The Dillon tribune., 1885-11-07
going to marry this person. Y

testing the whole time that they know every
thing, or don't want to know anything.
was silent, and Nancy saw that her arrow
had hit the mark.
II come here not to search out your Sc
crets," she continued, seeing l would moi
speak, ''but to ask your advice l am in q
most difficult position. l have found oui
something about Miss Hardware-if that i,
the odious woman's name-which Willie
ought to know. And ypt, if / tell him, he
will think me jealous. Perhaps am jealous, .
she whimpered; and when l encouraged hel
to speak ON she told me the whole story about
Gracious Me.
Well knew the fellows character: but
felt far too much interested in the matter CT
her communication to think much about the
channel through which it Travelled. We
talked things over for an hour r more, and
resolved to lay tho discovery before Wlu in
u complete and convincing form.
depend upon it," said !. a. Nancy was
leaving, I'VE shall get Williss feet out Of
the net Miss Hardware win continue Miss
Hardware, 80 far as he is concerned"
| II doubt if Hardware is her real name"
she remarked. II forgot to mention that tho
wound ON Clocks head was bound up with a
lady's pocket handkerchief hers, most likely:
and when he took this handkerchief OFF ha
noticed name in the corner-S. Ba'mitt."
"Barnitt!" cried, recollecting all Of u
sudden that this name had occurred in the
conversation which had overheard between
Vanity and her father in the field. ''Her
handkerchief-with the name Barnitt upon
| it-Oh, there is some deep, deep vitlainy here"
1wrotc line to viii, asking him to como
over and see me in the evening; and also
| made another arrangement, which will dis
r r
thought the whole matter over, ard felt my
self ready
My last shutter was being put up when
Will appeared, and we stepped into my little
parlor, where l asked him to sit down and
make himself comfortable.
For mark what l say, WILL" cried I.
Before you rise from that chair you will
hear something to make your ears tingle,
something to surprise You, Will-to alarm
you; something to make you thankful that
other people are wild. awake, while you are
dreaming IN Delilal,'s lap Delilak's lap,
Will. What do you say to that:'
He showed less astonishnent than I ex.
pected, but hs read my meaning.
'YOu have made some discoveries about
Miss Hardware. have you" he said, leaning
back in his chair with supercilious smile,
which might have made me angry, only
that knew I had my fact ready to lot slip
a fact like a bulldog, you observe, that
would give one grip Of the jaws and then
hang on, and let the other party make the
fuss. Besides, pitied the lad
YES" l said, discoveries about q young
woman who calls herself Miss Hardware, but
whO--"
WIN leaped from his chair.
''Listen to me, doctor" he cried, warmly.
'You are going to tell me there is mys-
terry about Miss Hardware. know it. You
are going to tell me she is under cloud. ]
know that, too Once for oil. let me tell YOU
this: You will find it hard to use words 20
bitter and SO dark about her as SHE has used
about herself to me. She told me plainly
that had better forget her and marry son,e
one else. She warned me that reports might
come to my ears about her,"
"And don't you think all that was very
clever = asked, sneeringly must confess.
"Clever! Mott was truthful, honest.
would stake my life on Vanity's honor. l
have given her my solemn promise to trust
her in spite Of appearances, and trust her
will. Say what you have to say. | shall
listen to it all. | believe Your intentions are
kind. But whatever You say-whatever YOU
seem to prove-my faith in her il not to be
shaken. Iwould marry her-yes, in the face
prove her tO be in the right afterwarl, and
the others in the wrong. wise as they thought
themselves"
"That is your affair, Will.' said |. MY
duty is to tell you what have heard: it is
for you to act upon the information"
Hereupon related the whole story of Gra-
ctous Mes adventures, withholding the facts
which connected Nancy with the affair; for,
as said to Will, the way in which the mar
rative reached my ears was no concern Of
his. He listened attentively, and. in spite Of
his foregone declarations, his countenance
fell visibly: and when l described Vanity
perched on the strangers knee, singing the
French song. and kissing INN, Win WINGED
like man cut with knife
''Where is this man--this Clock! \ Adrulken
scoundrel, l dare say lie cried Can
speak to hin, myself!'
THAT you can" replied, there and now."
Gracious Me was sitting in my kitchen at
| this time by arrangement, and when called
| ct the top Of the stairs he came shutting up,
J. must say when he entered the parlor felt
ashamed of him. He looked the very image
If low villainy, and could not pretend to
| in either surprised or angry at the contempt
nous glance which Will darted Ut him, and
| then ut myself.
lyon were up ut Tumblelown Farm last
night" asked Willie. in the most a,,stcre
voice possible
That was, sir" replied Gracious, ruiz
bing his plasterel head.
| ''As tn anything you saw there or heard"
continued Willie, in his higl, and mighty
way, that is Il matter of Indifference to me,
and, indeed, to everybody il they would only
think So have heard the story from DR..
Book, and don't wCntler ut what happened to
you. AS to the gentleman WAC s;ruci; you, i
have no .iouht"-Willie threw off this asser-
tion with an admirable air OF unccncern-
that he is the la.ly's brother