The Press., 1889-07-04

know what violent, overbearing brute he can make himself when he chooses.
 "He abused Daisy for having, as he sand, disgraced herself and forfeited her char acter, and you for leading her into it. He next swore that he would make you marry | her or punish you as you deserved and finally he forbade her ever to disclose to any person living that her pretended en- gagement to you was not genuine.
 ssShe has been here this morning. Her fathers anger and violence have evidently upset her greatly, and she was quite hys- terical. She implored me to save her, first from being driven into marriage with you; second from exposure of the truth about the supposed engagement Ofcourse, I told her that would do my best, aud now it rests with you to help me"
 "Oh, certainly" replied the amiable George. "But if she won't let me marry her, don't quite see what I am to do." l s'I will tell you. Daisy is too much afraid of her father to refuse to marry you-or, at any rate, to stand out for long if he in- sists on it. But you can refuse to marry her, and you must write at once and do so.
 You had better say as little as possible, and after that you must, of course, keep absolute silence, for Daisy's sake, about lthe Tubworth affair"
 Miss Cracroft sat down then and there and dictated the letter to MT. Lightfeot.
 The letter merely stated that George re- gretted that his intentions should have
 been misunderstood, and that he was un- fortunately not in position even to think
 of marrying Miss Lightfoot. Having cop-
 jed the document faithfully and committed it to the post, George went to bed, and re- turned next day to his brewing.
 l Although he had implicit confidence in his sisters judgment, he felt dismal pre- l; sentiment that MT. Lightfoot had not done
 with him yet. He was right. Within two or three posts he was disagreeably surpris- ed by receiving letter signed "Wylie, , Hawke X Jinks," intimating that the emi-
 nent firm had been consulted by MT. Har- , old Lightfoot on behalf of his daughter,
 and that unless within a week MT. Cracroft } signifed his intention offulflling the prom. ; ise of marriage which he had undoubtedly
 J.) were instructed to commence proceed. 3 ings for breach of said promise without
 further delay. .....- . Miss Cracroft, to whom, of course, George , at once turned for advice, was inhex1ble in t her view that duty to Daisy required hel
 brother to stand firm, even to the lengtf . of admitting the promise, if necessary
 George stood firm accordingly and at the expiration of week he was served with {
 writ in an action of Lightfoot versus Crac B roft.
 CHAPTER Iv.-DAIsY DISAPPEARS. t It is now necessary to observe how th, b situation presented itself to MT. Lightfoot 8 In the first instance, this amiable Olt 8 gentleman had been chiefly actuated b. l. the desire of forcing on marriage betweel t his daughter and Cracroft, and so foreve z, ousting the obnoxious MT. Hillyard. Al e though he had professed to doubt Cracroft' l. means, the old gentleman knew him to b t possessed of comfortable little income be
 sides his share in the brewery.
 e Failing this primary result, his kindl
 desire was to punish Cracroft by heav, J. lawsuit and damages for the Tubworth in n discretion, and at the same time to dispos d of the scandal of poor Daisy's connection J. with that business, of the gravity of whic U he entertained rather exaggerated notion 2 He therefore ordered the action pressed o
 to the bitter end with all speed.
 As the trial drew near, however, an un s expected difficulty presented itself. Tn
 father had hitherto counted upon his infu e ence over Daisy to overcome any reluctanc
 which the young lady might evince to giy
 ing evidence in the witness box agains d Cracroft. About three weeks, however ,, before the time at which the trial was @
 pected to come on Daisy suddenly disal
 peared.
 If She left a letter behind her in which sh | stated CD that her life had become ml u cry to her; (2) that she could never loy e or marry any man but Mr. Frank Hillyard I. (3) that no consideration should induce ht Il to give evidence against Cracroft in th IT breach of promise case; on the contrar. F if the case were tried she would come fo ward, she said, if necessary, on Cracroft T. behalf, and swear that he had never pron
 ised to marry her.
 This was staggerer for Mir. Lightfoo )T and the effect of it was increased when ,- discovered that his rebellious daught 4 had taken refuge at Mrs. Cracrofts. 4 It soon as he had mastered his wrath the O. 't gentleman called on Wylie, Hawke < Jink N. and laid the situation before them. >i It was small comfort that he got ther
 The Idea of breach of promise case wit n out the plaintiff, or with the plaintiff fl
 uring as witness for the defendant, wa ct in the opinion of this intelligent firm pr
 posterous. They advised point blank tn ~ the action should be settled.
 d Mir. Cracroft's solicitor, however, on b r. ing communicated with, perceived that h 2, client was now master of the situation. E io therefore declined any compromise, excel
 on the terms of MT. Lightfoot paying 2 "a the costs. These were now considerabl ~ It was bitter pill to the old gentleman IT pay down heavy sum in addition to ow
 ing himself beaton all round. Was the
 no way. he asked himself, in which O could bring his daughter to reason While he was turning over this questit in his mind, he happened to hear of u W death of MT. Frank Hillyard's father, event which he knew would mean an ado
 tion of g2OO or G3OO year to the incon S, of Daisy's suitor. This piece of news su N, gested to him way out of his difficult 7 He had played off Cracroft against Hi