The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-17
IN LUCK AT LAST.
by Walter Besant.
CHAPTER TT.
IRIS TIE NtnALD

"
vac on this very cveuiu. that fr' first made
the scauain anc. OF her pupil, Nj Arnold
Arbutbno,. ThoNe foincilrn,e>, | believe
han,cn ofiener ia real lifc than they do on
,be Stage where Ieop,e are always turning
mn Az the very nica Of time AM the critical
moment IT,,
need little persuasion b. make me believe
that the first meeting OF Arnold Arbuthnot
and Iris, on the very evening when her
cot.in WIS orenins matters with the roxy
che. was no,hin. short Of provdentia'.
Won sbaIl see, presently, what things might
have happensd il they had not met The
meeting was. in fact, the second OK tho thret
really important events in tue life OF girl
The first, which is seldom remem berei witt
The gratitude which il deserves, i her birth
The sec9ni. the first meeting with her future
lover; toe third her welding day; the Other
ovens o. a woman's life are interesting
peybaps, but not important
Certain circumstances, which will be i'm
Med.stely explained connected with THU
meeting, made il an event OF very consider
sble inte-cs, 10 Iris, even though she did mol
suspect rs immense importance SO much
interest that she thought OF nothing else for
. week beforehand; that as the appointed
hour drew near she trembled and grew pale
that when her grandfather came up for his
tea, she, who was USUALLY so quick to discern
the least sign Of care or anxiety in his face,
actually did not observe the trouble, plainly
written in his dropping head AM anxious
ayes, which was due 10 his interview With
NI. David Chaiker.
She poured on, the tea, therefore, without
one word Of sympathy. This would have
seemed hard IL her grandfather had expected
any. lie did not however because he did
not know that the trouble showed in his
isce, and was trying to look as if nothin!
had happened Yet in his brain wore ring
ing and resembling the words, within
three weeGs-within three weeks with the
regularity Of horrid clock at midnight
when one wants TO 60 to sleep.
"Oh," cried Iris, forca.l, as youn; people
always are, to spea,. OF her own trouble
soh, grandfather, 10 IS coming tonight"
"Who is coming TO n.ght, my dearf and
then be listened aga for the ticking o!
that clock: "Within three we5ks-wi,hip
three weeks "Who is coming tonight,
NY desrT
he took the cup OF tea from her and sat
down with an Old mans elaboration,
which springs less from wisdom and tho
gteumatism
The iteration OF that refrain, Within
Mfee weeks" made him forget every thing,
aven the trouble Of his grsnddaushter's
mini
"Oh, grandfather, You cannot have for
gottsnr'
She spoke with the least possible touch Of
britstion. because she had been thinking OF
this thing for week past. day AMI night,
and it was a thing OF such stupendous inter
at to her that it seemed impossible that any
one WHO knew Of it could forget what was
coming.
"No, no The old man was stimulated
into immediate recollection by the dlsap-
pointmeut in her eyes mo, no, my deary,
J have not forgotten. Your pupil is com
ing Mr. Arbuthnot is coming But Iris,
child, don't let that worry you will see
him for you, il you likc.'
no, must see him myself. You sec,
DEAR there il the awful deception. Oh, how
shall tell himf'
mo deception at ALL" no said stoutly.
You advertised in your own initials. lie
never asked ii the initials belonged to a man
or to a woman. The other pupils do not
know. Why should this onc' What does
IT matter TO him IL you have dons tho work
for which he engaged your servicosr
"But. oh, no is so different And the
others, you know, keep to the subject"
80 should he, then Why didn't her
But lac hasn't. And Ihayn been answer
ing HIM, and he must think that | was
drawing him on TO tell me more about him
sell; and now, oh, what will he thinki I
drew him on and on-yet didn't moan to
till at last he writes TO say that he regards
me as the best friend and the wisest adviser
be has ever had What will no tt * and
sayi Grandfather. il il dread(ulW
'rWhat did you tell him for, Iris, my deari
Why couldn't you lot things go onl And
by telling him you will lose your pupil"
eyes, of course; and worse still, shall
bose his letters We live so quietly here that
his letters have coma 30 mo like news OF
another world How many dilf irent worlds
are there all round ono in Londonl 1t has
been pleasant to read of that one in which
ladies 90 about beautifully dressed always,
and where the people hav' nothing to do
but TO amuso themselves. lie has told mo
shout this world in whicl he lives, and
shout his own life, so that know every
ching he does and where no goes; and
here she sighed heayily-"of course il could
rot go ON forever; and should not min so
much II it hal not been carried on under
false prctences.'
"No false pretenccs at all, my dear. Don't
think it,"
Il sgnt back his last cheque,' she said,
trying to find little consolation for hersslf.
"But yet
"Well, Iris" said her gran father, che
wanted 10 learn heraldry, and you have
taught him"
''FOr tho last three monthsn-the girl
blushci as il she was confess in her sins
"f r the last three months there has not
been single word in his letters about
berlldry. He tells me that he rites be-
cause he Is idle or because he wants TO talk,
or beclus, ho is alone In his studio, or be-
cause bs wants his unknown friend advice.
] am his unknown friend, aud nave been
giving him advice"
"And very good advice, too" said her
grandfather benevolently. "Wno il 30 wise
o. n irlsT
II have answered all his letters, ard
never one, told him that am only a girl.n
"a am gladyo did not tell him. Iris" sail
her grandfather; but he did not say why he
was glad. "And why can't he go on vriLing
his letters with out making any fus;f
81 cause he SAYS he must make the NJ.