The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-23
MY LOVER, EUSTACE.
TIE STORY OF WOLF DISGUISED IN
sHEEp's CLOTHING.


Uncle Meriwether never liked Eus-
tace. He never did him Justice from
the beginning, and when he heard that
1 was actually engaged to him he spoke
in such way that declared would
not endure it.
"I'm old enough, / hope, to choose
for myself" said /.
~ don't know about that, Patty
said my uncle, Struggling his shoulders.
But remained to hear no more. /,
bounced back into the house, slam
ming the door in Uncle Meriwether's
honest, specialized face, and bursting
into tears as soon as reached the sit
ting room.
"It's shame" said my sister Els
peth. ''Don't cry, Patty. I'm sure
the whole matter is transparent enough.
Uncle Meriwether wouldn't be so domi-
neering about it if be did not want you
to marry Paul"
II wouldn't marry Paul Meriwether
if there wasn't another man in the
world,n said | viciously. "And I'll
marry Eustace Dalzell, anyhow, now.
Uncle Meriwether says we don't know
anything about him, but I'm sure we
know enough"
That was false assertion on my
part. / only knew Of my handsome
fiancewhat he himself had chosen TO
tell me-namely, that he was New
York engineer, staying down at Wrays-
geld a few weeks for his health. And
his friend, Mr.. Belfeld, was a stock
broker. oh, how wished Mr.. Belfield
might take fancy to Elspeth 1t
would be SO nice to be married at the
same time-to go together and live in
New York!
We lived together in the lonely old
brick house on the edge of the moor,
so that | was very glad when Olive
Oatley came down from Chichester to
visit us and brought her wedding set
of diamonds to show. s4s
Elspeth and / looked with awe and
admiration at the sparkling gems
necklace, earrings and brooch.
fare they very valuableg' asked.
"Three thousand dollars, ! believe
replied Olive complacently. They
belonged to Herbert's mother, and are
to be reset before / wear them.r /
But just then Eispeth gave start
and turned scarlet, and following the
direction of her eye turned and be-
held Eustace Dalzell standing smiling
in the doorway with his hat in his
hand.
Somehow the diamonds made me
nervous, and could not help. in the
course of the evening, confding my
vague terrors to Eustace. But he
laughed at me and made light of my
fears.
Eustace Dalzell went home earlier
than usual that night. In my pertur-
baton ! had almost resolved to ask
him to remain all night, self consti
tuted guardian of our treasures, but I
did not venture to do 50, and so at 10
O'Clock we three girls, with Dinah in
the kitchen, were left to ourselves.
] had intended to lie awake all night,
but | must have fallen into light
dose without being aware of it, for
the clock was striking II when l start
ed up at the loud peal of the doorbell
below. Olive was at my side in an
instant. Elspeth had her arm around
me, and even Dinah hobbled in with
faring lamp in her hand.
g Go to the door, do some of YOUR
T cried Historically. Ask who it is.
Ask what they want.
And while Olive, Elspeth, and the
old attendant obeyed my behest hur-
riedly threw on my white dressing
gown and went to the head Of the stairs
to listen, for l felt in an emergency
like this some one ought to keep close
TO he~diamonds.
" There is no one here" | heard
Elspeth say, after tile bolts and bars
of the front door had been Withdrawn.
:. Yes, there is. ! heard some one
groaning at the other end of the YER
anda, persisted Dinah. Oh, dear,
the draught had blown out my candle.
This way, Miss oatley, please-I'm
afraid there's has been an accident or
something
The next minute the heavy oaken