The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-11
&c you golng?o INQUIRED the MsiOr ant


"Are you golng9" inquired the Major art
fully.
Yes, of course; we'll travel together"
So the affair was settled, and Crasber accepted
the invitation with much pleasure"
This done, Mr.. Rapless devoted his energies
TO making the fercest possible love to Mrs Sill
verton during the few days which preceded his
departure. The time was favorable; Langton
was absent on circuit, and had been, If any
thing, more taciturn and incomprehenslhe
than ever of late The widow was much an
noyed with him, and all the more willing to
listen to Rapless's tale of devotion. The Major
was much occupied with his tailor and gum
maker, and the Hon. Percy made such good use
Of his time that he succeeded In persuading the
widow to promise to marry him. And then,
with the innocent Crasher, he departed Tor
Scotland, swearing eternal eonstancy. But
Crasher, before leaving, took the precaution to
bride Mrs. SllYerTOn's butter 10 inform MIN,
without fail, Of all that transpired III Curzon
street. At Covert Castle the Major enjoyed
himself immensely. The shooting was capital,
the liquor and cookery beyond reproach, and
the company genial. a week passed very
quickly, and then one morning, on coming
down to breakfast, his host told him that Mr..
Rapless had received telegram summoning
him to London and had left by an early tram
." He left a message saying it was great
bore" said Lord Cofferton, but that he'd be
back in three days or So"
And with this assurance the Major was forced
to be content, though he felt presentimeBt Of
coming danger.
Meanwhile Mrs. Silverton was finding exist
ence distinctly dull. Without being exactly
in love with Rapless he amused and interested
her. and she missed him very much. Langton
made no sign, and her other admirers wearied
her. She longed, ia fact, for some fresh excite
ment and when the Hon. Percy suddenly made
his appearance, ct q much earlier date than she
had expected him, he met with an unusually
cordial greeting.
"What has brought you back so soonF she
inquired.
4 could not live without you,p he of course
replied And then Mr.. Rapless summoned to
his aid ali his powers of persuasion, and with
many VOWS and protestations Of eternal love
and undying devotion, he implored her to
elope with him. AT first she refused point
blank but as his entreaties grew more pressing
her resistance became feebler. Why not? she
reflected. Life had become bore of late; her
lover was handsome, fascinating, and of unde-
niable family; an elopement was exciting
and romantic, an ordinary marriage would be
humdrum affair, and that inconyenient brother
of hers would be certain to make himself a
nuisance. Besides, she would be Tevenged upon
Langton, who had shanefully neglected her.
Finally, she promised to give him definite
answer the next day, and Rapless departed IN
triumph, knowing that the battle was won.
de called pretty early the following morn
ing, and everything was settled satisfactorily.
After many protests she consented to start the
next evening at sos from Charing- cross. They
would cross TO Paris, where she could stay with
some friends until marriage by special license
could be arranged. The ceremony over, they
would go on to Switzerland or any other place
that seemed suitable for a honeymoon. He
was forbidden to call again at Curzon street or
TO attempt to see her before they met at the
station; the interval would be spent by both in
making their respective preparations So Rap
less departed 10 see his lawyer, raise some
money, and lay in a stock of cigarets and
other necessaries for continental travel. In
the afternoon he went to his club and feeling
somewhat sentimental filled up the interval
before dinner by writing to the widow very
rspturous epistle, in which, after describing at
some length the bliss he would experience in
calling her his own, he alluded to the appoint
ment at Charing-cross, and implored her not to
! play him false. This letter reached Mrs Sill
verton by the ten o'clock post as she was writ
ing in her boudOir. The butler who brought
the missive noticed that she had recently been
/ crying, his suspicious were aroused, aud he de-
termined-remembering Major Crasher's in
! structlons-to keep his eyes open. So when
his mistress had gone TO bed the trusty retainer
went to the room where she had been occupied,
and after some search discovered certain frag-
ments in the waste-paper basket which ac-
quainted him with the state of affairs. II
was too late to write to Major Crasher, but a
/ telegram would be delivered early the next
morning. So the butler wired the dreadful
news TO his patron. The Majors feelings when
he received the telegram in bed at Covert Castle
were indeseFibable He cursed snd stamped
round his room for fully an hour before he
could devise any scheme to thwart Mr.. Rapless's
| treacherous design. He consulted Bradshaw y
/ in vain. 1t was impossible for him to arrive
| in London before the Continental train had
| left. AT last an idea flashed across his brain
] He dressed huTriedly, rushed to the stables
| borrowed horse and galloped wildly towards
| the nearest town.