The Southern herald., 1886-02-20
Q aAllow bad . ezpIalnI - think !

EHANN~-AA
can make it all clear"
"I wish you would, then, for I give
it up" said Dick. "Wait 8 minute,
Thought If you're sure you're NOT
OrORg anyway" and he looked signiR-
cant, "suppose you just sit down while
you tell us the conundrum. Might as
well take II easy, ehP Don't be afraid,
girls" in stage aside, /" I'm between
him and you"
Wyllis, for all his evil temper, glared
at the irrepresssble Dick, but accepted
his invitation, and began an explana-
ton which was interrupted by frequent
peals of laughter from that young man.
$50 you thought wanted to murder
herP" he exclaimed. II say, Clara, il
that's the way our spooning looks to
outsiders"
But here Clara swept down upon him
wrathfully and reduced him to silence.
When the story was finished and they
had exchanged cards Dick said thought
fully: care yoH anything to Eugene
Wyllis, of Philadelphia; | see you spell
your name the same way with y"
YES" said Wyllis, eagerly, II have
cousin Eugene Wyllis in Philadelphia.
He is in the grain business.
'That's the man. Why, l know him
very well. Let's see, now" continued
Dick, suggestiyely, If you know any
other friends of minep"
"Who are some Of your friendsP"
asked Wyllis, overjoyed at this unex-
pected opening of better knowledge
Of the Shadow. ~
Dick began to run over some names
of acquaintances common to himself
and Eugene Wyllis, and at the third
Arthur WylliS stopped him. Y3 y
tom Rutherford and I are old
chums," he said. Here is letter got
from him yesterday. Read it-no,
really, insist as a favor to me-
mo, no; that would be carrying the
joke little too far said Dick, returning
the letter, but not before his quick eye
had discerned both address and sigma
ture. "Well, Mr.. Wyllis," he went on,
humorously, " references exchanged
as the advertisements say. My names
Richard Ellery, familiarly called Dick;
my occupation that Of commission mer-
chant. As for my charms of mind and
person, your cousin or Tom Rutherford
will describe them to you in the glowing
colors modesty forbids me use This, y
waving his hand, showman-wise, sis
Miss Clara Deane, with whom I hope
some day to form matrimonial alli-
ance, the same young lady you fancied
wanted to mur--. But never mind
that nowl And this-where are you,
Bellp-this is our little sister Isabel, who
has been living here for the last three
months, cultivating a fancied talent for
music, as you may perceive by her piano
there. But | forgot, the pianos o sensi-
tive subject for you, too"
II think, Dick,' put in Isabel Deane,
with some haste, while you are ex-
planning things you might as well ex
plain to me how you appeared here SO
suddenly, like vs
'Like the handsome prince in the
fairy talee" %
mo, more like the horrid clown in
the pantomime!'
my dear child" responded Dick,
loftily ignoring the retort, F"the question
you propose would be an affair OF time
and difficulty. We should have to in
quire into the first causes of things, the
principles of steam and motion, as well
as the springs that move the human
mind" a-t
"Oh! Dick, how can you be so tire
someP" interrupted Clara, laughing.
"Why can't you tell her that when
you knew | was going TO visit her you
made up your mind to take me by
surprisep"
Their bantering talk formed sort Of
running commentary, explaining all the
obscure points, and when Wyllis pres
entity rose to go he felt tolerably well
acquainted with them aud their affairs.
Dick, in the name of the family, asked
him to come again, which he gladly
promised to do.
"But say" added Mr.. Ellery, with
sudden gravity, "if you could make it
convenient to come like ordinary call
ers it might be better At least until
burglaries get SO common as to justify
that sensational sort Of entrance, you
know" te w 80
II suppose" Wyllis answered, with
rather sickly smile, ''that l might be
considered my own burglar. 1t never
occurred to me that Twas performing in
that part myself"
by Jove! 80 you were" said Dick,
delighted. B.f
II remember now," Wyllis went on,
ruefully, "that I passed some one in the
door. 1t was too dark TO see just what
| did, but-well, of course, / s0Gs going
rather fast, and I'm afraid / pushed by
little rudely. 1 only hope it wasn't
some old lady whom / frightened near
ly to death, and who will always think
belonged to the dangerous classes
1 II can answer for that" spoke up
Bell demurely, "as ! myself was the
old lady in question. You certainly
Oere going rather fast just then! But,
of course, it was all Maggie's fault for
forgetting to light the hall gas" she
concluded politely. 81 fs 81
The color came to Wyllis' face again
as he stammered some disiointed words.
But somehow or other, as his eyes met
Bells, the blood came to her cheek
also. Then he bowed himself out anC
went downstairs, rejoicing in thC
thought of the days to come, in spite o.
the unpleasant conviction that, in thC
room he had just left, Dick Ellery wa
exploding in interminable laughter a
his expense. m