The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-03-18
MY LADY'S MONEY
BY wILKIE COLLINS,
pant THE SECOND,
CHAPTER XIII

While the strange proceedings OF the stew
ard were tho subject of conversation between
Lady Lydiard and Mr. Troy, Moody wa
alone In his room, occupied Ia writing 10 lisa
bel. Being unwilling that any eyes but hi
own should SEQ the address, he had himself
posted his letter, the time that he had chosen
for leaving the house proving, unfortunate
ly, 10 be ahO he tmo proposed by her lady
ship for his interview with the lawyer ~
ten minutes after the footnln had reported
his absence, Moody returned, II was then
too lato 10 present himself In the drawing
room. In the interval Mr., Troy had taken
his leave, and Moodys position had dropped
a degree lower ia Lady Lydiards estima
tion,
Isabel received her letter by the next
mornings post II any justification OF Mr.
Troy's suspicious had been needed, the terms
IN which Moody wrote would have amply
mppliedit
"DEAR ISABEL Il hope | may call you
Isabel without offending you In your pros
ent troubc)-l have proposal 10 make
which, whether you accept II or not, beg
you win keep secret from every living
creature but ourselves You will understand
my request when add that these lines relate
10 the matter Of tracing the stolen tank
note,
al have been privately In communication
with person in London who Is, as believe
the one person competent 10 help w In gain
Ing our end Ilo has already made many in
quiries in private With some OF them | an
acquainted; tho rest he has thus far kept Il
himself The person 10 whom / Rllude pan
tculnrly wslu, 20 nave halt ap hours con-
versnt0n with youth my presence ! am
bound 10 warn YOU that he Is q 5ery strange
and very ugly old man, aud can only hope
that you will look over his personal appear
nnce In consideration of what he h likely TO
do for you,
"Can you conveniently meet u, at the far.
ther end Of the row Of 'Jillas In which your
aunt lives, tho day after tomorrow, at four
o'clocki Let mo have one line 20 say II you
will keep he appointment, and II the hour
named win suit you, And believe me your
devoted friend and servant
"RonERT MOODY
The lawyers warning 10 her 10 be careful
how she yielded too readily 10 any propo al
OF Moody REQUIRED TO lsabol's mind while
she read hose lines Being pledged TO
secrecy she could not consult Mr., Troy-sho
was left TO decide for herself
No obstacle stood In the way Of her free
choice Of alternatives. After their early
dinner, at three o'clock Miss Pink habItunlly
retired 10 hor own room, "to mediate, as
Eho expressed H. Her ''mcditalions' in
YarlnbDy ended IN n sound sleep Of somo
hours; and during that interval Isabel was
nj liberty TO do as she plcnscd, After con.
siderable hesitation her implicit belief In
MoolyS truth and devotion. assisted by n
strong foling Of curiosity TO see the COM
panion with whom the steward hal ad0Wociatcd
himself decided Isabel ON consontng 10 koep
The appointments
Taking up her position beyond the houses,
on the day and at the hour mentioned by
Moody, she believed herself 10 be fully pro
pared for the most unfayorAbc impression
which the mo disagrocahie Of all possible
strangers could produce
But the first appearance Of Old sharon
ns dirty ~ ever clothed In n long, irowzy,
gray oycrcolt, with his pug dog At his heels
md his smoke-hnckcncd pipe IN his mouth
with tail whito hat on his head, which
looked Ns II II hal been picked up In gutter,
n hideous lo'r In bis eyes, and q iaunty trip
In his walk--took her 40 completely 10y sur
prise that she could only return Moody's
friendly greeting 10y silently pressing his
hand, As for Moodys companion, 20 look
at him for n second time was more than sho
had resolution 10 do She kept her eyes
fixed on th' pug dog, and with good roason,
10 far ~ appearances went, no was indls.
putably thr nonlor animal Of the two
Under the circumstances, the interview
threatened 30 begin In very embarrassing
manner Moody, disheartcncd by kabol's
ailoncc, made no nttcmpt 20 sct the converse
tlon going; ho looked ~ II ho moditatod a
hasty retreat TO the railroad station which
he had just loft Fortunately ho had at his
side the Hght man lfor onco) In the right
place Old Sharons elIronicry was equal 10
any emergency,
81 am not nlco-looElng old man, my
dear, am | ho said lccrIng AZ Isabel with
cunning, har.cloed eyes "BcN your hcartl
you'll soon get used 20 mo. You 500, am
tho sort of color, as they say at III, lnon
drnpcr, thnt DOESN'T wash well, It's all
through love; upon my lifo II isl Early In
this present century had my young aircc-
tons blightcl, and I've neglected myself
over since, disappointment takes different
form miss IN different mon, ! don't think
l have hgd heart enough 10 brush my hair
FOR Tho lat llfy years She was n mag
nllccnt won u, Mr. Moo ", aud N,
dropped m liko hot potato. Dreadful
dreadful Let uy pursue this painful sub
joct no further Hat hcrcs u pretty conn-
try Here's nice blue sliyl / nd.
miro tn country miss; ! SEQ 40 little OF u,
you know Have you any objection 10 walk
along into the ncllgi Tho fields, my dear,
bring out all thu poetry Of my nature,
Whcrcs the dog' Hero, Puggyl puggy
hunt about my man. and find some dog
grass Does his ius d. good you know, nftor
meat diet In London, Lord how | feel
my spirit rising In this fine airl Docs my
complexion lool, any brighton, mlssl win |
you run u race with me-, Mr. Moody or viii |
you obligc mo with back NJ leap frogl I'm
not mad, my dear young lady; I'm only
merry I liyc you s'0 IN the London stink
and the smell Of the hodges ana tho wild
1owors IA too much for me NJ first II gcts
Into my hood, II dooI I'm drunkl A live
by broad I'm drunk ON fresh nlrl Obi what
a jolly day OH how young aud innocent
do fccll' Here his innocence got tho bottor
Of him, aud lac began 10 sing ~ wish | was
q llttlo fly, In my loves bosom for 10 lloln |
"Hulol here we are on the nico soft grnssl
aud, Oh, my grnclousl thcrc'sa bank running
down into n hollowl can't stand that, you
know Mr. Moody, hold my hat and tako
the greatest caro- Of H. Hero goos for roll
down the bnnkW
He handed nj horrible hat 10 the aston.
ishcd Moody laid himself fat on The top of
The bank, nnl deliberately rolled down 10,
exactly ho might have done when ho was
n boy. The tails of bis long groy coat 0ow
madly IN III, wind the dog pursued him,
jumping over him, and barking with delight;
hc shou oi aud screamed In answer 10 tho
dog, as he rolled over and over fastor and
fastcr, aud when ho got up on tho lovol
ground aud called out choerfully 10 his com,
ponious standing above him, ~ say, you
two ! feel twenty years younger alrendyIp
humnu urnyitv pnui1 hold aul oa ia,u..