The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-26

no more let wife DO forced upon myself
than what would let husband be forced
on the young lady"
He sat and covered at me like one in
doubt and good deal of temper.
so that this is to be the way Of IT." I
mond, and that blytheiy, if she Is willing.
But if there be the least unwillingness, as
l have reason to fear-marry her will /
never"
well, WE'LL" said he, ''this is small af-
fair. As soon as she returns I will sound
her bit. and hope to reassure you"
But cut in again. mot finger Of
you, Mr.. Drummond, or cry of. and you
can seek a husband to your daughter
somewhere else." said I. at is l that am
to be the only dealer and the only judge.
shall satisfy myself exactly; and none
else shall anyways meddle-you, the least
of ALL"
Upon my word. STRIP he exclaimed.
''and who are you to be the judge?"
1.-The bridegroom, believe" said I.
''This is to quibble, he cried. You turn
your back upon the facts. The girl. my
daughter, has no choice left to exercise.
Her character is gone"
And | ask your pardon" said l, ''but
while this matter lies between her and
you and me. that is not so."
what security have ?" he cried. Gam
to let my daughter's reputation depend
upon a chance?'
"You should have thought Of all this
long ago." said I, "before you were so
misguided as to lose your daughter; and
not afterward, when it is quite too late.
refuse to regard myself as any way &C
countable for your neglect, and viii be
brow beaten by no man living. My mind
is quite made up, and come what may, I
will not depart from it q hairs breadth.
You and me are to sit here in company
till her return; upon which, without
either word or look from you, she and /
are to go forth again to hold our talk. If
she eau satisfy me that she is willing to
this step. will then make it, and if she
cannot, | will not"
He leaped out of his seat like man
stung. II can spy your maneuver," he
fusel''
maybe ay. and maybe no." said I.
"That is the way it is to be- whatever"
And if l refuse?" cries he.
''Then. Mr.. Drummond. it will have to
come to the throat-cutting," said l.
What with the size of the man. his great
length of arm, in which he came near
rivaling his father, and his reputed skill
at weapons, did not use this word with
out some trepidation. to say nothing
at all of the circumstance that he was
Catriona's father. But l might have
spared myself alarms. From the poor
ness of my lodging-he does not seem
to have remarked his daughters
dresses, which were indeed all equally
new to him-and from the fact that I
had shown myself averss to lend,
he had embraced a strong idea of my
poverty. The sudden news of my estate
convinced him Of his error, and he had
made but the one boun of it on this fresh
venture, to which he was now 50 welded
that believe he would have suffered any
thing rather than fall to the alternative
of fighting.
A little while longer he continued to
dispute with me. until hit upon . word
that silenced him.
"If find you so averse to let me see the
lady by herself" said I. II must suppose
you have very good grounds to think me
in the right about her unwillingness."
He gabbled some kind of an excuse.
But all this is very exhausting to both
Of our tempers," added. land think We
would do better to preserve . judicious
silence"
To which We did until the girl returned,
aud must suppose would have cut q very
ridiculous figure. had there been any there
to view Us.
ITO be Continually