The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-12-09

That mines the opinion that's asked for
The flowers, the feast. and the wine:
That my poor little wits are talked for
The entire performance, In lne.
The happy girl lent Grace Greeley.
Nor even my courin Marie:
They eav-y0u know tongues run 20 freely
That the bride. too. is me.
= RstA Hall. I. Harper's Magazine for 0cto.
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER XII.
MORE NYsTERY.-sHoRT. But 10 THE
POINT.
When Mary Fortescue had said the
words. Il hate him!" she rose from
her kneeling position. and. with
almost tragic grace, left me, without
uttering another word. She did not
know that read in her eyes what was
repeated in the tone Of her voice--the
utter loathing which she felt for this
man Plowitz. WAS it fair to keep
back from her the secret Of my
restoration Of sightp" l asked myself.
WAS it just to take advantage Of her
ignorance in order that I might tho
more easily gaze upon the workings Of
that beautiful facet" A thousand
t:v,,oa ~4f T-c,,1d R<l1<- has ard tall
her all. trusting to her good judg-
ment, II not to her forbear.
ance, Is to whether the Beaufoys
should also be made aware Of the
false pretenses under which I was
living ut Hanover Lodge. As I ad-
vanced towards the foot Of the stair
case met Plowitz coming down. Ny
good resolutions vanished like snow
before the sun. Some still small voice
Qerhaps not conscience) whispered
to me. "Stopl you are in the presence
Of an enemy. All il fair in
love and war. Keep your Sc
cret." We all of 10 have . pre-
sentiment Of evil; do any Of rs have .
presentiment Of good from evilP ]
think had.
We stopped simultaneously. Re-
member, could see, and he did not
know it. He was tho first to speak.
Mr.. Coples.one. he said, Il have .
favor to ask of you"
When ] was boy ut school We had
. common. but not classic. expression
called sucking up to fellow" which
meant that the boy sucking up" had
. desire to obtain some favor from
the boy sucked up" to. On the pres
emit occasion the way in which DR..
Plowitz addressed me made me fully
aware that he was .'sucking mp" to
me. Not only was the tone Of his
but, despite my presumptive blindness,
his lips were wreathed in the most
fascinating of smiles. l mistrusted
him on the spot. His manner was al
together too honeyed. l resolved to
be wary.
"A favor. doctorp" l answered.
What favor can possibly confer on
youe"
''Sit down." he said, ''and I will tell
you. After all, it is not . great mat
ter" he added lightly. as he drew his
chair beside mine. Il want" be con-
tinued. ito talk to you about Miss For
| tescue."
II had not known that the man
was watching me intently, should
have jumped up from my seat. As it
was. l repressed my emotion. and with
assumed gravity asked, "And what
about Miss Fortescuep"
His next question was one Of start
ling abruptness.
do you think that she i perfectly
sane?'
.'Sanee" I echoed with astonish-
ment.
''Sane," he repeated calmly. ..Now.
my dear fellow" he went on. laying
his hand with affectionate familiarity
on my shoulder, ''believe me that ask
from q good motive. You, as her mu-
steal instructor. must have every op-
portunity Of guaging the quality Of her
mental character. Have you ever de-
tected any symptom Of alteration OF
intellect in her conductp'
"Never,"I replied firmly. .'never.
On the contrary, ! should say that Miss
Fortescue was particularly gifted with
understanding"
.And should not, said woman's
voice behind me.
started to my feet. Tho speaker
was Miss Beaufoy.
'.And should not" she repeated,
flashing her eyes upon me q though
they could pierce me through and
through.
why notl" ! stammered.
Pl0witx took up the thread.
THAT Is precisely what we want TO
tell you about." he said softly. .sAm
privileged to speaka" he asked, turn
ing TO the Basilisk.
She merely bowed her head. still
keeping her eyes steadily fixed on me.
THANK you," said Plowitx. ..As
an Did friend of the family it gives me
great pain 10 question the state of Miss
Fortescue's mind. but am constrained
TO do so in the interests o.
Here he paused.
'.f US ALL" put in Miss Beaufoy,
with contemptuous smile on her fine
mouth.
.'Of VA ALL" repeated tho German.
'.Tne reason We have for believing Miss
Fortescue to be moro or less
out Of her mind is this,
Il speak on behalf of the highly
respected Beautoy family: Miss For
tescue asserts that she hears strange
voices in the night; Miss Fortescue
states that she has seen strange men In
this highly-respectable household. Miss
Fortescue goes further. and declares
that she has seen our adorable friend.
Miss Beaufoy. in strange disguises,
moro suited to the ladies Of the stage
than to . well-known benefactress Of
the poor. All this is very distressing
to worthy Mr.. Beaufoy. to his still
worthier daughter. and-may l addp
to me-"
ut is extremely absurd" said the
Basilisk. HAS she said nothing to
you. Mr.. Coplestone, OF these mat
ters.
sSNnf . -orN ~ Yans~nrnry snnnhem