The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-15


css, but reverse our positions, and
where 3 my clLuc,f $50 lnu must let
matters stand .ur a VI kur two"
81 won't promise uNiuag now" re-
piled Mditl uI Il shall see YOU to-
morrow. AMI wllt.ll yuu my decision
then.
lie turned away without even saying
goodnight DrNtcrW .s sac mixture
of apparent good ualur and seiiishncss,
he had such way %. '.kug him into
his confidence aud IN x .s Lima sort Of
partner in his di~ul' lil plans. that
Maitland WIS disl1i .u u'YOnd meas
ure. And this waS tn. utuu who was
his rival ior Amy Aud ms own hands
were tied,
He rosc early. after au almost sleep
less night. H. found tlrit his patient
was out of SORTS. ~ lru,lN the result of
want Of rest. II m.d 100 ullusion To
the events ut tas pr.N.o o. day, both Of
them seemed unwilling iu stlit the sub
ject. However IN thralt moon. Flctch-
ei abruptly said
Maitland. wish YOU would send to
my nephcw's hotel. lnu know II, |
SUPPOSE
Yes. Are YOU gong Ia the terrace
this ttteruuuut'
Yes tn sam time a. yesterday.
want to see ANY
Half an hour aftrrwar. Dexter made
his appearance. Mr Fletcher asked
Maitland tn leave them aul reiun them
on the terrace In an hour As he went
out Dexter managed Whisper
You won tell hrr.
NO replied Maitland firmly.
The iutcry cw hrtW .vu uncle and
nephew WIS rather long Mr. Fletcher
told Dexter that he WAS not so ignorant
ut his duings rs he slppu IT. aud that
ho had for some mc d,Wnt,d whether
hc ought To- let such % Sc prgracc be- his
heir
II was once harsh to my SON" said
the old man. "and lost him. | deter
mined to make every allowance for YOU.
! don't ask Won II You deserve II, hut |
should like 10 know what Your plans
arr. Do you int nd Ia mdryy'
This sudden question took Dexter oil
his guard. Mixing up his mind ON the
spurnt the moment, he answered:
Yes. sir
"Whomy'
"Wcll, 1t isn't quito settled yet be-
tween ms. have not declared myself
yet, but. II obtain your consent. | will
do 50 at the earliest opportunity
"Who Is sheT'
she is the govprncss ut the Kcstcr-
tons replied his nephew boldly.
"Gou'vc never seen her, ! suppose; but
she IS u very charming girl.
NO fortune. | presume.
IL believe not
Then YOU can't marry unless with
my M 1r"yS'
DrN'r rather uncasily answered.
NO. sir
VERY well, 50 said his uncle. II have
no objection To your making Il love
match. | tell YOU what | will do. 1t
would bc unsatisfactory for both of you
II you. "A rich man. Were Ia marry her, a
paupcr II you win her consent | will
give mine and make her hcircss of half
what have. You will then be ON equal
terms, rs man and wife should he.
Dexter was growing more and more
uncomfortable. This was far from the
state OF things he wished for
you are very thoughtful, uncle,n he
murmured.
II should like to see this young lady"
continued Mr.. Fletcher. IL presume
that by birth and education she IL fitted
tn be your witef You have made in-
quiries, prcsumern
We'll, uncle, thought that would
he rather wanting in delicacy She is
evidently n lady"
"lOui sentiments do you honor, Fred.
II was quite right of you not to make
impertinent inquiries, especially con-
siderlng her position
Dexter felt he had done it now. 1t
was impossible for him to confess that
he knew Amy's identity After little
further conversation they started for
the terrace, where Maitland was shortly
TO meet them.
Meanwhile the young doctor had been
spending an unhappy hour. lie was
IlANFtaT "a Ar
tunity of telling his uncle his intentions
to marry Amy; the probability was
greatly IN favor Of the old mans APP
prevail Of his ncphew's suit rather than
of his Maitland's. One thing he was
sure of-that he must keep silent till
| Dexter had either won or lost, and that
| il he won he must keep silent forever
| His only hope was that Amy loved him.
Yet why should she? lie had always
been careful to treat her rs "A young sis
ter, and If occasionally he had been con
sciOus of saying something which was
not quite appropriate for brother, she
had never given him reason for belicv-
ing that she had ever contemplated the
possibility of Il closer relationship be-
tween them than had always existed.
| Yet, If he lost her, and to such "A heart
| less scoundrell MOI he would never let
| her marry that other. Yet what could
he do if She accepted himl
His mind WAS still full of the matter
| when he found himself on the terrace,
near the usual seat of the invalid. Mr..
| Fletcher and his nephew were already
there, and close by them stood Amy.
She had evidently only that moment ar
| rived. Dexter rose, and with consider
able eagerness offered her his seat, and
began 10 Introduce her to his uncle.
There is no necessity" interrupted
Mr., Fletcher; this young lady and |
have met before"
Dexter looked surprised and annoyed.
lie had made good use of his time dur
ing the morning. which he spent in the
company of Amy, doing all he could u
compress a c0urtship into a couple of
hours. He had told her he wanted u
introduce her to his uncle, but had moi
mentioned his name, and Amy never
imagined that the uncle was the same
old gentleman whose acquaintance sh,
had already made.
At this moment Maitland came up
He took off his hat to Amy, and remain
ed standing near.
For some time the conversation wa.
to the last degree commonplace; not ont
of the men seemed inclined to he the
first To breach the subject that each Wa
thinking of. At last Mr.. Fletcher, after
painful cough, said
My dear, | want to speak TO you seri
ously for u minute OF two. You viii
excuse an old man. who has not mann
months to live, il he says things n littl,
bluntly. Try and suppose that he Il
afraid he has not time to do other
wise"
Amy looked surprised, but said moth