The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-05-07
UNDER :ACL0UD.

UNDER A CLOUD.
# Morris Tucker and his uncle sat at
their coy breakfast table one winter
morning, each with { copy 81 the
morning 9 papersin bis hand !, each with
g clouded brow and troubled eye: The
elder gentleman was The first tospeak.
IT'S . bad business, Morrisln
"a bad business, indeed, sir T., s
Then there was, another long 81
lence. while each again. read the om-
$inous news Of the failure Of q firm
whose business was so involved with
their own that the failure of one house
was nearly utter ruin Is the other.
The hot chops cooled on the dish, the
coffee was untouched I and the break
fast LITERAL forgotten, when the gem
3tiemenS left the house to ascertain the
extent Of their misfortrunes. Bad as
they feared these would prove. The re-
alities. were even worse than (. the an
ticipation, and before night the old
firm Of Tucker & Co. was IN the List
of failures.
There was 8 dreary amount Of hard,
iddiatasteful work to be done after the
failure was an sstab lished fact; but
Morris Tucker never finched from any
task Or interview Till t-shadows' fell,
and he faced his uncle at the table once
more. Then, Will, set features and .
pale face, he said (:
you can spare me for an hour; sir,
4 think I had better call :on Miss Ores
well Il .
/ = can spare you, but are You wise t.
hurry an interview that, I fear, Will b
very painful ~ s$3. ..s;s5
Better to nderstand my position a
once, sir. # :--:. ''he naoiBteneds hi
dry Lips here, as if the words choked
him IF Meta is true to me 7 will re
main here and Try to work my way W
again to the position i held only yester.
day. Il abe frees mo- from my engage
ment, 4 accept your prop osal to go K
California. !" ..:.fs If,
IT think IL d good time to- look Ut
those old claims, !" said Mr.. Tucker
sliding easily over the first part Of hi
nephew's speech; there may be money
In them. I, s]ss
4We will seel Il I do not go we may
be able to find some trusH messenger.
T am afraid You Will go.o his uncl.
said.
1T may be, Mrs. CressWell Is world
II woman. = n .s 81 B
e Meta is. worldly woman. Nay, LEI
me SPEAK, Morris. Z have said nothing
before, though my heart wasysore oyel
your choice Of awife. Meta is wonder.
fully fascinating beautiful and accom-
plished as but few women are, but sic
Is thorough heartl less. I hoped you,
choice would fall on Clarioe. y
Claricei She is "a mere child r.
Only two years younger than Meta
Hove her very dearly, Morris. = n
Il aBnt you are fond Of Meta r. " ss
5tts8st.N Mo- II For her a fathers sake. The
brother fmY lead wife, e have tried Il
Hove Meta, but shs repeis me! 4 3
Yet yon never spoke when I told yor
EIshould seek to win her love.
Because love is too sacred in my
eyes for anyone to interfere with its ex.
preston II Meta loves you L will give
her warm welcome and cordial affection
when she becomes you wife, Morris
But nerve yourself for the worst, my
boy. Il
u Neryed for the worst Morris Tucker
sought his betrothed bride. From The
time he had come from his Western
home, an orphaned lad Of nineteen, tx
accept his uncle,s offer Of q home he haG
met Meta Cresswell CONSTANT III
had received o cordial welcome from hel
mother, and had not suspected The
schemes and btile influence that hai
led him on, step by step, from the po
siton Of friend to that Of accepted suit.
or 81 the beautiful girl. While his feel
we're bringing him slowly to the mo
Ementous interview after the failure q
the firm Of which his uncle had mad.
him full partner, Mrs. CreBsWell wa,
schooling her daughter to meet I'll,
emergency. :SiSi
Did you write Is Morris, Meta ~ sh,
asked, lang u stirring her coffee.
sssN lot yet % was the reply. He vii
probably cal, being an honorable gen
tleman, mamma. ss3 Il ..5s5.
hope zyon will be Arm, Meta. Re
member that You have been the injured
party throughout. From the time YOU
poor papa died u have had every reason
to believe Mr.. Tucker would make yo1
and your sister the heiress Of his prop,
serty. He worship bed yonr aunt, ans
lshe never spoke Of any relatives Of hi
own TIL this nephew appeared. j be
tlieye there was some quarrel between
the brothers that end ed in the younger
one going West, while John, the elder
remained here. AZ all events it is .very
clear now that Morris would have beer
heir to the business and property il thi,
failure had not happ Yon are IL
be congratulated that il came before til,
| wedding, instead of after.
Meta shrugged her shoulders.
s Yes ls Love in q cottage Is not n,
sstylei q Is And while she spoke the bel
/ rang, and she knew her lover was wait
ing to test her cold, worldly heart. Sh,
sannt tered with easy grace into the draw