The Florence tribune., 1892-08-25

lent provocation base ingratitude to kindly Providence.
 Delighted to see you at Gartmore, Mid dleton, and-ahemi I believe I have some idea of your errand," said be.
 The shipbroler bowed q fully expected that you would understand,n he answered. And then somehow he paused, for it was borne in upon him that he was on the eve of listening to some disturbing revelation. Nothing could be wrong with the bank sure lyi It was dreadful thought that made him quake in his boots Certainly Venns face wore an aspect of funereal gravity, re- i lieved only by the oddly contrasted bright ness of his eyes, where a couple of imprisoned sunbeams seemed to be baskIng.
 "First let me express my sense-our sense -of the honor done to my daughter, and through Dusa to her parents, by your offer of this morning, Mir. Middleton"
 Old Godfrey breathed trifie more freely. It was the question he had come about, then, that accounted for Vennis solemnity. The stability of the famous old banking house was unimpaired It was ridiculously ab- surd terror that had seized him
 "But, Middleton, am sorry"
 II am afraid hdon't quite take you"
 And indeed the inference seemed to be too good to be true. Never, surely, did pretender await with more eagerness the verdict of dis missal
 'I repeat that am sorry. My daughters affections are bestowed already-elsewhere my dear Middleton. And there has been an odd mistake, the oldest mistake, think, ever knew or heard of. If had seen your I el,f how .A D.. you see DuSa is quite unfamiliar with your hand; and then you write as vigorously as as your nephew might do. And 1 was busy; I didn't nsk to see the note. Dusa told me what was in it, and who she supposed it had come from, and so, as say, we blundered all round"
 Light was slowly breaking on old Geof- frey's mind Perhaps the reaction from the dread that he might be taken at his word and married out of hand tso to speak by a fighty young miss, quickened his faculties of apprehension. It was queer how strong was his temptation to re-enact the schoolboy of flve-and-forty years ago and throw up his hat at the joyful news of regained liberty. But there was more to learn
 ''Do gather correctly that you mistook the senderl"
 "Dusa did; pardon me, not unnaturally."
 sThen Miss Venn could only read that note as coming from
 "Your nephew"
 "Possibly may still be within my righti May ask was its petition then deniedf "No, it was granted And it was at Dusa's request that am here to tell you this Will you see herr
 "Not now, not now, thanks"
 The banker, whose love for his daughter had made him more compliant than perhaps his cautious professional instincts justified, and who had not withdrawn his consent to the young surgeons suit-a consent given as is transpiIeG in erTor-even when the quarrel at Eigin House stood disclosed, made clear with few more pithy words what had hap pened And his shrewd insight into his 1 patrons character was vindicated in the sequel.
 Have no fears, Godfrey; your uncle will como round, be had said "I am only glad that it was through Dusa that he proposed to punish you"
 Old Godfrey went home, humiliation swal. lowed up of relief He found his nephew standing in the library, hunting up certain cartoons in an old volume of Punch. With quick nervous tread he stepped to his side
 'We are quits, Geof, now,n he said ''l saved you from one dilemma, and you've de livered me from another I'll not forget the servicen
 And it was the last reference he made to his two days wooing.
 In the autumn he settled an income Of 6OC year, as a marriage gift, On Godfrey Mid dleton's nephew.--W. J. Lacey in Home Journal