The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-04-12
AAk FOR L0uK
By WALTER BEsANT.
TCoNTINUED.1

~
about us, hasn' It he? Not much, he says.
but dare say it is quite enough. Isabel
wrote it all down, SO that he should not
think he had been deceived-all. she
says-everythlng. Good Godp' here he
gasped IF Paul likes to show it to
you, he may. But l hope he will not
AS for me, l am done for l can do
nothing. The history is round my neck
like milestone. / must sit in the back
ground all my life and make myself as
little conspicuous as can. / cannot GO
into the army Or the university. have
not been to public school. have nc
friends, and ] can make none. I can
never marry" Here he stopped for
awhile and walked on at great rate,
swinging his arms.
''As for Isabel" he went on, sit real
ly cannot matter to her when once she
is married. Paul will take her away.
No one will trouble their heads to ask
who she was. If she can once be got to
think that it will not do him mischief,
1 think she will give in. And, oh! I can
not bear to think that she should stay
on here, wasted, her life spoiled, living
in vain.
She had already given in, though we
did know it. The word was spoken,
and sne was promised saw it in her
blushing face and softened eyes when
we reached the house. Isaw it in Paul's
absurdly triumphant air when we
walked away.
SIT is settled" he said, pressing my
arm. "She has accepted ME. My dear
boy, l am the happiest man in the
worldp
He went on to explain at great length
how very happy he was already, and how
very much happier he meant to be in
the immediate future They were to be
married at once-in few weeks-there
was no need to wait, and so ON. Mean
time there was small dinner party at
the house that evening, and was in
vited by Isabel.
In the nature of things it was impos-
sible that l could avoid being interested
not only in the love affair of my friend
and the most beautiful girl, Isabel, but
also in her father. From Paul learned
that something had been done which
must be concealed; from the boy, that
something had been done which would
make it impossible for him to go into
any kind of public life; from the wicked
old man, Mr.. Brundish, that he had
himself defended" the father of this
interesting pair at critical juncture
when he himself had been @. c. All
this put together did not inform one of
much, yet it made me curious, not SO
much to know more as to see in the flesh
the man who had caused this terrible
cloud to hang over his children's lives,
the man who had "done something"
Well, Twas introduced to him. l saw
him. He was singularly handsome
man, portly, dignified, we'll dressed and
possessed of manner perfectly charm
ing, not only at ease with himself, but
able to set his guests at their ease. He
was apparently about 60 years of age.
His abundant hair was of splendid
creamy white, his features were sharp
and clear, his eyes singularly bright
they were of deep blue, like those of
his daughter-he not only looked, but
he was perfectly polished and delight
full man. At the very sight of him
all the injurious suspicion and doubts
one had entertained of him vanished
AS he talked one was lifted out of ones
self and carried into circles and among
people one had never thought to know.
Perhaps he talked too continuously, but
nobody else present could have talked
half so well, and l, for one, was content
to listen.
There were six or seven guests besides
Paul and myself 1t was an excellent
dinner, admirably served, and with ad-
mirable wine. At first gave myself up
entirely to the enjoyment of the de-
lightful talk and thought of nothing
else. But a strange thing happened. In
the very middle of the dinner l caught
a sharp and curiously suggestive glance
from Isabel. 1t seemed to ask me what
| thought now of her father, and if !
really knew that
Ifelt myself blushing like her brother,
and my mind suddenly went back to
what | had heard. OF what nature was
the ''cloud?" Had the ex-Q. c. really
defended our host, and if so ON what oc-
casion? And all the other scandalous
statements returned to my brain. Why
had the venerable clergyman opposite
to me no longer cure of souls? Why
had the gallant major next to him left
the army? Was it true that the Hon.
Arthur Mompesson had been expelled
his club for cheating at cards? And this
middle aged lady, whom | had taken
into dinner, could she really have poi
soned her lover? And while pondered
these things our hosts pleasant, genial
voice went flowing on, SO that one felt
the strangest incongruity between these
absurd questions and the place, the talk
and the people.
Three weeks later the pair were quiet
ly married, without any party, brides
maids or ceremony at all What Paul
said to Isabel's father / know not, but
at the wedding the old man seemed
strangely shaken and agitated, trem-
bling at every football He had be-
come aged, one knew not why. The
bride and bridegroom drove from the
church to the nearest station. Mr.. Reeve
went home, and | went back to the inn.
1 found there the man Brundish, who
had been drinking already, though it
was not yet noon.
81 told the old man ! would inter-
rupt the ceremony" he said, with a
grin, land make him marry the girl
under her true name, but he begged
me not. am to dine with him tonight
instead. Hal Now that the girl is gone,