The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-08-10

applicable 10 the occasion, but was
still very i'll at ease and my mind deep
ly Illustrated, and / dare say my
words were somewhat unintelligibls. l
tried to reason myself into the belief
that Mr.. Bernards utterances were
from the heart, and that he felt fa-
therly interest in my welfare and was
striving to serve me as true friend;
and, in truth, l did believe It in way.
Yet was not altogether satisfied, and,
in spite of all my reasoning and all my
belief, shade of uneasiness and fear
lurked about my heart.
There was momentary silence,
broken by Mr.. Bernard, who suddenly
remarked:
~ see you have a letter there. Is it
from your homer"
"No, sir,"I answered; ut is not"
Indeed" he exclaimed. "I was not
aware that you had friends elsewhere"
ut is from one / knew but few
days." replied, "but one whom count
true friend"
"Ahl A lady, 1 suppose7"
Eyes, sir; 1t is from lady"
'May ask her name2"
"She is Mrs. Cornell" l answered;
''the lady with whom 1 remained q
week before came here"
"Ah, certainly. I remember some
thing of her now. 1t was her son, be-
lieve, who brought you to my house7"
eyes, sir, IL was" / replied, a little
shortly, perhaps, for was beginning TO
feel somewhat annoyed.
He made no further remark imme-
diately, but sat staring into my half
averted face as though he would read
my soul in my features. Finally he
observed:
THAT doesn't have the resemblance
of lady's writing" pointing to the
letter. at is too heavy and bold for o
lady's hand"
He waited for reply. but ventured
none, and after the lapse of moment
he spoke again, moro explicitly:
"Did the lady with whom you stopped
write that?" he asked.
"No, sir; her son wrote II for her." I
answered, considerably nettled by the
persistency with which he continued to
pry into my personal affairs.
"Indeed!" he exclaimed, coolly, 'T
was sure II was written by man. l
presume, now, you are very we'll ac-
quainted with the SOM"
"Yes, sir; met him every day dur
ing the week was there"
"How did he impress you2"
l looked up in surprise, wondering
what the man could mean by this ques-
tioning. II appeared TO me that he was
not prompted solely by any idle curiosi-
ty, but that, on the contrary, he had a
purpose in view. He saw my surprise
but did not remark IL, simply repeating
his question as though had not under
stood him.
"He impressed me very favorably," /
replied, 'as he must everyone who
knows him. He is 80 great and noble,
and so generous.
Mr.. Bernard frowned and looked dis
pleased, and for little while drummed
the table with his fingers, watching me
from under his eyebrows.
$50 you formed a great liking for
that young farmer, eh2" he asked, with
something like a sneer.
Eyes, did, }" answered, unhesitating-
ly. 81 formed great liking for all
three members Of the family. I could
not do otherwise II was at oil CRATE
full"
"The young countryman, l presume,
was very attentive TO your"
''He was very considerate Of me-"
Exactly. Quite gallant, too, I~sus-
pect."
''he was gentlemanly."
"Just So" and again my visitor
frowned and looked displeased. II
dare say you thought him very gentle
manly. Those country gallants are 80
apt to impress one that way"
Mr.. Bernard laughed when he said
that, and knew from his manner that
he had intended TO be sarcastic. was
stung by his meaning, and for an in
slant glow Of resentment flushed my
face. felt acutely that he was invad-
ing sacred grounds, and that his re-
marks and questions were leading 10
information that he had no right 10
possess. r understood perfectly well,
too, that he was prepossessed against
Charles Cornell, though why he was I
could not guess. he had never seen
tho Cornells, and he knew nothing
about them save what he had learned
from me; and II seemed that the moro
highly spoke Of them the less he was
inclined TO like them This was es-
pecially true regarding Charles.
II wonder now Mr.. Bfmerds dsaid,
after pause, seeing that I whg.not
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