Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-09-11

Horace and Herber joined in the aoiping
corners of their glass cloths and poked them
into every little corner and interstice exactly
as clearly nurse would have explored the
| ears and eyes of her infant charge Frank
| was compelled to stand by all the time and
! feel what clumsy ruffian he had been. He
| sighed his relief as Whitaker at last gath
cred up the busters and departed.
Conversation languished. The misfor-
| tune to the table seemed to have driven
Beatrice into the background. There is
nothing like a second grief for driving out
the first. Frank felt that Horace and Her.
bert were still thinking of that ill-used
piece of furniture. He was right Pres
entity Hol ace slipped out of the room, and
returned with small bottle of furniture
polish and piece of flannel Gravely and
deliberately he began polishing his slender
legged Chippendale treasure.
Frank could stand it no longer There is
limit to penance, namely, human endur-
ance. His nerves. after the events of the
day, were highly strung, and he felt that if
he watched Horace any longer he must burst
into fit of uncomfortable laughter
"Can't we go and smoker he said
Certainly" said Herbert, whose mind
was now more easy about the table, He ac-
companied Frank to the dining-room, where,
by and by, Horace Joined them. He brought
with him an unmistakable odor of furniture
polish so that Franks remorse was, BY the
medium of his olfactory nerves, still kept
awake.
'There is another painful duty to per-
FORM" said Horace, helping himself to a
cigarette Frank could not help thinking
that the unmentioned painful duty was con-
nected with the table. 1--WE feel that we are
bound 70 LOFT Sir Maiuoau Lno1, what b,,
happened"
'Of course. He is her father"
eyes, he must be told We think it better
to make the communication orally Horace
was one who never miSused the word 'sver-
ball." eve shall run up to town tomorrow
and see him."
Frank had already been framing in his
mind various excuses for sudden departure
He felt that, fond as he was of Horace and
Herbert, their constant society would at the
present juncture drive him half mad. He
jumped at the chance of escape 'Tll 90
with you, he said.
They protested against this, but Frank
was firm. my dear fellows" he said, Il
have opened my heart to you have told
you my true reason for paying this visit
How can 1 possibly stay here with Beatrice
awayr
Ilo udu way. LII was arranged CneV
should all go to London on the morrow
Frank suggested that before going they
should inquire if Beatrice had drawn arty
money from the bank So on their way
through the town the next day Horace and
Herbert had an interview with Mess1s.
Furlong & Co., and ascertained that their
niece had taken one thousand pounds with
her.
When they came out of the bank they
found Frank missing. Indeed, he kept them
waiting fully five minutes before he reap
peared. He had just been round the corner,
he said, looking at some of the quaint old
Blacktown houses. The truth is he had
been to the "Cat and Compasses," seen the
expansive widowed landlady, and ascer-
tanned the address of her worthy friend,
Mrs. Rawlings No doubt the Talberts
could have given him this, but he did not
care to trouble them for it.
As William Giles had accompanied his
masters in order to drive the horses back,
the Ta1berts, until they were in the train,
could not make known to Frank the result
of their inquiries at the bank. Frank heard
the news gloomily. The sum taken by
Beatrice showed that she meant her absence
to be a prolonged one.
''Did you get the numbers Of the notes?'
be asked. They had not done so.
II should get them. The first she
changes can be traced back, and we shall
know where she is"
II should never have thought of that"
said Herbert, admiringly.
Horace said nothing. Conscience told him
be would not have thought of it, but self
respect babe him hide the fact.
In London they parted. The Talberts
went to their favorite hotel, and Frank, who
wished to be quite free and unfettered in his
researches, went to his The next day the
brothers called ON Sir Maingay Clauson, and
Frank found the way to 142 Gray street. the
purveying establishment of Messrs. Raw
ings Bros.