Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-03-28

! d 1UlC SbOlC VI ldCCuG LII . III .
| 1t flashed out now upon her companion
with suddenness which made him start;
! but in an instant she had recovered her
composure. ut is an idle report" she
said Quietly. There is no truth in it,
"Indeed? Is it not little difficult to
speak with certainty upon such points2'
Mrs. Harrington made no verbal reply,
but stepping slightly aside, so as to see
and be seen by group of which Miss &C.
Gil was one and Bob Annesley another,
she beckoned to the young man, who re-
sponded by an almost imperceptibl shake
of the head. Thereupon she repeated her
signal more peremptorily. and he, with OBJ
vious reluctance, obeyed it.
81 want you to see me home." she said
as soon as he was within speaking dis
lance.
"Oh. all right" answered Annesley;
"but couldn t you wait little bit?''
"No,'' returned Mrs. Harrington; Il
want to go now. am tired"
Then, with gracious bow to her late
interlocutor, she moved away, Bob An
neslev walking somewhat shamefacedly by
her side.
It was thus that the Professor was made
aware that Mrs Harrington was indeed
dangerous, though not precisely in the
manner which he had venturod to dis
claim on her behalf.
III.
Bob Annesley was one OF those deserv-
edlv popular prisons who can be under
stood at once by the least experienced
students of character. Good nature was
his dominant quality, and when you had
said that he was gnod-natured. you had
about him. The Professor, who had not
lived so many years at Oxford without
discovering what is the ordinary destiny
of young men thus gifted or afflicted, had
no difficulty in casting Bob's horoscope.
''That woman has got hold upon the
poor boy, don It you see u said he. address
ing himself to the busts in his library.
He was in love with her once. and he is
tired of her now; but he will never have
the courage to tell her so. The question,
therefore, is, how are his friends to get him
out of her clutches ?"
But the busts continued to stare straight
before them without making any reply
and the Professor, not being fertile in ex-
pedieDts, could think of no better course
of treatment than renewed doses of Miss
Cecil and lawn tennis. He was prepared.
if driven to eXtremities, to make direct
appeal to Mrs. Harrington, for he conceiv
ed that her nature had a side which might
be appealed to with success; but he shrank
from employing so drastic a remedy until
all others should have proved unavailing,
and be lost nc time in endeavoring to ar
which had already produced, or
had seemed to produce. a hopeful result.
In this well-meant attempt he was foil
ed by the rehabilitation of both the parties
concerned. Mrs. Cecil. DESTROYS though
she might be to see her daughter make an
unexceptionable match, was not likely to
fall into the error of openly pursuing her
quarry, and the young lady herself was
probably offended by what had taken place
at the barracks. However this may be, the
Cecils regretted their inability to avail
themselves of Canon Stan wick 8 repeated
invitations, while Bob, if his own account
was to be believed, was at this time perpe
Jually on duty. Thus several weeks
elapsed, during which it was impossible
to report progress to Mrs. Annesley. who
wrote impatiently, complaining that her
son never told her anything, and entreat-
ing that she might not be kept needlessly
tiers the Professor, whose mind, after all.
was occupied with other matters than
match making. might have washed his
hands of the " hole business, but he was
| reminded by them that he had promised
to do his best, and so, when at length be
CHANGED to encounter Mrs. and Miss Cecil
and Bob Anneslev in the same room, he
profited by the opportunity, and engaged
the whole three of them to lunch with
him before they had time to make excuse.
Every one who has ever tried to set the
affairs of his neighbors straight for them
must be aware that those who pursue this
course lay themselves open not only to in
gratitude, but to positive contumely.
When, on the day appointed, the Cecils
duly made their appearance, and when at
the last moment card was brought from
Bob Annesley. on which was scrubbed
Every sorry, can't possibly come to
luncheon, but will turn up for tennis af-
terwards''-when, 1 say. this untoward
incident occurred, the Professor was at
once made to feel how blame worthy had
! been his conduct Mrs. Cecil was so cross
and snappish that less submissive man
would have turned upon her in the first
FIVE minutes; and even Violet, whose DIS
position was naturally sweet, was silent
and preoccupied, and made no effort to
soften down her mother uucivil speeches.
And what was still worse was tt at, after
luncheon was over, and Captain and Mrs.
Green had arrived with their racquets in
their hands, that wretched Bob failed to
redeem his promise. They waited an hour
for him in vain, and then, as it was evil
dent that no set could be made up, the
Cecils went away in huff. while the Pro-
lessor. quite upset, betook himself to the
cathedral, where, being in residence, he
had to read the evening lessons, and
where in mis- agitation he made St. Paul
say, "Bobs, love your wives" before he
could stop himself.
Passing through the cloisters after the
conclusion of the service, he saw dimly
male and female figure walking before
him, and his Ears caught the sound of
what appeared to be an alteration. By
tho time that he had got his glasses settlad