The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-03-01
"If it were after five o'clock


der you from going now?n
IL ought to meet my sister young !
girl who has never been here in her life |
before--at half-past four, that's all. !
would not have mentioned it, added |
Philip, apologetically, "but can't help
it.
In truth, he liked the idea of the ex-
petition, and was vexed to think of
it, and at the same time sur
prised to find himself confiding such de-
tails to the august chief of the establish
ment.
al would co anything to oblige you
but my mother would never forgive me
if j left Grace in the Saturday
afternoon, too"
"Quite right, said Mr.. Starkie look
ing tranquil again. MAKE your mind
easy; I'll go and meet your sister
myself; and do you be off as quickly as
you can"
You, sirP" calculated the astonished
Philip. II couldn't think"
"Pshaw!' was the impatient retort.
'Waste no more time. / can't go and
look after the fellow myself, it would
raise suspicion. If could have done
Grey's errand, would; but the Lady
Elizabeth might not have approved of
the substitute. However, as this is your
sister, and not your sweetheart, who S
to be met, it is managed easily enough.
AT which station should she arrive, and
what is she like?'
''She comes to the Parry Street Sta
ton, by the train from York; and she's
like-they say she's like me. y
Every good. Half-past four, you
sayP I'll see to it. And now, lose no
more time. Good-dayr
"Must let you know?"
"Ah, yes. If you get back tonight,
/ must trouble you to come to my
place tomorrow and report to me, any
time"
Eyes, sir; I'll do my best" said
Philip, at last actually taking his de-
parture.
As he drove to the station to take the
train to Edgeton, some six or eight
miles out of Irkford, he had time to
realize that his mission really must be
an important one.
cit must be,n he reflected. ''for the
Governor to hurry me off on the spot,
and go and meet Grace himself. can't
get over that
1t was almost eleven o'clock of the
same night, when Philips hanson
stopped at the gate of his dwelling
place. Grace had come. There was
light behind the green blinds, and-he
looked toward the left hand--yes, a
light behind those other green blinds,
too.
As Philip entered the narrow passage
of the house, face, somewhat dolorous
in expression, and, as he had limited to
Mr.. Starkie, strikingly resembling his
own, was put out of the door of his sit
ting room, with dubious, inquiring look,
till he had fairly entered. when the
door was flung wide open and a tall girl
bounded-as much as such small
passage would allow bounding-out
of his parlor and threw herself into his
arms.
"My dear Phil! At last! How very
bad of you! How immensely YOU are
improved! / thought you never were
comingm She dragged him into the
sitting-room. That little mustache,
oh, its killing! 1t is, really! But what
hare you been doing all this timer"
"Did Mr.. Starkie meet you all right,
you unfortunate childp" asked Philip,
holding her at arms length and look
ing at her. "Allow me to return the
compliment. You, also, are immense
ly improved"
To view her, one must have said that
in any case Grace Massey must have been
apleasant object to look upon. Tall,
dark, upright, she was perhaps some
what amply developed for seventeen;
with shoulders that were decidedly
broad, and hands by no means small;
all was yet so tremendously formed,
and in such fine proportions, rs not to
appear in the least awkward or ungain-
ly. In every movement was the free,
elastic grace which covers, or rather
displays, vigor of constitution and
strength of limb, given by healthy,
outdoor life. Grace Massey would new
er be a Hebe, but she might develop
into Juno-a stately, dark-eyed dame
-one could easily imagine it. AT the
present moment she was all girl, all
sister
"Did old Starkie meet youp" repeat
ed Philip.
"'Old StarlIie' did meet me. sir.
When he came up to me, taking off his
nat and saying: Miss Massey, l i'm
agine, | thought that your manners
were immensely improved, but that you
had aged very much, and
"You preposterous goosol l hope
you didn't give such welcome to the
aged imposter as you did just now to
the real brother -
"Ohn' cried Grace, convulsed with
laughter, ''what a frightful idea! l be-
haved like-why, like any one ought to.
Mr.. Starkie saw me safe here, making
prOfuse apologies all the way for hav-
ing deprived you of so great pleas
ure,' and all that lie appreciated my
company, whatever other people may
do"
1.-The old humbug!" said Philip, in