Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-12-14
CHAPTER ".
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A SISTERS SECRET.

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"Tell me, Miss Walker. You know
how things should be. What would you
say was a good profession for a young
man of % who has had no education
worth speaking about and who is not
very quick by nature" The speaker
was Charles Westmacott, and the time
this same summer evening in the tennis
ground, though the shadows had fallen
now and the game been abandoned.
The girl glanced up at him, amused
and surprised.
do you mean yourselfT
Precisely"
"But how could tellY
81 have no one to advise me. Ibelieve
that you could do it better than any one
I feel confidence in your opinion"
"It is very fattering" She glanced
up again al his earnest, questioning face,
with its Saxon eyes and dropping iaxen
mustache, in some doubt as to whether
he might be joking. On the contrary,
all his attention seemed to be concen-
trated upon her answer.
''It depends so much upon what you
can do, you know. do not know you
sufficiently to be able to say what nat
ural gifts you have" They were walk
ing slowly across the lawn in the direc-
ton Of the house.
81 have none-that is to say, none
worth mentioning. have no memory,
and am very slow"
"But you are very strong?"
''Oh, If that goes for anything. can
put up hundred pound bar till further
orders, but what sort Of calling is that?"
Some little joke about being called to
the bar f1ickered up in Miss Walkers
mind, but her companion was in such
obvious earnest that she stihed down her
inclination to laugh.
81 can do mile on the cinder track in
4:50 and across country in $50, but how
is that to help me? might be cricket
professional, but it is not a very dignifed
position. Not that care a straw about
dignity, you know, but should not like
to hurt the old lady's feelings"
"Your aunt's?'
Eyes, my aunt's. My parents were
killed in the mutiny, you know, when l
was baby. and she has looked after me
ever since. She has been very good to
me. I'm sorry to leave her,"
"But why should you leave herr
They had reached the garden gate, and
the girl leaned her racket upon the top
Of it, looking up with grave interest at
her big, white fanneled companion.
sIt's Browning" said he.
"What!"
"Don't tell my aunt that 1 said the
sank his voice to whisper-"I hate
Browning"
Clara Walker rippled off into such a
merry peal Of laughter that he forgot
the evil things which he had suffered
from the poet and burst out laughing
too.
81 can't make him out" said he. Il
try, but he is one too many. No doubt
it is very stupid of me. I don't deny it.
But as long as cannot there is no use
pretending that I can. And then of
course she feels hurt, for she is very fond
of him and likes to read him aloud in
the evenings. She is reading a piece
now, 'Pippa Passes,' and 1 assure you,
Miss Walker, that don't even know
what the title means. You must think
me dreadful fool"
"But surely he is not so Incompetent
sible as all that?" she said as an attempt
at encouragement.
"He is very bad. There are some
things you know which are fine. That
ride of the three Dutchmen, and 'Herve
Rier and others, they are all right. But
there was piece we read last week.
The first line stumped my aunt, and it
takes good deal to do that, for she rides
very straight. 'Setebos and Setebos and
Setebos' That was the line"
''It sounds like charm"
"No, it is gentleman's name Three
gentlemen. thought at first, but my
aunt says one. Then he goes on, Think
eth he dwelleth in the light of the moon
It was very trying piece"
Clara Walker laughed again.
"You must not think Of leaving your
aunt" she said. Think how lonely she
would be without you"
"Well, yes, l had thought of that. But
you must remember that my aunt is to
all intents hardly middle aged and a
very eligible person. don't think that
her dislike to mankind extends to indi-
viduals. She might form new ties, and
then should be third wheel in the
coach. 1t was all very well as long as