Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-12-27
81 v. =. MORRIS.

and wen announo, our engagement and %
married as soon as yop Please. Then we can
snnp our fingers ct the EOssips."
It was an offensive thing to say, and It was
said in an Offensive manner; though the
speaker may be acquitted Of any fntentton'to
give offAnse
If don't quite know what yeu mean, Mr..
Elaeothbes' answered Chris; "buth anybody
IS inclined 10 gossip about me, SUPPOSE
can snap my fingers alone. I should like to
be left alone at once, II you please; so I will
say goodbye now"
She stood stia ina determined manner; but
Ellacombo only burst out laughing. What
a little spftfffe you are % he exclaimed.
S'Well, like YoY all the better for it; only
really, you knoFy, you mustn't think that
am going to befsent off like this, with my tail
between my aqgs. Como and sit down here,
and tell me What you want. I shan't grudge
you anything that can give, you may DO
sure"
He laid mis- hand upon her wrist as she
spoke, andtHith an exertion of force which
was perhaps greater than he imagined, drew
her toward ta bench Chris was very angry,
but also rather alarmed. They were now in
| the Avenue tdu Bots de Boulogne, and plenty
of people. Including scrgent de vile, were
within hail ayet she did not quite like to call
for assistance, and she was making up her
mind to endure Mr.. Ellacombes unwelcome
society Gtte longer when, to her great joy,
she caught sight Of tall, slim figure ap-
preaching her with which she had good rea-
| son to be familiar. "oh, ValF she said, in
voluntarily, chow glad I am to see your
Mr.. Richardson started, took off his hat,
| and advanced with outstretched hand, his
| handsome face, which had looked somewhat
somber the minute before, breaking out into
| smiles.
While greetings we're being interchanged,
Ellao Nmbe stood twirling his mustache and
1sNnB NJ fhn HFfNnY
| 'Perhaps," he said at length, 'you will in
troduce me TO your friend, Miss Compton,"
Chris hurriedIy performed the re uired
| ceremony, and added in an under-tone to
Val: please make him go away"
Val, who was himself pugnaoious young
1 man, obeyed her with tho utmost prompt
| tude. "Mr. Ellacombe," said he, II am sure
1 you will EXCUSE us if we wish you good
| day Miss Compton and have not met for
some months; and as we are engaged TO DO
married."
| ''WhatP Numbered EllacQmbe. And then,
turning to Chris: els this true, Miss Comp
ton?'
Chris made q sign OF assent. 1t seemed to
be the best way Of getting rid Of him, and it
| was hardly worth while to explain that the
announcement was not quite strictly uocu-
rate.
''Then, said lgllacombe, becoming suddenly
sober and dlSnifed, 81 think you might
l
Miss Compton /; l shall not mention my having
seen you here to anybody. Probably you
would rather didn't"
II any dlsagreeable insinuution was in
tended to be conveyed by the last words, is
was lost upon Chris, who was only too thank
full to see Ellscombes broad back turned to-
ward her. She sunk down upon the bench
to which she had been led, while Val, seating
himself Assf1e her, looked inGuiring fndsed,
there ware circumstances connected with thfs
meeting which he not unnnturaily expected
her to account for. However, 1t was neither
OF Mr.. Ellaconnbe nor Of her own presence in
Paris that Chris was first moved 10 speak
about by the sight ofthis old friend.
"oh, VOL" she exclaimed, "peter is dead |"
poor little chapF returned the Young
man, symp athefienl1y. "But that's the worst
Of Yorkshire terriers, they're always delicate
IL they're ct all tyeIl-bred"
"He wasn't delicate; he never had Il day's
illness in his life," Chris declared; and
straightway she narrated how the poor dog
had been baseiy done to death; how she had
| hed from the roof OF tho crimipal; and how
she was now on her way to throw herself up-
on the protection of 10 Lavergnes.
Mr.. Richardson his lip and looked
rather grave over i. "And pray, he in-
quired, who is the red-bearded gentleman
who thought you might have told him Of your
engagement little sooner"
|
agreeable person who beats his dog. and
who, am afraid, is given to drinking. l met
him in Devonshire when was staying with
Lady BGrnstaple. l didn't dislike him so
much at the time, but poor dear Potter did -
and bit him. He said that about our enga ge-
mont because he has just boon asking mo to
marry him, and of course I refused him
and, for some reason or othet, no didn't
2 seem to believe that ! was in earnest. But
you know Mr.. Richa lson," she added, be-
a thinking herself that it was about time to
{ avert possible misco options, cit isn't really
3 an engagement, ana only let am think SO
in order to drive him away
"Well," said VAL with laugh and shruS
Of his shoulders, "any how you have refused
him, and that's some comfort. DOyou know,
am on my way to Ell Gland? And if hadn't
met you to-day should have turned up at
your London address some time before the
end Of the week and found the bird flown.
A nice fright should have hadp
"My aunt will hear before the end of the
week that 1 am safe at Cannes" replied Chris
81 left without telling her, because I didn't
want to soc her, and because 1 wanted tc
avoid fuss, but have no intention of hid
ing from her."
II expect you'll have to go back again, you
know" remarked Val after q pause.
"But IL won'tP"
"I really don't know how far tile rights o.
guardians are protected by extraditon troa
), ties, but should imagine that in any case
q they might bring pressure to bear upon yor
by stopping the supplies. Besides, from q
1t soclal point of view, { is undesirable to def
Il Your guardians. BY the way, have they told
you yet what your fortune amounts to?"
u This query, which was brought out with q
somewhat exaggerated assumption OF care
lessness, might have put suspicious persoI
upon tho alert, but It produced no such efTec
upon Chris, to whom I had never occurred
that Val Richardson Juld wish to marry hel
on account Of her modest dowry. She replieS
that SEQ believed she would have few hun
dreds year when she came of age, but di,
not know how. many. Six or seven beinl
suggested as the probable minimum, she an
swered that she supposed that would he abou
1t, but confessed that she had not paid mucl
n attention to the statements laid before hor b.
y her cousin. Now, every one will admit that