The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-06

en-. Either you must rctract every word
which you have written In your humanity let.
| ter and express yourself ready to carry out
| your engagement with my daughter, or you
must be prepared to meet whatever stops /
Shall consider it necessary to take for tho vim
dicatioD of that too confding angel. Yours
TO command, JOHN LINkLEY.
"Hum" said Dennis, as no read the let
ter, with On angry frown. TOO confitling
angel! Good heavens what rubbish /
shall just sit tight, and they won't carry
the matter further. When they see an,
determined, they will dcsst from their i'm
pudent attempt
Ihat Is how Dennis encouraged himself
But tho encouragement was short lived
Three days afterward he heard from some
solicitors in Lincoln's Inn to the effect that
they were issuing writ against him for
breach Of promise at tho instance of their
client, Miss Linklcy, who would accent
service thereof in his behalf. Then Dennis
saw that merely sitting tight was of no
use. And he did the first wise thing that
he had done In the course of tho affair-hu
took cab and drove straight to the Offices
OF Mr.. Rattleyboy, his family solicitor
Dear, dear'' said Rattlcyboy when he
had heard the story. This sounds like q
bad business. Dennis
Its an informal shame" calculated
Dennis indignantly. Its q deliberate
attempt to blackmail me. The girl knows
didn't propose TO her and that never
had the least idea of such nonsense"
Very likely. But, you see, you have
acted so weakly and SO foolishly, young
man, that you have simply played into the
girls hands. Your aunt has long been
afraid of somo such disaster happening to
you"
II wish my aunt would be good enough
mi MI
sulkily. Il shall have to tell her So"
Upon my word you must not quarrel
with your aunt, " said Mr.. Bnttlcyboy, 'for
1t is to her that you will have TO look.
Dennis, for cxtrication from this mess. &"
What do you Inean?'
"Meanf" Mr.. Battlcyboy shrugged his
shoulders exprcsslvcly. az mean that YOU
won't get out of this under n goodish sum
OF money, and who Is to find the money
except your aunt? You have no capital.
Your salary at tho foreign Office hardly
covers your expenses No. it's your aunt
thot will have to pay
y don't think can apply to my aunt, )"
exclaimed Dennis, aghast at the notion.
But am afraid that is what YOU will
have to do, " said Mr.. Battlcyboy decidedly.
And if you take my advice you will call
at Cromwell road today"
After much demurring Dennis mt last
promised 20 do so, but not until Mr.. Bat
tleyboy had painted In very unpleasant col.
ors the probable result of his refusal. Mr.
Pugsnip, the clork who sat in the outer
Office, and who had dono so for tho last
ten years, escorted tho young man to the
street door. Dennis was too much alb
sorhed in his own vexatious affair to notice
him, else he would have detected I, look of
decided interest on Mr.. Pugsnips usually
wooden face.
fortnight later Dennis Dcroyt called
on Mr. Battleyboy in state of considerable
excitement.
II say, y he said to the solicitor as soon
as they werc alone, "whom do you think I
saw at the Empire last nights''
Extraordinarily perhaps, =" suggested
the other, eying him keenly
Yes, yes But whom do you think she
was with? Why, your clerk, Pugsnipv'
Dir. Rattlcyboy seemed neither surprised
nor disconnected by this intelligence, over
which Dennis was SO excited He lust
laughed in knowing way and said: "Ah,
yes! II Is rather amusing. Pugsnip had
a hint from me, you sce!"
"a hint from your don t understand.
cried Dennis.
WELL it was this: Your aunt naturally
did not wish to pay moro than was ncccs-
sary. so Pugsnip-who is something of q
lady's manila, ha.-had q hint to entan-
gle tho girl in little affair of tho heart
while We protractcd our negotiations.
PuSsnip was cmincntly successful fancy
he saved your aunt something like E1O0.
But the amusing part of it is that the en-.
tanglencnt has taken serious turn, for
Pugsnip has fallen in love with tho girl
and l believe they are already engaged.
But talking of engagements, Dennis, your
aunt has given me great pleasure by advis-
ing me that l shall shortly be required to
draw your cousin Lottic's settlements.
congratulate you.'
Thanks" said Dennis coloring, and
looking absurdly happy and clated cit
is-cr--an-er-old affair, you know
(Which looked ut ono time like never
coming off. However, oils well that ends
we'll And, once again, Dennis, congrat-
ulatc you"
In the course of the summer two we'd
dings took place. one a which was not re.
ported In The Morning Post. But Pug
snip and Miss Linkley did not court pub
licity. They had been we'll paid to keep
secret tho fact that they had co-opcrated
with Mr.. Battleyboy and Dennis aunt in
a little plot to secure that young gentle
mans happiness-by giving him good
fright. So it was generally understood
that Pugsnip had little windfan, in tho
shape of u legacy, which enabled him and
Miss Linhley to start housekeeping after
lengthy and protractcd engagement
Exchange
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