Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-09-07
CHAPTER xxII.-THE FATAL WORDS.

hDstalneu from alluulng, III his letter, 10
the manner In which she had left him; II
was her Vt was even her duty, &c
spare heIsei:. that he asked was &c
be Informed or present place Of resi-.
dence so that he might communicate the
result-in writing only il she preferred il
of his contemplated interview with her
father. He addressed his letter TO the care
Of Mr.. Vimpany, to be forwarded, and
posted IL himself.
This done, he went on at once to Mr..
Heuley's house.
The servant who opened the door ha6
evidently received his orders. Mr.. Hen.
ley was ''not at home" Mountjoy was il
no humor to be trifed with. He pushed
the man out OF his way aud made straight
for the dining room: There, as his prev
ious experience Of the habits OF the house.
hold had led him TO anticipate, was the
man whom he was determined to see.
The table was laid for Mr.. Heuley's late
dinner.
Hugh's well-meant attempt to plead tn.
daughters cause with the father ended a.
Iris had said II would end.
After holly resenting the Intrusion on
him that had been committed, Mr.. Hen
ley declared that a codicil to his will, de
priying his daughter absolutely Of all in
terest In his property, had been legally ex
ecuted that day, For a time, Mountjoy',
~self-control had resisted the most merci
less proyocatioD. All that Ii WAS Nossiblt
TO effect, by patient entreaty and respect.
full remonstrauce, he had tried again anc
again. and invariably in vain. Al last Mr.
Henley's uubridled insolence triumphed.
Hugh lost his temper-and in leaving the
heartless old man used language which be
afterwards remembered with regret.
To feel that he had attempted TO assert
the interests 81 Iris, aud hat he had fail
ed, was. Ia Hugh's heated state of mind
~ trnaafIttnla ain, n - g. f,ptl., 49,.
ton. IL was perhaps not too late yet &c
make another attempt to delay III not &c
PREVENT the marriage.
In sheer desperation, .Mountioy resolved
to inform Lord Harry that his union with
Miss Henley would he followed by the ut.
ter ruin of her expectations from her faith.
eE. Whether the wild lord only consider
cd his " interests, or whether he was
Loyalty devoted to the interests of the wo-
man whom he loved, In either case the
penalty to be paid for the marriage wal
formidable enough to make him hesitate.
The light In the lower window. and in
the passage, told Hugh that he had arrived
In good time at Redburn Road.
He found Mr.. Vimpany and the young
Irishman sitting together in the friendliest
manner, under the composing influence
OF tobacco. Primed. as he would have
said himself. with only a third glass OF
grog, the h~ospitahle side Of the doctors
character was displayed TO view. He at
once accepted Mountjoy's visit as Offering
2 renewal OF friendly relations between
them.
Forgive and forget" he said; there's
the way to settle that little m%isunder-
standing. after our dinner at the inn. You
know Mr.. Mountjoy, my lords That's
right. Draw In your chair. Mouutjoy.
My professional prospects threaten me
with ruin--but while | have a roof over
my head there's always a welcome for q
friend. My dear fellow, ! have every rea-
son 10 believe that the doctor who sold me
this practice was a swindler. The money
Is gone. and the patients don't come. Well!
! am not quite bankrupt yet; ! can offer
you a glass Of grog. Mix for yourself
we'l make a night Of it,"
Hugh explained with the necessary ex-
cuses) that his object was to say q few
words to Lord Harry in private. The
change visible in the doctors manner,
when he had been made acquainted with
this circumstance, was not amiably ex-
pressed: he had the air OF a man who sus-
pected that an unfair advantage had been
taken Of him. Lord Harry. on his side,
appeared TO feel some hesitation In grant
ing a private interview to Mr.. Mountioy.
us IL about Miss H~enleyt' ne asked.
Hugh admitted that II was. Lord Harry
thereupon suggested that they might be
acting wisely IL they avoided the subject.
Mounttoy answered that there were, on
the contrary, reasons for approaching the
subject sufficiently important to have in
duced him to leave London for Hampstead
Ut a late hour Of the night.
Hearing this. Lord Harry rose to lead
the way to another room. Excluded from
MS visitors confidence, Mr.. Vimpany could
At least remind Mountjoy that he exer-
cised authority as master OF the house.
'Oh, take him upstairs, my lord, " said the
Die roof"
the barely furnished drawing-room: both
sufficiently doubtful Of the friendly result
Of the conference to abstain from seating
themselves. Hugh came to the point,
without wasting time In preparatory
words. Admitting that he had heard of
Miss Henley's engagement. he asked IL
Lord Harry was aware Of the disastrous
consequences to the young lady which
would follow her marriage. The reply to
this was frankly expressed. The Irish
lord knew nothing OF the consequences to
which MIR. Mountjoy had alluded. Hugh
at once enlightened him, and evidently
took him completely by surprise.
May ] ask, SIR" he said. IF you are
speaking from your WI personal knowl-
II have Just come, my lord, from Mr..
Henley's house: and what | have told you
] heard from his own lips"
There was a pause. Hugh was already
inclined to think that he had raised an
obstacle 10 the Immediate celebration OF
the marriage. A speedy disappointment
was In store for him. Lord Harry was
lations with her, by mercenary considera-
lions.
"You put 1t strongly he said. But.
let me tell you. Miss Henley is far from
being so dependent on her father--he
ought to be ashamed of himself. but that's
neither here nor there-l say, she Is far
from being so dependent on her father as
you seem to think. am not, ] beg to in.
form you, without which | shall
offer to her with all my heart and soul
Perhaps you wish me to descend to partic-
ularsi Oh, it's easily done; | have sold my
cottage in Ireland"
For o large sum--in these timessr
HuSd inquired.
Never mind the sum. Mr.. Mouufjoy-.
let the TACT be enough for you. And while
we are on the question of money "a dis
gushing question, with which ! refuse 10
associate the most charming woman In
existence). don't forget that Miss HENLEY
mas an income Of her own-derived, as I
understand, from her mothers fortune.
nou Will do me the Justice, sir, 70 be-
IT,"
Certainly But her mothers IS fortune"
Mounttoy continued. o~bstinately present
ing the subject on its darkest side. 'con-
sists OF shares In a company. Shares
fail"
And . friends anxiety about Miss Hen.
ley's Affairs sometimes takes q mighty dis.
agreeable FORM" the lrishman added, hi
temper beginning to show itself without
disgnise. Lets suppose the worst that
can happen. and get all the sooner to the
neing agreeable to me. Well say, II yon
IKE, that Mics Henley's shares are waste
paper, and her pockets (God bless herb -