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

arrangements made Tor her own lie,
She would not provoke him with argu-.
ments as to her love for John Gordon;
and, as Mrs. Baggett had assured him,
even in her thoughts she would not go
astray. If it were but for that word,
Mrs. Baggett should not be allowed to
leave his house.
But what as to Mary's lovep Any
such question was maunderingly soft.
1t was not for him to ask It, He did
believe in her altogether, and was per-
fectly secure that his name and his
honor were safe in her hands. And she,
certainly, would learn to love him.
"She'l stand the washing" he said to
himself, repeating another morsel of
Mrs. Baggetts wisdom. And thus he
made up his mind that he would, on
this occasion, If only on this occasion,
be stern and cruel. Surely man could
bring himself to sternness and cruelty
for once in his life, when so much de-
pended on it.
Having so resolved, he walked back
into the house, intending to see Mary
Lawrie, and so to speak to her as to
give her no idea of the conversation
which had taken place between him
and John Gordon. 1t would not be
necessary, he thought, that he should
any more. Let his marriage 60 on, as
though there were TO such person as
John Gordon. 1t would be easier to be
stern and cruel when he could enact
the character simply by silence. He
would hurry on his wedding as quickly
as she would allow him, and then the
good thing--the good that was to come
out of sternness and cruelty-would be
achieved.
lie went through from the library to
knock at Mary's door, and, in doing
so, had to pass the room in which Mrs.
Baggett had slept TRANQUILITY for fifteen
years. There, in the doorway, was a
big trunk, and in the lock of the door
was a key. A brilliant idea at once oc-
Cured TO Mr.. Whittlestaff. He showed
the big box in with his foot, locked the
door, and put the key in his pocket.
At that moment the heads of the gar
dener and the groom appeared up the
back staircase, and after them Mrs.
Baggett.
"Why, Mrs. Baggett, the door is
locked" said the gardner.
at is, to be sure,'' said the groom.
why, Mrs. Baggett, you must have
the key in your own pocketp
81 amt got no such thing. Do you
bring the box down with YOU"
II have got the key in my pocket"
,o;I NJ. INbs4t1netaH a. g
much authority. "You may both 90
down. Mrs. Baggett's box is not to be
taken out of that room to-day"
"Not taken out! Oh, Mr.. Whittle-
staff! Why the porter is here with his
barrow to take it down to the station"
"Then the porter must have a shill-
ing, and go back again empty" And
he stalked on to bid Miss Lawrie come
TO him in the library.
al never heard of such q go in all
my life; and he means it, too,' said
Thornybush, the gardener.
81 never quite know what he MEANS"
said Hayonotes, the groom; "but he's al
ways in earnest, whatever it is. nev-
er see one like the master for being in
earnest But he's too deep for me in
his meaning. suppose we is only got
to go back" So they -. gated down
the stairs, leaving Mrsrec' III hctt weep
ing in the passage.
"You should let a e. d woman
have her box" she VShining to
her master, whom S.. Jllowed to the
library.
"No; WON'T You sha'n't have your
box. You're an old foolr'
"a know I'm an old fool; but l ought
to have my box"
"You won't have it. You may Just
go down and get your dinner. When
you want to go to bed you shall have
the key"
81 ought to have my box, Miss Mary.
It's my own box. What am | to do
with BaggettP They have. given him
more gin out there, and he's as drunk
as beast. l think l ought to have my
own box. Shall l tell Thornybush as
he may come back? The trainll be
gone, and then what am | to do with
BaggettP He'll get hisself so drunk
you won't be able TO stir him. And it
is my own box, Mr.. Whittlestaf'p"
To all of which Mr.. Whlttlestaff
turned deaf ear. She should find that
there was no maundering softness with
him now. He felt within his own bo-
som that IL behooved Kim olearn 10 be-
come stern and cruel. He knew that
the key was in his pocket, and found
that there was certain satisfaction in
being stern and cruel. Mrs. Baggett
might sob her heart out after her box,
and he would decline TO be moved.
"Whatll l do about Baggett, sirP'
said the poor woman, coming back.
"He's a-lying there at the gate, and the
perlice doesn't like to touch him be-
cause of you, sir. He says as how II
you could take him into the stables, he'd
sleep it of among the straw. But then
he'd be just as bad after this first 60,
tomorrow.
To this, however, Mr.. Whittlestaff at
once acceded. He saw way out Of
the immediate difficulty. He therefore
called Hayonotes TO him, and succeeded
in explaining his immediate meaning.
Hayonotes and the policeman between
them lifted Baggett, and deposited the
man In an empty STALL where he was
accommodated with ample straw; and
an order was given that as soon as he
had come TO himself, he should be pro-
vided with something to eat.
"Summat 10 eatl'' said Mrs. Baggett,