The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-10
The Wears VALENTINE,

Z signed LNE 70 N0LLeE mes.
Then he took a speedy resolution. Thi.
time he could not let things slide
There must be no mistake now. He musi
not keep that obnoxious valentine an hour
unless he was willing to let himself Doe
I compounded. He caught up the locket
I thrust it into its box. and rcpacked 10. ii
| was going back TO Cecilia Dolce by the
next post. The vicar had rarely before
/ been so angry. He did not even concern
I himself TO answer Cecila's note. He just
4 sent the locket back in whitening silence.
II that did not crush her and choke her
OF Tor ever nothing ever would. Perhaps
/ it was as well that she had laid herself
open 20 this GROWING suub. The vicar
/ took the locket and posted 10 with his own
/ hand.
But he had not yet done with Cecilia.
! When the evening post came IN ar z
/ o'clock, IL brought him another packet,
! larger than the last, bearing at the head OF
4 its label the address Of a local bookseller.
I The vicar opened il. visiting card fell
l out He could hardly believe his eyes
/ with Miss DObee's compliments" Was IT
/ possible that after that tremendous snub
/ which be had inflicted upon her by return
/ ing her locket. she had had the face TO
/ send him another present. 1t seemed In
J credible. But perhaps she had not re-
ceived the locket when this book was dis
! patched. He glanced al the work. Life
/ Of ST. Athanarius." elegantly bound in
morocco, with silt cross upon the cover
An uneXceptionable present in itself But
under the circumstances any present was
an insult. He tore up the card and tossed
it into the fire. impatiently. He left the
book lying upon the table.
He then lighted a cigarette and sat back
In his chair meditating. The vicar did not
feel quite comfortable. An idea had sud
denly crossed his mind supposing, by any
remote chance Ha! The front door bell!
What visitor was going to worry him now
at this hour Of the evening? II was too
provoking Of people to come after dinner
The Wears language was again uncleri-
cal. 1t was nearly being still more SO
only he checked himself in time-when the
parlor maid threw open the door and an
nounced:
"A1r. and Miss DobeeF
The vicar sprang from his chair in
hurry. He cOlored, and both looked and
felt embarrassed. There We're no two peO-
pie in the world, at that minute, whose
presence could have made him feel more
awkward. Lawyer Dolce, however, APP
peared to be quite at home. He advanced
and shook the vicar cordially by the hand.
Good evening, Endacott I must apol-
ogize for our intrusion. This silly girl of
mine said she must come and thank you
at once for the handsome present you
have sent her. And as 1 could not let
her come alone so late. here we are to-
gether, you seer'
IL" began the vicar. with a very
red face. Il"
"Oh, knew it was you, dear Mr.. Enda-
cott," broke in Cecilia, with her most un-
utterable look. Il recognized your hand
writing on the address. 1t was so good of
you. Such lovely locket See! ] have
put It on. Doesn't It look nice?"
tn fIdea from fha x-f~ur'c faer 40 gfa not
think that the locket looked at all nice
that Is, IL he saw it. which, in his pres
ent dazed condition. he probably did not.
The sudden shock Of this appalling truth,
that he had been too preeipitate in return
ing to Cecilia Dolce a locket which she
had never sent him, had almost stunned
him. In the face of an awkward situation
he never showed much presence of mind.
On this occasion-which, it must be ad-
mtted, was particularly awkward-he was
simply bereft of his sense.
I'll" he stammered, that isl
mean-there-thereh has been a mistake"
"EhW said Lawyer Dolce, suddenly be-
coming less cordial. - mistake? / don't
quite understand you. Mr.. Endacott."
Il ought-ought 10 tell YOU" mumbled
the vicar, more confused than ever. 81
mean to say-the fact is-it is rather
rather difficult to explain"
80 IL appears" observed Lawyer Do
bee, dryly. The Wears confusion, his
embarrassment, his hesitation about
speaking out, suggested an absence of
straightforwardness in his conduct which
made Cecelia's father eye him very queer
~.
"The truth is" the vicar blurted out,
trying, without much success, to pull
himself together. that the whole AFFAIR
has-has arisen out of a pure misappre-
hension-l-l-if you VIII hear me out, I
will--wlll explain it to you"
If you please, Mr. Endacott," said
Lawyer Dolce, regarding him with a
grim stare
The vicar told his tale. He did not tell it
at all well. 1t was perfectly true from
first to last, but it did not sound true.
Lawyer DObees cold gray eyes confused
him. made him falter and hesitate. He
stammered and blushed like man pre-
varicating. Consequently his explanation
as he rendered it was surprisingly lane.
1t was evident that Cecelias father did
not believe a word of it.
"A most extraordinary story, Mr.. Enda-
colt" he remarked at the end.
1T is the gospel truth, l give you my
word, cried the unfortunate vicar
"Umph" was Lawyer Dobee's only
comment. His face wore a very unpIeas-
ant expression.
Come. Cecilia" he said, turning to his
daughter. I'VE had better be going. In
view of your extraordinary explanation.
Mr.. Endacott you shall-ah-hear from
me further"
Lawyer Dolce was not man to let the
grass grow under his feet Next dav he
went up to London and interviewed the
jeweler from whom the locket had been
purchased. The latter produced an order