Evening journal., 1892-10-24

utS opportunity had come TO him thts
eUcning.
1t was at a carpet dance at the house
Of Mrs. Venable, friend Of his uncle,
Mr.. John Orde. that Marcus Gray, a
young American over on his travels
having screwed his courage to the stick
ing place, proposed to Mary Lumsden,
the eldest daughter of a well to do city
merchant. They had met several times
in the course of the preceding month,
and it had not taken Gray long to dis
cover that in Miss Lumsden he had
lighted on the girl who, for him, was
1.-THE fairest flower the sun shone on"
His opportunity had come to him this
evening, when he and Mary by some
happy chance found themselves alone
in the curtained embayment Of pro-
iecting window. At any moment they
might be disturbed by some other stray
couple in search of a quiet nook, and
what Gray had to say, if he did not wish
the occasion to slip through his fingers,
must be brief and to the point.
Presumably it was so, in view of the
fact that not more than three minutes
elapsed from the time Of our people find
ing themselves alone in the alcove to
that Of their emergence. 1t may fur
ther be assumed that their conversation,
brief as it was had not proved unsatis-
factory to either Of them, seeing that,
as Miss Lumsden's partner for the next
dance came up TO claim her, Gray con-
trived TO whisper in her ear, 81 will call
upon your father in the course Of to-
morrow"
Mention has been made Of Marcus
Gray's uncle, Mr.. Orde.
John Orde's dearest friend was Ed
ward Lumsden, Mary's father. Their
friendship dated back to their school
days. They took to each other, as the
saying is, from the first-so much so in
deed that some portion of the holiday
of each was generally spent at the home
of the other. When the time came for
them to push their fortunes in the world,
the city of London acted as a loadstone
10 both; Lumsden found a stool in the
Office Of a drysaltery firm in Upper
Thames street, while Orde went under
the utelage of his father, whose busi-
ness was that Of shipbroker Years
passed, bringing with them their inevita-
Die changes and vicissitudes, but in no
wise interrupting the current of their
friendship. In the course of time Orde
succeeded to his fathers position, while
Lumsden started in business on his own
account, and to neither Ct them did
fortune prove unlind.
We come now to a certain memorable
ninth Of June, the day Immediately fol-
lowing that Of Mrs. Venables carpet
dance Both Lumsden and Orde had
deemed it advisable aiittle while before
TO put themselves in telephone connec-
tion with such Of their customers and
agents as preferred to specify their wants
and wishes through that ready medium
of communication, and accordingly a
wire had been laid on the premises Of
each. Although Lunsden and Orde were
IN noway related in business affairs, they
frequently used the telephone for mes
sages about private matters, such as a lit
10 while before would have necessitated
the wiitingof note or the Transmission
of q telegram. For instance, Lumsden.
having got himself switched on" at
the exchange, would telephone Orde
an invitation to dinner or a request
TO join him at his club at a GER
tain hear, while Orde, on his part.
would inform Lumsdon through the
same medium that he had Just had tick
cts sent him for a concert or the thea
ter, and would specify when and where
Ho wonid look to meet his friend and
wife unless they happened to be other
wise engaged
httwenty minutes TO two o'clock on the
afternoon cf the aforesaid June ninth. the
teleplone bou in Mr. Orde's private
Office sTnaled that some one was de-
sirons OF speaking with him. Mr.. Max,
one OF the staff, whose dpty it was to
attend To the instrument during his en-
ploycrs absence, at once responded 10
the summons, which was followed up
by the usual preliminary question. Are
You thore.'
TO this Max replied with the stereo-
typed. Yes; who are youg
'Lumaden," was tho answer. Then,
evidently recognizing that the voice was
not his friends, Is not Mr.. Orde there!
be Queriod
'At present he is ont, sir" replied
Mas; but / am expecting him back
rrery Inomeut.
"ln that case VIII keep the connec-
rol open for few minutes. Tell him
te'isaal rae Immediately be returns"
"Ail right. sir responded Max, and
vi.h ihat tho conversation came to an
ond TN the fuo being.
So far as cculd be ascertained after
ward il would seem TO have been
lumsdcn's intention 10 ask Ordla to meet
l.i,l 40 bis club and dine with him, his
vic and daughter being under an en-
ga-Cnoat to accompany some friends
that evening 90 a concert.
luur minutes later Mr.. Orde pushed
oaln the sw ing doors Of the outer Office
ali was at oace iuformcd by Max Of
-ar oo.,-rsl-ion that had passed be-
tween himself and Mr. Lumsden. Go
ing forward into his room he took NJ
the telephone tube with the intention Of
signalling 10 his friend that he was there
anl st his seryicn The tube was in his
hanil and he was on the point of put
ling It TO his lips when a soend which
..N. T.. g. n q