The state journal., 1885-01-17
NO. 80.

.
were clinging clammily to his limbs.
les ne replied, your stream seems
about as damp as they make EN-.
Let us go up TO the rectory." | con-
tnued, land We'll soon put them 10
rights. To this proposal he acceded with
cheerful alacrity. and, side by side, we
advanced toward the house.
On the whole, was not disposed to RI.
greet the course matters had taken. The
prospect OF another tete-a-tete with Glare
at dinner was not an altogether pleasing
one, H. as had every reason to expect,
her mood remained unchanged. The
! presence of an outsider would, / reflected
be certain restraint upon her. and per.
maps by next day her humOr might be
more amiablc.
/ On entering we passed at once into NV
study, where bright fire was burning.
! Without waiting for an invitation nv new
| acquaintance placed himself before it and
! was quickly enyelOped in cloud OF
vapor
! Il see you smoke, be remarked, nod
Ding his head toward the cigar held in
my hand.
Yes, " l assented; ''at my time of life
| little indulgence in the habit is permis
| is one l greatly deprecate in young men. "
"Ah, you re quite right, he rejoined,
taking case from his pocket and extract
ing a large cigar "Do you know" he
went on easily. Il fancy you and l have
| many ideas IN common. You like good
cigar; can tell by the smell that first
rate brand you are smoking. SO do l.
Our opinions as to the sanctity of prop.
erty are slmilar-that is, so far as our own
is concerned. And | shan't be bit sur
prlsed if we agreed upon the merits of
glass Of sherry for stimulating ones cir
culation after immersion in cold water"
Really this young man was carrying
things with rather high hand, and had
it not been that | looked forward to his
support later on, should have been in
chncd there aud then to show him the
door.
As produced the deCanter | said rather
dryly, Il don't know what my daughter
would say if she knew OF this"
''By Joye - he replied, helping him
SELF so you've got a daughter. IS she
pretty p
Fairly so, d." replied. Then remcm
bering that it was only right to give
him hint as to her peculiar temperament.
l continued She takes after her
mother"
II guessed as much, " he interrupted.
lifting the glass to his lips. Il presume
sue inherits her intellectual qualities from
her father
] was on the point of replying angrlly
to the remark, but before could do so he
resumed: Pom my soul, Sir I'm almost
sorry came now; tor, to tell the truth,
I'm desperate lady killer and if she
took fancy to me thcre'd be the deuce
to pay"
In the actual state of affairs the idea of
Glare falling in love with this young
swaggerer was so delicious that, forget
ting what was due to guest. lay back
in my chair and laughed till the tears
cOursed down my checks.
lie looked at me gravely for some time
and then ff8ii dr tue Ili6 81 me can't see
the point of the joke.
His words recalled me to a sense of my
duties. Really, sir, " | resumed, | owe
you an apology for my rudeness but
when you have known my daughter
little, think you will understand my
merTiment. Come, what do you say to
an immediate prescntatiOn?'
He assented to the suggestion with q
nod, and ringing the bell, instructed the
servant to ask Miss Glare TO step into the
study. At the same moment | remem-
bered that had not yet ascertaincd the
new. comer's name.
fs"By the by" l remarked, Il have
omitted to introduce myself My namo
is Denby-Rev. Matthew DENLY"
1S"Charmed to make Rev Matthew Den
by's acquaintance, the stranger an.
swered, with an inclination of the head
"My own is Panton, Joseph, so called
or, in the vulgar tongue Joe Panton."
"Panton," l repeated mot surely one
Of the Wiltshire Pantons?"
"Well, | suppose, he answered, Il
| can claim kinship with them, as | inherit
the larger bulk Of my property from
| distant relative who lived in that county"
A man of property, then The fact
| threw new light upon his behavior.
| What had taken for common lmpudenCe
| was, after all, mere eCcentrCty; his for
ward manner but the natural assumption
Of superiority which the possessor Of
many acres may rightly claim over his
| less fortunate fellows. Well might !
| congratulate myself on the tarseeing sa
gacity which had not allowed me to take
| offense at what | now recognized as the
utterances of a superior if somewhat play
full mind.
'My dear young friend, . | said as
rose and took his hand, you delight, you
overwhelm me. Although | have lost
sight of them for many years, the Pan
| tons were once among my most intimate
acquaintances "a statement, by the way
slightly in excess of the facts; still little
exaggeratiOn might, under the Circum
stances, be pardoned. But what arc
you doing in this Out-of the way part Of
the world 2"
studying nature, / suppose you'd call
it, he replied. knocking about the
country and taking sketches here and
therein short playing at being artist
It's not bad fun as game that one can
throw up when ones tired Of it, but it
must be deucedly dreary work as meana
of earning livelihood.
An accomplished amateur also My
opinion Of the young man was rapidly
rising.
and where are you staying?" asked.
'In the village. at the sign of the Green
Dragon"
NV dear boy" l returned, eve must
| nut q stop to that at once. This house
must be your headquarters while you re
main in the neighbOrhood. No, no, |
continued, anticipating the refusal which,
however. he seemed in no way eager to
offer, I'm take no denial. AND here
comes Glare, - l added, as my daughter
entered the room ITO second my request. -
Clare came forwardtin her quiet and
somewhat chillingmanner you wished
to speak to me, papa?" she said.
Eyes, my love, III answered, '1et me
introduce Mr.. Panton to you, relative
of one OF my oldest and dearest friends.
! The two bowed, Clare on her side
showing no trace of emotion and very
| little of interest.
"Mr. Panton, my dsar," l went on,
"has promised to taBb up his quarters