Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-12
am to understand that you give your con-

thing seemed quite straight, and yet he sus- pected crookedness. His latent distrust of the man, which had not been decreased by the scene of the two nights before-for he never could bring himself to like Edward Cossey-arose in force and made him hesitate when there was no visible ground for hesita- tion. He had, as has been said, an instinctive insight into character that was almost feminine in its intensity, and it was lifting a warning finger before him now.
 'I don't quite know what to say," he re piled at length. "The whole affair is so sud- demand to tell you the truth, 1 thought that Ida had bestowed her affections in another direction"
 Edwards face dafllened. 1T thought so too," he answered, until yesterday when was so happy as to be undeceived. l ought to tell you, by the way" he went on, running away from the covert falsehood in his last words as quickly as he could, "how much regret that was the cause of that scene with Col Quaritch, more especially as find that there is an explanation of the story against him. The fact is, was foolish enough to be put out because he beat me out shooting, and also because, we'll I-I was jealous of him."
 "Ah, yes," said the squire rather coldly, Ga most unfortunate affair. Of course, l don't know what the particulars of the mat ter were and it is no business of mine, but, speaking generally, should say never bring an accusation of that sort against man at all unless you are driven to it, and if you do bring it, be quite certain of your ground. How ever, that is neither here no- there. We'll, about this engagement Ida is old enough to judge for herself, and seems to have made up her mind, so, as know no reason to the con- trary, and as the business arrangements proposed are all that I could wish, l cannot see that I have any ground for withholding my consent. So all I can say sir, is that hope you will make my daughter good hus- band, and that you will both be happy. Ida is high spirited woman, and in some ways 0 very peculiar woman; but i'll my opinion she is greatly above the average of her sex, as I have known it, and provided you have her affection, and don't attempt to drive her, she will go through thick and thin for you. But I dare say you would like to see her. Oh, by the way, l forgot, she has got q head ache this morning, and is stopping i'll bed. It isn't much in her line, but dare say that she is a little upset. Perhaps you would like to come up to dinner to-nightF'
 This proposition Edward, knowing full well that 1da's headache was device to rid herself of the necessity of seeing him. accept ed with gratitude and went.
 As soon as he was gone Ida herself came down.
 "Well, my dear," said the squire, cheer fully, II have just had the pleasure of seeing Edward Cossey. and I have told him that, as you seemed to wish it'-
 Here Ida made movement of impatience, but remembered herself, and said nothing
 ''That as you seemed to wish that things should be so, I had no grounds of objection to your engagement. l may as we'll tell you that the proposals which he makes as regards settlements are of the most liberal nature" TIn ind. %1xr "Is Mir. Cossey coming here to dinner!" "Yes, asked him. I thought that you would like to see him"
 Well, then, l wish you had not" she an- swered, with animation, "because there Is nothing for dinner except some cold beef. Really, father, 1t is very tthoughtless of you, " and she stamped her foot and went off in a huff, leaving the squire full of reflection.
 ''I wonder what it all means?" he said to 1 himself. ''She can't care about the man much or she would not make that fuss about his being asked to dinner. She isn't the sort of woman to be caught by the money, ] should think. Well, know nothing about it; it is no affair of mine, and can only take things as I find them"
 And then he fell to reflecting that this mar riage would be extraordinary stroke oi luck for the family. Here they were at the last gasp, mortgaged up to the eyes, when suddenly fortune, ill the shape of a, on the whole, perfectly unobjectionable young man appears; takes up the mortgages; proposes settlements to the tune of hundreds of thou sands, and even offers to perpetuate the old l family name ill the person of his son, should he have one. Such a state of affairs coulC not but be gratifying to any man, however unworldly, and the squire was not altogether unworldly That is, he had keen sense o1 the dignity of his social position and hi! family, and it had all his life been his chie1 and lauduable desire to be sufficiently pro | vided with the goods of this world to rais, l the De la MolleS to the position which they had occupied ill former centuries. Hitherto however, the tendency of events had been al the other way; the house was a sinking one and but the other day its ancient roof ha6 nearly fallen about their ears. Now, how ever though by magic, the prospec changed. On Ida's marriage all the mort gages, those heavy accumulations of years O. growing expenditure and narrowing means would roll off the back of the estate, and thu De la Molles, of Honham castle, would onc' more take the place in the county to whicl they were undoubtedly entitled.
 It is not wonderful that the prospect proved a pleasing one to him, or that his head wa filled with visions of splendors to come
 As it chanced, on that very morning it wa
 
 tleman a visit in order to obtain his signatur to lease of bakery in Boisingham, which together with two or three other houses, be longed to the estate
 He arrived just the squire was in tn full flow of his meditations, and it would no have needed Q man of Mir. Quests penetra tion and powers of observation to discove :. that he had something OH his mind which Il was longing for an opportunity to talk about The squire signed the lease without payin the slightest attention to MT. Guests cxplana tions, and then suddenly asked hin when tn first interest on the recently effected nor, gages came due.
 The lawyer mentioned an aplroachin date.
 "Ah," said the squire, "then it will have be met but it does not matter, it will be fo
 the last time"
 MT. Quest pricked up his ears and locke at him.
 ''The fact is, Quest" he went on by way ( explanation, "that there are-well-famil arrangements pending which will put an en
 to these endorsements in a natural and