San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-16

vi SdII.
"Sir George" said Marston, gravely,
'Charles made a mistake just now. Do
not you on your side make another.
Come, Charles" turning to the latter,
VINO was now sitting erect with flashing
eyes, tell Us about it. What were you
doing when Middleton saw your"
L was coming upstairs" said Charles,
haughtily.
From the library" asked Sir George.
Charles bit his lip and remained silent.
lwould not have spoken to him for a
good deal at that moment. He looked
positively dangerous.
From the library, of course" ne said
at last, controlling himself and speaking
with something of his old careless man
ner, "laden with the spoils of my mid
night depredations. Parental fondness
will supply all minor details, no doubt;
so, as the subject is delicate one for
me, will withdraw that it may be dis
cussed more fully in my absence"
stop, Charles" said Marston; ''the
case is too serious for banter of this
kind. My dear boy" he added, kindly,
Il am glad to see You angry, but never
theless you must condescend to explain.
The longer you allow suspicion to rest on
yourself the longer it will be before it
falls on the right person. Come, what
were you doing in the passage at that
time Of night"
Charles was touched, l could see. A
very little kindness was too much for
him.
"It is no good, Marston," re said, in
quite different voice; Il am not be-
heved in this house"
He turned away and leant against the
mantel piece, looking into the fire.
Ralph cleared his throat once or twice,
and then suddenly went up to him, and
laid his hand affectionately on his
shoulder.
Fire away, old boy" he said, in
constrained tone, and he choked again.
Charles turned round and faced his
brother with the saddest smile l ever
saw.
"Well, Ralph, said he, Il will tell you
everything, and then you can believe me
or not, as you like. have never told
you lie, have t.
Not often" replied Ralph, unwill-
ingly.
You at least are truth ITSELF" said
Charles, reddening; land if you are BIZ
ased in your opinion of me, perhaps it is
more the fault of that exemplary Chris
tan, Aunt Mary, than your own. Ac-
cording to her / have told lies enough to
float a company or carry an election,
and never like to disappoint her expec-
tations of me in that respect; but you
have never, to my knowledge, deceived,
and am not going to begin now"
You will be clergyman yet" whis-
pered the sick parent. There is good
living in the family, Charles. | shall
live to see the Rev. Charles Danvers in
a surplice, preaching his first sermon on
the Ninth commandment"
"At any rate he is practicing the fifth
under difficulties at this moment" said
Marston, as Charles WINGED and turned
his back on the parental sick bed.
Come, my boy, we are losing time"
"Will somebody have the goodness to
restrain Middleton if he gets excitedY'
said Charles. Il am afraid he won't
like part of what have got to say"
Nonsense, sir!' replied with warmth.
Il hope l can restrain myself as well as
any man, even under such provocation
as / have lately received. You may de-
pend on me, sir, that
ave lose time" said Marston seating
himself by me and cutting short what l
was saying in an exceedingly brusque
manner. Come, Charles, you should
not be interrupted"
But he was. interrupted him the
whole time in spite of continual efforts
on the part of Marston to make me KEEP
silence. am not the man calmly to let
pass black insinuations against the CHAR
acter Of friend. No; stood up for
him. am glad to think how stood mp
for him, not only metaphoriCally, but in
the most literal sense of the term; for !
found myself continually getting NJ
and Marston as often pulling me down
again into my chair.
"Am l to speak, or is Middleton said
Charles at last in despair. Il will do
solo, or will keep silence; but really ]
am unequal to Il duet"
"Sir George" said Marston, will you
have the goodness to desire Col. Middle
ton to be silent or to leave the room I'M
til Charles has finished his storyT'
l was Justly annoyed at Marston's
manner of speaking Of me, but as had
no intention to leave the room and miss
what was pOino on I merely bowed in