Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-09-18
meant her happiness his misery was
only an unusual form Of joy.
CHAPTER XIV.
COL. ABINaER TAKES COMMAND.

train, but the gates were locked and
the porter had vanished from his box.
Dick chafed and tore round the inn in
search Of him. II was barely 6 o'clock,
which is three hours after midnight in
London. The windows of the inn had
darkened one by one, until for hours
the black building had slept heavily
with only one eye open. Dick recog-
nized the window, and saw RO0s shadow
cast on it's white blind. He was stand
ing there, looking up a little uneasily,
when the porter tramped into sight.
ais Mr.. Angus often as late as this?"
Mary's brother paused to ask az the
gate.
"Why, sir" the porter answered, Il
am on duty until O'clock, and as likely
as not he will still be sitting there when
60. His shadow up there has become
. sort of companion TO me in the long
nights, but l sometimes wonder what
has come over the gentleman Of late"
"He is busy, / suppose; that IS all,
Dick said sharply.
The porter shook hts head doubtfully,
like one who knew the ways Of literary
hands. He probably wrote himself.
"Mr. Angus only came in from his
Office at o'clock" be said, land you
would think he would have had enough
Of writing by that time. You can see
his arm going on the blind though yet,
and IL won't be out OF his common If he
has another long walk before he goes to
bed"
docs he walk so late as this?" asked
Dick, 20 whom 6 in the morning was an
hour OF the night.
Il never knew such gentleman for
walking" replied the porter; ''and when
l open the gate TO him he is of at six
miles an hour. 1 can hear the echo OF
his feet two or three streets of. He
doesn't look as if he did it for pleasure,
either"
what else would he do it for?"
81 can't say. He looks as II he wanted
TO run away from himself"
Dick passed out, with a forced laugh.
He knew that since saying good-oy to
Mary at Sunbury Station, Rob had
hardly dared to stop working and face
the future. The only rest Rob got was
when be was striding along the great
thOroughfareS. where every ones life
except his own seemed to have a pur-
pose. But 10 was only when heasked him
self for what end ne worked that he
stopped working. There were moments
when he could not believe that il was all
over. He saw himself dead, aud the
world going on as usual. When he read
what he had written the night before he
wondered how people could be interest
ed ia such matters. The editor Of the
Wire began to think Of this stolid Scots
man every time there was a hitch in the
Office, but Rob scarcely noticed that he
was making progress. 1t could only
mean ten or twenty pounds more
month; and whG was that 10 man who
had only himself 10 think Of, and had
gathered a library on twenty shillings
week. He bought some good cigars,
however.
Dick, whowas longing for his fathers
return from the Continent so that the
responsibility for this miserable bust
ness might be transferred TO the Colon
els shoulders, frequently went into
Rob's room TO comfort him, but did not
know how to DO it, They sat silently
on opposite sides of the very hearth-rug
which Mary had once made remark
about-Rob had looked interestedly at
the rug after she went away-and each
thought that, but for the others sake,
he would rather be alone.
WHAT Dick felt most keenly was ROb's
increased regard for him. Rob never
spoke OF the "Tawny Owl" without an
effort, but he showed that he appre-
ciated Dicks unspOken sympathy. II
affairs could have righted themselves In
that way, Mary's brother would have
preferred to be turned with contumely
out of ROb's rooms, where, as 1t was,
and despite his friendship for Rob, he
seemed now TO be- op.y present on false
urctcrseS. Dick was formally engaged
10 Nell now, but he tried at times 10
have no patience with Rob. Perhaps he
thought 81 ii.t.e sadly in his own room
that 90 be engaged is not all the world.
Dick had hoped that the misunder-
standing which parted Rob and Mary
at Sunbury would keep them apart
without further interve ntiOn from him
That was not TO be. The next time he
went 20 MOleSey he was asked why ne had
not brought Mr.. Angus with him; ana
though IL was not Mary who asked the
question, she stopped short oa her way
out Of the saloon 10 hear his answer.
"He did not seem to want TO come,
Dick replied, reluctantly.
81 know why Mr.. Angus would not
come with you, Nell said to DICK when
they were alone; 'he thinks Mary Is en-
gagged 10 Sir Clement
Nonsense" said Dick.
81 am sure Of it,, said Nell; "you
know we all thought so that day we
were mp the river"
"Then let him think soft he chooses"
Dick said, harshly. 1T IS no affair OF
his"
"Oh, It is" Nell exclaimed. But 1
suppose it would never do, Dick"
'tVhat you are thinking OF is quite
ont OF the question, replied Dick, feel
ing that il was a cruel fate which COM
peIIed him TO act fathers part to
Mary: land besides Mary does not care
FOR him like tnat. She told me so her
self.
"Oh, but she does" Nell replied, in
tone Of conviction.
'Did she tell you SOP"
'sNo, she said she didn't" answered
Nell. as IL that made no difference.
"WeH," said Dick, YEARLY, Ut Is
much better that Angus should not
come herea gain.
Nevertheless, when Dick returned to
london he carried in his pocket an in
vitat!on TO Rob 70 spend the following
Saturday at the "Tawny Owl" II was
a very nice note in Mary Abinger'ss
handwriting, and Dick would have liked
TO drop it over the HungerHeld Bridge:
He gave It TO Rob, however, and stood
on the defensive.
The note began, "Dear Mr.. Angus