Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-10-23
CHAPTER XIII.


 CHAPTER XIII.
 While Mir. Emeri:ik was chatinG under tho restraint placed upon his movements by the iron walls of an ocean steamer, 1 occurrences in New York were taking unexpected and almost sudden turns. 1 From the day whom Armida saw Eu- i gene Bregy pic!;c1 up in an unconscious | condition after tho collision of the gro i ccrY wagon and tho carriage, hor in ! torest in him had been on the increase and, what was moro, was undisguised. 1 After his final recovery sho insisted 1 that all the supplies in that line for the 1 house should be purchased from the ! Harlem grocery. Tc. this of course no l ono mado any demur, nor could they [ reasonably, so long as Eugene supplied 1 goods of quality good enough for their use. But afler awhile Armida's interest 1 had increased to such an extent that ! she had spoken to Eugene regarding the benefits which might accrue to him in after life if he possessed at least a ! few accomplishments So to give the suggestions somc practical shape she had suggested giving him lessons in music herself and he had eagerly ac- copted her offer.
 The result was that Eugene's pres once at the house near to Gramercy Park , became such a frequent occurrence that Mrs. Delaro very naturally remarked it and in a confidential moment referred to the fact when speaking to Mir. Will COX. The old mans reply was that he did not think there was any improprie- ty in Eugene coming to take the les sons, inasmuch as he understood he re-
 turned tho favor by giving Armida an opportunity to prevent her knowledge of French from rusting by means of con- versation in that language. At the same timo he pointed out, in as careful Q manner as his frank, open nature would permit, that it would be advisa
 ble not to leave the young couple toe much alone. In this opinion Mrs. De laro readily concurred and she resolved
 in view of the fact that so many highly bred young ladies had lately eloped
 with low-born coachmen and street-cal conductors that she would exercise O
 least little care in watching over hel
 beautiful daughter's association witt
 this young grocer to whom she haC
 taken such a fancy. Not that she real
 ly imagined Armida was in love witt
 him, but inasmuch as his lot In life seemed to be cast in so different Q chan
 mel to Armida's she thought it we'll tt enforce her motherly prerogatiye just a little, as a precautionary measure.
 It was rather strange (at least so Mir
 Wilcox thought) that Armida's regre
 over the absence of Percy Lovel had no
 been as marked as that of her mothe
 or as sincere as he knew his own to be
 The Englishman had found Q warm an(
 lasting place in the old mans heart
 his society had been half the pleasur,
 of old Wilcox later years, and h,
 missed Percy sadly.
 It was one night about the time whel
 Percy was being invited to permit ont
 of the card party at Buenos Ayres t. shed his hearts blood, that Mrs. Delar and Mir. Wilcox wece sitting in the Il brary, wondering part of the time an,
 discussing during tho remainder in re
 gard to the probability or otherwise o Percy Lovel's mission being one whicl would terminate profltably-at least 8 far as the object was concerned-o
 whether it would be only one moro t
 add to the already long list of failures when they heard notes of music in tn
 parlor and the voices of Armida an Eugene.
 "Dear me-" said Mr. Wilcox, ''bu F this matter is getting serious. Here ! that young grocer again. He was her last night, too; he'll begin to think h , owns the place very soon, and all bt cause he happened to be laid up wee ! or two on account of an accident
 would have been better for all COT cerned if he had taken tho five hundre
 dollars we offered him; we should the , have been rid ot him with all oblig; tions cancelled"