Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-03-24

my uncle. drawing near. ssIf you can
stay till Garrett goes do so, like a good
fellow.n -
"What does Miss Fitzgerald say?,
asked Darcy, glancing towards he,
with what ! could not help but see wa:
yearning look.
81 say with uncle" replied Lucy.
And, if you go, I'll never forgive
YOU"
81 cannot risk. that" said Darcy,
with smile so unlike his usual one
that it changed his face entirely; "I
will STAY"
The last three words fell upon my
heart like lump of lead, and I actu-
ally felt myself pant for breath.
bravo - that's rightl' cried my
uncle.
"Oh. I'm so pleased!" exclaimed
Lucy. AREN'T you, Garrett?"
YES, I'm glad he can stay, for il
will do him good" replied, In such a
strange choking voice that Lucy stared
at me wonderingly. "But Pm sorry /
sha'n't have his company up to town
tomorrow"
"Eh, eh - what2" exclaimed my
uncle.
"What did you say" cried Lucy
''go up to town tomorrow"
"Yes"-still chokingly.
why, thought you said In your
note to papa that you could stay a
month?''
'Yes-I'm-yes, but something has
happened since which makes it neces-
sary that L should go tomorrow"
"But' rejoined Lucy, ''you said just
now that Mr.. Darcy was preparing for
an examination, while you were not.
inferred from that, of course, that you
meant to stay"
1.-The inference was wrong,n1 said
coldly, having regained my voice. 81
did not wish to influence him until he
had decided. But 1t is of no conse.
Quence."
''Eh, what? What the deuce does
this mean, Garrett, me boy?" cried my
uncle, after he had glanced at each of
us in bewilderment. "Why. you don't
look yourself this morning at ALL"
IL never was better in my life,
uncle" 1 replied with hollow attempt
at laugh. 1.-The air of Lisnaree al
ways sets me up"
And another fortnight of it would
do you no harm. Come now-you're
only joking; you're going to stay the
month out, after all? What do you
say?"
l looked quietly at Darcy's face, and
then at Lucy's. Both were pale and
angry-looking, and it seemed to me
that there was kind ofan understand
ing between them.
What" asked /, with kind of a
sneer in my tone, "doe5 Miss FitZ-
gerald say?"
~? Oh, L shouldn't attempt to in
terfere with Master Garrett's decisionl"
replied Lucy bitterly. lie will please
himself, no doubt, as he always does. :"
"Thank you, Lucy" l replied, bow
ing low.
There goes the dinner-bsllI' cried
my uncle. 'Let us attend to that first
we can talk this over afterwards. Come
along. Garrett; Darcy will see after
Lucy"
During the dinner completely pe-
covered myself SO far as outward ap-
pearance was concerned. Twas never
much of wit; but on this occasion l
appeared IN that character, with so
much effect that my uncle laughed
more than 1 had seen him do for a long
time. Darcy and Lucy were more or
less constrained all through the meal,
and, while no doubt Uncle Fitzgerald
thought had given up all notion of
gong, they could see that was more
than ever determined.
Presently, while my uncle was help
ing himself to glass of Jameson, over
which he always took great pains, l
rose to my feet, and asked to be ex-
cused for a few minutes.
''Shall mix you glass, Garrett?"
he asked, as l was leaving the room.
"Well-yes," replied, 'I'll have a
glass. 1t looks as If it were going to
be a dirty night"
When l gained my room, hurriedly
changed my clothes, then squeezed,
rather than packed, my belongings into
my valise, and, without troubling any
of the servants, placed it in the hall.
Then / re-entered the room and took
my seat near my uncle, as before.
"What?" said he, as he caught sight
of my dress. "Where are you goIng?"
''Off to catch the early morning train
at Castlebar,"I L replied in as light
tone as l could assume. "Will you let
Michael run me over there In the gig?"
''bfichael be hanged-and you be
hanged-and-B Be hanged If l dol"
replied my uncle, as he started to his
feet, with more of anger in his face
than believe had ever seen in it be-
fore. ''Now look here, Garrett-you've
taken this vagery into your head all at
once owing to something Lucy has
done. But Pm not going to let you
insult my house by running away with
out minutes warning"
"Oh, papa" cried Lucy, 1--WE done
nothing and said nothing, 50 far as |
know, to vex cousin .Garrett!'
swell, then, he shall not go-or, if
he does"
81 must go, uncle; so don't be vexed
with me-"
''If you go now, you shall never
darken this door again!'' replied my
uncle fiercely.
81 shall go if the sky fallsl'' 1 replied
hotly, my blood up and my good sense
nowhere. ''Good-byel'
l held out my hand to him; but he
turned away angrlly. Then l bowed
low to Lucy and Darcy, who had risen
to their feet, as though they would step
between me and the door, and, turning
quickly on my heel, gained the ball.
The next moment had picked up
my valise and umbrella, and was
through tie great door and speeding
across the lawn. at the gate glanced
back, and saw both Lucy and my uncle
standing In the light of the door and
gazing after me In the darkness.
Scarcely had 1 passed through the gate
and gained the path that led over the
cliffs to the village, when rain began to
fall. cared little however for rain or
storm; a fire burned within me that ex-
tipguished all else. Even the heavy
valise seemed nothing to me, as l sped
I'D the path by which Darcy and had
descended to the house fortnight be-
fere.
When reached the top, halted.
"What wretched fool 1 was to
Il