Griggs courier., 1893-07-07

ett?" asked
Minnie Morris, looking up into he,
lovers face with eyes which expressed
a life-and death earnestness.
L ''Why, who ON earth told you, pet?'
'sNever mind who told me, Dick. Ii
It true?'
''Well. he did make some suggestion
OF the kind; but 1 don't know that the
lady would have me. Everyone isn't as
easy to please as you, little one."
''Oh, Dickl" she groaned. 'T-1
couldn't give you up, think, unless
was sure it was for your happiness"
''Could you give me up at alp" he
asked, banteringly; but her reply was
quite serious.
''Yes, could, and would if was con-
vinced it was for your good" the little
woman said, with such an expression
of resolution in her face as convinced
Dick that she was quite Quixot;c
enough to make the sacrifice.
''And how am to convince you that
I would be happier engaged to Miss
Hackett?" Dick asked, scratching his
head, with droll expression of per-
plexity.
''Dicl<, dear, your father will never
forgive you if he finds out not only that
you won't take Miss Hackett, but that
you will take me-"
81 haven't broken it to him yet"
Dick answered lightly. "rm an un-
selfish fellow, and like to keepm little
trouble to myself as long as can"
AS he spoke he lifted ''his little
trouble clean off the ground with the
arm which was round her waist, and
set her then gently down. Her little
ness and lightness had for him a charm
complementary to that which his great
size and strength had for her.
''He'l hear of it and disinherit you,
Dick"
81 don't think so. MY father is not
always like what you see of him. Be-
fore he fell in unexpectedly for the
property he was the most generous of
men; but his sudden riches, which
made him socially, ruined him moral
ly. He became suspicious, cynical and
miserly, with, however, the strangest
occasional reversions to his old gener-
GUS self. Now. if Icaught him in one
of these lucid intervals and confessed
our engagement to him then, believe
he'd not only approve of it, but give us
lump sum down for our emigration
plan."
.;sBut he won't hear of it from you,
Dick. Gilbert will tell him."
colbert? He doesn't know of it him
self"
''Yes, he does; he told Miss jackson
of it,"
''Phew! He'll certainly put a spoke
in my wheel in that easel" Dick ex-
claimed with insuppressible concern.
''I'd better be beforehand with him,
Minnie. and make a clean breast of it
at once to my father" he added.
When, however, Dick hurried home
to make this confession to his father he
found thathis brother Gilbert had been
beforehand with him.
$50, sir" his father cried, the mo-
anent he entered the study, and before
he could even open his lips. $50, sir,
I'm to congratulate you upon your en-.
gagement to Miss Morris! Very good;
very good! shall be glad to make
precisely the same settlement in her
case that promised to make if you
had married Miss Hackett."
Here Dick stammered amazedly: Its
really exceedingly good of you, father. u
'fNot at all, sir; not at all. l prom
ised to settle on you fortune equal to
Miss Hackett's, and now 1 promise to
settle on you fortune equal to Miss
Morris. That's fair, sir, l hope" he
added, with harsh, sardonic laugh.
Hardly, SIR" Dick replied, bitterly.
"'1t is neither generous nor just to helI
only those who need no help"
"it's Christian, anyway, which is bet
ter than being generous or just. He
that hath to him shall be given, and he
that hath not from him shah be taker
that which he seemeth to have Eh?'
"It's hardly the moral of the parable
of the prodieal, sir. Like him came
to ask you for a sum to start us"
''Not penny! Not penny! Not 6
penny!" cried the old man, furiously.
''If you choose to take your own way
you make your own way"
''Vcry wefl, SIR" And Dick turned
abruptly on his heel and quilted tn.
room.
It was a terrible blow to him, sine,
he was some thousands in debt, ant
had been brought up in the idlenes
and helplessness of man with grea
expectations. He hurried off, rathe
weakly and selfishly, it must be con
fessed, to confide the whole trouble
debts and ALTO Minnie. Great wa
his surprise and relief to find that sh
took, now when the blow had fallen
the cheerful view he had failed to max
her take when it was merely impending
''It will be all right. Dick, dear, you'l
see" she treasured him, brightly, owe
and over again. till she succeeded i
anfecsi ing him with this hopefulness.
Indeed, she seemed in almost hystel
tcally high spirits, and lauRhingly IL
sisted upon branding him as ''her yer
own by cutting away to the yer
roots q lock of his hair. She kissed. tot
the little bald spot she had lnade-th
first kiss she had given him, but not th
last. For when he rose at last. an
late, to take his leave, she followe
him outside the door, and there in til
darkness she said. with sudden cate