Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-10-16


ope marx OF volley of missiles. every one
Vi winch had left its bruise behind Ara IN
aoaielon he was no doubt bufYeted bv m a.
cuslng conscience.
va Geoffrey crossed the room TO an chow
cabinet fitted at the top rs a WRITING d,.sl, 10
took his check book from an inner d,,a,,,a -
-llieo up Draft, while the only sound in the
apartment was the sullen ticking of a n1orcsa
CLOCK supported by griff1ns on the rnantel-
pieue' passed the pink slip to mis- nephew, and
W. waived out into the adjacent conservatory.
he mad said his say, and for the hour there
was an end to it.
ihank you; am very sorry, I'm sure,
sir' sad the culprit. And by a different door
he too vanished.
But the ship broker did not dismiss the in
oervlew from his thoughts. 1t was with him
all day at his Office in Water street. produc-
ing an increased testiness under which his
clerks suffered and for which they could find
no adequate palliation in the current condi-
uon OF trade. Even one of his SINNERS con-
descended to mention in the outer counting
house that 1.-THE boss was in q regular tear
raging like nor'easter, and that all he, the
sailor, could do was to reef sail and to bring
up close to the wind"
Oid Geotfrey was slowly working out q
problem more troublesome than any supDlied
by the figures on his ledgers or cargo sheets.
ana at last he reached the goal of great de-
clslon. 1t was clear that his nephew was
unit to be intrusted with the round half
million SO laboriously amassed. The scape-
grace would make ducks and brakes Of it.
Yet to disinherit him by will was an irksorne
procedure, and ran counter to lifelong pur-
poses and prejudices. Old Godfrey had ever
been ready with his sneer at merchants who
scraped and saved and left their hoard, at
Their reluctant exit, to asylums or charities.
And so FAR as he knew there was not even
cousin half dozen times removed who could
DO dragged into the warm circles Of wealth
while the delinquent was hidden stay out in
the cold No; it was the choice of unwel-
come alternatives that the shipbroker had
faced. He might leave his nephew to pres
ent content and future triumph. Or-the
first inception of the idea was attended by
fierce mental throes that fully accounted for
Trlt2bility Of temper-he might marry. And
to marry was his final resolve.
The revelation would have astounded his
CLERKS, and have at once amused and scan
dalized his neighbors and intimates. And he
opined, rightly or wrongly, that by it his
misbehaved nephew would be thrown into
CONSERVATION and despair. It was on this
feature of the general effect that he fixed his
prophetic gaze with most cquanimity. The
scamp deserved the punishment
Heroisln was WORD contumeliously dealt
with in old Geoffrey's private lexicon. He
proiessed to disbeiieve in it altogether. His
synonyms for it was vainglory-for the hum
Ila1. II
not absent from the purpose he was now
shaping for immediate action. He was Co;
all the ways Of his daily life were ordered on
a model tested and approved by prolonged
experience; and it was understood with per-
feet correctness by the whole body of his as
sociates, whether in Water street or Seton
Park, that he was a confirmed miogynist
And in spite OF these facts he had determined
to write this very evening an explicit pro
posai of marriage to q girl of whom he knew
little more than that she was pretty-repute
said culturod-and the daughter of his
banker
The deed was done before he again met the
intractable nephew whose nose-he chucl1led
grimly to himself-lnight thus in due time be
eifectually put out Of joint.
Young Godfrey failed pitiably to read the
true meaning of his uncle's elaborate polite
ness and elephantine mirth at the dinner
table. Generally q dreary function at Elgin
house was that Of the great social feastl He
fancied that the sky was clear again; that his
uncle's wrath was appeased. He learned bet
ter when the solemn visaged butler had with
drawn.
''Umi I think it right to inform you,
GeoE, that 1 intend shortly to change my
state-to marry" said old Godfrey.
A wine glass was shivered, slipping in some
occult way to the polished floor But there
was no other overt symptom of disconcert-
ment on the listeners part. a Middleton to
the core, lac simply answered:
Indeed Allow me to congratulate you,
sir.n
And old Godfrey was strangely vexed at
the sturdy restraint and the family phlegm
which in a similar position would have char
acterized himself.
''This means, don't you see, an end to idle
dreaming, Dicks Ill just have to buckle to
work and coerce Dame Fortune il spite Of
her frowns But I'd take it better, think
if the governor had gone about this freak
for such l call it-after my latest scrape.
And l shouldn't have been as much surprised
then But he must have settled it long ago.
He announced it as a fact already in process
of fulfilment lie dropped a word or two
in the morning as l was doing penance Of
confession, but didn't take much heed then:
l shall have to nOw.n
Mr. Godfrey Middleton the younger was
discussing with the Old friend and ally whose
post he had taken at York the untoward al
teration of his prospects disclosed to him on
the previous evening And not unnaturally,
though in this instance enormously, he gave
his uncle credit for acting with mature de-
liberation
Edgar Dicks Capped him on the shoulder.
''Spoken like a Briton," be cried but I'd
have taken oath that the old fellow had more
sense Yes, and a better regard for you
Who is the fair beguiler! She'll have a
prize, chs"
'She will speak in all seriousness. Not
a syllable can or shall be uttered by my lips
against my uncle. And he has perfect right
to do as he pleases in this matter. But who
is to be the future Mrs. Middleton am as
ignorant, Dicks, as you are"
''You asked him, surelyF'
"Not l. suppose my wretched pride got
in the path; ah, well, it's got a knock down
blow ct LAST
"Whew! You're q queer pair. Eccentric
ity must be hereditary; here's the proof"
Ard Dicks ended with laugh, compound
ed il about equal parts of admiration, pity
and Observation-Disclosures for his com
ralc5 clivalrous defense of the imperious old
ship L-o.,er, pity for young Geotfrey's alb
ru]j..- { crclouded hopes, and amusement at
the l--ler of the OF hand avoweI which
Geo lad described.
AT the same instant Dicks recollected q call
be had t- mako in Park street. They were
far up P.i2co's road
Il She! lave to wish you good morning,
Middlc-ol; 1t won't do to neglect duty, and
the boc,oa.ag hand is at my rear"
The friends parted Godfrey strolled
modify along, battling with certain temp
tation which t-as sure to attack him as he