The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-26
A DOUBLE TRAP.

insulted me in every way Who shut up
our right-of-way to the quarry? Grant
ley! Who opposed me on the burning pub
lie question of the sewage farm? Grant
ley again. Who had the presumption TO
stand against me for the county council?
Once more, Grantleyi And who at this
very moment is trying to rob me of one
of the most cherished portions of my es-
tate-Tincker's Patch, which has been in
our family for the last 300 years? Why.
G@antley; always Grantley. 1 assure you,
Arthur, l would almost give my right
hand to be revenged upon this man."
Less than that viii do, SIR said Ar
thur coolly. quite unmoved by this out
burst of indignant e-oquence. IF you
want to be revenged you have only to give
my right hand to his daughter
What do you mean?' snapped Mr..
Curtis fierceiy. This is no joking mat
ter"
II am not joking" returned Arthur
quietly. "Supposlng, sir, remember, only
say 'suppOsing,' / We're 10 marry Lillian
without your consent; what would you
do?'
"Do?" beloved his father, turning pur-
DE with wrath. Turn you out Of doors,
cut You off with a shilling and never see
you again. That's what I'd do. 1 told
YOU SO years ago, and 1 meant it"
''Mr. Grant-ey said very much the same
thing - Lillian, and he meant it," replied
Arthur calmly. Believe me. then, you'd
irritate him far more by permitting our
marriage than by forb!dding it.
Explain yourself" said Mr.: Curtis
shorty, knitting his brows. i've out
grown my taste for eonundrums."
1T is very simple, sir. BY forbidding
out marriage you act just as he would
wish you to act, and play his game for
him. But If you consent, what viii hap
pen? Why, Mr.. Grantley, MORALLY Of
Tended, viii play the Roman father,
though he viii be punished himself far
more than anybody else. Fond as he is of
his daughter-who would not be?-he viii
voluntarily undergo az the pain Of parting
from her rather than pass over her disobe-
dience To his commands. The chief part
of the penalty viii fall upon himself, but
for al that he will inflict it,
You think he wou-d?" inquired Mr..
Curtis thOughtfully
HAS he not said 50 fifty times. and
does he not pride himself on being man
of his wOrd?"
Hes as obstinate as a mule growled
Mr.. Curtis. IF that's what you mean."
you put it forcibly, but evidently you
understand me. Very well then, sir. He
has deprived you of much Of your local au-
thority. he is trying to deprive you of your
land. but if you allow me to deprive him of
his daughter, you'll be more than quits
with him. And while you make the man
you hate thoroughly miserable, you will De
making two people you like unutterahly
happy
you go too fast" exclaimed his father.
You speak as if you'd only my consent TO
win, and yet you haven't seen the girl for
more than four years"
Il saw her less than four hours ago." re-
piled Arthur, and then he plunged into an
account of their meeting in town and all
that it had led TO. while his father, scarcely
needing him, sat musing IN silence over the
new idea that had been presented to him.
The more he thought about it. the better
he liked it. Never before mad he had such
a chance of dealing a deadly blow at his
enemy-fOr that II would be a deadly blow
he did not doubt. BY putting himself ln'
Grantley's place, he could picture exactly
what ne would do if his child disobeyed
him. and also NOV much pain il would cost
him to play the Roman fool with his dOmes-
tic happiness. He was convinced that, al
though his daughter was the light OF his
home. Grantley would cast her off if she
married Arthur-and live unhappiy ever af-
terWard. The temptation was too great for
Mr. Curtis and he yielded to 1t.
q have come to the conclusion, Ar
thur" ne said benevolenty, that it would
not be right to fetter your choice. l viii
not run the risk of spoi.ing al your future
life. simply because L happen 10 have
quarrel with the father of the giri you -ove.
If you must marry Lillian, you must, and
there's an end to 1t. But you'll never gain
her fathers consent, and of course you
will understand that 1 cannot be mixed
Up in clandestine marriage"
you need not be, sir cried Arthur
eagerly. Miss Grantley goes to town next
month. and l must go there, too, at the
end of the vacation" He had .ately been
ca.-ed to the bar. but was still briefiess.
with both of us in town a secret mar
riage should be easy to arrange, for Lily is
OF age
"WeT. wei, settle it as you like, but I
wish 10 know nothing about ii till it's over.
When you're married, however, let me
know and IL increase your allowance to
enable you to set up housekeeping COM
fortably. There. the e! No thanks. Wen
tax more about this later, but now you
must ,eave me, for l want my after-din-
ner nap" And he settled down in his
chair. murmuring to himself with peace
fui smile: This viii. upset that fellow
Grant.ey terribly, or I'm Dutchman."
1t was about week after this important
interview that a stormy scene was being
enacted in Mr.. Grantley's drawing room.
Arthur's fOrebOdings had been amply justi-
fed. \ gossip had observed the lovers in
the lane. and had at once decided that it
was her duty 10 open that poor dear
Mr.. Grant.ey's" eyes, and TO tel him how
shamefuliy his daughter was deceiving
him. As a result, Lillian was now sobbing
on the sofa and her father was stamping
up and down the room, ranting like
transporting Lear.
IT'S useless TO deny it," raved Mr..
Grantley Mrs. Havers tells me she saw
you talking to that young Curtis in the
lane. She could not be mistaken. She
passed quite close to you, and her eyes
are almost as sharp as her tongue is.
Shame may prompt you to deny IL, but
repeat that it is useless"
Il do-don't deny it," sobbed Lily from
behind her handkerchief, land I'm not
ashamed Of it, We-we're engaged
"Engagedr gibbered her father. And
you're not ashamed of it?"
Nor retorJed Lily with spirit. ''Why
should l be? | remember you used TO
think very highly of him yourself"
Il still do" he confessed somewhat
taken aback; certainly he does not re-
semble his father in the least He seems
to be a promising young fellow. 1 believe
his disposition to be a good one, and we
must not allow prejudice to blind us 10
the fact that. next to ourselves, the
Curtises are the Oldest family in Fenshire
No, | have no objection to the young
man in himself; but circumstances render
any connection between us impossible"
You refer I suppose, to your-your
misunderstanding with Mr. Curtis?" Lily
suggested timidly.
snorted her father, Indignantly II un-
determined to be the plague of my life, a
perpetual thorn in my side. Has he not
opposed me in everything-even in my
labors for the public good? Did he not
defeat me when L stood for the council?
And has he not actually had the audacity
to lay claim to one Of the most picturesque
spots on my estate. Tinker's Patch. which
has belonged to our family ever since
there were Crantleys i'm Eenshre9 And