The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-03

gentleman, with the grace becoming
| the son of the house, but it was not
many moments before he ensnared a
I third party, and found himself Obliged
to attend to some Item of business.
| He found Bess lie in the library admiring
! the presents. Becoming very much in
i terested in silver sugar spoon. he said
as he called her attention to its very
curious design:
Il may have the pleasure OF taking
/ you to supper, of course?'
Certainly, Ed. if you wish 1t. !
thought perhaps it would be the prop
err thing for YOU to take Nellie this
evening"
.'Oh. no, she don't want me; she's
going to work the professor; didn't she
tell you?''
she told me something about him.
/ Where is hep
Wonder with Miss Ellis. overheard
him a moment ago edifying her with a
new aloebraic method of extracting cube
root, and the poor girl doesn't under
stand a word of it, for, you know. she
keeps only little ahead of her schol-
ars, and they're not out OF fractions
vet. All, there comes Nellie to rescue
her. Now begins the fun" and Edgar
chuckled softly to himself as though he
had an especial separate interest in
Nellie's little joke.
When refreshments were served an
hour later, Nellie, with one OF her
sweetest smiles, acce pied the offered
arm of Prof Penderghast, and, as she
brushed by Bessie on her way to the
dinin groom. managed to whisper:
.Stay with me tonight. That's q
good girl. l have a scheme" And
Bessie, with q questioning smile on her
lips nodded assent.
After. the guests were all gone and
the two girls had once more retired to
Nellies room, Bessie eagerly ques-
toned:
'.Now, Nell, what's your scheme? I
presume it is for the professors ben.
eft"
Exactly, and it is dark plot. Pre-
pare to be Mortified. l am going to
propose to him"
Propose to him! thought you were
very sweet. but l had no idea he was
charming you to that extent. Pray,
are you dazzled by the honor of his po-
sition,' you called it?"
mo, you silly child. I'm not in earn
est, of course. But he will think l
mean it."
you don't mean, Nellie Cummings,
that you are going to ask that man to
marry you?"
''CertaiDly. Twill be lots of fun"
"But suppose he should take you at
your word and accept you, what then?"
"Of course the professor won't accept
me, you bundle of anxiety! Why he
told me last night that he had not
found a solution of the problem in
volved in the apparent anxiety of the
Majority of the human race to marry
Those were the very words as near as
can remember them"
''You don't mean it. That's what
started you on this idea, I'll warrant
''The very thing. Now listen while I
my plan. You and Edgar are
to be witnesses of the scene He
promised to call tomorrow evening.
You can sit in the sewing-room ard l
will entertain the professor in the
library. You remember that there is /
portiere between the two rooms" /
'Ah, yes, l begin to get interested.
Io ahead. We will play the part of
audience"
And so the trap was set for the poor
professor.
Meanwhile he, minus his disguise,
vas sitting in room % at Jeff's, learn
ng from Edgar the success of his act
ng. and the outlines of the new plot
which was being formed against him,
Is it had been hurriedly recited to her
brother by Nellie few moments be-
ore.
AT precisely eight o'clock on the fol-
owing evening the door bell of the
mansion gave out a quick,
harp ring, which Nellie ought to have