The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-29
BY STRATAGEM.
CHAPTER |.


father sat- dipping into his correspondence
with certain learned societies in the inter-
walls of drinking coffee and eating toast and
ham Here's a more dangerous enemy
bearing down upon Us, dad, than the in
sects that have threatened destruction to
your cases Of beetles and butterflies"
En- whaJ?-what is it?" demanded Mr..
Lorrimore, the elder, pushing up his glasses
and gazing anxiuusly at the speaker. Not
the moth, Keith? You don't mem that2"
mot one moth, but three; and I'm afraid
we shall find them difficult TO Gisodge.
Look here, dad, this letter is from my
cousin Tum-Dr. Tom, as we call him-at
Southampton, written to warn US Of our
impending danger"
Don't talk riddles, Keith, pray, it Is
such a waste of valuable time" exclaimed
the father, testify. But if you really have
any news Tor me, whether good or bad, out
with 1t. l have an ESSAY to finish for the
chronological that ougut 10 go off by next
post"
IAN right, sir; I'll come and make fair
copy ior you If you Will listen to ne for the
next five minutes. Do you remem Der an ong
your distant, very distant, relatives Mrs.
Burton?"
Bless ne! of course I do" responded
Mr.. Lorrlmore, after little consideration.
a remarkably YlFdciuQS, pretty lIlit Great
ure, with the whltest of teeth, and merry
blue eyes sparkling with fun. Why, Keith,
Pm afraid that thirty years ago | was i'll
love with Annie Burton But that was be-
fore ! knew your sainted mother. Annie
married a tall, handsome fellow, who fell
into i'll health, and through some ones inter-
est-by the by, l think 1t was mine-ob-
tanned a COnsuishlp at an Italian seaport.
Has he returned to England?"
Mr.. Burton has been dead for the last
-, 81. III 1n44a T.
the widow who has come. bringing her two
marriageable daughters"
Dear mel DO they resemble her?" null
INJURED Mr. Lorrimore somewhat iAco-
h-rentiy. Annie widow-poor thing!
Why. she must be growing old. just say |
am sorry, kind regards you know, and all
that. Word itnicely, Keith, aud join ME in
the study Is soon as you can.
stop, sir. pray stop. You haven't heard
all. Tom says that this Mrs. Burton ia
tends planting herself upon US. An! you
may well stare. According TO Toms ac-
count she is left in very Indifferent circum-
stan Is, and wants to get her girls off her
hands. They would have better chance
of marrying from house Ike this than q
London lodging; ana she appears TO be a
shTeWd woman. who considers the chances
and ayalls herself of them whenever she
can"
But - but II but three women in the
house all al one time. lntolerable! And
-hlu-Wlltlu 90 L know that WOllQ re-
}ieye her of her daughters? My friends are
all elderly professors; not marrying men.
There's you. Keith, certainly, you may be
acquainted with some young men who want
wives"
Thank you for nothing, sir" retor,ed
Keith, laughing, and yet veXei. Il am not
at all inclined 10 assist in foistinS upon my
acquRintauces the darings Of a maneuveT-
Ing mother"
We'll, then. write and decline Mrs. Bur
IONS visit CNiIly, If course"
impossible; that Is If Tom is correct in
saving that she bases her intention on an
Invitation from YOU
'Nonsense-nonsense! never asked her
10 come here. Is I likely that | should do
anything so absurd? After living the life
Of an old bachelor since your mothers
death, Is 1t credible that l ever invited three
women to come aud turn my house and my
habits upside down? 1t must be one OF
youtTlck-, Master Keith"
Seeing that only returned from India
three months ago, and that for the purpose
II recruiting my health, it isn't very prob
able, Is Il? Think again. father, because if
you are quite positive that Mrs Burton is
speaking falsely, we will not have her
here"
MI. Lorrimore groaned and ran his hands
through his hair. There was a score of
authorities TO coasult, and half dozen
notes to be added 10 that essay before he
could finish it, and the time was fleeing
Win provoking IdplQltN.
Stlll ne ransacked his memory, as well as
the book of memorandums dotted down to
aid 1t, aud presently looked up again with
rueful cOunteuance.
II IN afraid it's true, Keith. have just
Tecolected that some One-n0w, who could
II have heen?-teld ME poor Burton was
dead Yes, | heard Of his death How dis
gracefully f0rgetful l am. When they told
me Of this | dashed off a few lines of con-
dolence to his poor young widow-no. no.
she Is not young now, is he?-to his widow,
and begged her to make my house her hume,
and so on"
Then. as the children say. you've been
done gone and done it, But | suppose You
did not propose turning the Cedars into
convenient place for Mrs: Burton to enact
her matchmaking scenes? ?"
certainly not and if it can be pre-
vented"
at shall beg cried Keith, decidedly.
I'VE Shall have to let the lady come, for
with his usual carelessuess TOMS letter was
not posted till the 18th Of May, and Mrs.
Burton, who was STAYING at southampton
TO recover from the effects of a rough v0Y-
age, proposed coming here on or before the
18Th, hich happens TO be tomorrow"
Humpbl she might have given us some
notlce OF her arrangements. What shall
you do? anything?"
Yes, indeed; but not in too great a
hurry, lest we rouse the lady's suspicious.
\ our cue, dad, is to be the polite host, and
leave the rest to NE. If l don't rid you of
not Keith Lorrimore."
The young man had not much time for
maturing his plans. That same evening,
Just as he and his father were sitting down
to dinner, one OF the hired carriages from
the railway hotel drove to the door piled
high with feminine luggage.
MIR. Lorrimore put down the fsh-knife,
and looked at Keith, who shrugged his
shoulders, and caustcaly observed:
four fair friend has her wits about
her; she saw the folly of waiting TIL her
visit was either evaded or declined out
Ilent, SO here she is. But courage, dad !
shall be match for the widow, even
though she is backed by two daughters
1bere was not time TO say more, for,
closely followed by the damsels in question.
MIS- Barton was entering the house. She
was pale, faded, and anxious looking, and
as soon as Mr.. LOrrimore advanced TO greet
her she hid her face in her handkerchief,
leaned on her companions, and gave signs
OF becoming hystercal.
While one oil them assisted her to a chair.
united her Grape bonnet and held vinai-
greste to her nose, the other gracefully ad-
dressed herself TO their host.
Mamma had suffered horribly during the
tnree days and nights they were at sea. If
Mr.. Lorrlmore would kindly excuse them
They would take her to her room at once.
Tomorrow she would be better, and then
she would make her own apologies"
Inc oe!l was rung for the hOusekeeper
VINO was In high state of indignation at
such demand on her resources. To be ex
pected 10 have everything in auple-pie order
for the reception of three ladies, of whose
very existence she had been in ignorance
until they arrived, was too much.
However, whisper from Keith induced
her 10 sthe her wrath, and Mrs Burton was
led to the chamber he vacated for her, the
daughter who had already spoken lingering
behind to Introduce herself.
am Aveline, my sister is Mona. You do
not seem like stranger to u.s. dear Mr. Lor-
rimore, because we have heard mammat,lk
OF you SO much. and often read your es-
says"
"Really now? You surprise-that is, YOU
hatter me-, said the savant. fiuttered by the
very sweet smile that accompanied the
speech. Il am sorry-that is, keith, why
don't you come and speak to your cousin?'
'.Are we cousins?" demurred Miss Bur-
ton, eyng the younger man with more re-
F,ntn al, -