The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-07
A MAYNARD WARD.


most abnormal phenomena; to suggest, at least
an adequate explanation of every enigma. For
! what other purpose does he exist than to throw
| light on the surrounding darknessl He is a
| torch bearer to humanity's ignorance. If, now
and again, by reason of pessimist tempera-
ment or defect of training, the rays he sheds
around intensity rather than dispel the gloom,
and cast shadows as of Egyptian night across
mans forward path, surely he misconstrues his
mission
But the wisest head is sometimes puzzled, and
| the shrewdest explorer of the all-environing mys
| terry is sometimes COMPOUNDED A problem pre-
sents itself which cannot be solved by any of the
/ familiar processes. The why of some suddenly
disclosed fact is as inscrutable as the Sphinx of
the Eastern desert 1t was thus with Bernard
| RalstOn
| Those who thirst for fame, as misers thirst for
| gold, or coquettes for admiration, would have
| found much to envyi in this young mans position.
| At an age when statesman is currently sup
| posed to be stNdying his parliamentary primer,
/ and when future general may still be writhing
under the sarcasms of a barrack room instructor,
] Bernard RalstOn had been welcomed into the
| front rank of philosophical thinkers. His book
or Instinct, Conscience and Reason" was read
and criticised by the few. praised and avoided by
| the many. The noisy heteroaox claimed him as
new and promising recruit; and so, also, to the
! amusem"nc of the onlooker did the stanchest
maintaners of old landmarks. He was hattered,
] feted and the lion of his season.
1 1t was from this suddenly acquired distinction
\ that his embarrassment had approached. The
4 solicitors letter that was the beginning of sor-
| rows made this clear. 1t ran thus:
| Dear Sir-We have to inform you that by
| the will of our late client Mr.. Humphrey Power,
you are appointed sole guardian of his only sur
| viving daughter, Olive. AS this NAV be in the
nature of a surprise we beg leave to quote the
| precise paragraph of the will: And hereby en-
! power Mr. Bernard Ralston to act in every
| spect as the guardian of my child. / sure
that Olive can have no filter or wiser protector,
none better qualified to advise and to regulate
| her life; and should he-as | earnestly beg-ac-
| cept and fulfill this charge, give and bequeath
| to the said Bernard Raiston, over and above such
reasonable expenses as he may have incurred on
my daughters behalf, the sum of $4,000, to be
paid by my executors on my daughters twenty
/ first birthday, as small tribute of my graft
| tude-
1.-The young lady is very Observation-Disclosures,
| in her eighteenth year. and at present at a pri-
vate pension in France. Further particulars
1 will follow on your reply. We are dear sir,
yours obediently, FANsHAWE & FITCH"
| The gift of the proverhial white elephant
| could have produced in no heart greater con
stePnation. What should retired and solitary
student, of serious pursuits and uncourtly man
ners, answer to such challenged If Cleethorpe
| Hall we're large, it by no means followed that he
| wanted more life within its bounds; and girl
1 in her teens, mere child, as with the sage wis
! dom of fve-and-thirty years he considered her
! How could her presence by his freside be har-
monized with the quiet current of the life he
elected to lve2
Yet, the bait of Go, 900 was temptation The
! glories of Cleethorpe Hall had been sadly tar
nished through the improvidence of Demands
| father and philosophy is not aparticulRrly re-
munerative hobby to ride. Mr. Humphrey
Powers legacy, if not precisely fortune, would
| be an assistance in the keeping up of the re-
| stricted Cleethorpe establishment.
The matter was debated long and anxiously,
| and as the result Miss Olive Power arrived
! at the hal one snowy February morning.
Slight of figure, winsome of Feature, with merry,
violet tinted brown eyes, and lips continually
| parting III piquant smile over teeth of whitest
| pearl Bernard Ralston was forced to admit
| that, if he was properly to protect his ward,
| his position might not prove sinecure
| Neither did it
The girls beauty attracted suitors as clover
blossoms allure bees; and it was soon an open
/ seereti in the countryside that Miss Power, as
| we'll as being lonely and lovely young thing
| was a richlydowered one This brought the
sometimes lugubrious voice of Prudence into
| reasonable accord with the chorus of alteration.
But Olive was not minded to be an easy cap
| ture for any of her wooers. With womans in
stinctive dexterty, she kept them all at bay and
at twenty had escaped the necessity of as yet re-
! fusing any offer in formal and equivoeal terms
She was developing taste for study which half
| amused, half interested her guardian One even
4 ing he playfully rallied her on her application to
sundry big tones in the library.
| II shall he accused of transforming merry
and bewitching young lady into a blue-stockng
| "a disciple of my own dry dust pursuits he
| said; some one some day may have special
| cause to blame me, fear"
| A sudden blush was the maidens cheeks
and her glance fell. 1t was impossible that she
| should misinterpret Demands meaning
tTThere is Oswald Hnrhl1rv IN tbipL of OI;1ya,e
| guardian was daring enough to add.
| Two shining eyes were momentarily uplifted.
Was the flash they gave one of Indignation, of
scorn, or merely of confusion at a BETRAYED Sc
cret2 Bernard could not guess.
1.-THE nature of my employments can make no
| difference whatever in any way that / can i'm
| agine to Mr. Harbury," she answered Then
| it seemed to Bernard a strange transition
| "Will you forgive me for asking favor9" she
went swiftly on Il should like-oh, so much
| to help in your work. Could l not copy out
your notes or revise proofs sometimesP
| What philosopher could have successfully re-
sisted the volunteered help of such an amanu-
ensis Not Bernard Ralston.
| twas summer three months later than the
date Of this conversation. Olives guardian was
seeking his ward in her own boudoir, with a
| gloom upon his face and depression of soul
| which defied his analysis He had a message to
convey and a proposal to informally submit
1 which ne had little doubt would be accepted
Oswald Harbury, the young owner of half 'Clee-
| thorpe, had asked permission to lay himself and
his fortunes at Olives feet He loved her, he
said; he would do his best to make her happy.
''And believe that he will He has a home to
/ offer you and is true hearted honorable gen
| tlemar AS your guardian Olive l am bound
| to give my sanction to so fair and promising
suit May 1 bid Mr.. Harbury to come and
! plead his own causeP
| He had spoken hoarsely and in a queer far-off
| kind of voice that he hardly recognized as his
own. 1t was surely singular and must testify
! to an unexpected weakness of character, that
\ the prospect of separation from the ward orig
| inally received with much doubt and dread
| should thus make havoc Of his peace He
waited for an answer in suspense that was
/ positively harrassing At last it came.
| mo. you may not" Olive said, unless, in
| deed, you wish to get rid of me-to send me
! 4 4l.1, +