The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-03-03

"Then why don't you'-I felt N.Y.
self getting puzzled, but she interrupt
ed me. !
81 don't see that youare so clever, ;"
she said. Cant youunderstand that
my horrld old uncle has done his best
to prevent me from ever marrying
the only man that | eyer cared for in
my whole life? How would you like
someone to leave you money on con-
dition yon would not marry your
Euphemia?" Her voice began to
shake, and there were tears in her
blue eyes,.
"Are you a friend OF Euphemiap |
said gently, to divert her thoughts for
q moment. really never blushed so
often in ali afternoon before or since.
no." she answered with q quick
smile, though her voice shook as she
continued, al don't know her, but l
know OF her; and hear that you love
her very much, and when the solicitor
said he could do no more to help me,
came to see il you could; and, oh,
Mr.. Fairbairn, do want the money
so to help my brothers and sisters, as
we'll as myself, and can'tS Ican't giv5
up Harry" Here she fairly broke
down, and sobbed aloud to my very
great Embarrassment.
"Well," / said, at my wits end, aft
er few minutes silence, '''you ought
to marry-to marry can't you. mar
ry-someone else first?"
"What" she sobbed, "and wait for
Harry till Pm an old. old woman?"
mot exactly" said /; "your hus-
band might-Imean you might div-I
mean your marriage might be put an
end to after time, or he might die!"
She did not answer at once, and /
felt | had been recommending q di!
vorce by collision, with the alternate
suggestion of murder, and had per-
haps said enough for the present.
HE might die" she said, meditat-
lively. apparently rather struck with
the latter suggestion.
"Of course he might" / said, cheer
fully, "and his life might not be of
much value"
"Then he would be sure to live I'M
less he was very, very old to begin
with"
"Do you know anyone very, very
old?" l asked, new light dawning up
on me.
"No one," she said, except old BIif,
kins. He is 1902"
"He's the very mani" | cried.
"Nonsense!" she answered. "He's q
poor old man in our village, and lives
on brandy and snuff"
"Old Blifkins is the very man." l
repeated. "Look here! If he's 102
he cannot last much longer, and if
you don't like to take him to church,
go to registry Office. He will be glad
to end his days in affluence, and if
you will send him to Jersey or some
such place, where liquor and snuff are
cheap"
ooh, Mr.. Fairbairn!" she exclaimed,
II couldn't"
"That settles it," I said rather
dryly, rising and looking out of the
window as lit afresh cigarette: "but,
of course, if you could | understand
your uncle's fortune is a very large
one. There are your brothers and
| sisters to be thought of, and then
there is what s-his-name, Tom, Bill,
Harry '-as said the last word the
door clicked behind me, l heard a
whisk of feminine draperies brushing
| the banisters and stairs outside, while
a silvery voice growing rapidly more
| distant called hack something about
goodbye" and about my being so
clever, but l need not repeat them
again.
have not seen her or heard of her
since. My friends could not or would
not tell me anything. was much
mystifed then, and now the fine spring
afternoon has reminded me other, and
have recalled the whole history of
the visit OF my fair client.
Five o'clock, by Jove! / must hur-
ry home at once and take my wife for
q stroll in the park. Euphemia never
could stand being kept waiting. |
wonder who that is knocking A good
brief, hope. Probably some little
paltry county court case. What do
you say, William? A marriage settle
ment to draw. You know l never do
| any conveyancing; send it away.
What solicitors? Sharpe and Wise
man; very good people, and new
cIients-about the biggest firm in
London. What is the fee?
Five hundred guineas! Williaml
Five hundred guineas for draw
ing marriage settlement! They
must be mad. Who is it? Let me
look. Settlement on the marriage of
Captain Henry Scott-Shacllleford"-
I've heard that name before some
where-"and Constantia' Blifkins,
widow" Constantine Blifkins sounds
rather high class! Steady, though.
Blifkins? Blifkins? Where have 1
heard that name? Aha, l begin to
understand. My little client, this is
indeed gratitude. But if we ever meet
again, Constantia, it will be for you
to blush and for me to say with
Talleyrand, "Oho, madame"