Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-09-13

shpl's affections, yen are srry much mistak.
sn Either Won must retfaot every word
which you have written I'm your Ununnly lct-
Ter and expires yourself ready 20 carry out
your 'ngng mont with my daughter, or YOU
must Do pr pared 10 meet whatever steps |
shall cousluorit necessary T. take for the yin.
dicaton of that TOO couidlng angel. Yours
20 command, joins IINKIEN
Hunt" said Dennis. as he read the lct
ter, with an angry frown. Too cunhf $
angel Good heavens. what rubh .'hg
shall just sit tight, and they .Sh
the maitcr further When Z 'h carry
determined they viii de,i-' icy see am
pudent attempt. nom thelr IN
That is how Dem
But the encour as encouraged himself
Three DAYS agcmCnt was short lived
solicitor. ..te.ward lac heard from some
they an Lincoln Inn 10 the effect that
Ncrc issuing writ against him for
each Of promise at the instance Of their
client. Miss Liuklcy, who would accept
service thereof in his behalf Then Dennis
saw that merely sitting tight was of no
use And hc did the first wise thing that
hc had done In the course OF the aiihlr-he
took "a cab and drove straight 10 the Offices
Of Mr. Rattleyboy his family solicitor
Dear dear" said Rattleyboy when he
had heard the story. This sounds like a
bad business. Dennis. ~
Its an informal shame" calculated
Dennis Indignantly. Its deliberate
attempt 10 biackmail me. The girl knows
didn't propose 10 her and that l never
had the least idea of such nonsense
VERY likely But, you see, you have
acted SO weakly and so fooli.hly. young
II iBfn ba
girls hands. Your aunt has long been
afraid of some such disaster happening TO
you
Il wish my aunt would be good enough
10 let my affairs alone cried Dennis
sulkily II shall have 10 tell her So. -
Upon my word you must not quarrel
with your aunt said Mr.. Battlcyboy for
IL Is 10 her that you Will have To look,
Dennis for extrication from this mess.
"What do YOU mcan:'
"Mcan!' Mr. Battleyboy shrugged his
shoulders cxprcssivc!y. Il mean that you
won get out Of this under a goodish sum
Of money, and who is 10 find the money
except your aunt? You have no capital.
Your salary at the foreign Office hardly
covers your expenses. No; it's your aunt
that will have To pay"
Il don't think l can apply my aunt"
exclaimed Dennis. aghast at the notion.
But | am afraid hat j. what you will
have 10 do, " said Mr.. Battleyboy decidedly.
"And if you take my advice you will call
al Cromwell road today.
After much demurring Dennis at last
promised 10 do 50, but not until Mr.. Bat
tlcyboy had painted in very unpleasant col
ors the probable result Of his refusal. Mr..
Pugsnip, the clerk who sat in the outer
office. and who had done so for the last
ten years escorted the young man 10 the
street door. Dennis was too much alb
sorbcd in his own veXatious affair 20 notice
him, else he would have detected a look Of
decided interest ON Mr.. Pugsuip's usually
wooden face
\ fortnight later Dennis Dcroyt called
on Mr. Battleyboy in state of considerable
excitement
Il say, " ne said to the solicitor "a soon
as they were alone, "whom do You think
saw az the Empire last nicht|'
"Miss-er-Linklcy perhaps, suggested
the other, eying him kecnly.
eyes, yes. But whom do you think she
was with? Why, your clerk. Pug,uip"
Mr.. Rattleyhov seemed neither surprised
nor disconcerted by this intelligence, over
which Dennis was so excited He just
laughed in a knowing way and said "Ah,
yes! 1t Is rather amusing. Pugsnip had
hint from me, you scc!"
"A hint from your / don't understand
cried Dennis.
well ii was this: Your nunt naturally
did not wish 10 pay more than was neces
sary. So Pugsnip-who is something OF
lady's manila, ha had a hint TO entan.
gle the girl in a little affair OF the heart
while we prutractcd our negotiations.
Pugsnip was eminently successful. fancy
he saved your aunt something like el00.
But the amusing part OF il is that the en-.
tanglemeut has taken "a serious turn, for
Pugsnip has fallen in love with the 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 Lottie's settlements
congratulate you"
Thanks, said Dennis, colorng, and
looking abSurdly happy and elatcd at
is-er-an-er-old affair, you know"
(which looked at one time like never
coming off. However all 5 well that ends
well And, once again, Dennis, | congrat-
ulate you"
In the course Of the summer two wed
dings took place, one OF which was not re-
ported in The Morning Post. But Pug
snip and Miss Linkley did not court pub
Lefty. They had been well paid TO keep
secret the fact that they had co-opcratcd
with Mr.. Battleyboy and Dennis aunt in
little plot to secure that young gentle
mans happineSs-by giving him good
fright. SO it was generally understood
that Pugsnip had little windfall, in the
shape of u legacy, which enabled him and
Miss Linkley to start housekeeping after
lengthy and protracted engagement
Exchange.
An Egg Laying Mammal.