West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-07-16

uous fashion. as he took the vacant
chair next Ilil6R and gently squeezed
her hand. Don't have dinner up for
me. | had something TO eat while |
dressed"
"A nice way Of coming out for din
ner!' laughed the Duke.
II will tell you what kept me-" said
Lord Lexicon, i'm "A loud and distinct
tone, for the old Duke at the head of
the table was little deaf. when ]
was in Mexico about two years ago /
chummcd for while with a very nice
young Englishman. who saved my life
at the risk of his own. Well, | lost
sight of him, and it appears he came
over to England a short time back and
got into trouble. Quite by accident I
found out to-day that he was to be
tried for forgery at the Surrey Ses-
sions."
"For what?" inquired the Duke,
with his hand behind his ear.
Forgery. A young fellow. mind
you" cried Lord Lexicon, waxing elo-
qucnt with Indignation, "who is as
honest as the day is long. and would
no more commit crime than YOU
would, Duke. | would have pledged
my right arm. he added, bringing il
down with bang upon the table, that
he was innocent
"What is his name?" inquired some
one
"Trower, he calls himself; and
would you believe it. cried Lord Lex
Icon, with a fresh outburst of indigna-
ton, "his lawyer told me that he has
relatives, near relatives, living here i'm
London who have all kept aloof from
him, because they hadn't the pluck to
stand by him. Imagine a poor fellow
in hls position being deserted by his
nearest and dearest"
Not his parents, surelyw exclaimed
the Duchess.
His parents! Well, his father is
dead, and his mother, poor lady, seems
to have done what she dared for him. "
said Lord Lexicon, in a gentler tone.
'As far as / could gather, 1T is sister
who is to blame. From all accounts
this young lady must be absolutely
heartless and selfish.
Amid the expressions of surprise and
Indignation which this recital excited
Hilda Dulcimer, whose embarrassment
only betrayed itself by a becoming
flush upon her cheeks, stole an anxious
glance mt her mother. Mrs. Dulcimcr
was staring eagerly at the speaker
with distendcd eyes, her face deadly
pale, her frame rigid.
81 pitched into Trower for not send
ing for me, continued Lord Lexicon.
"but it appears he did not know me by
my title.
acquitted! OF course" returned
Lord Lexicon impatiently. "The case
only concluded about half an hour ago,
and that is what has made me late.
But the jury never hesitated, and the
judge said he left the court without
a stain on his character"
Even Hilda-in the midst of her dis
may-was conscious of Il thrill of salts
faction at this news, but when Lord
Lexicon had finished speaking she saw,
to her horror, her mother uprising
from her chair. The next instant the
poor lady. in a sort of paroxysm of un-
controllablc excitement and agitation,
with claspcd hands and upturncd face,
cried out in frenzied tones, which
penetrated to every corner of the
room:
Think God! thank Godl nv son!
my darling son. As the last words
passed her lips Mrs. Dulcimer swayed
and fell scnseless into the arms OF the
S'huVlhdll ny HcI sue, anu AMIDST "a
painful and embarrassed silence she
was borne gently from the room.
Lord LeXicon's abrupt departure on
shooting excursion to the Rocky
mountains caused Il great deal of COM
ment. There was no formal announce
ment that his engagement was broken
off, but during his absence Miss
Dulcimcr married a wealthy and
fatuouS soapboiler.-N T. Graphic.