The herald., 1893-08-20
LOVES STRATEGEM.

etzeemed through tho widely opened
French window Of the we'll furnished
breakfast apartment Of large villa res-
ldeucs At Dulwich, named "Tho Cedars" I"
The inhabitant and owner Of this resi-
dsnce was widower between 80 and
90 years Of age, building contractor,
named Grubber. His ward and niece,
Miss Eva Vernon. and four female serv-
snts resided with him.
Mr.. 0zubber WAS hard, stern man, q
sslf made man he called himself, whose
wifs soon after his marriage had come
Into fortune Of H50, 900, which enabled
her husband 10 rise from the position Of
buildss's foreman TO that Of master
buildw and contractor.
At the time at which this story is
opened Mr.. John Grubber, whom all his
aoquaintances and employees would in
5 sist upon calling Mr.. Money Grubber,
had amassed . largo fortune and had
been widower for 20 years.
Ten years. after his bereavement his
only sister, Mrs. Vernon, died. leaving
him tho guardian Of her only daughter,
Eva, child then Of 10 years Of age and
possessing fortune Of 100000 in her
/. own right
Hard, stern man that he was. John
Z Grubber did his duty to his ward, and 1t
was not till she had reached the age Of
10 that she left school to become the mis-
treas Of her unole's establishment at
Dulwich.
It was strange contrast that the un-
Gle and niece presented Oh this beautiful
To- <ka ~ I..1~x
. sat at breakfast some two years after her
home coming TO her uncle's house.
At one end Of tho table sat the man Of
business perusipg tho market article in
the morning paper, his iron gray hair
standing erect on his head, his heavy
, eyebrows contracted over his small,
Aark, piercing eyes, and his iron bound
chin extended by his tightly pressed and
seam puckered lips
Eva, who sat opposite to him in her
neat morning wrapper, with wreath
Of uncoilsd golden hair falling over her
smooth white neck and shoulders, seemed
to have fixed her liquid eyes on space
while she toyed aimlessly with her spoon
In the cup.
Her thoughts were certainly not with
her immediate surroundings, or she
would not have started so violently or
colored so deeply when her uncle ex-
claimed in his sharp, gruff voice:
"Confound 1t, bricks have gone up 8
shillings thousand, and / have just
taken that big contract for the new
board school,"
What did you say. uncler' asked
hal <>lE H.
abe had fallen.
Say" replied the other testify. 81
( said bricks had gone up and sand and
Lime arc bound to follow. / shall lose
thousand pounds on the Job,
q ~ And the old gontlsman flung the paper
Aown on the breakfast table and rose to
his feet. m
II must be of at once,r he said, land
find out If all the yards have raised their
prices, and II not ! must secure tho low
est ct once before they follow suit"
But you have not eaten your toast or
Z drank your coffee, uncle" said his niece.
Bother the coffee, hang the toast, " he
gcried. "Those who have not yet quoted
40 high are sure to do so when they see
the paper. must 60 at once"
"I'm 30 sorry, uncle" said Eva as he
stood In the doorway, II did so wish
you to be at home this morning.
thought perhaps"--
"You must do your thinking while I'm
,ggone," he interrupted. ut is only fools
&who think; sane people act. If I had
stopped to think as women do, should
mot have been the successful man of busi-
/, ness l am. There, I cannot stop, not
minute. Confusion confoundedl Only
to think that the very day after signed
that contract that bricks should advance
5 shillings Thousand, and cannot do
with less than 1000 loads"
He dashed open side door that led
into the hall. and the next moment Eva
Vernon. standing, with one white hand
N the breakfast table. and her face,
Nith y half panied expression upon it,
earned toward the doorway through
s which he had passed, heard her uncle
exclaim in sharp, angry tones:
"Jane, fetch me cab. cannot wait
for the broughain. There, If you must
wait to put your hat and boots on, I'll
get one myself"
And then Eva heard the front door
bang, and she knew that her uncle had
gone.
Shesank down upon her chair with
+ gigh, and with her clasped hands resting
upon the edge Of the table she said:
GLOW unfortunate that anything
, should have occurred to annoy uncle
this morning. had hoped so to be able
to keep his irritable temper in allegiance
till Arthur had told him the story of our
love and implored his consent to our
union"
=
What. weeping, dear Eva?"
It was rich, manly voice that utter
cd the words as its possessor strobe
through the open French window into
the room.
Eva, whose forehead had sunk down
upon her clasped hands. looked up and
with glad cry caught the extended
hand In both her own.
Arthur she said.
Eyes. darling. it is I. your ever do
! voted lover. But why are your lovely
( eyes moist with tears. What has oc-
CURED to distress you? Has your uncle
been angry with your
ssNOt with ma Arth11r abe reDlfed as