The free press., 1892-10-13

swered. "Nor she won't be, as long as
| they torment her so. It's burning
shame, to ask girl to marry an old
fogy like Doctor Darwin, while, all this
time, her heart belongs to Mr.. Frank
Warrington"
"It is that!" said !, with emphasis,
ooh, do be careful, SAM" said Trippv
for was helping set the studio to
rights, moving the big carved cabinet
and taking down the window draperies,
that were faded al most white in the sun,
and at the same moment gave a yell
like wild Indian.
"What's this2' said I. "Is it alive2"
Trippy nearly doubled up with laugh
ing.
''Oi., sam" said she; "you'll be the
death of mel Don't look so frightened
-don'tl It's only lay ligure!"
"And what is lay fgure2' said I,
keeping as far away as possible from the
queer looking, lanky thing, with its head
hanging over on one side, as if its meek
was broken, and its hands dropping
straight down.
ats what Miss Gertrude dresses up
to paint pictures from," said she, when
she could get breath enough to answer
me. 'You don't mean to say that you
never saw one before?'
"Neverl' said 1, keeping as far away
as possible, for it seemed as if it might
come alive any minute, and made me
think of the spooks old Granny Magil-
ton used to talk about. 'tAnd does
Miss Gertrude paint real pictures!"
"The prettiest you ever set eyes on,
said Trippy. 'If only her spirit was
equal to it, and she wasn't badgered
about that old Darwin fudge, I'm dead
| sure she'd be great artist!'
But, now that it's all over, I don't
mind saying that was glad to carry the
draperies out to the back lawn, where
they were to be busted, and so get rid
of the sight of that lay figure. 1t was
spooky, no mistake about it.
The next day there was a great rum
pus a. the Hall. Somehow the major
had contrived to get hold of one Of Mr..
Franks love letters.
$50 he's hanging about the premises,
is he2 The shiftless, good nothing
young va9abond" said he. "But I'll
settle his business for him! Trippy,
pack your young lady's things at once.
Ill take her to Saratoga, where Doctor
Darwin is drinking the waters for the
benefit of his liver. She shall be mar
ried out of hand!"
"Papam shrieked Miss Gertrude,
turning as pale as ashes.
81 mean it!' said the major, stamp
ing around in a fury. 'Lose no time.
The stage comes past the gate at nine
o'clock to night We can get the sleep
er at Callentown and be in Saratoga to-
morrow morning, and you shall be Mrs.
Doctor Darwin in less than twenty-four
hours I WON'T be circumyented like
this-I won't be deiied--I won't be set
az naught by any one alive"
Miss Gertrude burst out into tears and
sobs that might have melted a heart of
stone. Trippy wrung her hands.
"But see how it's raining, sir" said
she. "My young lady isn't fit to-"
"She's neither sugar nor salt!" inter
rupted the major, still spinning around
like an elderly peg top. "Pack up, 1
say, and lose no time"
OF course, this was very hard. Even
old Mrs Mobbs owned as much as that.
Trippy went about, looking as if she'd
lost her best friend, and l gathered
double lot of water lilies when | went
out on the lake to catch fish for dinner.
"1t'll be the last she'll get," said l.
"And only to think, she'll never see the
fox 60 through the tricks Pm teaching
him."
"What's that you're bringing here,
SAM" the major tAundered, as ne met
me face to face on the garrett stairs.
nearly dropped my load IN my
CONSERVATION.
'It's Trippy' trunk, sir," " | stammered'
"Take it back againl' roared the
major. "She won't need ii"
"Sirw gasped 1.
-it-baok-a !" said he.
''Ain't I going, SIR" cried Trippy,
who was waiting at the foot OF the stairs
"No, you're not" said the major.
'"Who's to take care Of her, sirE'
persisted Trippy.
"Shell have husband to look after
her soon, said the major, smiling a grim
smile. Until then I'm quite capable OF
caring for her."
took the trunk back, but as | re-
turned along the hall, [ could hear Miss
Gertrude sobbing, and Trippy, poor
soul, trying to comfort her. And all OF
sudden the pitiful sounds stopped.
'She must be feeling better, poor
young lady!" thought |. 81 only wish
we could get word to Mr.. Frank!
don't know that ever was out in a
worse thunder storm than when the
stage coach stopped at the gates of jug
gleford Hall that night. Ii was dark as
pitch, and the wind blowing so that my
stable lantern wasn'ta bit OF use.
The major went first with valise IN
each hand and big Macintosh that
flew open like the sails of a ship. fol-
lowed after with the trunks on a barrow,
and Mas Gertr1de came last, with Trip