The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-09
n.u-SnQaQed.'

"Well, there Is n certain familiarity
no, that is too strong word; but there
is more ease between you than there
was. Ever since i came back from
Belgium have seen that the prelimin-
aries of courtship were over, ana you
two looked on yourselves as one"
"Mr. Hope" said this good, arch girl,
and left off painting, you are terrible
man. Papa is eyes and no eyes,. You
you would not watch me so closely if
you did not love me-a little"
Not a little, Miss Barley"
Mary, please"
MARY. / have seen you sickly
child; | have been anxious-who would
nOtp / have seen you grow in health
and strength, and every virtue"
And seen me tumble into the water
and brighten you out Of your senses,
and there's nothing one loves like a
downright pest, especially if she loves
us; and do love you, Mr.. Hope, dearly,
dearly, and l promise to be a pest to
you all your days. All, here he comes
at last" She made two eager steps to
and came back again and looked pro-
digiously demure and innocent.
Walker came on with his usual rush,
crying, MARY, how good Of you'll"
Mary put her fingers in her ears. "No,
no, no; we are forbidden to communi-
cate" Then, initiating stiff man Of
business-f0r she was capital mimic
when she chOse-"any communication
you may wish to honor me with must
be addressed to this gentleman, Mr..
Hope; he will convey it to me, and it
shall meet with all the attention it de-
serves"
Walter laughed, and said, That's in
genious."
1Of course it is ingenious" said Mary,
subtly. That's my character to fault"
well, young people," said Hope, Il
am not sure that have time to repeat
verbal communications to keen ears
that heard them. And ] think, l can
make myself more useful to you. Wal
ter, your father has set his lawyer on to
Mr.. BARLEY, and what is the conse-
quence? Mr.. BARLEY fOrbids Mary to
speak to you, and the next thing will be
a summons, lawsuit, and great defeat,
and loss to your father and you. Mr..
BARLEY sent me the lawyers letter. He
hopes to get out of clear contract by
pleading a surprise. Now you must go
to the lawyer-it is no use arguing with
your father in his present heat-and
you must assure him that there has been
no surprise. Why, l called on Colonel
Clifford years ago, and told him there
was coal on that farm; and l almost
went on my knees to him tOprofit by it,"
You don't say that, Mr.. Hope?"
Il do say it, and | shall have to swear
it.. You may be sure Mr.. BARLEY will
subpoena me, if this wretched squabble
gets into court"
But what did my father say to your"
"He was kind and courteous to me. l
was poor as a rat, and dusty with travel
ON foot; and he was a fine gentleman,
as he always is; when he is not in too
great a passion. He told me more than
one landowner had wasted money in
this county cropping for coal. lie would
not waste his money nor dirty his fin
gers. But he thanked me for my friend
ly zeal, and rewarded me with ten shil-
lings.'
Obi" cried Walter, and hid his face
in his hands. AS for Mary. she put her
hand gently utquietly on Hopes shout
ders, as if to protect him from such in
suits.
why, children" said Hope, pleased
at their sympathy, but too manly to
hunt for it, 1T was more than he thought
the information worth, and | assure
you it was Il blessed boon to me. l had
spent my last shilling, and there was
trapesing across the island on a wild
goose chase with my reaping-hook and
my fiddle; and my poor little Grace,
that THAT L"
Mary's hand went moment to his
other shoulder, and she murmured
through her tears, sYou have got me-"
Their Hope was happy again, and in
deed the simplest woman can find i'll a
moment the very word that is balm Of
Gilead to a sOrrowful man.
However, Hope turned it off and con-
tinued his theme. The jury, he said,
would pounce on that ten shillings as
the COl0nel's true estimate of his coal,
and he would figure in the case as dog
in the manger who grudged BARLEY the
profits of risky investment he had
merely sneered at and not opposed, UNI
til it turned out well; and also disre-
garded the interests of the little COM
munity to whom the mine was boon.
NO" said Hope; "tell your lawyer that
j am Bartley's servant, but love equity.
1 have proposed to BARLEY to follow
wonderful seam of coal under Colonel
Cliffords park. We have no business
there. So if the belligerents viii hear
reason l will make Bartleypa royalty
on every ton that comes to the surface
from any part of the mines and that
VIII U6 ri ,ZU ~ year 10 llle CllUOTuS.
Take this to the lawyer and tell him to
unfiX that herO's bayonet, or he will
charge at the double and be the death
of his own money-and yours"
Walter threw up his hands with
amaZement and admiration. what
headl" said he.
"Fiddledeel" said Mary; what a
heart!"
I'm word, a phoenix" said Hope,
dryly. "Praise is sweet, especially be-
hind ones back. So pray go on, unless
you have something better to say to
each other" and Hope retired briskly
into his office. But when the lovers took
him at his word, and began to strut up
and down hand in hand, and murmur
loves music into each others ears, he
could not take his eyes off them, and
his thoughts were sad. She had only
known that young fellow afew months,
yet she loved him passionately, and he
would take her away from her father
before she even knew all that father
had done and suffered for her. When
the revelation did come she would per-
haps be a wife and mother, and then
even that revelationw would fall compara-
lively fiat.
Dac;Jo, HE unconditional ...:nc l.