Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-08-19
CHAPTER IL.

| 1t by no means fell in with the sec
| ond Mrs. Whitaker's ethics of discipline
or economy that the children should
run wild pending the advent of another
teacher, or for herself to pay good coin
| of the realm for value not received; /;
neverless the prudent lady was willing
to speed the parting guest, and the day
of Muriel Fane's departure from
Southtield Manor, came very, very
soon. The doctor WAS sorry. His son
was indignant. Mr.. Lemuel Wash, too,
| thought fit to assume pitying com
| passion which the young man dared
| not resent. Even the servants sighed
as they brought down two diminutive
trunks to the hall, awaiting the station
| bus
The owner of that luggage was wait
| ing, also, alone in the room where the
| doctors wife had spoken a chilly fare
well and counted out her salary. 1t
was not large sum, even with the adj
| ditional unearned increment in lieu OF
| formal notice; and Muriel was picking
up the few coins, with a sigh for each,
when behind her the sigh was echoed
with deeper pathos, and she was con-
scious of another presence, which had
glided rather than walked into the
room, and was closing the door.
A hasty hand shuffled gold and silver
into MurIels pocket, and, rs if avoid
ing some unclean thing. she wonld have
swept past Mr.. Lemuel Wash, only he
barred retreat
This intruder might have been any
age between thirty and fifty, and was
not altogether prepossessing. His
black hair was of the longest and
straightest, his figure was gaunt and un-
gainly, and his features were so insig-
nificant as to be mere outlines on
saffron tinted skin; and, furthermore,
he was the proprietor of PAIR OF fur
tive greenish eyes that tried to be sym
pathetic, in unison with a propitiatory
smile which was almost an insult.
'Mr. Wash, will you allow me to
pass?"
The eyes grew more disagreeably ex-
pressive, the smile was intensified, but
that was ali. Mr.. Wash did not move.
al must speak TO you Miss Fame.
There is nothing you need say,
answered the girl haughtily; nothing
| care to hear"
"Cruell" be moaned, ''cruel on this
your last day with one whom you are
leaving to despair.
'tBe good enough to stand aside
Muriel really looked cruel, and cared
not to hide it. ''Do you dare to detain
me?"
"I humbly crave your forgiveness. "
MIR. Wash was not to be got rid of so
easily. my heart must speak, You
must listenl Miss Fane-may 1 say
Muriel, dear Girl?"
"You certainly may not say any thing
of the kind" He was confronted by
stately little iceberg. 81 do not care
for the utterances of MIR. Nash's
heart.
sAnd yet am your devoted slave"
Lemuel was looking his tenderest. as
he made an sbortive grab at a hand
which drew away with a repulslon that
might have warned a less ardent
wooer.
perhaps my devoted slave will open
that doorY
81 dare to disobey," he cried in des-
peration, and stung by her contempt.
"You have despised love which Is not
quite worthless. Muriel, darling Mu-
riel-I must utter the dear name once
more-why do you avoid me?"
Because, with every one else IN this
house, L dislike to see or even to be
near you. The knowledge that we
shall meet no more reconcIles me to my
dismissal Have l said enough?"
Perhaps" with an evil glance. He
had almost knelt, but his knees were
stiff, and his idol was unresponslve.
Besides, Mrs. Whitaker's oIive-branches