Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-08-01


power Of words to describeit, was the pain
which gnawed at my heart IS / thought OF
her even 1t this moment engaged IN conn
DENTAL talk with this unknown friend.
Was he old or youngg Who was he? What
was he? struck my heel savagely upon
the pavement of the hall as / asked myself
these questions.
And even as did so she appeared. l
had only time TO observe that her cOmpan-
ion was unusually tall, and that he seemed
to have passed the limits of middle age.
In another instant my hand had taken
hers and was feasting my eyes upon her
dear face.
But what was the change that l saw
there? Ii was rs beautiful as ever; but
shadow of some kind had passed over 1t
since we parted on the previous day. l
have spOken before of that veil Of reserve
which once or twice when we were together
ON the promenade had spread itself over
her features. Ii was the same thing that
| saw now, though it was more pronounced
and real This shadow of trouble, or TIM
idity or Doubt could not tell which
was at least no creation of my own imagl-
]
nation.
Her smile was kind as it had ever been,
but | observed that her face was flushed
and il was with manifest embarrassment
that she turned to her companion and said,
This is Mr. Fenton."
Had they.been speaking of me before?
This WAS NV first thought when l heard
her words. The next moment was con-
4 aud friendly
greeting from her companion. looked
up; for although | myself am tall, TINS
man lowered above me. looked into what
| felt at once was one of the most powerful
faces had ever seen-a face that still re
tanned traces of manly beauty, though Its
owner WAS evidently verging upon three
score. The wide, open forehead appeared
IN Indicate beneVOlence Of character as well
As intellectual superiority; the eyes were
grave. but frank. Every feature OF the
| face WAS prepOSseSSing except the mouth.
| thought the straight, thin lips were out
of harmony with the general aspect OF the
man.
ssNliss Stancliffe has told me of her ae-
ouaintance with you,n he said with ge-
NAL smile. which showed his beautiful
white teeth to advantage, "and, like the
rest of her friends, feel grateful to you
for the service you rendered her. Fl"
He put his hand familiarity on her arm,
"NIy dear" ne said, I'VE shalt none OF us
fail to do.-justice to Mr.. Fenton."
| thought there was trace Of fear In
the look which Daisy turned upon him rs
he uttered these words.
''You came by the schooner | see in
the bay this morning." | said. chiefly for
the sake of saying something and thus pro-
longed the interview.
Eyes, sir. we did" he replied. You
have seen the Golden Hawk? A fine boat,
and Of which think this young lady Will
feel very proud rs its mistress.
He looked down upon her with protect
inc smile. / saw that she pressed closer to
him rs he spoke, rs though responding to
some unuttered sentiment of affection.
And vet rs she did SO her eyes sought
mine. could not interpret their express
sion; but | WAS clearly conscious OF the
fact that trouble was in store for us.
| could hardly believe, however, that
the trouble was likely TO come from this
man, with his powerful and commanding
countenance, his polished manner, and his
genial air. , 49,.
"By the way" he said, 81 think this
little girl has forgotten to perform the
whole Of her duty. She has not told you
NV name. am DR.. BranksOme," bowed,
and he smiled anew. Has Miss Stan
clitfe not told you all about my connection
with herr" he continued. Il see she has
not done so. Well, IsuppOSe young lady
who finds herself in Scarborough tor the
first time in her life has something better
to do than to tell tales about the old fogleS
whom she has known ut the other side OF
the world. Eth, my dear, il that not IT,
She might have been his daughter to
Judge by the easy familiarity with which
ne pinched her ear as he spoke. Daisy still
ha,i the troubled smile upon her face she
had worn when she last looked ut me. She
did not speak. 1t almost seemed as though
she could not have spoken il she would.
Il see that / will have my own story to
tell, Mr.. FentOn,' he continued, IN his
full, rich voice. ''You are surprised, per-
hans. to see me on such very friendly terms
with Miss Stancliffe But you would not
be surprised if you knew that she lived
under my roof for more than twelve years
of her Iite-frOm four to Switzerland that
during all that time she honestly believed
me to be her father. \ strange story, sir.
| can see that is in your mind; but 1t Is
true story also. So now you understand
how it is that if Daisy has IN uncle in Mr..
Mauleverer she has father in INT"
NV first feeling on hearing him make
this statement was one of incredullty. l
had heard her so often SpS& with loving
gratitude of her uncle that | felt certain
that if she had really regarded this new
conner as her father, she would have spok-
en- of him also. / remembered, too, the
trouble that WAS manifest on her face when
! she told me on the previous day of the APP
proaching arrival of her friends. 1t was
/ inronceivable. | thought that she would
/ have felt this trouble If she had really en-
| tertained daughters love for BranksOme.
But, however this might be, there was no
doubt now that she was unreServedly under
/ his influence. She responded to his speech
with look Of gratitude and affection, and
/ stood quite passive while his hand still
rested on her arm.
| The situation was becoming embarrass-
ing. did not know in what wor,ls to re-
| Daisy. | cOntented myself with feeble
| inquiry rs to whether they were going to
Join the company on the promenade.
1--WE are going aboard the yacht for lun-
cheOn." replied the doctor. Miss Stan
cliffe has never been aboard the boat yet,
and she is naturally anxious to see it. By
the way, Daisy, why should we not ask Mr.
Fenton to favor US with his company? l
dareSay he has nothing better TO do this
morning, and if he is interested in yacht
ing he will certainly be pleased with the
! Golden Hawk"
/ There is no need to say with what joyous
eagerneSS responded to the invitation.
What puzzled me, however, was the way
| i'm which il was received by Daisy. She
knit her brows for q moment as though
trying TO solve some knOtty problem in her
own mind. And then her face grew clear
again, and without a word she went for
ward BY the side of BranksOme.
We found that the gig OF the yacht was
waiting for us ut the landing stage. Mr..
| Mauleyerer and his two companions had