Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-07-24


"Why, yes; of course. 1t is a specia.
Intervention Of Providence that sent Mrs.
Ruthven in your way-and such an ut.
tractive woman, too"
Yes, she does her bost in that line"
"And to judge 3y your conduct, espe
cially the night OF chat unlucky ball. she
Is eminently successful. You really must
lot play fast aeS loose with q woman's
affections"
"Affections! You don't mean to Sd,
Sou believe Mrs. Ruthven has any affec-
hons. She has vanity, If you like, and
grauhes 1t unscrupulously; they used to
'ell funny stories of her up in the Hills"
'Still, Clifford. / do think she is sin
cerely attached to you; and just consider
what her money would do for you anG
your estatev'
Il don't think you show much true
friendship for her by trying to marry her
to an impecunious country gentleman"
Nonsense! You only want a little
ready money to put you straight again,
and the estates would soon recover them.
selves"
Give her another chance" pursued
Marsden. ASK one or two matrimonially
disposed peers to meet her, and see II my
fascinations would counterbalance a coro.
net
Il shall do nothing of the kind" criet
Lady Dorrington impatiently. II dare
say you are talking in this strain just to
worry me. I dare say you have made up
your mind to marry her all the time. If
so, do not be too sure of your game-be-
ware of that Captain Shirley. Ho is a
rival, a masked rival; he is always hang.
ing about. and acting as If he were her
best friend"
HE is decidedly objectionable; but
do not fear him."
You are wrong. Clifford! He is not tt
be despised! l am going to persuade Mrs.
1tuthven TO come down with me to Ched-
worth. 1t will draw her away from her
perpetual fretting about those jewels;
these are a perfect craze: and l think
those horrid detectives are playing upon
her credulity: it is game that pays we'll"
Il don't believe she is the sort of woman
to waste her money In any direction. But
she is little gone off about this unlucky
robbery. Do you know she seemed dis
posed to suspect Shirley himself!'
rs it possible? Well, she knows him
better than we do. do not like his coun-
.enancen'
Nevertheless, do not suppose his be
ing Objectionable to you is any proof that
he would be guilty of felony" said Mars
den, laughing.
.Of course not! I am not SO silly as te
think any such nonsense! But, seriously,
Clifford, l want you to come down to
Chedworth and help me to cheer up poor
dear Mrs. Ruthven-there Is very good
shooting, you know how strictly Dorring-
ton preserves his game-and If yon do
make up your mind to marry Mrs. Ruth
ven-which / hope and pray you will
everything might be settled. and the cere-
mony could take place early in the new
year"
Not SO fast, my dear sister. l will do
my best to oblge you; but make no posi-
tive promise. Do not be too sure of your
little game! However, 1 will SO far oblige
you as to bestow the delights of my So
ciety on you for a few days; then / may
be called away, for have some business
in hand which requires my personal atten-
ton. So will leave the final cheering UP
of our fair friend to you"
Lady Dorrington was therefore forced TO
be content II hear Mrs. EEstrange and
Nora are In town? What in the world
are they doing here? Wasting their
money"
81 suppose they got bored and nervous
at Brookdale. Why should they not be
comfortable and happy? 1t can cost next
to nothing. living as they do"
"Oh, you think people are strictly eco
nomical when they don't drive four-in-
hand and sit down to truffies. pinapples
and pate de fol gras every day. How
ever, they have q right to please them
selves. / wish Winton would make haste
to marry Nora; it Is time she were set
.led."
Are you sure he intends to marry
Nora?'
He is behaving very badly II he does
not. Why. he almost lived in her house
all the summer, they tell me-"
'Is it not just possible he may MARI!
Mrs. LEstrange, who was his flame long
ago? 1t looks to me very like a case of
returning to his first love-"
"Ah," cried Lady Dorrington. 'Is 1t
possible? That never struck me.
don't see why it might not turn out very
well, and then Nora need not make any
provision for her little sister; besides,
have often thought, what a nice match she
would be for Dorrington's nephew, Char
lie Dyson. You know Charlie? A very
good fellow, and getting on very well in
deed at the bar. He would be the very
thing for Nora. If Mrs. L Estrange goes
to India. we must marry Nora to some
one, she cannot live alone"
Certainly not; we must marry her tt
some one," agreed Marsden, with cheerful
alacrity.
II will ask them all down to Chedworth
for Christmas. 1t would be quite excit-
ing II the triple event came off nt my
house."
at would indeed. Now." added Mars.
den, filling and swallowing Q large glass
of sherry. II must leave you; have one
or two people to sec before / retire to
rest, SO good night, sister mine; try and
believe your brother - not felon!"
"My dear Clifford. how can you say
such thin@7 Be sure you do not lose
money at eurds or anything of that kind
Let me see you tomorrow, and remembe.
you have promised to come down next
week to Chedworth."
The morning after Lady Dorrington and
Ier brother had dined together Mrs. Ruth
ven received a second visit from Waite.
He was got up in q style Of the severest
respectability, and might from his ap-
pearance have been the secretary of a
benevolent institution. He paused in the
middle Of the room, and made low bow.
Mrs. Ruthven looked at him steadily be-
fore speaking. then Q smile crept round
her lips.
4 think we have successfully disarmed
my suspicious or fears Captain Shirley
may have had" she said. II can afford
to wait. You have done your work well,
1t only remains to give you your reward"
She opened her cash box. which stood
IN table beside her, and counted out
Some uoteI mau's eyes sparkled as