Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-12-24
Not at AL" I answered, ..n yo .,


himself at the writing-table. -
II have q large correspondence" he
said, land many affairs to attend to. -
There was small pile of letters be-
side him, and the floor near the waste
paper basket was strewn with torn en-
velopes and letters which had missed
that receptacle. A quantity of ashes
on the hearth showed that some papers
had been consigned to the FIRE.
observed the room at leisure. Truly
there was no apparent reason for Mr..
Beaufoy's jealous precautions. Not 3
sign of anything unusual or compro-
missing was to be seen. The secret
door was perfectly hidden by Tho book
shelves. Plowitz went on busily writ
ing, occasionally saying q word or two
to himself in some foreign tongue, but
too low for me to. catch what he said:
probably it was at the end Of the SEN
fences he was writing. made use of
the time to observe the garden, into
which the windows looked could
see hi Oh wall covered with richly
colored creepers. This garden must
be that inner one, whose wall, and the
little door in it, had noticed from out
side. had great curiosity to see
this garden. 1t might be that ono of
the upper windows, looking upon it,
might show me the face of which had
SO often thought.
At last PloWitz threw down his pen
and began putting his papers away in
= despatch box. As he did SO he
talked.
''Mr. Coplestone, do you know that
you are very favored mani"
II don't see it," answered bluntly.
''You do not see itP That is pity"
he said most sympathetically. "You
English. pardon me: are never too
quick to see some things. Have you
ever asked yourself what you are here
for?''
II have no need to ask myself while
I do my duty. and certainly have no
need to answer anybody else"
I could not imagine what he was
aiming at, but he evidently did not
mean to be offensive.
':Pardon,' he said, 'syou think take
liberty. No, my friend-no. Iwould
do you a service-you and another
You were engaged to teach our poor
dear Miss Fortescue music. Now, il 1t
usual to engage gentleman in such q
way solely to teach q young lady
music2'
'You do not know, perhaps I said.
''that Mr.. Beaufoy is interested in the
welfare of the blind.''
''Do you know who is the master Of
this housep'' he asked. 1T is not Mr..
Beaufoy; it is his beautiful daughter.
Why did she engage youp To please
her cousinP Bah! To please youp
Well-to please herselfp'
''Dr. Plowitz,' I began, in extreme
indignation at his impertinence, rising
from the armchair, Il cannot allow this
sort of conversation moment longer.
To me it is an unwarrantable familiar
ity; to Miss Beaufoy-"
"Mr. Coplestone," he interrupted,
laying his hands lightly on my shout
ders moment, Il am not surprised
that you think me impertinent. You
are wrong, though. I am an old friend
of the family. I speak for their good,
and would do you good Office. too.
You have heard me. l know what I
am saying. I see for you, as you can
not see for yourself. What have said
is buried between US. Act as you think
fit He went to the door. ''Come,
must 20 out little" He led me out,
and turned up the staircase. "Ah, l
have left the door open." he cried.
Shut it, Coplestone, like good fel-
low!'
t I turned back. He ran upstairs.
| Quickly slammed the door from the
inside, and while the sound still rang
in the hall, opened it, slipped out, and
put it quietly ajar. then went into
| the library. In a minute heard step
coming downstairs. and Plowitz called
out:
IF they return, kindly say I will
soon be back
He went out by the hall-door, and
| sauntered to the window. There, just
turning round into the avenue, [ caught
| sight Of figure, an old man with long
grey hair and grey beard, hurrying of
with the buoyant step of the youthful
and vivacious Plowitz.
had no time then to lose in specula.
ton. I fastened back through the
partition door. which I carefully closed
behind me, and in a minute was out in
the garden through the study window.
It was small ob)oDg plot of grass,
with vines and creepers, and fruit-trees
trained along the walls. and herbs and
old fashioned garden flowers in the
narrow beds beneath. I gazed anx'
iously al the back of the house, at the
upper windows. My heart gave q
great bound of Joy, as I saw sure
enough at an open window the face o.
Mary Fortescue. It was but for an in
slant, and I stood amazed. 'devisiDg
some means for opening com
munication with her. But al
I debated the advisabilitv of con.
Tossing that l had seen her, a narrow
glass door opened, and she appeared
With a low cry of Joy she hurried to-
ward me, holding out both her hands
"Mr. Coplestone, Mr.. CoplestoDe
how did you come herep' she cried.
I kept my presence of mind and
sought her hands.
'Miss Fortescue-Mary. You have
been i'll. Are you gettipg g wellp'
Il am BETTER" she said, in . choked
voice.
Have you really been ina'' have
been SO anxious. What has been the
matter?"
Il have been SO lonely, 80 wretch.
ed, she sobbed; my only safety is in
being ill. To be dead would be bet.
teri 4
''What is it, asked, deeply moved.
II cannot tell you," she said, sob.
bing without restraint Her poor tears
fell on my hands as she held them.
Eyes, tell me- said, gravely.
''They want me to marry DR.. Pho
witz,' she sobbed out with q shudder.
laughed -
''That is to be as you wish - :
| ''0h, cannot help myself. There
is no one to help me-
'.Indeed there is" saidL Her pitt.