Omaha daily bee., 1885-09-03

felt ashamed, az all honorable mon 10, WI,
by irresistible STRESS of circumstances an
compelled TO act q lie. The packing wa,
completed. Jane was sent to seeto Mrs. Mil
ler's ard the boys things. The selection Of
these our friends did not superintend. Tn,
boxes were brought down, placed in the
wagonettc, and Horace and Herbert drove
away with them. Nothing could have been
more skillfully managed. Even Whitaker
was completely deceived.
They took the boxes and warohoused them
In Blacktcwn. "You see" said Horace, as
he turned the horses heads homewaris,
"Beatrice has gone to London. She mean,
to make a lengthy stay. She mast want her
things. Any woman would.n
Every word You spoke was the exact
truth" said Herbert, consolingly.
But they were horribly upset; so upset
that they forgot all about Franks impending
visit, or forgot about it until tn, next
morning, when they found it was too late
to telegraph.
Frank, with ''hope ~eternal' growing like
q eucalyptus, came down as he had fore
warned his friends, by the morning train.
He was rather surprised at not seeing his
two tall cousins on the platform, or any
signs of the wagonette outside the station.
He secured a hanson and drove straight to
Lakewood House.
Whitaker opened the door. 'All we'll.
Whitaker asked Carruthers cheerily. He
did not lear the servants reply, for at that
moment Horace and Herbert appeared and
shook hands heartily. They took him into
| the dining room, and once more the three
men shook hands.
"Well, how are You bothT' asked Frank.
They told him they were quite well, but, all
the same, Frank knew by their solemn faces
that something had gone wrong. He won.
dercd what the cook had been up to.
And Miss Clausonl Beatricer' he con-
tinued with an assumption of carelessness,
but longing for the door to open and admit
her. The Talberts exchanged sad glances.
Beatrice" said Horace, sis not here"
His voice was so solemn that Franks
blood ran cold. Horace was not addicted to
the use of canting colloquialisms, but the
words were spoken in such n way that Frank
believed mot here' must inevitably be
followed by "but gone above.n He was
immensely relieved when the speaker stopped
short.
"Not here" he sail. "Gone out, you
mean. My greetings must wait"
The brothers eyes sought counsel Of one
another.
Beatrice went to London yesterday
said Horace. Frank seemed much aston
ished.
ITO London? She left London only a few
days ago. Is she gone back to her father'sl'
He was already framing excuses for leaving
Lakewood House and returning to town.
An ominous silence followed his question.
"Wha is the matter2 Is anything wrong7"
he asked in great agitation.
"My dear Frank" said Horace, 'some-
thing strange has happened, but it is so
III. F....,1.- n..- Al.-A
ing whether we ought to mention it to you.
Not but what your advice might be of serv-
ice to U.s."
Frank grew seriously alarmed. "But 1
am one of the family, he said hastily. The
Talberts shook their heads doubtfully. They
were not sure about it. The family con-
sisted of two, or, counting in Beatrice, three
at the outside.
81 have another right to know-a stronger |
right STILL" said Carruthers, who was ON
thorns of suspense. ''There is no reason
why 1 should make a secret of it. l have
loved Beatrice since the day we met. My
one hope is to make her my wife. l claim
the right to know anything that concerns
her."
The establishment depicted on the brothers
faces spoke volumes in favor of their trust
full natures or Franks circumspect lovemak-
ing. "Good heavens, Frank" CALCULATED
Horace.
Eyes; I asked her to marry me before l
left here last autumn. She refused; 1 wa;
now going to repeat my offer"
"She refused your asked Horace.
eyes" said Frank, sadly. 'But what is
the matter? For Heavens sake tell me-"
Herbert" said Horace, ~ believe this |
gives us the clue to the mystery" Herbert
nodded.
"What clue' What mystery, My good
fellows, don't you SEQ you arc driving me
mad2' said Carruthers.
Beatrice left us yesterday. This MORN
ing we received this letter." The letter was
handed to Frank, and whilst he read it the
brothers drew aside and talked in whispers.
Franks establishment need not be described.
Like his cousins, he could only calculate,
"What does it meanF' !
Horace and Herbert came forward. Her.
bert spoke. AS the romantic side of the
question had again turned up, it was felt
for him to be spokesman. Frank"
he said, tive do not wish to misjudge you,
but the fact of Beatrice's having refused you,
and of your coming down to renew the offer,
makes us think that she must have fled to
you. We know little about such mat
ters ourselves, but we have heard of young
girls flying to get out of the way of distaste-
ful-ahem, what shall l say9-"
''Persecution,' put in Horace.
mo, the word is too strong-distasteful
Frank. This is, of course, a mat
ter entirely Letween yourself and your con-
AS the grafton proceeded Frank stared
from one to the other. Then he burst into a
short peal of laughter. In spite of his anx-
iety about Beatrice, the situation over.
him.
''Therc is nothing to laugh at Frank" said
"There is madness, sheer madness in the
air, my coed men, " said Carruthers. ID
look like a man who would subject a woman
to distasteful persecution Hang it'll L am
than you are. / had Beatrice's per-
to come. Perhaps you may know
that it was arranged that we should travel
together"
They remembered that Beatrice had told
them this, and at once saw the folly of their
new theory. They apologized humbly to
No men in this world could apologize
more gracefully than our friends. Then they
talked the whole matter over again, without
any result. Frank did not say much. lie
wanted solitude and quiet thought. By and
by the wagonette came round to the door.
"You must excuse our not having sent to
meet you,n said Horace. ''The truth is the
are dirty and we could not have had
The wagonette cleaned in time to take us
Itrut. .s .,o,, s,o;,x 4. far 4, 1r;kra N