Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-04-04
THE PROFESSOR AND THE HARRY.
(Concluded from last aveek I
v.

COncluded from last week
V.
Almost the first person whom the Prof
esssor saw after months absence from
home in connection with his literary york
was Bob Annesley. and Bob's round face
wore an air of such profund d' lection that
even short sighted and absent-mlnded
man could not help noticing it.
"All well here, hope ?" said the Prof
essor interrogatively. "Have you seen
our friends the Cecils latelv ?'
Bob shook his head. Never go here
now" He added, with something of an
! effort. II shall never go there any more;
shall be out of this before long. Sent in
| my papers last week.
"What! - exclaimed the Professor,
rather startled. And then. as they were
near his door, "Come in," he said, land
tell me all about it now" he remarked;
Everybody will have to know soon.'
The Professor was greatly perturbed,
feeling that he had been somehow to blame
in absenting himself at critical time. He
did not ask tor further explanati n. but,
having preceded his young friend into the
library, began at once: This must not
be allowed to go on. Annesley. l am sim
cerely sorry for Mrs. Harrington. but I
Can t thlnk it right that wo people should
be made miserable in order that she may
be provided with large income. l am
disappointed in her, | confess. l had
hOped-but 10 matter. Since she won't
break with you, you must break with her;
and possibly some sort of compensation
might be offered in delicate manper-''
Il can't break with her," interrupted
Bob quietly. 1--WE were married three
weeks ago."
The P ofessor's cons ernati on was too
great to be expressed in any vehement
fashion. He could only murmur under
his breath, Dear, dear! what a sad
pity !"
"There was no help for It," SAID Bob.
81 promised her ages ago that [ would
marry her il her husband died, and
couldn't go back from my word when the
time Came"
Her husband !" calculated the Profess
sor. This is orse than thought. Do
understand you tn she has had Lus-
band alive all tits tlme?'
well, he died month or two ago
when she was away in the summer. you
know. He had behaved awfully badly to
her--deserted her soon after they were
m 'rrled. IL was no fault of hers"
sit was rtainly fault of hers to re-
ceive another mans addresses while she
was still married woman" said the
Professor severely.
"Oh, well, if you like to call it so; but
suppose was as much in the wrong as
she was. Anyhow, l was bound to her.
told beI-about Violet, you know, but
she didn' seem to think there was no get
ting out of it," concluded Bob simply.
There is no getting out of 1t now. y re-
marked the Professor. with rueful face
land l don't think you have improved
matters by getting married in this hole
and corner way. What was your object
in dong that p''
''She thought it would be BETTER" an
swered the young man, indifferently;
land, as far as that goes, l agreed with
her. 1t has saved Is good deal of bother
with my people. besides which, l dldn It
care to let all the fellows of my regiment
! hear about it before I left.''
| The Pr. fessor eroaned He saw that the
only course open to him, or to any of Bob's
| friends, was to make the best of bad
business; but for the moment he could
| think of nothing except what very bad
! business it was, aud after promising to
Keep the secret until it SHOULD be secret
no longer, he allowed the young 10 an to de-
part without Offering word of consola-
ton. Why be should have felt moved, some
| hours later, to walk over to the lodgings
, which were still occupied by he bride, he
would have been puzzled to explain. She
could not undo What she had doue, nor
Was there anything to be gained by up
braiding her. Perhaps it was rather a
strong feeling of curiosity than anything
else that led him to her door.
| Having learnt that she Was at home and
! alone, be followed the servant upstairs,
and was presently in the shabby little
dra wiug-room so weli-known to the off.
GERS of the Twenty seventh. Mrs. Har.
rington-to II Der by the name which
she had not yet formally resigned-rose
from the chair in which she had been sit
ting by the ireside, and turned curious.
" altered countenance towards her visi-
tor, The Professor was at once struck by
her extreme pallor aud by her air Of weary
dependency. To look at her, one would
have thought that she had just sustained
a crushing defeat, instead Of having gain
i ed victory.
Shave you seen Bob ?" she began.
"Ah!" sighed the Professor, speaking
out his thought without ceremony, Il
fear you have made terrible mistake,
both of you "
eyes" she answered. and said no more,
though he waited some time for her to ex-