The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-08-13

and get us three-penn'o 'orth OF cream O.
the valley from the Cock"
Then Mr.. Blake had been aware that
his prior visitor was not IN condition
to be of much use TO him. and tied up
his horse, in another STALL But, on
entering the house, Mr.. Blake an
nounced the fact Of there being o
stranger in the stables, and suggested
that the one-legged gentleman had been
looking at somebody taking glass OF
gin. Then Mrs. Baggett burst out into
loud screech of agony. "Phe nasty
drunken beast! he ought to be locked
up into the darkest hole they've got in
all Arlesford."
"But who is the gentleman" said
Mr.. Blake.
"My husband, sir! / won't depy
him. He is the cross as l have to carry,
and precious heavy he is. You must
have heard of Sergeant Baggett-the
most drunkenest, beastliest, idlest
scoundrel as ever the Queen had in the
army, and the most diificultest for q
woman to put up with in the way of q
husband! Let woman be ever so de-
cent, he'd drink her gowns and her pet
ticoats, down to her very underclothing.
How would you like, sir, to have to
take up with such beast as that,
after living all your life as comfortable
as any lady in the landP Wouldn't that
be come-down, Mr.. BlakeP And then
to have your box locked up, and be told
that the key of your bedroom door is
in the masters pocket" Thus Mrs.
Baggett continued to bewail her des-
tiny.
Mr.. Blake having got rid of the wom-
an, and beJhinking himself Of the disa-
greeable incidents to which gentle
man with a larger establishment than
his own might be liable, made his way
into the sitting-room, where he found
Mary Lawrie alone; and having apollo
| gized for the manner of his intrusion,
and having said something intended to
be jocose as to the legs of the warrior in
the stable, at once asked a question as
to John Gordon.
"Mr. GordonP' said Mary. "He was
here this morning with Mr. Whittle-
staff, but | know nothing of him since"
81 don't know where he has gone.
He slept in Arlesford last night, but l
know nothing of him since"
''lIe sent his bag by the boy at the
inn to the railway station when he came
up here. found his bag there, but
heard nothing of him. They told me
at the inn that he was to come up here,
and l thought | should either find him
here or meet him on the road"
"Do you want to find him especial
lyP"
swell, yes"
''Do you know Mr.. Gordonw
"Well, yes; do. That is to say, he
dined with me last night. We were at
Oxford together, and yesterday even
ing we got talking about our adventures
since"
"He told you that he had been at the
diamond-fieldsP"
"Oh, yes; know all about the dia-
mond-fields. But MIR. Hall particular
ly wants TO see him up at the Park"
(Mr. Hall was the squire with four
daughters, who lived at Little Aries
ford "Mr. Hall says that he knew
his father many years ago, and sent
me out to look for him. | shall be
wretched if he goes away without COM
ing to Little Arlesford House. He can't
go back TO London before four o'clock,
because there is no train. You know
nothing about his movementsp
Nothing at all. For some years
past Mr.. Gordon has been altogether a
stranger to me-" Mr.. Blake looked
into her face, and was aware that there
was something to distress her. He at
once gathered from her countenance
that Mr.. Whittlestaff had been like the
dog that stuck to his bone, and that
John Gordon was like the other dog.
the disappointed one-and had been
turned out from the ncighborhood of
the kennel. 81 should imagine that
Mr.. Gordon has gone away, II not to
London, then in some other direction"
II was clear that the young lady in
tended him to understand that she
could say nothing as to Mr.. Gordon's
movements.
II suppose must 60 down to the
station and leave word for him there
said Mr.. Blake. Miss Lawrie only shook
her head. "Mr. Hall will be very
sorry to miss him. And then | have
some special good news to tell him."
Special good news!' Could it be
that something had happened which
would induce MIR. Whittlestaif to change
his mindP That was the one subject
which to her, at the present moment,
was capable Of meaning specially good
tidings.
"Yes, indeed, Miss Lawrie; double
good news, l may say. Old Mr.. Har-
bottle has gone at last at San Remo.n
Mary did not know who Mr.. Harbottle
was or had been. Mr.. Harbottle had
been the Vicar ut Little Arlesford, for
whose death Mr.. Blake was waiting, in
order that he might enter in together
upon the good things Of matrimony and
the living. He was a man 50 contented,
and talked so frequently of the good
things which Fortune was 10 do for
him, that the tidings Of his luck had
reached even the ears Of Mary Lawrie.
That's an odd way of putting il, Of
course" continued Mr.. Blake; but
then he was quite old and very asthmat-
ic, and couldn't ever come back again.
OF course | am very sorry for him-in
one way; but then I'm very glad In an
other. 1t is a good thing to have thA
house In my own hands, so as to begin
TO paint at once, ready for her coming.