Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-28
very mucn IN love WITH That young lady, and

very mucn IN love WITH tnar young lady, and
would, / am convinced, have married her
without a penny, had circumstances SO willed
it. But, unfortunately, the fact Of her being
the only daughter of wealthy man placed
responsibilities upon would be sutton which
rendered such a course impossible.
Dick dined at his club, and afterward
smoked cigar in the billiard ROOM refus
fng, however, to take part in a game at pool
Subsequently he said good night, rather sol
emily, to the other fellows, who, after his
withdrawal, were unanimous in expressing
the opinion that "Dick, poor chappie, looked
trifle hipped."
The object Of their commiseration had
meantime reached his chambers. As he
mounted the stairs Big Ben oomed forth
10 o'clock, an exceptionally early hour for
Dicks return to quarters To bis surprise
he found the outer door open; another proof,
he nluttcred TO himself, of the carelcssncss
which characterised tho elderly lady who in
more senses than ono ''did" for him.
Once within his sitting room, he lit the
lamp, and drew the curtains closely together
1t was still much too early to think Of bed,
but a couple of hours might, he said to him
self, be pleasantly passed over a novel and
pipe. To procure tho former re crossed to
a small table standing in the farther corner
of the apartment Beside it was a sofa, and
on the sofa Dick, with All exclamation Of
astonishment, perceived that girl lay fast
asleep.
He recognized her at once. 1t was Nellie.
What was she doing there?
Clearly the simplest manner of solving the
question was to awaken her. And what more
effectual method of achieving that could be
adopt than byl- But no. Until Dick was
assured that the positions in which they for
merly stood remained unchanged, to yield to
such temptation would be ungentlemanly-
intolerable even
He laid his hand upon the sleeping girls
head and pronounced her name She awoke
with start, looking about vaguely, as il
doubtful as to where she was.
''Dick," she cried her eyes falling upon her
lover, what sre you doing hereY"
He laughed in reply. "Thats riddle it
would take cleverer fellow than myself to
solve. We must go back to The beginning OF
things for an answer"
His words seemed TO bring back to her the
remembrance Of what had happened She
rose, and stretching out both hands towards
him said, a little TREMENDOUSLY, "What Will
you think of meT'
"Ah, said Dick, taking the small hands in
his own and pressing them to his lips, ''if
only there were time to tell you"
She snatched them from his grasp and fell
back a pace. For an instant there was
silence, and then, forcing herself to speak
calmly, she continued, II have seen papa"
Yes replied Dick, feeling that be had
nothing better TO say
And he refused his consent once for all
Oh, Dick" she went on, the tears starting TO
her eye, he said such cruel unjust things Of
you"
Dick smothered an oath he had no diff
Guilty In imagining the things Mr. Car
penter had said He would have
liked 70 assure Nellie then and there
that they were utterly untrue, but
the slight remnant of conscience he still re-
tanned somehow forbade that Let it not be
understood that Dick was worse than a hun
dred others He had been lazy, ex.rava-
giant, foolish, but never malicious, or, as
things go nowadays, dishonorable Yet be
felt bound to confess that, from the parental
point Of Wow, he was hardly wha: might 10
termed an eligible son-in-law
And your be said at last
az" cried Nellie. II answered that his
suspicions were false-uniust; that he had no
right 70 utter the things be did-no grounds
for such soeusations and that, abovs all.
loved you, Dick, bctter than life Itself"
What could be replyi How refrain from
taking her In his arms and kissing away the
tea-s which oourssA down her chesk.i After
I'll he vas but human.
Presentiy she became quie.er "And now
she whispered, that have come Won viii
not send me away. Dick, have sacrificed
for you ] have promised % be
your wife, and not even my father shall foros
me TO break that piedge~
BE fel; ker trsrabIe in his arms The eirl's
pure young soul had been laid bare, and the
thooght Of her perfect trust almost over
vheined him How should he actf lie
knew well that once married 70 Nellie Mr.
CArpe1tEs forgivsnes was bot q ouesr
bon Of TINA OF this there was not the sta~
dow Of Q doubt n his mind And besides, hs
loved her deariy-so dearly TIA. be was pre-
pared b cut away from him sSe past and be- |
gin . nsw and better life with ber Nor /
lhould II b choushi tAAs this vas roe-sly
passing fancy. With Eslas TO sustain hin /
Dick wo1A have been q nsw urAu
II only che had txusscd him 49, inrs.cstiy. /
Tbs. ~as tie torturing though. Had sbs /
doubted ever % Little, bad she erpres~d tbs |
higtiAs scrupIs, bow eagerly be would hare
'eriven 70 crescome ~ b: such absolute 1
oeisef In hiuaelf-shis II va ia: toscssd |
hin
Il W. hard; bat - have sad, DIX hsd /
sos gale los: &c claim 70 s1s title ~ rer,lsr 4
aan. and b felt va: fh2e vzs 10 help for /
q .@Ssl.is,- he SID ss Sscgth. ''ls snAnSs
e. yoa must rsszrz koD&s