The Southern herald., 1886-03-13

recognized Digby's noticeable face
only few yards away from us. l
went up to him and tapped him on the
shoulder, and he remembered us both
in an instant. I said to myself, after
little scrutiny of his features, that he
must have been living his life pretty
fast out there in Melbourne. The last
three years had set their mark upon
him, but he was still strikingly hand
some, and his manner was just as
bright and gay and genial as ever.
We spent the rest of the evening to-
gether, and in the course of our talk
it came out that Digby had met Uncle
Bert in Australia.
"And do you know my cousin, Fan
ME Dasher, who is to be married on
Saturday." l inquired.
81 have met her, he answered, and
then began rather hurriedlyto speak of
something else.
We separated soon after midnight,
Bob reminding me, as we said good
night, Of an engagement l had made
with him for the following week. He
was the owner of small yacht, and we
were to take cruise in her, weather
permitting, after his return from few
days shooting in Essex. The yacht
was then undergoing some repairs, but
by that time she would be ready for US
at Erith.
"Now, don'tthrow me over old man."
Bob entreated plaintively, with tale
about important business, ETC., etc. l
shall be back in town in a week or ten
days, and shall depend upon you"
"All right, Wilkins" answered,
giving him the nickname which, for
certain reasons connected with a then
popular song, we had fastened upon
him in our schooldays, II shall be in
town again, too, before then, and you
will find me as usual at the Lang
ham,"
This arrangement having been salts
factory concluded, we departed our
several ways.
The above is brief account of my ac-
quaintance with Lancelot Digby; the
story of my uncle's connection with him
has yet to be told.
1t was on the following morning that
l received the telegram; that was on
Thursday, and the weddingwas to take
place in two days. l wrote note to
Digby, at the address he had given me,
intimating my uncle's desire that he
should grace Miss Fannie Dasher's nup-
tials, and then sailed into the
street to look up friend.
At the very first corner, 1
came suddenly face to face with
Digby again, and repeated the SUBJ
stance Of my now superfuous note.
"That is very funny joke" he said,
looking at me with an odd expression;
"and if you knew all l knew you would
think it a good deal funnler."
"It's no joke at ALL" I said. Here s
the telegram" | happened to have
thrust it into my pocket in fit of alb
sent-mindedness, instead of tearing it
up, the most natural proceeding, and
now drew it out and showed it to him.
We stood in the doorway of tobacco
nist's shop, and he stared at the four
words of the message and at the send
er's name for some moments, in appa-
rent bewilderment; then his eyes
flashed with sudden comprehension,
and he broke out into loud fit Of
laughter.
What is there to laugh at in thisP'
l exclaimed.
81 beg your pardon, he said, quickly
SOLDERING down. There is really moth.
ing to laugh at. am fool. Il
don't know whether l shall be able tC
go; but I'm much obliged to him fol
the compliment all the same. .AnC
then he hastily left me, saying that hi
had an appointment to keep.
l returned to my home in Liverpoo
on Friday evening, without having
seen or heard anything more of Digby
Uncle Bert lived at Southport; and thu
next morning I took train which
would give me time to reach hi
house about half-past ten. l hat
Just entered an unoccupied first-clas'
carriage, when / saw Digby on th'
platform, arrayed in a wedding gar
ment of faultless cut and fit. beck
oned to him from the window, and HI
came in and took his seat beside me
One glance at the man showed m,
something unusual in his look AM
manner. He talked in distrait, un
connected fashion, and once or twic
broke out into snatches of colonia
songs. He was paler too, than ordi
nary, and, while lighting a cigar, hi
hand trembled so that he could hardl
hold the match. l did not like thes
signs at all, and began to feel vaguel
uncomfortable and apprehensive.
We took cab from the station to Bal
moral Lodge, one of the largest and mos
imposing looking houses in Southport
representing the accumulated gain
of three generations of Liverpool shiI
brokers. For years, there had onl
been one thing wanting to complet
my uncle's earthly happiness-the a
filiation by marriage Of our family
the titled class. This dream of hi
! life was now about to be realized an
/ pictured to myself the way in whic
! he would come forward to receive u
his normal pomposity aggravated tel
, fold, in order to do credit to this occ'
sion and to his ''friend Sir Marmaduk
Fitzhugh. He was not visible, hOV
ever, when we entered, although "
. heard his voice in the distance anath
matizing the butler for having put o.
8 the wrong claret The page-boy +
/ quested us to walk up into the drawn
I room; and we followed him across
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