The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-28
THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL SUNDAY 2 -TwELvE

but, at the same time. am bound to do my
best for my daughters welfare. And /
cannot permit her to throw away num-
Der of certain fortunes now Tor this prob
lematical one of yours IN the ne. future ut re- The
morrow, and so might Sir Owen Meredith,
both of whose estates are larger than the
st. Dayid'sn
You mean that you wish our engage
ment broken OFF,
PRECISELY 1 really regret it. Ronald;
but it is for Amabeps sake
And what does she say to thisl"
"Amabel is sensible girl. and will do
you will let ME see her, and tell her
this9"
Certainly. And if you two can lay your
heads together, and devise some plan for
securing the estate against your fathers
extravagance-why then the engagement
may continue"
us that a bargain7"
Yes; but / fear that you will not profit
by it much. since the condition involved is
1t may be imagined that. after this con-
yersation. Ronalds manner at lunch was
far frem cheerful His aunt and cousin
rallied him on his low spirits; but he re-
fused to be drawn Odt of himself, and sat
moody and respondent
When luncheon was over, the banker
went off to Lombard street, and Mrs. God
frey. who was the kindest and most consid-
Amabel together in the inner drawing
what is the matter, Ronaldin Amabel
asked, as soon as they were alone.
her to him. To call her 1.-The .prettlest girl
in London was. perhaps, a rather sweep
ing statement; yet she was, beyond doubt,
very lovely. And as she stood looking
fondly mp into his handsome face, her
auburn head resting against his shoulder.
and her dainty little white hands clasped
round his arm, it is no wonder that he
cursed his fathers extravaganza more Bit
terly than ever.
Has not my uncle told your" he asked.
Told me whatf"
about our engagement. He wants it
broken off, because my governor IS anticl-
pating the property, by raising money upon
it. and when come into the title there will
be little or none of the estate left"
The little white hands clasped tighter on
Ronald's arm. and the tender hazel eyes
looked still more fOndly into his.
II can't give yOu up. Ronald, whatever
my father may say! And what does the
property matter? Father has always prom
lsed to give me dowIry fit for princess;
We can live upon thatr
But, 1T you marry me against his will.
he will not give YOU the dOwry. No, Anna
bel. there is only one way out of 1T, and
that is an impossible one"
That sounds Irish. But what do you
mean?"
Your father told me that if could de-
wise some certain means either to stop my
fathers extravaganza or secure myself
against the consequences of 1T our engage
ment might continue"
And is that impossible?"
utterly. Every conceivable method has
been tried and-failed."
Tell me all about the matter, Ronald;
and let me see If cannot think of some
The young man told her all the circum-
stances of the case, adding at the end.
There, my darling. you see how hopeless
"Tm not so sure that it is hopeless Tell
it me all over again so that may under
stand it quite, quite clearly"
Ronald complied pausing every now and
then to-but this has no bearing on the
story, and therefore, need not be entered
Now, Ronald said she, smiling up into
his face, Il mean to think of some plan.
And when mean to do thing. It is as
brain day and night, and shall give it no
rest until the plan has been thought of.
Don't look so glum, sir. l tell you plan
shall be found
great faith in woman's wit" he said. but
even it cannot accomplish impOsSibilities."
And she answered, looking fOndly into
his eyes:
limited but there is no limit to the power
of woman's love-"
At that minute Mrs. Godfrey, having dis
| creetly cOughed to announce her approach.
entered the inner drawing-room and, soon
| after, Ronald took his departure.
! Amabel refused to go out for drive that
| afternoon. She wished to be left alone and
| to think. She sat in the library, by herself,
her own meditati ions, At length her cheeks
! suddenly flushed. and her eyes grew bright,
| and clapping her hands, she jumped up
| from her chair, crying aloud.
Il have got itv'
What have you got, my dear?" asked
| Mr.. Godfrey, who had just come back from
| the bank and entered the room at that very
minute.
"Oh, father! have thought of plan.v
What plant What on earth do v GU mean,
| Amabelf" was the bankers perpleXed re-
| jOinder
His daughter threw her arms around his
neck. kissed him, and drawing him into an
| armchair, sat upon his knee. Then she
whispered something in his ear, and began
| to talk In low, eager voice, growing more
| excited as she went on.
| Mr.. Godfrey's face which, at the begin
| ming had assumed an obstinate and I'M
| yielding expression. gradually relaxed into
| a complaisa and approving smile
| You are a true daughter of your father
my dear" he said. at the end. "A first-rate
tnancier, The plan is clever one and
| thought that little brain of yours contained
such cunning? Well send for Ronald this
very evening, and see what he says to your
| suggestion"
So a note was dispatched to Ronald
Browning. requesting him to dine in Ham
| iltOn place that evening, as his uncle had
| something important to communicate.
| After dinner, the three conspiratOrs-Mr.
| Godfrey, Amabel and Ronald-held secret
| conference IN the bankers study. Mrs.
| Godfrey was not included. because, though
| the most amiable of old ladies, she could
1 not be trusted with a secret.
In the meantime, the Honorable George,
| all unconscious of the plot that was being
| Matched against his extravagance. thought
| that he would try to recOup himself by the
| aid of the turf. So, with his usual princely
recklessness. he backed the favorite for the
Cambridgeshire for $4,000. The favorite,
unfortunately, was beaten, and the Honor
able George was in the position of being
forced to raise $4,000 in cash before settling
| day. He went to his friend the money
lender Lionel Levi, of Jermyn street, moth
ing doubling but that that worthy would
be quite ready to accommodate him. But,
| to his great surprise and dismay, the
worthy Lionel refused to let him have a
| shilling.
Nv hat the devil does this means" the
Honorable George asked. There is still
nearly three-quarters of the property unin-