The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-04-22
"CALLED BACK"
CHAPTER Iv-CoNrrxUEp.
BY HUGH CONWAY.

A few minutes after twelve he was. am
nounced and shown into NV room
recognized him at once. He was tg.e
m1ddle-aged man with rather round
shouldereds who had talked to Teresa
under the shade of San Giovanni at Turin.
Doubtless he was "il dottore" spoken of
Dy tne OLD woman as being the arbiter of
Pauline's fate.
He bowed politely as he entered. cast
one quick look at me as if irving To
gather what he could from nv personal
appearance, than seated himself in, the
chair offered him.
Il make no apology for call, he said;
"you will no doubt guess why / come. "
His English was fluent, but the foreign
accent very marked.
hope guess correctly I replied.
" am Manuel Ceneri. 1 am a doctor
by profession. My sister was Miss
MARGINS mother. l have come from
Geneva on your account.
"Then you know what the wishAthe
great wish of life is ?"
eyes, | know. You want to marry my
neice. Now, Mr.. Vaughn, 1 have many
reasons for wishing my niece to remain
single, but your proposal has induced me
to reconsider the matter"
Pauline might have been bale of cot
ton, so impassively did her uncle speak of
her future
Gin the first place, he went on, at am
told You are well born and rich Is that
"My family is respectable. I ann well
connected and may be called rich
You will satisfy me on the latter point,
1 suppose" bowed stiffiy, and taking
sheet of paper wrote a line to my solicit
tors asking them to give the bearer the
fullest information as to my resources.
Ccneri folded up the note and placed it in
his pocket Perhaps showed the an
noyance felt at the mercenary exaetness
of his inquiries.
81 am bound to be particular in this
matter, he said Gas my niece has no
thing"
''I expect nothing and wish for no
thing"
''She had money once-a large fortune.
1t was lost long ago. You will not ask
how OF where?"
81 can only repeat my former words"
Every well-I feel have no right to
refuse your Offer Although she is half
Italian her manners and habits are
English. An English husband will suit
her best. You have not yet. 1 believe.
spoken of love to her?"
g have had no opportunity. should
no doubt have done so, but as soon as our
acquaintance commenced she was taken
away"
Yes my instructions to Teresa were
strict. 1t was only on condition she
obeyed her that allowed Pauline to live
in England"
had absolute authority over his niece. he
had not said one word which evinced
affection. So far as that went she might
have been q stranger to him
But now, L suppose, L shall be al
lowed to see herr"
"Yes--on conditions. The nan who
marries Pauline March must be content
to take her as she is. He must ask no
questions, seek to know nothing of her
birth and family, nothing of her early
days. He must be content to know that
she is lady, that she is very beautiful,
and that he loves her. VIII this suffice?"
The question was such strange one
that even i'll the height of my passion 1
hesitated.
81 will say this much" added Ceneri,
"she is good and pure-her birth is equal
to your own. She is an orphan and her
only relative is myself"
81 am content, cried, holding out
my hand to seal the compact. "Give me
Pauline, 1 ask no more"
Why should / not be content? What
did want to know about her family, her
antecedents or her history? So madly did
long to call that beautiful girl mine that,
I believe, had Ceneri told me she was
worthless and disgraced among women L
should have said, "give her to me and let
her believe she is not Indifferent to
you"
He paused and my heart beat at the
thought.
s'Will your arrangements permit of an
lily maIriage-an Immediate marriage?
e. II on my return to the Continent in a
Cal. >ys leave her future in your hands
few ia. ?"
entirely. Il marry her to-day if it were
~ won. ~ied.
possible,"I G