe from Interruption
 But, MT Murley.' said Lydia. "i i, would be much better fl you would call when my father is in"
 "Oh, that is not important, my dear Miss Lirripip. It Is a subject that may be settled by you alone"
 Please, Mir. Murley. do TO, tell me about II now. pleaded Lydia. " The windows are open you know, and there are servants about the house, and"
 Rata,tatattat,a;
 This time Horace. as we'll as Lydia. was greatly relieved, but a!r. Murley was l furious
 Le, me see you tomorrow he said, ] hastily.
 !" Yes no no.H returned Miss I.ir- frpip. thaukfGl for an opportunity of get i ting rid of him. Goodbye, Sir. Muri-y, ] goodbye And the same servant, who showed up Sir Per,inax ropinlay, showed down Mr. Merton Murley, who glared q, the baronet wi,h look that spoke volumes
 My dear Lydia" sid Sir Per,inax. AS he offered both hands to Miss Lirripip i: you were real charming last night I neref saw sleh perfec, sylph in my life, and many people agree with me. You we,c 'he belle of the room. There is TO doubt sboe; T..
 In sure i is very good Of you, Sir FertinaN, 10 say 5o." returned Lydia iic' l though, tha. the countess her s.lf."
 oh. the countess She and you can not be mentioned ,oge,her. my dear Every one said so And besides. the countess of course Is married. She has m I her ta'e Ha ha. But you you are st'll-iny lear Miss Lydia l may be fool but. upon ny honor, have ome here .his evening wi,h the determined ir- tcniion of asking you whether you will have ne. You know l worship the very ground you stand on. And, to Lydias great eonsternation, the old gentleman. ere she could prevent him, gallanty knel, at her feet. and took her hand. with the eviden; in entlon of pressing il to his lips.
 " Do get LID please, Sir per!inax," said Miss l-irripip. forgetting for moment that Horace freake was within hearing, but anxious that the baronet should not make himself unnecessarily ridiculous, even to her. You can talk just as we'll If you sit down, but really you mustn't talk Tn that way. l don, want to be mar ned; indeed. don't You know like you very much, bu. could no, possibly marry you.
 Sir PeulnaN rose with dignity, and looked rather disappointed. "l had hoped. Lydia. that you liked me we'll enough even for husband. What you say, however. may no, be final, because nothing can alter my regard for you. and perhaps 1T te future you may think of me"
 could no, think better of you than do,' returned Miss Lirripip feelingly, "and you do not know how sorry am that this has happened. We can never be he same 10 each other. am so sorry
 Sir Per,inaN began 10 feel sorry. too, for up ;o that evening he and Lydia had always been like uncle and niece; and, II an uneasy way. he turned the conver- Sation into another channel But he could no. carry i, on long. and Tn less than quarter of aa hour he said good bye, ike sensible man as he was in spite of his weakness, and departed.
 Nc sooner had he quilted the room than Horace emerged from his hiding place. Lydia blushed to rember all that he had overheard l; but he did not allude 10 il.
 Lydia" he continued. almost as iii nothing had'happend to disturb him, "i love you truly, and with all my heart. Will you, can you. learn to love me-for your love alone will make me completely | happy"
 Do not ask me-" replied Lydia. who | was once more seated. You know wha, | l have lus' gone through. My head IS in d whiri.
 Ru, think is-s happy you can make | me. Lydia. You would be everything to | me. as indeed you are already, and I | would spend all my days in making you happy
 l. is unnecessary to chronicle the whole | ot the further conversation that took 1 place. Suffice it to say that at last Miss Lirrlpip discovered not only that she | could, bu, that she actually did. love Horace Freake little, and on the strength of that she promised to marry him.
 Horace was in the act of presuming upon this premise by kissing Lydia for the fir5t time, and was enjoying one of the happiest moments of his life, when another of those furious rat-a-tat-tats shook the house.
 Another! ?" said Mir. Freake, with a smile. shall go back 10 my retrea, until we know who has arrived, for now must be on the spot to look after you" And in spite ot Lydia's pro,esta,ions, he once more retired to the back drawing room.
 Two minutes afterwards, the general. very hot and very angry. stamped up- stars and burst into the presence of his daughter. Everything gone wrong-' he exclaimed. "They voted me ou, of the chair; they flew in my face: they de- rfIaxt ' thA koI 4 !