Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-12-20

$50 far that once lie tried his fortunes
on the stage at Manchester in the com
pany with which | was acting. His
name is Questin; pretty good on the
stage, no good off, l imagine. He
seems pretty happy now. Come back
from the road to ruin by the looks of
him, with the heavy father reconciled."
No doubt the old gentleman with red
face and double eye glasses, who was
speaking emphaticauy at that moment,
was Mr.. Questin, ST..
Cant go on, ] tell you. What want
to know is what does it mean? l know,
| know, it's all trick to get my consent
to marrying that little hussy."
Anastasia made a strong effort and
rose. "We do not want to be taken into
family condolences" she said with face
SO pale and strained that Dick Sherrieff
was startled.
But it was not 50 easy to extricate
themselves at once from the second row
of seats in which they were, for other per-
sons had come in after them. Tasia
dreaded to hear Osmund's voice in an
swer, and her own head was swimming,
spoke the words were partly muffied-
yet she could not help listening with
passionate eagerness. Perhaps some
thing he said might make his conduct
appear less black. II so, it might save a
shred of her torn self respect.
81 told you, my dear father, that re-
GREETED extremely having been such a
fool as to allow that young lady to stand
between you and me. l was mistaken in
her. have good reason to know that
YOU were right and | was wrong, and
the affair is wholly at an end"--
He happened to turn, as Anastasia
passed out, to knock off the end of his
cigar The ash touched her dress, he
begged pardon, lifted his hat and looked
her in the face. For an instant-such
instants are comprehensive-their eyes
met each gazing into the others. The
pause on Anastasia's part was perceptible
to her companion.
"Mr. Sherrieff, she said, 81 feel rather
giddv, I think-shall we find another
seat? 1 cannot walk just at this mo-
! ment."
| That something was more than little
wrong he did not doubt; he quietly
stcered her to a chair out Of the lamp
| light and waited for further orders. She
remained profoundly silent, in that still
silence suggestive of strong underworld
ings.
"Will you answer me question upor
YOUR honor, Mr.. Sherrieff!' she asked a
length.
Il WILL" he answered. 81 am sure yot
will not put an impossible one"
'No-iust this; Have you observed
anything about me which would leac
you to doubt my perfect sanity? Am
like a person who could be the subject o
a hallucination, or anything temporar,
of that kind?"
IF that is all, can honestly assur
YOU, Miss Garnham, that / feel the ut
most confidence in your clearness o
mind; it was just that that struck me il
you at once"
She heaved deep sigh. THANK you
Now tell me all you remember abou
that-Mr. Questin, please; it is of grea
importance to me-"
Really, 1 hardly exchanged tw
words with him, though l was in CON
pany with him, more or less, for thre
weeks, but we did not play in the sam
piece, and did not fancy him particr
larry, to say the truth"
should you have considered him
good kind of man, one who would prof.
ably interest himself in philanthropi
work? Or at all scientific-who ha
studied medicine for the sake of bein
useful"
Sherrieff looked unfeignedly astonisl
ed. "Why, no; rather the reverse of a
that-an idler pure ct simple, or onl
laboring for his own ends"
: "And yet" she said, 81 knew Nj
Questin's son for more than four year
well, for two years very well-and thu
$ was the sort of man he was"
: Dick looked embarrassed. 81 dare sa
s you thought SO, Miss Garnham. Som
q men are such awful liars-I mean hun
u bugs-where women are concerned
, But, really, perhaps you might hay
: idealized him without being aware of i
D you know"
: yes" she answered, "it is possibl
g and human nature is inconsistent,
/ know that. And yet, Mr. Sherrieff, Wi
;. you be so kind as to take me as close
e that man as possible; and may ask yo
$ as favor to find out for me where he
IS stopping? 1t is Of immeasurable impo
lance"
o Il am quite at your service; If yo
IS want to know more l will find out"
/ Whatever you cam" she said ear
l. estly. Il cannot yet tell you why, b.
later on
It "Never mind-I have faith in 20
10 and you shall see by my acquittance
6 this trust how far you can depend on m
l. 1t is pact"
They went back and seated themselv
,e where Anastasia could best observe tt
s. Questins, father and son.
If Next to the stage, give me bit
n detective work" Dick said to himse
1T He really had faith that he was not /
ing made use of to crafty some hyste
ID cal freak; Anastasias face and mann
e, were his warrant against that.