The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-04

the old man to fleece living, and forge
when he'd buried him and grasped his pos
| sessions.
| l grasped Hopkins letter in my pocket
| my revenge, my most precious possession
just then.
You've spoiled his reckoning" I re
! marked. playfully.
| so perish all fortune huntersr' she re
| turned, likewise. "Pidcot Junction. Her,
we are. Just in time
| The crowded state OF the train precludeC
| further condolences. AT Hamerton. as
SAW her of in the only cab, she produced
| her card, saying:
| You'll be looking after your luggag
! here tomorrow You might look afUeI
mine and have IL sent up"
! promised compliance and started *
| walk to my uncle's
| CHATTER II.
As / sighted the gates of Hame-tor
| Grange l nerved myself for the ordeal OF
| pleasing sensations las heir-presumptivt
| vas regularly subjected TO.
| There was an odious monGrel cur-tht
| only creature my uncle loved-whose bitI
! was worse than its bark, which was afro
! cious. Hearing the distant music, | drew
on the thick gloves provided expressly,
and prepared for events by anticipation.
| shall struggle to the door, Uncle Dick
| ENJOYING my torment behind some blind;
stand. warding of the beast with one hand,
pummeling the door with the Other-the
beil-wire nad been broken these two years.
Presently Mrs Pike the houSe6eepeT, put
ting her head out Of door. AS if TO repel O
thief, admits me by chink. under protest.
Uncle receives me in chilly Sitting-room
and hideouS dresSing-gOwn IdeteSt. Cross
ing the threshold, trip upon an old estab-
lSned hole in the carpet. he compliments
me on my graceful department. inquiries
1os-< 4 MIN al-a Il IN
on, with characteristic amiability. Ny
mothers existence Is ignored. We sit down
20 a cOmfortlesS meal of cold pork or boiled
mutton. No wine is served. If a cigar is
offered, know il is q peiidious trap to con-
Wet me of premature habits of dissipation.
After dinner we play chess. Woe to ms If
! win = cheat; il | lose, I'm an idiot, not
worth checkmating. At ten | am ordered
TO bed. Should l try TO forget my cnnui
over a novel, his curfew knock soon warns
me- TO desiS5.
That bark came no nearer. By some
mistake they had forgotten 20 let Fairy
loose. Fearful lest they should recOllect, l
hurry to the door, hammer away, and vent
NY spite ON the dumb bell-bandle. Horror!
Il reused a peal to wake the dead. Just my
luck! 1t had been mended.
A parlor maiden. WITH a pretty figure,
opened the doors wide. NEARLY tainted.
"Has anything happened TO Mrs. Pikef"
! Stammered.
80, no; sir" Phyllis replied. I'm her
neice, come TO help clean up"
'"Time you did, Thought I, entering, but
stopping short at the spectacle OF Uncle
Dick stalking into the hall to meet me. Is
that a coat see upon his back, and, gra-
cious powers, what has he got on MS facet
a smile?
.Good-day, nephew, glad to see you" he
saws. and walks me into the dining-room.
Am mad or dreaming? Actually, he is
asking after ''those at home"
| answered vacantly bat instead OF rating
my stupidity, he inquiries good-humoredly
what l am looking al.
Il was admiring your new carpet" l con-
fessed.
'sThe drugget was getting shabby. Draw
your chair to the fire and tell me what you
mean by arriving on foot, without lug
gage"
He was quite chatty, quite jollyl You
soon get over pleasant surprises, but more
wonders were coming. An excellent dinner
tirst-champagne, which | declined, mis-
taking it for a snare. He insisted. ! mar
rated my railway adventure and encounter
with his fiance, eXtoiling her courage and
nerve. lie related the history OF MS court
ship. Enslage had made the match. 1t
was his fad, then as Mrs. PierpOnt, who had
lately rented Hamerton Court Manor, had
discovered. Business correspondence had
mother discoursed learnedly of silos. the
daughters eyes shot the dart that disin-
herited David D'Aubigny. The evening
passed rapidly. A cheerful fire was burn
ing in my bedroom. Eleven O'Clock found
me lounging over it, unadmonished. Out
upon the old proverb about silk purses and
sows' ears. Glory to Miss z. Celia Watson,
who had done it-tamed the tiger, smoothed
the porcupine. What angel aunt /
Suddenly Hopkins letter cracked in my
pocket, reminding me | was here to break
the engagement. Celia was no angel, bat
a precipice. Although this marriage i'm
poverisGed me. my feeling was of unquali-
fed disappointment What good had my
expectations ever done me! Fifty thou
sand pounds worth OF worry uncle would
get out of me before / realized jot.
What was the obstacle: Why was Celia
unworthy to become my aunt! Consumed
with curiosity. / took the leave given to
puruse Hopkins letter lnStinctively |
fastened directly on the fatal passage.
''Peter Watson, of the London police.
left the force from ill-health and emigrated
to indianapolis. He opened a store and
supplied the barracks < He mar
ried the daughter of a baker-Howard.
from Gunter's, London-and they had one
daughter, Celia. Watson died the next
year, and his widow married Pierpont, a
hair-dresser. since deceased, who deserted
her." l got no further Policeman
Pastrv-cook! Hair-dreSserI l tore round
the room excitedly. He, the soul of family
pride, had been gulled by two adventur-
eSses, misrepresenting themselves as we'll
born. Hideous neutrality-suspicious.
defeated. He, who Scorned a D'Aubigny
as an inferior! Exhausted, l returned to
my armchair.
Yet, as passion subsidized, 1 felt that
TeEretful pang again. Uncle, soured by
disenchantment,w would become absolutely
IL Il Nn-- Tran / ANA
to HameTton there would be two savage
dogs to fly at my legs, no servant at all,
perhaps. l should have to make my own
bed. dine off dry bread, or grass, like
Nebuchadnezzar. Some day, likely enough.
he would murder r1e-uncles have murdered
nephews before now-and be acquitted as
insane. ConfOund HopkinSi Why must
he unearth family secrets! And why must
be thrust into the role of a domestic
torpedo.
Next morning at breakfast, uncle looked
up from reading my tutors report, for
warded from home, saying unSuspiciouSly:
Your mother says you brought letter
to show"
She had given no hint, not the slightest
4 was just going to give it you," I said
resOlutely. Here it is"
CHAPTER III.
Two hours later l presented myself at
Miss Watson's, with her trunks, which l had
fetched from the station. / found her alone,
and promptly introduced myself as her in
tended nephew.
She gave me comic stare.
swell, never, IeseT-could have believed
you'd be so nice.''
You flatter,n murmured. ironically.
mice to me-you've no cause. l guess
you could have done without new aunt at
this time of day"
She saved you trouble, this girl, l was
puzzling how to approach the thorny sub
ject She stepped straight into the BRAN
bleS.
."How happy should be to call you So"
said |. sarcaStically. But for that, you
must first marry nv uncle. Possibly YOU
may have noticed that Mr.. CRIMSON is u
very proud man"
sTAS Iucifer" she reioiuad tIwho I'm