The Washington critic., 1886-11-20

thinking over the Lorrain case, put on
his shabby old hat and prepared to
leave the office.
As he paused outside the door Of an
inner room, where he wished to deposit
some papers, sudden thought struck
him.
Hugh Lorrain had sonl" he cx-
claimed, and then he stopped, put his
cane to his nose, and made a calcula'
ton.
"That girl was still q little thing
when | left Morley Square, and In
those days | used TO visit at Hugh Lor.
rains and SEQ his boy Bertic, who was
Mt Eton. lie must be six or seven and
twenty, now. Who was the king who
planned match to stave oE the Thirty
Years War; Well, why not Virgins,
to nip lawsuit in the bud? James
was a bungler, and failed; but Virgins
isn't, and won't"
The scheme fascinated him. 1t not
only offered scope for the display Of
all those gifts Of tact and diplomacy
upon which he prided himself, but
reused an old fashioned chivalry in his
breast.
ut is to be done" he told himself,
"but ] must be as willy as Ulysses, as
patient as-as Penelope"
The next day DIR. Eoson, nervous
man, with thin, fair face and deprc.
eating manner, called and gave him
not only all the information In his pos.
session, but full instructions to act for
him. The more Virgins entered into
the case, the more doubtful he became
as to his clients chance of winning it,
and tie more closely he Rugged the
notion of bringing about match be.
tween Berlie Lorrain ami Sybil
AS q first move he found out that the
young man was at present in an archi
tects Office in Bloomsbury, and, i'm.
portant detail, usually lunchcd at n
certain restaurant in the neighborhood.
Thither at lunch time the very next
day old Virgins betook himself, and
then glancing around he perceived his
young friend at a table close at hand,
and Immediately possessed himself of
the seat opposite to him.
"Well, BERTHE Lorrain, It's a long
while since ! tumbled across y9V," he
observed, feigning what he considered
just the right amount, and no more, Of
surprise.
"Mr. Virgins, as | live - he re.
turned, shaking hands cordially; "and
looking not day older.
Cant say the same of you, my boy.
You have grown into the man about
town, since | last saw you. What are
you doing %
"Oh, grinding in an architects
Office near here"
married, engaged, or going to be ?"
said @NN NMi,gggins'
"Bravo that sounds sensible. No
woman worth having, eh ?"
Lorrain laughed. He was a pleasant
looking young fellow, with the frank
est imaginable manner.
"That's what | mean to think till |
get some cash." he said.
"Poohl CASH Talk like that at
your agel I'm ashamed of you. Chops
good here?"
Very fair"
Waiter, get me chop done to
cinder. You know" The lawyer ex.
planned TO Lorrain, knowingly, 'if you
order chop well done they II bring it
TO you little less raw than usual; if
you want it cooked, you must say done
to a cInder! Now, tell me more about
yourself"
At the end of an amicable converse.
tlon the two parted with mutual friend.
illness, Lorrain promising to dine with
the solicitor the following Thursday.
Obviously the next move was to get
DR.. Eason to bring his wife and daugh.
ter the same day. and consent TO this
being obtained, Virgins felt that the
battle was half won.
lie now devoted himself to arrang-
ing the details of this dinner party,
which must be planned from beginning
to end with view to arousing the in.
terest of the young people in one an
other. When Thursday came his two
servants wondered at his fussiness. AS
rule, he allowed them to manage his
dinners without interference, but on
this occasion not only must he inspect
the menu and give minute instructions
about the waiting, but he must take
the arrangement Of the drawing-room
furniture out of the housemaid S hands
The piano must be put so, the chess
table 80, this little armchair here, that
screen there, and SO on all around the
room.
whats the meaning Of it all, that's
what / want to know? ?" demanded the
outraged Jane.
cold Miss Browns coming; he's go
ing ACQUIRING of her" sniggered the
cook--a conviction in which she was
much confirmed when, just as the
guests were expected, Jane informed
her that the master had appeared in u
new dress suit with a flower in his
button.hole, and pair OF "panksnay"
on his nose.
Lorrain was the first to arrive, admi.
rably dressed and with dash of the
patrician about his open, self. possessed
bearing which Virgins noted with ap.
proval as sure to impress the unsophis.
tcated Sybil. The solicitor conlrived
very casually to drop the fact that he
Eason, and had the satisfaction of see.
ing q look of keen interest dart into
Lorrain's expressive face.
Living in Morley Squarc?" the
young man asked, qulckly but before
any answer could be given the door
opened and the Easons were an
nounced.
Sybips allowance was what girls call
skinny" but she had knack of put.
ting on her clothes 50 that the poorest
Of them looked well on her; and as she
stepped in now with soft folds of In.
dian muslin falling about her lissome
figure, pretty flush on her cheeks,
and smile on her lips for her friend,
Mr.. Virgins, she made a charming
picture and one that effected au abid.
ing lodgmcnt for itself in Lorraln's
mind.
AS for her, she was a good deal ex.
cited at being introduced to any one of
the name of Iorraip. At first she
tried to be cool and reserved, but soon
she unbent, rejecting that she might
have caught the name WrOnw. or ha