Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-11-11

5S$s'ss "Well,n observed
Dr.. Houghton, "don'i
do too much for her." He had laz,
way OF making such remarks. The feal
of giving offence never seemed to weigh
upon him. He had the clear, impartial
gaze, the straight, calm features, the
general personal acceptability that con-
stitute an armor from behind which it
seems quite possible for man to be and
to say what he chooses.
"Iou are extremely inpertinent" OK
claimed Mrs. Branscombe, showing,
however, no further sign of taking such
impertinence amiss. "Of course shall
do as much for her as possibly can. l
know what you mean when you warn
me not to do too much. You like that
bucolic flavor Felicia carries about with
her. That is quite Characteristic of YOU
SUPER astidious, blasc man of the
world that you are. It's a novelty
all that naivete which hangs about the
poor child. You would call it awkward
ness, stupidity in sister of yours. But
you like to anuse yourself with it when
you encounter 1t in fresh little stranger.
Yes, you mca are all alike. But Felicia,
you see, is sort Of relative of mine.
and since Providence has thrown her in
the way of having her rusticity some.
what%olished up l mean to do my duty
by her-even," she concluded, with her
brilliant, rather sharp smile, Sat the risk
of making her as frivolous and convcn-
honal person rs myself"
DR.. Houghtou stroked his mustachc
reaectively and smiled.
'"Oh, you know that you are charm
ing" he announced
"What is more to the purpose is that
should know that you intend to be so
while 1 am gone," said Mrs. Brans-
connie, looking at him more intcntly.
"While you are gomez"
"Yes. Felicia is to be left here, YOU
know. Old Nine. Cloze is excellent. rs
far as she goes, but sho doesn't 90 very
far. am afraid she would be no match
for you if you should suddenly take 1T
INTO your head to make love to my little
rural relative. Oh, don't stare! You
are quite capable of it. You would ex-
pertinent with her tcnderly ingenious
sensiblities. 1t would be n new moral
case to study. That would interest the
professional soul of the physician, while
it would cXhilerate the palate of the man
of.the world"
"Why do you repeat that2 WHY do
you call me man of the world2 / am
a hard-worked, INDECENT drudge of n
doctor. The two terms are far from being
anonymous"
"Oh, no false modestyl You know
you mean to succeed; to go very far and
very high" She laughed at his silence.
''No, a man like you never likes to have
his ADDITION unmasked, of course.
Nevertheless, how can one help under.
standing!"
She stood up and Houghton took the
motion us sign for HIM to 90. He rose
likewise. Mrs. Branscombe continued
to smile at him moment with her keen,
practiced eyes and then she put out her
naEd.
Don't relinquish your purpose, that's
all. Go very far and very high, by all
means. 1 like to see such successes.
They're glorious thing. Most people
let their life use them, and it generally
use them very badly. You use your life.
You make it subscrvient; you are deter.
mined that it shall help you to attain
your ends. It's altogether very fine, and
that's one other reason for my not wish
ing you to find my little Felicia too in
'ores;ing. 1t would never do for you
10 be checked in your career by any
such thing as that"
1t was on Houghton's lips to ask this
7ivacious lady what she meant. But he
lid not frame the query. After all, 1t
vas needless subterfuge; he knew what
Ter meaning was as well as herself.
"There is no telling what q man
nay do" he remarked lightly, and he
vas gone.
A NV days later he was passing by
Yrs. Branscombe's cottage, when that
ady's carriage drove up. The grotesque
igure of the old companion, Nine. Cloze,
lighted, followed by the fair young
presence of Miss Felicia Langworthy.
The young girl bowed shyly, colored,
hesitated and finally put out her hand.
She had the air of not knowing exactly
whether this were quite the right thing
10 do. But her rosy embarrassment in
he setting of her wide, cool summer
hat and her thin, light dress, quantity
fashioned by Mrs. Branscombe's dress
maker (who was On artist), to show the
Ire-Raphaelite purity and awkward
gaces of the young figure, pleased the
Titical sense of this undemonstrativc
md rather hard young man to an aston
shing degree. To be sure, he had in a
way, given Mrs. Branscombe promise
lot to obtrudc any attentions upon her
inexperienced Charge. But he reflected
That 70 be civil was not to pay attentions.
At all events and however he may have
lquarcd the matter with his conscience.
hS accepted the half hesitating invitation
MISS Felicia extended to him to enter,
an invitation for which her timid glance
seemed to appeal to the placidly smiling