Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-08

only enabled to act because held back from
barring your way. You know that very well,
aunt and You know on what terms withdrew
my opposition. You accepted my terms, and
look to you to fulfill your part of the compact
II do not find it in the bond" said Mrs. Side
bottom. II can quote Shakespeare. Come,
Phil thought we had done with wrangling
over sordid mammon. Let US enjoy ourselves.
did not ask you to stay for dinner that we
might renew our disputes. The tomahawk is
buried and the calumet drawn forth"
''It was bond, not indeed drawn up in writ
ing, between us. because 1 relied on your
honor"
my dear Phil, I gave no definite promise,
but had to swear before the man at the Pro-
bate Court that would administer faithfully
and justly according to law, and the law was
plain. Not word in it about Cusworths. 1
am in conscience bound to stand by my oath.
cannot forswear myself. If there is one thing
in the world pride myself on it is my strict
conscientiousness-"
''The COW that lows loudest yields least
milk" muttered Philip. He was greatly in
censed. Aunt" he said, angrily, 'this is a
bubble unworthy of you. a perfectly clear
understanding was come to between us, by the
terms of which you wereto go halves with me
in raising $4,000 or s5 700 to fund or otherwise
dispose of for the benefit of Miss Cusworth.''
"Four or five thousand fiddlesticks"
'.If had opposed you," said Philip. grimly,
''some awkward questions might have been
asked relative to the cancelled Will"
what questions?" asked Mrs, Sidebottom,
looking him straight in the face with defiance
"As to how that will came to have the sigma
ture torn off,"
They were perfectly welcome to ask that
question, but 1 defy you to find anyone who
could answer it."
She was right, and Philip knew it What
ever his suspicious might be, ne was without a
grain of evidence to substantiate an accusation
against anyone. Moreover, much as he mis-
trusted his aunt, he could not bring himself to
believe her capable of committing so daring
and wicked an act
'1 wish that the old witch-drowning days
were back" said Mrs. Sidebottom. "Itis clear
to me that Salome has been exercising her fas-
cinations upon you. Oh, that she could be
pitched into pool-that one of scalding water,
swarming with goldfish would suit admirably,
because of the color of her hair. Then sink
or swim would be all one-sink for innocence,
swim for guilt-clear of her anyway"
'Do you seriously mean to evade the ar
rangement come to between us ?" asked Philip.
He would not be drawn from his point to side
issues.
Il never went into it"
"Ibeg your pardon, you did agree to what 1
proposed"
upon compulsion. No, were 1 at the strap
pado, or all the racks in the world, would not
yield on compulsion. There you have Shakes
peare again, Phil. 1 wonder whether you can
tell me from what play quote. If you were a
man of letters you would cap my quotations" !"
There can be no question as to what were
the intentions of Uncle jeremiah"
"Ah, there agree with you. Having made
a preposterous will, he tore it up, to show that
he did not intend to constitute Salome his
heiress"
What was Philip to say? How bring his aunt
to her terms of agreement? He remained
silent, with closed lips and contracted brows.
"Now, look here. Philip" said Mrs Side
bottom, good-humoredly, II have ordered
shoulder of mutton and onion sauce; also
quenilles of maccaroni and forced meat, and
marmalade pudding. Come and discuss these
good things with us, instead of mauling these
dry bones of business"
Il have already spoken to Mrs. and Miss Gus
worth. Relying on your word, 1 told them
what we purposed doing for them"
Then you made a mistake, and must eat
your words. What pity it is, Philip, that we
are continually floundering into errors of judg-
ment or acts that our common sense reproves,
so that we come out scratched and full of
thorns. You will be wiser in the future.
Never make promises, that is in money mat
tiers. If you persist in paying the hussy the
ton to the sum coming out of your own
pocket $4,000 or $4,000, I have no objec-
Excuse me, must laugh to think how you, a
lawyer, have allowed yourself to be bitten"
Il do not see how am to pay the sum you