The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-16

gagged to Gertrude Mowbray."
Con crushed the letter in his hand.
and tried to stare circumstances in the
face, but circumstances bailled him, and
in state of semi-tortllre. he retired to
his dream-disturbed couch.
The next morning he returned to Lon
DON
Miss Mowbray was much better when
he reached home
Mrs. Creighton greeted him with dig
nified pleasure, and poor Con felt as ut
trcly mean and dishonorable as his most
inveterate enemy could have desired.
MIR. Creighton, would like to speak
with you for moment, please"
Con was walking down the strand
considering how he could break off his
engagement, when the words struck his
ear.
Con turned with a start, and encoun-
tered his lawyer, Arthur Gray.
Certainly. Mr., Gray! What's the
business now?''
Rather an unpleasant business, am
sorry to say, sir. But you will step into
my office where l can fully explain"
So. Con followed him in, and waited
to hear what the unpleasant business
was.
You are aware, sir, that your late
uncle, from whom you inherited your
fortune, died intestate. or / should say, |
was thought to have died intestate, |
whereupon you were his heir-at-law. a
few days since, however, we made what |
to you must prove painful discovery, |
namely. the certificate of his marriage. |
and half drawn mp will, in which he |
bequeathed all he possessed to his unac- |
knowledg9d wife, or her children, should |
she have any,"
after diligent inquiries we have dis
covered that the late Mrs. Creighton |
died in giving birth to child, but the |
child is still living, SO must inform you
that you are"
"Penniless, finished Con, gloomily,
but with deliberation.
"Not quite, Mr. Creighton. Your
father left you $4,000, which is some
thing. Your cousin arrived to-day, |
believe"
Poor Con he managed to get out with !
out disgracefully showing his feelings,
for it's no joke TO find ones self sudden /
ly precipitated from the pinnacle of
| millionaireship.'
''Well, after all, there's one comfort"
he said, returning to his solilouuy,
Gertrude Mowbray won't want me
now, so I'll give her warning. Dora
will take me, rich or poor, and hope
I'll not be such a coward to shirk the
labor of a man."
His meditations brought him in front
of the Mowbray mansion.
Five minutes after he was sitting in
the daintiest of boudoirs, Gertrude be-
fore him in the most recherche of French
morning robes.
You look dreadfully tired, Con.
Have you been walking far?'
Not particularly far, but Eve had
bad news, and, as a general thing, that
| is more harrassing than the mere effort
of walking"
Why, what news have you had?
Nothing very serious, l hope"
/ "Oh, not at all; only that I've lost
every penny of the fortune my uncle
left me-"
HE noticed, with great satisfaction,
that her fair face grew very white, and
that she instantly put on an indescrib-
/ able expression of withdrawal.
Lost, eh? Oh, no! How?'
: "Oh, in a romantic way, of course.
1t seems that my supposed bachelor
uncle 0was. in reality, a Benedict, but,
as his DmRrriage was in secret, and the
girl was a country lass, nobody knew
anythingSabout it; so he told her the
ceremony was false, and left her. She
| died, ,heartbroken, but left an heir or an
heircss, l don't know which. This
child takes the silver spoon out of my
mouth, and !, as you see, am ruined.
OF course, Gertie, came TO you first to
release you, if you wished, from our en-
| gagement. Reared as you have been, /
could not expect you to marry poor
man, and, indeed, l fear that in my
changed circumstances / could be no fit
husband for you.''
Then Miss Mowbray showed that, girl
as she was, she was equal to the occas-
ion.
II can readily perceive, Mr.. Creighton,
that 1t is your wish that our engagement
should end, and, knowing that, should
be the last one to oppose your inclina-
tions. AS regards your loss, sympath-
ize with you sincerely, but cannot fail
to rejoice that it happened before ]
awoke to the fate of an unloved wife"
So, for the last time, Con went down !
the steps, saying TO himself:
ma "As t, any rate still have $4,000 and
He walked along, feeling his spirits
considerably lighter, his troubled con-
science comparatively at rest.
But just rs he reached his mothers |
residence cray once more encountered |
him.
"Ah! Here YOU are again; the very |
fellow ! want. Your cousin has arrived |
and is anxious TO see you. Could YOU /
go to her at once? She is with some rel |
| atives at the hotel"
Con turned on him, a sulky expression |
wreathing his handsome face.
Look here, Gray; isn't II enough for |
fellow to be left pennllcss, without |
making him play lackey to the girl that's
got his money? As you're so desperate I
ly interested, you can tell my cousin |
that | am very much engaged to-day, |
and can't go TO her II She wishes to /
see my mother, presume she can find |
her.
Arthur Gray turned his back upon his |
late client.
He was young man and still unmar-
ried, so IL may be presumed he did not |
feel very badly as he returned to pay his |
devoirs TO the heiress.
But Con did feel badly as he passed |
through his mothers door, and strode |
iInpatiently down the halls that were
theirs no longer.
He was ascending the stairs when the
servant called:
II forgot TO give you this note, Mr..
Creighton. II was left here about five
minutes ago."
Con took it up and glanced carelessly
at 1t, dainty little envelope whose deli
cate address he did not recognize, broke
the seal and read
Miss Creighton's compliments 70 Mr..
Creighton, and desires his immediate
presence"
BY Jove! She'll offer me the post of
iootman next, presume; but IN go to
her now and let her see her mistake"
80, in anything but an amiabe humor
he wended his way TO her Immediate
presence"
Miss Creighton is engaged at present,
but will be down in five minutes" the
walter said; and, after he had disap-
pearcd, Con began To muttcr something
very eontemptuous about country
charms" etc.
H.|".