The Florence tribune., 1892-08-25

post he had taken at ork the untoWard al- iteration of his prospects disclosed to him on the previous evening. And not unnaturally, though in this instance enormously, he gave bis uncle credit for acting with mature de- liberation.
 Edgar Dicks clapped him on the shoulder
 "Spoken like Briton,r be cried; ''but I'd have taken oath that the old fellow had moro sense. Yes, and better regard for you. Who is the fair beguilerl She'll have Q prize. ehg'
 s'She will speak in all seriousness. Not 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 ns ignorant, Dicks, as you are"
 ssYou asked him, surelyf'
 Mot L suppose my wretched pride got in the path; ah, well, it's got knock down blow at last"
 "Whewl You're queer pair. Eccentric- ity must be hereditary; here's the procf1 Y And Dicks ended with laugh, compound cd in about equal parts of admiration, pity and musement-admiration for his com rade's chivG.rous defense of tEe imperious old ship broker, pity for young Geoffrey's ab- ruptly overclouded hopes, and amusement at the humor of the off hand avowal which Godfrey had described
 At the same instant Dicks recoIlected can De had to make in Park street. They were far up Princei road
 s'I shall have to wish you good morning, Middleton; it won't do to neglect duty, and the beckoning hand is at my rear.n
 The friends parted Godfrey strolled moodily along, battling with certain temp tation which was sure to attack him as he neared Princes park In house to his right resided Dusa venn, girl whom yesterday he had dared to pictures on the canvas of an exuberant fancy as his wife, but who now was as far above him as the star is ever above the moth. Her friends were rich, and he was a poor surgeon-nothing more Had be not been duly warned that to build an airy castle on the basis of great inherit ance, as in the past he had been apt to do, was simply to set a premium on 1 disappointment and disasterl Henceforth he would walk among realities, and, as he had assured Dicks, put e decisive l period to day dreams. It was hard, all the same, to recognize that the acquaintance that had begun so blithely at Christmas, when Dusa had returned from Germany, and the hope of continuing and developing which had secretly combined with his none tary need to bring him now to Liverpool, must remain only witching, tantalizing memory. Yesterday he had dared to call and Dusa had been so kind that he had grown bold to whisper words into which she might, if she pleased, read passion and the old sweet homage of the man to the maid. He was invited to return-to drop in at any time he chose.
 Why not for the last time nowi On the morrow be would seek safety in flight to York
 Where young woman Is in the question especially girl scarce twenty, with rippling 1 golden hair, eyes like meres of living light, and face and figure worthy of Aphrodite as she dwelt in Grecian sculptor's brain-how shall man hold on the even tenor of his way and be strongl
 Young Geoffrey's feet stayed, turned, finally stood in the hall of Gartmore, and then strange thing befell him. He was ush- cred into a boudoir and found Dusa alone, and there was a look upon her face, and a sweet expectancy in her attitude, that caused his heart to thump against bis breast as if seeking to depart and fly to that fair custod- ian for whom nature had So clearly destined it. Already he was mystified, and, it would hardly be too much to write, alarmed.
 "Geoffreyp whispered a soft voice. And volumes could not have gathered into their covers fuller, richer meaning.
 What bewildering portent was thisi For hard strife with the yearnings of his own spirit Godfrey Middleton had come pre- pared. But not for challenge of this sort. He was swayed .like a reed in the wind. Every maxim of prudence was driven out of his head. The words of his answer-which was an appeal-came with but semi-con- scious voiition.
 eDusa, my dear onel Is there any hoper be cried.
 And ah, the bliss. the bewilderment of itl The shapely little head was pillowed upon bis breast. Hopel This was certainty.
 But, Godfrey, your letter said this even ing; Twas not looking for you yet. Were you so impatientr
 My letter." he echoed helplessly.
 "Yes; and how curiously formal you wert in expressing what-what suppose is your wish"--the blushing face was averted, oi young Geoffreys slowly dawning look of hor rifed intelligence must infallibly have strucz Q chill to the tender heart that trusted him If hadn't known you-as 1t really seemi , for an age, though it's such a littts tiine-l should have fancied that, after 6ll, you didn' , very greatly care"--
 "Stop, Dusa, my treasurel" almost moanet , the startled and dismaysd lover; ''nothint can change our regard for each other-noth . ing shall We are agreed in thatp Dusa was alert and quivering in every , nerve with a new accession of excitement } It was her turn to be perplexed- Wh, this sudden tornado of anxious, forebodinl passioni
 "Yes, oh, yes," she replied, with shy i, pretty fervor.
 "Then, Dusa, it was not who wrote t
 you; it was my uncler'
 , Only the rosy kiss of morning on Alpin } snow will compare with the flood of carmin that overswept the abashed countenance , Amusement and condemnation between then
 riveted her to the spot, or the girl might hay fled. If this were true, what hoyden sh
 must have appeared to her visitor. Coul t anything be worse than to be won withou l being wooedl And her parents too had bee : deceived. They had regarded the statel
 proposal as emanating from the nephew, an
 on the strength of old Geoffrey's wealth, i , estimating which the banker had the assist 3 ance of private knowledge, they had gra ciously favored the suitor. It was'a terribl , imbroglio, from whatever standpoint th ' complex question at issue was regarded. [ But young Godfrey had the courage c l despair, and the nobility of his nature ai !. serted itself.
 s sForgive me, Miss Venn, for my i'll COT