The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-07-11

well he said. perhaps that's so.
don't believe but what Harry himself
would have been pleased 70 nave me
along. Why" he broke of suddenly.
there isn't place l couldn't nave told
him something aboutF
Nv and nv 7 learned the real object of
the old mans visit. Clayton had writ
ten only twice, and more than fort
night had elapsed since the receipt of the
last letter.
IT am afraid something may have hap
pened 10 the boy" he said, and perhaps
he don't like TO write. or perhaps he
can't"
After a lutte more circumlocution, he
brought out his proposal. which was that
1 should take a trip abroad at his ex-
pense and see if / could send any news
of the two.
"Of course" the old man said, you
wouldn't say anything about me. You'll
meet them quite by accident. Just as II
you were making a trip and were quite
surprised 10 see them. But they'll tell
you what they've been doing and where
they're going to next"
I made some demur about accepting
this offer, but the old mans eagerness
and the remembrance of a picture l had
once seen of the lower end of Lago Mag
giore soon removed my scruples.
Uncle Onesimus took out Of his pocket
a portly roll Of bank notes and mem
Alblltu the II d. H. liam III AANAbNA a.
vladuct.
You can get a sleeping-car through
to Bale" he said.
I agreed to this too, and said I would
start packing at once, whereat Uncle
Onesium wrung my hand and turned to
go. He stopped at the door. however
and told me that as soon as / wanted
more money / was TO let him know.
had counted the notes and said that /
was sure l should bring half of them
back again, but the old man still hest
tated. with his hand on the knob of the
door. At last he said
There's just one thing more, Mr.. Bay
wick. Harry's always been a good boy.
He's never been wild. far as l know.
But you know young men Will he young
men, and maybe he'll get mixed up in
some foolishness. l don't want 10 hear
anything of II, only just TO know that
he is i'm no troube-that's ALL"
l found Clayton and his friend at
Stresa. They complained of the heat,
and spent a great part OF their time In
playing billiards. They intended to see
Venice and perhaps Florence. but as
soon as the hunting season commenced
they were going back to England Clay
ton had promised TO stay for n few weeks
at Conover Towers, the country seat Of
the earl of Leominster. Lord Ripping
don's father.
! took this news back TO Uncle Onesi-
mus WIN EttiiitA AlNA a. All hAHlilNasths
'It'll be politics." he said; you'll see!"
For Lord Leominster had once had
seat in the cabinet.
He pressed me for details of what we
had done during the few days I had
stayed with the two and POINTED out
triumphantly how we had missed seeing
things which we ought to have seen. 1
told him that once, when we were boat
ing on Lake Como. Clayton had leaned
over TO me and said, Ia low voice,
Uncle Onesimus would enjoy this"
This delighted him Immensely.
'"Fhe boy doesn't forget me-" he said
We'll take our trip together still. only
We'll do II In sections"
j saw Clayton on his return to En-
gland. He was In most boisterous spirits
al the prospect of hunting with the East
Sandshire hounds Uncle Onesimus had
bought him splendid hunter, so that
ne wouldn't be altogether dependent on
the COnOVer stables
About Christmas 4 hw him again, con-
siderably changed. MS cheerfulness was
gone, and his youthful cynicism; ne was
moody and ftful, spoke little. and sighed
a great deal
/ soon found out the reason of the
transformation. He was In love When
once this great confession was made. he
could talk OF nothing but OF Lady
Blanche who was Lord Rippngdon's
sister She was so clever and brilliant
anu - very AfA9 nGAutiuAs my AdA
read poetry together, and criticised con-
temporary fiction. They had ridden to-
gether. Lady Blanche followed the
hounds sometimes. and there was one
day when they both got thrown out and
had a long ride home side by side. They
had danced together, and there was an
evening when they had sat out together.
though Lady Blauche's card was full and
two promised partners were dreadfully
disappointed. Lord Rippngdon didn't
think half enough 9f his sitter, which
was perhaps to be accounted for by the
principle Of primogenlture and the law
OF entail.
Claytons variations on the theme Of
Lady Blanche were all allegro, but the
thought Of Lord Leo1hinster sent a ter
rbly Earring notet athwart the heavenly
harmonles. Clayton admitted that he
was a little afraid of the earl, but he
meant TO screw up his courage. and he
named a day when the earl would be
in town.
Some days after that important date
he called at my chambers in the most
absolute detection.
IT'S all up with me- he said, after he
had wrung my hand fervently. I'm the
most miserable man in existence. And
I've been an awful fool all along-simply
an awful fool"
He groaned and shook his head. looking
the picture of abject misery.
do you KNOW ne Salu at last
sharply, that I'm a beggdr-an abso-
Lutte beggar? And / always thought my
father left me we'll OF. But II seems
that when he died there was just about
ESQ left after paying his debts. It's Tn
Gle Onesimus who has done everything
for me all along. He sent me TO school
and to Cambridge, and he's given me
everything. I've been just a pauper liv-
ing on charity. though l never knew IT,:
and a miserable beggar like me goes and
proposes for the hand of Lady Blanche
Pembridge'
"Ahr' 1 said, you've spoken to Lord
Leominster?'
yes" he said, that's how it all came
out And l find that l am entirely de-
pendent on the caprice Of an old man
that's the way Lord Leominster puts it,
And I'm not to go to the house any more,
not to see her again, not TO write to
her.
He relapsed into absolute indifference,
and then into silence. 1 murmured SYM
pathy.
''Uncle Onesimus has treated me very
badly" he broke out again, in keeping
this all in the background. / know he's
been very good to me- but it's all ended
in making me the most wretched man
alive. If I had known 1 was poor 1
might have done something by nowr'
He passed an hour in this way, alter
nately signing and raving. At one mo-
ment he declared that life was over so
far as ne was concerned; that there was
nothing now worth living for; in the next
he talked of building up sudden fortune
in some way that he would find out by
and by.
How much do they give the editor of
the Times?" he asked once. and L could
hardly help smiling at the evident con-