Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-16

iAoieuIous tnins Ior man IN MS posiIoh) 70
"a young actress. She is quite girl, / under
stand but of some notoriety already"
Indeed" said Jack drily May ask how
that came about2 Wards of that kind do not
fall from heaven-as q rule"
The archdeacon WINGED. .sHe tells me-" he
explained that her mother was an old friend
OF his, and when she died, some time back, she
left the girl as kind of legacy, you see."
"A legacy to him, sir?"
ITO him, certainly You follow me?" said the
elder man in some distress
Quite So" said Jack. ooh, quite sol
common thing, no doubt Did you say that
your friend was married man, sir?'
Yes, replied the archdeacon family.
Just sol just SOL his son said in the same
tone, a tone that was so dreadful to the arch
deacon that it needed Jacks question And
what is the point upon which he wants advice?"
to induce him to go on.
What had he better do, being a clergyman"
HE should have thought of that earlier
ahem!-f mean it depends a good deal on the
you know"
Il suppose So" the archdeacon admitted
est side of his difficulty
''Of course there areI" said Jack, for him
quite warmly. And indeed that is the worst of
barristers. They will argue in season and out
OF season II you do not agree with them
my mother when you married her, sir.S
well, well. she may be good girl do not
know" the elder man allowed
:, "fou always had rather prejudice against
the stage, SIR"
The archdeacon looked up sharply, thinking
this uncalled for; unless, horrible thought!
his son knew something of the matter and was
chatting him. He made an effort to get on
hrmer ground. Granted she is a good girl"
he said. there are still two difficulties Her
father is rascal and there is a man, probably
a rascal, too, hanging about her and likely to
give trouble in another way
Jack nodded and sagely pondered over the
position. Il think l should advise your friend
girl" he suggested, land play the duenna,
first getting rid of your second rascal"
But how will you do that2 And what would
you do about the father"
Buy him off, said Jack, CURLY. Gas to the
lover, have an interview with him, Say to
him, DO you wish to marry my ward? II You
business"
But if he will not CO." said the archdeacon,
what can my friend do?''
well, indeed" replied Jack, looking rather
nonpussed, Il hardly know unless you make
her ward of court. You see," he added
alphabetically, your friends position is
httle-shall say little anomalous?''
Inc archdeacon shuddered. He dropped his
napkin and picked it up again. to hide his dis
may, and plunged into fresh subject When
MS son upon some excuse left him early, he
was glad to be alone. He had now however. a
course laid down for him, and acting upon it,
he next day saw the landlady in Sidmouth
street and requested her to take charge of the
young lady in the event of the mothers death
and to guard her from intrusion until other
arrangements could be made. You will look
10 me for all expenses" added the archdeacon,
selzlng with eagerness upon the only ground
on which he felt himself at home To which
the landlady gladly said she would, and ac-
cepted Mr. Yale's address at the Atheneum
club as personal favor to herself
80 the archdeacon, free for the moment,
went down to Sudbury, and as he walked about
MS strawberries with the scent Of his wifes old
fashioned flowers i'll the air. or sat drinking
his glass Of Leoville IA after dinner while
Ninna.l, the butler anxious TO get to his sup
per- ratified the spoons on the sideboard. he
Eied TO believe 1T dream. What, he won
dered, would Winnall say if he knew that mas
ter had ward, and that ward play-actress?
or as Sudbury would prefer to style her.
painted Jezebel2 And what would Mrs. Yale
say, who loved lavender. and had seen bal
let-once? Was Archdeacon ever, he asked
himself, IN position $3.50 anomalous before?
MY dear" his wife remarked when he had
read his letters one morning, Il am sure you
are not well. have noticed that you have not
been yourself since you were in London"
Nonsense" he replied tartly.
1T is not nonsense. There is something
preylng on your mind 1 believe" she per-
sisted lit is that visitation, Cyprian, that is
troubling you"
Visitation? wha. visitation?" he said in
cautiously. For indeed he had forgotten all
about that very important business and could
think only OF visitation more personal to
himself. Before his wife could hold I'D her
hands in astonishment, what visitation! in
deedr he had escaped into the open air.
Mrs. Kent was dead.
Yes, the blow had fallen; but the first shock
over, things were made very easy for him. He
wrote to his ward soon after the funeral as
seemed decent, and her answer greatly pleased
him. Ready as he was to scent misbehavior in
the air, he thought it a proper letter a good
girls letter. She did not deny his right to give
advice. She had not, she said, seen the gen.
tleman be mentioned since her mothers death
although Mr.. Charles Wiliiams-that was his
name-had called several times; but she had
given him an appointment for the following
Tuesday, and was willing that Mr.. Yale should
see him on that occasion. EtHl
All this in a formal and stately way; but there
was something in the tone of her reference to
Mr.: Williams which led the archdeacon to
smile sagely. ''She is over head and ears i'm
love-" he thought. And in his reply, after saw
ing that he would be in Sidmouth street on
Tuesday at the hour named he added that if
there appeared to be nothing against Mr..
Charles Williams, he, the archdeacon would
have pleasure in forwarding his wards hap
piness.
II am going to London tomorrow, my dear,
Tor two nights. he said to his wife on Sunday
evening: Il have some business there"
mrs 1ale SAT silent Tor moment. as III she
had not heard Then she laid down her book
and folded her hands. "Cyprian," she said.
''what is it?'
The archdeacon was fussing with his pile of
sermons and did not turn. what is what, my
dear?'' he asked
why are you going to London?'
"On business, my dear; business" he said,
lightly.
yes, but what business2" replied Mrs. Yale.
with decision. "Cyprian, You are keeping some |
thing from me; you were not used to have Sc. |
crets from me. Tell me what it is"
But he remained obstinately silent. He
would not tell lie, and he could not tell !
the truth
'Is it about Jack. Cyprian?" with sudden |
conviction. II know what it is; he has en- |
tangled himself with some girl!
The archdeacon laughed oddly. "You ought |
to know your son better by this time nv dear. |
He is about as likely to entangle himself with |
a girl as-as / am" |
But Mrs. Yale shook her head uncouyinced- |
The archdeacon was a squire. though a poor |
one. 1t was his choicest ambition, and his |
wife's, that Jack should some day be rich |
enough to live at the Hall, instead Of letting it.
as Mr.. Yale found it necessary to do. But while |
the archdeacon considered that Jacks way to /
the Hall lay over the woolsack, his wife had in |
view short cut to 1t through the marriage |
market, being q woman, and 80 thinking it a |
small sin in a man to marry for money. Con- |
she lived in fear lest Jack should be |
entrapped by some penniless fair one and was |!