Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-04-27
A SINGULAR CLIENT.

round and assumed more decorous
lositlon before the table.
show her in. Dick" he said laconic-
ally. and as the lad went to obey him he
seized fen and began scribbling busilv
upon the margin If a very legal looking
document
Il hope its a case" he muttered.
But it will he just MY lnck if il isn't"
The door swung open once more and a
lady dressed sombcr'y and wearing a
thick veil over her face. crossed the
threshold
Frank rose. bowed politely and placed
chair for hrr near the fire. then
waited
she -lt down. and for a few moments
dead silence reigned
Frank felt rather than knew that two
piercing ewes were regarding him fixedlv
from behind that screening veil. and
cool and uncunc'rnei as he usually was
the calm scrutiny st ll- pulses l-eatlng
faster ana caused HIM to tidset uueasilv.
Al last, with preliminary cough, lie
was about TO oVou the conversation by
some trivial remark when. as though
diIluiNE his lut.ntion the stranger fore
stalled linn
Mr.. Frank Trenayne. believe size
began III a sir-ularly sweet voice
lie bowed his head afirrnativoly. then
after an instant : hesitation sand:
Yon wish to consult me upon some
business matter ! suppose, lnaIaln."
"l,s." She mCrmurrl. and with a
rapid grsturv flung back her veil dis
closing a drllcatr. olive tinted face. a
small. scarlet mouth and a pair Of very
dark, luStrurs eyes that WIRE little
melancholy n their expression
Frank started. and thrill Of excite
mcnt stirred his heart Glad as he was
70 at last see possible client sitting in
his Office II added t. tho interest that
she was Young and beautiful. and while
he remained silent. lost in wondering ad-
miratiun. rhe ri>.. to her feet, moved q
few steps nearer to him and gazed at
him long and earnestly
Nr. Trvln4vuc, She said Al length,
and her Voice sounded little trernulous,
Il have come to make singular pro
p's.il-one that Viii no doubt surprise
YOU. She paused i second; then. with
out the talut"-t suspicion If a blush or
look If self Consciousness. She added:
'Will Will .oa marry mo:"
Had a bunh-holl exploded at Frank
feet h- could nut have looked more
amazed. II" pushed hack iii, chair. ana
not knowing whether t. fol indignant
OF amaz,-i at what he considered an ex-
traordlutry J"a. b" stood sprorhless. r.
gardln- has -tralE. VISITOR with curl-
ous blending n wrath nad mortltlcatiul
III hl- llue cyc~.
Madam" be began presently. but
with a gesture half appealing. half i'm
l.rious. she stopped INN
Hear ue first. i.ca,r" she remarked,
and Frank Wa Aetonished at the cool
nes, of her tones. NO doubt Won think
me crazy. but can assure you am in
full possession Of my senses. and iii all
my life was never more III earnest ask
you 10 marry me, and il viii be to your
advantage 10 accept the proposal. You
are poor and at the beginning Of your
career You want money and infuen
to insure success. Marry me. and o.
week from the day on which take your
name you viii find yourself free man.
with tlo.vo0 al Your control"
Ten Thousand pounds
For one moment Frank felt dizzy. ana
the hot blood rushed in torrent to his
head. Then lie recovered himself and
put the temptation from him.
Z. H.,
voice continued. Il want you to under
stand thoroughly my intentions The
marriage that propose Will in no way
bind Us together Iou will be free to 20
your way. and | mine There is only
sne service which shall demand of YOU
only once after the ceremony shall
we meet again. and then shall pass
from your life, and in few weeks YOU
will have forgotten that You ever knew
the"
but
Il do not want your answer now.
Take two days 10 think it over, and at
the end Of that time | will return to
learn your decision. 1t is not much
ask of you-just to go through the sim
pie form of marriage, and as we part
sfterward it cannot make any difference
to your life, unless here for the first
time wave Of color passed over her
unless your troth is already
plighted to some one you lover'
"Oh, no. Frank hastily replied and
blushed almost as deep as his companion
She heaved little sigh of relief and
held out her hand with charming smile
You may expect me H Thursday at
this hour" she said. "Goodby until
then"
Mechanically he clasped the slendey
fingers, and in another moment she had
gone from the Office, leaving him in a
state Of bewildered doubt not easy to be
described
He dropped heavily in his chair. and
for long while remained plunged in
thought.
The girls startling proposal haunted
him in spite of all his efforts to dismiss
it from his mind.
Ten thousand pounds was no small
sum to be lightly rejected. He was
young, poor and ambitious. Gold was
the magic wand which would beat down
the barrier that now stood between him
and SUCCESS. Gold would buy him in.
fuence and friends and open the way tc
the realization of his dearest hopes.
Why should he not accept the tempt
ing offer? He was heart whole and moi
averse to settling down into contented
bachelorship, and as long as she did not
mind entering into the strange compact
why should he?
These and similar thoughts agitated
him for the next two days, and when OF
the Thursday the beautiful stranger
again stood before him he had firmly
decided what to do.
| "Well?" she exclaimed, looking at hin
Eagerly.
Il accept your Offer" he answered
with an intense gravity in his voice
"and hope we shall neither of US regre
it. Now, may | ask you one or tive
questionsf"
Certainly"
"Do you mind telling me your manner
aNita-Nita Sinclair. sh0 responded