The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-05-01
OUTWITTED.

Marry my granddaughter! No,
sir! Never, siri" And Madame Hoog-
ly's gold-headed cane came down on
the floor vigorously, while the old lady's
black eyes snapped, and her puffed
hair looked ready to burst with indig-
nation. Il repeat it, sir! You're
some low gambling adventurer, I've no
doubt, after an heiress! Gentlemen
indeed Gentlemen don't climb over
garden-walls, and"
But, madame" interiected Louis
Basle, by this time, IF you would per-
| NIT me to eAplain-"
(Which l won't, tell your' stormed
the irate old woman. 1.-The fact is
enough for me!''
'Tll 90 home, then, if you will allow
me that, and wait till you are calm
enough to hear me-"
'tNever, sir never will hear you!
You're an unprincipled adventurer,
| and / know it. And Molly Nesselrode
is the most arrant little coquette that
ever breathed! She's making fool of
you, sir-a fool-and you ought to
know it. You don't go back the way
you came, either, sir. [ dare say you
think Molly is hiding in the garden
somewhere waiting for YOU"
Very well, madame" answered
Louis Basic with very low bow, his
handsome face white. Il shall 90 out
| the front way then. But don't imagine
you are done with me! You'll hear
from me again if liver'
Il won't-I won't listen to you.'
AS he passed through the wide, deco
rated hall, under convoy of the servant
madame had angrily summoned, he
caught sight of Molly herself peeping
over the banister, and evidently under
going ''agonies'' of smothered laughter
at his expense. She had heard all.
Louis shook his fist at her behind the
servants back, and Molly kissed her
snowy finger tips at him in mock de-
| tiance.
Molly worried the life out of her
poor old grandmother with her per-
| formances of one kind or another.
The old lady idolised her, though,
and while she abused the child merci-
lessly herself, would bristle antagon-
istically if anyone else said word in
depreciation of her.
Her heart is in the right place,
Just exactly what | was at her ager'
she would assert dogmatically. Full
of spirits-that's all. | used to like a
| joke better than eatingH
Molly was beauty, an orphan, and
an heiress. She was also an incorrig-
ible firt, and inyeterately fond of prac-
teal jokes.
| Her grandmother, who was her guar
dian, lived in a chronic state of terror
of all wooers, in consequence of thes
peculiarities of her charge.
Molly was secretly engaged to Mr..
Louis Basle; but until to-day she had
| absolutely forbidden him to speak to
her grandmother about it.
On this special afternoon she had at
last consented that he might make
| their mutual wishes known to Madame
Hoogly, provided he approached the
old lady strictly according to her
Molly 's-instructions.
| Louis had friend whose windows
looked towards madame's back-garden,
and there was q pretty summer-house
in the same garden, where madame
was very fond of sitting with her knit
| ting.
Molly's instructions" to her eager
slave were to call upon his friend and
| make some excuse to go into the
| friends garden; then to climb over the
wall which separated the two demesnes,
and steal upon the old lady unawares.
In vain Louis represented the alb
surditv of such a performance, when
he could just as well enter the front
| door,
''She won't let you come within a
mile of her, if she knows it before
hand,' persisted Molly.
"But couldn't you let me in the front
way yourself, and then take me into
the garden?"
Impossible! That would spoil every
thingr exclaimed Molly with impress
iveness.
Il don't see why" ventured Louis
very gently.
Then you don't love me, and we
won't talk about it any more!' pouted
Molly.
''Oh, all rightr' cried Louis in
mortal terror. ANY way you say,
darlingr'
1--WE will drop the subject, if you
please, Mr. Basler' ostentatiously star
ing in the opposite direction, and draw
ing up the little slim figure with her
/ most naughty air.
''Oh, now, Molly-don't darling!
III do any way you lke-you know l
/ will, etc, etc.
OF course Molly had it all her own
way. Basle was very wax in her artful
| hands.
| AS his friend said, when he sheepish-
| ly conided the situation to him:
''1ou have got it bad, old fellow!
Before I'd let Molly Nesselrode-''
Stop, Bob! You are speaking of
my future wife, remember, pleaser'
said Louis haughtily.
''Oh. all right" exclaimed Bob with
a grin. Il won't say another word
| And from that moment he did all he
could to forward operations.
He told where there was ladder in
| the tool-house, and showed him where
| to plant 1.-THE only available spot, in
fact, as roguish Molly mad doubtless
discovered.