The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-24

blessing and signature returned to Lon
don next day.
The following morning Belinda and 1
were united. Everything went off with
out hitch, exactly as we had planned,
and before the maiden had been missed
from her uncle's house the wife had re-
turned with her husband to announce the
great news in person. Mr.. Slugg was in
his study when we arrived, and thither /
at once repaired Ito beard the lion In his
den, ;" while my wife sought the morning
room to make her peace with her aunt. For
my part was intent on war. did not
wish to DO ION terms" with my wife's re-
lations; wanted to forget the very name
Of Slugg, and hoped that in his rage and
disappointment Belinda's uncle might use
words SO cutting as to sever completely all
ties between u.s. Mr.. Slugg showed moro
self control than / had expected, however,
for he received what must have been most
unwelcome news with remarkable COM
posture,
He bowed to the inevitable-and with
more politeness than / had thought him
capable of. Being business man. he prob
ably looked at the matter from business
point of view. The mischief was done, and
all he could say would not undo 1t. Tho
strongest language in his vocabulary would
be of no avail against the few words
spoken by the clergyman q short half hour
before, and SO he saved his breath. Never
theless he surveyed me with a very evil
SMILE and there was a sad lack Of SINGER
ity about the tone in which he wished me
joy.
"But what Of BelindaP' he concluded.
'Surely ought to DO among the first to
congratulate her ON becoming Mrs.
Slugg."
He laid peculiar emphasis on the word
Slugg, which at once attracted my atten-
ton.
pardon me,' interrupted, lit was
slip of the tongue, no doubt, but you have
called my wife by name which does not
now belong to her. Your niece is no lon
ger Slugg; she has become a Lympet.
No one whose privilege is to be called
Lympet would like to be called S.
anything else"
"Am / to understand" he cried eagerly,
"that Belinda abandons the name of
SluggF"
''Does it seem so stranger inquired.
II have always supposed that it was Gus
tomary for wife to adopt her husbands
name when she married"
''It is tho rule, Z" replied Mr. Slugg slow
ly, "but there are exceptions. Husbands
have been known to take their wives
nanes-for consideration.
~ would have you know, sir,'' rotort-
ed angrily, "that no Lylnpet would barter
his name away for any consideration what
soever."
At his words cold shiver ran down my
back. knew nothing about the deceased
Slugg's will. My information concerning
Belinda's fortune had come to me on mosU
excellent authority and she herself had
told me that she was at liberty to marry
whom she pleased after her twenty-frst
birthday, but Of the provisions of the will
under which she inherited was ignorant
Somehow had never thought of driving
down to Somerset House and inspecting
the document 1t was an oversight, and
I began to fear very serious one.
Look horc, Mr.. Slugg,'' said, with
CHASTITY attempt at regularity. wen
discuss those provisions, if you please.
breakfast
"You know nothing about the will after
all, then?r inquired MIR. Slugg coldly. 81
might have guessed it."
"Of course / know nothing except that
fortune.
ION conditions" murmured Mr.. Slugg
gently.
Conditional echoed, shifting uneasily
in my seat. "And, pray, what arc theys
Nothing extravagant nothing unHcasona-
Bile, trustl"
'They seem to me to be reasonable
enough, but then," he added, with a sheer,
"I'm not 81 Iynpet -
IF they're reasonable, III comply with
Them" / said shortly. I'm not o fool"
II think Two a copy somewhere, " OBJ
served Mr.. Slugg, rummaging in his
drawer. MY brother was very peculiar
man, Mr. Lympet. He had risen from
nothing, and he was proud of it. He was
nlso proud of his nanao, and rightly SO, for
it was-aye, and still is-a power in tho
tallow candle line. 1t was his chief regret
that he had not a son to inherit his fame.
1t panied him to think that on his daugh
ter's marriage the name of Slugg would
no longer be associated with the fortune
he had made; that it would soon be for
gotten tho money came from Slugg, and
that his grandchildren might pass their
lives in ease and yet be ignorant of the
very source from which their portions
came. All this, say, panied him. Flo
looked upon himself as the founder of a
family"
"A noble scntinont!'' cried Mr. Slugg
joyfully, looking like niser who had just
found sixpencc. "A noble sentincntl You
arc right, Sir. What is paltry 800, 600
compared to q name SO ancient and so hon
0rabe?'
A hundred thousand poundsl That was
the exact amount of Bclnda's fortune
What did tho man mean by such pointed
reference to it?
And l am ashamed to say took you
for fortune hunterl" he continued cx-
citodly "You-you, who kick tho tiross
Rway and say in effect: Let me Keep tho
honored name Of Lympet / care not who
has the fortunc!' "
tExcuso me-" I broke in hastily, "but
If you re talking about my wifes fortune
1 do caro- very much who has it. Hang it
ALL there's no mistake about is thcrc?"
Surely, Mr.. Lympet, said Mr. Slugg
calming down and beginning TO look very
anxious, 'you are aware of the provisions
of my brothers willS You must be. You
discarded tho name of Slugg with your
eyes open, is 1T not SO? You know the con-
sequences and are prepared to accept them?
You would not change tho noble name of
Lympet for thrice my niece's fortuneP OF
course not! Not for any consideration
Whatsoever / heard you soy SOL
"Monstrousi' calculated. 'Mon-
strous!''
''And he did not want his descendants
to forget their obligations His best plan
daughter on condition she married her
rhr, rvri1 Z. NO, .>f J,o