Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-08-07


The brothers resumed their. seats, and fpf
while silence reigned. The truth is they
felt angry and annoyed, perhaps even sell.
reproachful. Impossible as it was that Mr..
Rawlings claims could be contested, both
Horace and Herbert felt sense of shame
natural to any Englishman who finds himself
compelled to yield by mere threat The
wish to fight everything out to the bitter end
made England what it is. Perhaps, after
all, when they came to think of it, the
Talbertswere fonder of the child than they
cared to own. At any rate, after a Ions
brown study, Herbert, at least showed signs
of wavering. ....gsE rR.Tf...y
81 suppose, he asked, as one seeking for
information, cit would be out of the question
for us to do as Beatrice wishes?" $500
Horace was equal to the occasion. ''Quite
out of question, !" he answered sternly. "We
should be placed in a ridiculous position and
become the jest Of the county"
They shuddered visibly at the thought and
so far as the Talberts were concerned the
boys fate was settled. To become the jest
Of the county is too terriblei Country wit,
as we all know, is SO delicate, yet so sharp
and pointed!
With minds i'll at ease they sought dis
traction in their housekeeping. Although as
rule the "Tabbies" were just, if cheese
pairing, in their management unreason-
able, if exacting, in their requirements, to-
day they drove the cook and poor Whit
taker almost frantic and set both wondering
whatever the masters were going to getto."
In the meantime Beatrice had carried her
white face to her own room. She locked the
door, threw herself upon couch, where for
a long time she sat with her hands pressed
against her brows She did not weep, nor
was her look that of one resigning herself to
fate and getting ready to yield to the newt
able. It was rather that of one searching
for and exploring every path which might
possibly offer way Of escape from diff
Guilty. But it seemed as if every path sis
trod mentally resolved itself into cul de SIG,
for the girl heaved a hopeless sigh and the
tears at last began to force themselves
through her half closed lashes.
She rose. rang the bell, and gave orders for
the boy to be brought to her. He soon ran
into the room with the cry OF delight with
which he always greeted her. Miss Clauson
took the little fellow on her lap, clasped him
to her heart, stroked and curled his pretty,
ruffled bright hair, called him by a thousand
endearing names and strange diminutlves,
kissed him on his lips, his eyes, his neck, his
dimpled arms and fat legs, and generally
went through the well-known ceremony of
child worship. 1t was clear that no legal
| menace, however dire, would make her ac- =,
ouiesce in the tame surrender of her pet con-
| templated by her uncles Not one of her
| many and rather wild CALCULATIONS so much
| as limited at the possibility Of an impending
separation In no sense were her caresses,
| some of which were fearful Ones intended as
| farewell.
By and by, with a face even paler than
BEFORE Beatrice took the child by the hand
and Went DOWN s1alrs' one pauseo lor d
second peIore tne closeo ooor oi Glie ROOM III
which she nao leI' ner uneies' can sec no
other way. IL mus6 De oone' sne nuttereo'
Then, ike one 1ull Oh a solemn purpose, sue
entered tne room' "na1eser sne may nave
been apou1 10 10, 'ne ellp!y fool y, seelleu 10
give her e. welcome respiIe, one gave d
breath OF re!e1. NeverIne,ess' ~ seemed
5na1 tne respite was " ue ou' snoi q roi'
after waiting few minutes and nnolng
neither Horace nor Herper1 appear, sne
turned as II to go IN search OF them:
But at that moment her MOOD changed
once more, or an alternative course at iasG
| presented ITSELF tlnge OF Color leaped
| back to her cheek. WIN quick steps she
| led the boy away, ana having conslgheo MN
| to Mrs. Mlller's care, again sougn' ner own
| room, and again sab lor ionS Ciilie III ueep
| thought. 1T IS pu1 sienoef cnance, sne
| whispered, but 1t can De trled. To-Day Is
Thursday, and no steps can pe taken untn
| Saturday"
After this she wrote noGe 70 oyIVanus
Mordle, asking MIN IL ne couio come TO the
house and see her elener tna0 afternoon OF
early the next morning She sent the note
down to the village anu tnen emu III search
OF her unc!es
They looked aG her raIner ti1hioiy, perhaps
conscience stricken. Iney Ianclea she had
come to rene" her argulnenG ano oher up
fresh entreates. IL may De tney leareo tna5
In such an event. 1ney "oulo 10 ioIceo 10
| yleld IN spite Oh tne consequences sucnan aa'o
| OF weakness mus1 entail. DuS nsaIrice ula
not reopen the attac1asg-Fae quletiy asked IL
she4mght nave she cloGnes worn py tne ooy
when he nrst disturbed the secluslon OF
| dazlewood House, WHICH clouhes, IL inay no
remembered, were careIuly slowed away ny
Horace IN tne Dig sale' AS Inere appeared
TO De no narm III Ine sIaInyinS VI ILLS re-
quest the sale was unlocked, anu heat
brown paper parcel inioiseu u horace
| long, slim calgraphy given 10 tne girl.
"You will not answer tne SOLICITORS ietter,
hope" she said. ~
| mo; 1t needs no answer. Inc oeuVefy OF
the boy Will be answer enough.
In the afternoon SylVanus trotted up on
his tricycle. HIS lace was raolanI from the
combined effects OF tne sharp, 1resh air, the
exercise, and the oengn6 at having received
such summons from MISS Ciaqson. To-day
ne was leagues aooVe MS iuguoflous name.
he capped MS nanos togetner, not SO much
for the purpose OF promotlng clrculation as
! on accountof the cneer1ul souna OF inc detona-
tlons made by inc meeolng pallns. he wished
old WHITAKER a happy new year IN way
whlcn clearly implied tnao HAPPY years yea were
the rule, SAD ones the exception. whitaker
returned the greetlng WIN que respect, and
ventured TO express ms approval OF MI. Nor
| dle,s Chrlstnas Gay seflhoh' linen Mordle
| SAID somethlns %hlch mace even mttaker
laugh. MISS Clauson hearo the curates
| prlsR, crisp Folce long oeiofe he was SHOWN
INTO the drawing roonl'
lie greeted her pleasantly, ana learned
that her uncles We're OUT: AS the laiberts
always took their out-of-door exercise OF an
afternoon, this news was no surprise to him.
Who shall say that Sylvanus did not time
his call by their we'll known clock-work hab-
its? A tete-a- tete Is often pleasant, although
the two heads harpof no tnoughts save those
| OF friendship. a -i a7s4