Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-09-29

him turn traitor to his love, and, when
ne had irretrievably broken with
the girl, she dropped him
cut him dead-fooked at
him as if he were a being of different
creation altogether"
"How do you know" l asked, partly
for fun, as the good doctor had almost
risen to his dramatic recitation pitch.
~ know well enough" he said more
cody, because the young man was a
great friend of my own. We quarrelled
over the affair when it began to grow
serious. But l watched the progress
of it, and he came to me when it was
all up, and we made friends again.
And I'm very glad of it, for he shot
himself the following day."
And the doctor spoke in a very
matter-of-fact tone, which showed ME
that he was still. keenly alive to his
friends loss, and by no means inclined
to forgive the cause of it.
"And you meet her sometimesp" I
"Oh yes; but they haven't been here
for a long time now"
Does she know that you know Of
this AFFAIR.""
':Not to my knowledge. II would
make no difference if she did"
"What is Mr.. Beaufoy?"
Nobody knows. Something big in
the City, I suppose. Some think he is
large money-lender, but he is only
known to be extremely rich, and to be
given to scientific pursuits"
"How do you know them herep" I
asked.
He is one of our greatest bene-
factors" said Shaw-''one of the
original subscribers, and he occasionally
takes patients from here and finds en-
ployment for them."
"1n what ~capatity?"
"That I don't know. Presumably
something good, as they have never
communicated with us again"
All this greatly interested me, and
ever as Shaw was speaking a servant
brought in some letters.
"Here," he went on, as the door
closed behind the servant, ''here is a
letter from the lady herself. All, she
proposes to come over tomorrow after
noon to arrange about the songs for
the entertainment"
Next day l was in the MUSHROOM,
playing by myself, when l heard tho
door open, and the voices Of persons
entering the room. I stopped play ing,
and rose. turning towards the voices,
and thrilled with an intense and pain
full longing for the power to pierce the
darkness which shrouded me.
LET me introduce Mr. Coples:one.''
said the voice of Dr.. Shaw. MIR
Coplcstone is our chief musician now.
Mss Bcaufoy."
bowed in nv darkness, wondering
WHAT manner of woman it was who was
bt fore NC.
''Idon't know whether you will be
sble to accompany me- she said.
Her voice did not satisfy my curiosi-
ty much. She spoke in a low and
musical tone, but with, I thought, a
touch of hardness and decision. I
pictured her tall, and dark, and i'm
perious, but oh, how l longed~~to see
her!
II Can soon pick up the accompani-
ment." I said, 'if l don't know them
already. What do you wish 10 sing?"
She named two songs, n of which
I was familiar with; the other was new
to me.
"Play it over to MI. Coplestone,
Mary she said, and 1 then discovered
that there was another lady present.
She introduced me in a very of-hand
| way, as made room on the music
stool, to ''Miss Fortescue, my cousin"
The song tried through once or twice
I found no difficulty in getting through
it. 1t was simple enough, and at no
time would it have presented any diff
Guilty; but the deprivation had quicken
ed my other faculties, as it often does,
and 4 thing, even nee heard, seemed
present to my ear, if l chose, almost as
plainly as if it we're actually sounding.
Miss F%ortescue's touch was that of a
timid and inexperienced player. She
seemed, as far as l could judge to b.
| shy, either of me or her cousin, tor she
said scarcely a word, and received in
silence little directions about the mu-
sic, and so forth, which were given in
a tone such as an imperious mother
uses towards a disciplined child.
Shaw soon left us. Miss Beaufoy
sang very we'll indeed, and I soon be-
came quite interested in the music.
We had a large stock of songs Is the
room, and became engaged in a NUS
cal conversation, which led to my
playing innumerable accompaniment,
at which Miss Beaufoy was pleased to
express her wondermenr and her adj
miration. Her voice acquired consid-
cradle softness, I noticed, when she
chose. And it was in q singular win
ming tone that she asked me whether,
with such musical abilities and taste, I
did not find life terribly dull at St.
Bartimeus's.
II d." I answered; II did. It il
different this afternoon. It makes 80
much difference when there is any ap-
probation" w.
II think you play wonderfully" she
answered in q ma~tter-of-fact tone.
':Does Miss Fortescue sing?" I asked
feeling somewhat confused by her
straightforward commentator.
NO." said q timid voice; THAT is, I
like it, but I have had no practice"
mo; she does not" said her cousin
bluntly.
There was apause. Then she added:
SHOULD you cart to leave st. Bar
timeus's, Mr.. Coplestone?"
Where should I go?" I answered
with some asperity.
"You know my father takes q great
interest in the welfare of the-of the
blind"
81 have heard so"
There are many ways you could be
useful to nv father If vOu cared for a
change" she went on very suavely.
s'Your music alone would be very &C,
ceptable, and if you would. you could
give my cousin lessons. Myfather has
been thinking of getting her good in
struction." +.
I knew not what to say. Here, in
deed, was . strange and wonderful
chance. / hesitated and stammered in
my surprise.
..You would like to think it over?"
she said.
At this juncture DR.. Shaw returned.
ssH have inat hoon krvin0 II tnnank