Wichita eagle., 1888-02-04


noccnt, unsuspecting disposition-we must
judge of men-yes, he must be told about
| Edith Sands"
The teachers agreed with me perfectly; in.
deed, l could not recollect when we were ali
so unanimous. upon any subject. l thought
over all had to say to the professor, until
had arranged quite happy and effective
way of putting it, Plainly it Yves my duty
to secure the professor against the arts and
wiles OF this weak, pretty face-a girl with
| out the faintest claim to q queenly figure.
Professor West arrived much earlier than
we expected However the moment l heard
of it saw my opportunity to give him a
precautionary hint about Edith's indecorous,
] artful ways. The parlor door was partly
open, and the professors voice audible from
within had the curiosity to stop outside
and listen. My position demands watchful-
ness.
Don't be alarmed" he was saying: "my
luck never waivers. That old dragon is no
match for me-
But I'm dying with fright all the time.
How can you do itE'
The voice was no other than Ediths. She
broke off into a laugh, but turned first red,
then pale, when walked in, holding myself
very erect and assuming my most command
ing aspect. 1t evidently impressed the pro-
fessor, for he put on his immense green
glasses ard at once began to talk to me Of the
fossils of the tertiary epoch l made my
points about extinct pachyderms while L
had chance. They were telling and power
full, and. must say, delivered in an eloquent
and scientific style l rad been awake until
two in the morning reading up on the sub
ject. Professor West turned his head on one
side, then the other, and looked meditative
Il am lost in admiration; it is your figure
the form OF Juno-superb! inspiringw he
suddenly declared, with that delightful, in
genuous candor which | discovered from the
very first as beautiful trait of his DISPOSE
ton.
Don't hatter me, you dear, naughty man"
l exclaimed, as / shook my finger at him.
"Eiattery!" ne retorted: Il am an unso-
phisticated fellow, always letting some truth
slip out and giving offense All me, know
you are furious"
Poor fellow! He was so grieved and some
how seemed SO fearful of making me angry,
when, on the contrary, was pleased, that l
remembered Edith.
said very kindly. He did look SO wonder
fully handsome, even with those hideous
green glasses on. eve quite understand each
other, and | may say are SO congenial that
We are sometimes imposed upon l feel it my
painful duty to warn you-yes, really warn
you-against a pert, forward, insolent girl,
as shallow and vain as peacock"
The professor came q step nearer 81 think
7 H., l., 7
fairly lost my temper-not with the profes-
SOL, not at all; he was SO good looking-but
with that abandoned girl trying to attract
his attention. 1t was scandalous.
'She is an unprincipled, designing Great
ure,n | went on.
''And 50 desperately homely," he added.
II knew you would think So" was my tri-
umphart reply; but, would you believe it,
some people call Edith Sands pretty"
[ noticed that his face flushed suddenly.
Edith Sands? Where have | heard that
Nance" he questioned, thoughtfully. ''Oh,
have 1.-THE little girl just now | scarcely
noticed; very ordinary, is she nots' Fear
fully So | assured him. "She has been
badly compromised by g. shocking affair
with a dissolute scoundrel, Dick Granger.
watch her very closely. The miserable
knave can't trife with me. beg you to re-
member that this is mark of my conf
tlence purely confidential | mean to outwiG
that rascal Granger, and of course | can't
allow You to be taken in. Come to me il
Edith speaks, or even looks, at you, my dear
professor. Be assured that l will protect
you.n
The teachers INTERRUPTED me by coming in
at that moment, but the professor pressed
my hand gratefully and thanked me i'll tie
sweetest way as we went out TO the lecture
room. 1t quite startled and kept me awake
long after my hour for retiring, and then,
late as it was, j caught q glimpse, through
the window, of Professor West moving
through the shrubbery, in the moonlight,
gazing up at the windows, perhaps at mine.
The professor is so unsophisticated, so limo
cent and so good, so very good.
believe | mentioned above bow perturbed
and broken my rest was on that eventful
night Several nights have passed since. but
as far as | can see there is no prospect of any
thing but wakeful nights for long time.
slept rather late the morning after the night
that man-that unprincipled, heartless,
wicked man-delivered his iast--shali l call
it lecture?
Miss Brown met me in the study, SUBJ
ducd excitement visible about her Edith
Sands must have gone home without leave:
the servants had seen nothing of her: the girls
protested equal ignorance. She had not been
seen since retiring the night before. 1t WAS
mysterious In my position mystery was not
to be borne. l sent n messenger to Edith's
home. The messenger returned with the APP
palling news that Edith had not been at
home. The mystery deepened. l had tho
garrets ana cellars searched, the cistern
dragged, the clothes presses examined, and
even The great soap kettle raised to see if she
could be underneath. To no purpose Miss
Brown rushed suddenly into the study and
handed me note. 1t explained all:
DEAR MADAM have relieved you Of
care OF Edith Sands. We were married tL;s
morning. | don't charge you cent for my
two lectures III even finish the course if
you viii post me on extinct pachyderms
DICK WEST GRANGER"
Professor West and Dick Granger were
one and the same. The perfdious wretch.
" here is the sal volatile .-"Inden in New
York Mercury.
Standardization of Englishmen.