The sun., 1891-07-12
N0NTE CHRISTIE BEATEN.
The DO|NGS OF RAFFlES HAw.
IyruLLY RICHFOR AN ENGLISHMAN.
=. ENTERTAINING STORY IN THREE PARTS.
lcspyrisht By n Q. neclurAl
CHAPTER I.
A DOUBLE ENroNA.

DOUBLE ENroNA.
-rm afraid that be won't come" said Laur'
v.f,,vro in disseminated voice.
"Why not"
-nh l,ok at the weatherl It is somethins
...vful" Az she spoke whirl OF snow boat
w muflcd pstter against the oossy red
w s"t,t, Adj window, while long blast OF wind
.s..h.d and whistlsd through the branches
n ia ereat elm which sklrtod tho garden.
p.h.r, Mcintyre rose from tho sketch upon
~ Ia had been working. and, taking one
v,hs ,amrs In his hand. he peersd out into
=. dsrknsss. The long skeleton limbs OF the
-. t,ses tossed and quivsred dimly amid the
.h,r,Ine drift. His sister sat By the flrs, her
s..,v work In her lap, and looked UP at her
s-othsrs profile. which showed against the
s.,,iiant yellow light. 1t was handsome facc,
..rno and fair, aud clear cut, with wRvy brown
s.,, nombed backward and rlpplinR down
49, The outward curve ut the ends which one
...osis 81 with the artistic temperament.
Th.r. VAS refinement too. In his slightly
..sIs sred eyes, his dainty gold-rimmed pince-
~, glasses, and in tho black velvbtesn coat
.h,sh caught the light so richly upon his
shouldsr. In his mouth only there was some
.sns a suspicion OF coarsensss. . possibility
s,vsasness, which In the eyes Of some. and OF
=. .ist.r among them. marred the grace aud
ss.u.v OF his features. Yet. 40 he was wont
s.,sl, to say, whom one thinks that each poor
.ortsl IL heir to q legacy OF avery evil trait OK
AsIilv faint OF so vast . llne OF ancestors.
i.st, indeed 10 tho man who does not lind that
Nspns has scored up some lonk-growlnR fam
d, debt upon his features.
And indeed In this onse the remorssless
.,.dltor had gone so far rs to exact . claim
hsm The lady also. though in her case the ex.
t,sm, beauty OF the upper part OF the 1aee
A,sv tho sye away from any weakness which
miebt b. found in the lower. She was darker
. ,h,u hsr brother. 80 dark that her hea-iiy
sailed hair seemed to bo black until the light
shOus Lar.wise ACROSS 1t. The delicate. hals-
D,,ulsn. tsstures, tho finely traced brows. and
III thoushtiul. humorous eyes wero all perfect
n their way. and yet tho combination left
.omsthine to be desired. There was q vague
ssaps Of flaw somewhere. in feature or In
arp.ssson, which resolved ITSELF when an nalyzed
i,!o . slight outturning and droop OF the
bxsr llp small. indeed. and vet pronounced
aoouzt 10 turn what would have been beau
tiu face into merely pretty one. Worry de-
sDondent and somewhat cross she looked as
shs leaned back in the armchair. the tanRle Of
bhsht-colored silks and OF drab holland upon
hsr lap. her hands clasped behind her head,
with her snowy forearms and little pink el-
bows projecting on either side.
"Iknow he won't come" she repscted.
Nonsense. Laural OF course he'll come. A
ssilor. aud afraid OF the weather."
"Hs" She raised her flnaer and . smile OF
triumph played over her face. only TO die away
Ssain into blank look OF disappointment
1t 10 only papa" she murmured.
Ashufaing step was heard In the hall. and .
little pesky IAN with bis slippers very much
down at the heel came shambllna into the
room. Mr. Mcintyre senior was pale and fur
urs.lookine. with thin. struggling red beard.
shot with gray. and q sunken. dowrcast face.
III fortune and Ill health had both left their
marks upon him. Ten years before he had
bssn one Of tho largest aud richest gun makers
b Birmingham. but long run Of commercial
bsd luck had sappsd his fortune and had I'm.
Ilk driven him Into the bankruptcy court.
1hs death OF his wife on the very day OF ths
dsearstlon Of his insolvency had hlled his CUP
With sorrow. and he had gone about since
With stunned. half-dazed expression upon his
vesk. pRlllt face which spoke OF q mind. un-
hinged. 30 complete had bsen his downfall
thss the family would have been reduced to
sbsolute poverty were It not for q small legacy
dswo hundred year which both tho children
had received from one of their uncles upon the
mothers side who had amassed fortune in
Australia By combining their incomes and
By taking house In the quiet country district
d Tamaeld. some fourteen miles from the
erest Midland City. they were still able to live
Mta some approach to comfort Tho change.
however, was bitter one to all. to Robert.
Nao had to forego tho luxurles dear to his ar.
usuc temperament and to think OF turning
mit hal boon merely an overrulinR hobby
hso means OF earning Q living. and even
more to Laura. who WINGED before tho pity OF
nr Old friends. and found the lanes and flelds
dTsuaeld intolera5y dull after tho life and
ousts OF Edgbaston. Their discomfort was
aegfavated By the conduct Of their father.
whose lie now was one long wall over his mis-
fortunes. and who alternately sought comfort
10 tho prayer book and In the decanter for the
LID which had beiallen him.
10 Laura. however, Tamfield presented one
.'usction which was now about to be taken
4om her. Their choice OF the little country
!, aAmet as their residence had been determined
~ " tae TACT OF their old friend. tho Rev. John
oputllnR. having been nominated as the
wear. Hector Spurling tho elder son, two
/, %o0ths Lauras senior. had been engaged to
w lor some years. and was indeed on tho
p'irt OF marrying her when the sudden fipan-
VA :. crash had dlsarrangsd their plans Asub-
a'utenant In the navy. he WAS homo on leave
:" present, and hardly an evening passed
!. .',nout lis making his way from tho vicaraRe
~L'muene' where the McIntyres resided. To- |
~" however. note had reached them to tho
w.. .asc' mat he had been suddenly ordered on
SsW' cs snd that he must rejon his shin at
ito,nmouth by the next evening. He would
IVY. IVY 10, We're 1t but for half an hour. to bid
Them sdieu.
,,,. WY where's Hector;" asked Mr.. NcIn-
80, IN u4nxlne round from side to side.
,... Nv I, not come. father. How could you OK
w.. w.. MN to como on such O night as this.
on. h were must be two feet OF snow In tho
In, h,n.a, .sa, sh p crcaked the old man. throw
oDi, 's4 Gown unon The SO q. well. we'll. IL |
ey., .sa "sa" him aud his father to throw Us
.Eo~ 1a 100 thing will be complete"
th.,| s. sAa you even hint at such thing. IA
h.., , saed Laura. indignantly. They have
Rtb.s uue as steel. What would they think
d,ush,"a.' Robsrt." no said. disregarding his
ina, ,,Ios protest. that l will have drop.
a 1's r 'ao very smallest possible drop OF brandy.
lb,,.' .n'htleiu! will do; but rather think
Roh.ss1eht cold during tho storm to-day"
,ur h".t went on sketchlng stoldly in his fold
.pns pul Laura looked up from her work.