The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-08

Arkwright reflected with q fiickcrinp
smile that Johnnie had probably caught
rather tie spirit than the letter of his
mammals admontions. However. it was
sign of grace that he remembered them
at all, and he felt sorry for the woe be
gone youth.
you're young to think of marrying
yet, you KNOW he said. Gam right. y
he continued after II pause, Sin suppos-
ing-Blake is my informant-a certain
Miss st. Clair has accustomed all this
trouble?''
"Oh if Blake has told you. And the
aunt is awfuily decent to me-
but you are not proposing TO marry
the aunt. Is Miss St Clair herself-is
She
sob, well, Il fellow never knows that
sort OF thing, you know, till he tries his
chances" said Johnnie, in a manner
which betrayed that he thought he knew
quite we'll that his affections were returri-
ed, as indeed, they were, and Audrey ST.
Clair WAS far too frank to take any great
pains to conceal it. ooh. Arkwrirht
what am to do9" he said pathetically
Open your letter, Johnnie" he re-
piled, and the tone in which he said it
caused the wonderful youth to open it
promptly.
lie looked seraphically happy till he
remembered that he ought to look be-
rcaved. Johnnie's ship had come home
just in the nick of time. He had ALWAYS
had shadowy expectations from his I'M
Gle, but he had been too pessimistic to
count too much upon them. However,
govt had claimed victim and the
canon's widow limited to her son that he
had, to some extent, benefited by the
event.
The vanity of riches was eXcmplified to
Johnnie, when, after Il decent interval. he
returned to town the richer by 60 900 Il
year, but as he speedily found, minus
Mrs. Lever sons good graces
Another was reigning favor:te with
her now, Lester, II picturesque but not
very talented painter, who was deep in
converse with Audrey when he made his
reappearance.
Mrs. Leverson greeted Johnnie with
etiusion. Audrey was more friendly,
but inopportunely asked him if he had
seen Testers latest picture
Johnnie's soul was already green with
jealousy
WHO'S Lester?'' he said, 'that fellow
with the untidy hair Audrey reproacb-
fully changed the conversation, but
Johnnie was out of humor and continued
to sulk.
This lasted for some days, and it was
noticed that Mrs. Leverson continued to
treat him with as much Indifference as
she becomingly could.
why does she quarrel with chap for
coming into fortune?n said Tommy
Blake, the close observer of human ma
ture. "And why does he hang back
when he must see that that little girl is
over her ears in love with him?'' But
he found no solutions to these problems.
Johnnie sulked for month Then
one afternoon he jumped into cab, drove
down to Chelsea, and Mrs. Leverson be.
ing alone, presently found himself blum
deringly declaring that he would like to
bestow his hand upon her niece"
The good lady looked grave.
you are both young you know, Mr.
Madison" she said. Her mother mar
red very young, and very unhappily
Perhaps that has set me against early
marriages y
But what has set you against me. )"
said Johnnie reproachfully.
Nonsense, that is only your magina-
ton But Johnnie was not strong in
that quality, so Mrs. Ievcrson was prob
ably misstating the case.
Audrey was, on this OCCASION unwcll
and invisible.
''She is too fatigued to bear any excite
ment just now. Come in three days
time,h said her aunt, 'and will think
over the ACCESSIBILITY OF sounding her on
the subject in the mcantimen
Three days later Johnnie came to Ark
wright in state of great perturbation
Mrs Leverson had left her house, and
Chelsea knew her no more. 1t was only
by bribery and corruption that Johnnie
discovered that she had gone to Scar
borough, but probably would not stay
there, her plans being unsettled.
"She'll surely write to you," said Ark
wright.
But no letter came within twenty-four
hours.
''Wc'd better go to Scarborough" said
Johnnie's counsellor.
The truant lady was discovered by
Johnnie in IL stationer's shop on the very
day of his arrival.
Audrey was so nnwcll, the doctor ad
vised instant change. In the furry, ]
forgot to write to YOU" she said after Z
gasp of surprise.
Johnnie decided in his haste that nj
women were liars, and asked when h,
might hope to see Audrey
You may come and call tomorrow
morning-she may he better then. Blu
think it most undesirable, most unde
sirable that you should make any pro
posal to her yet, or entertain hopes tha
may be disappointed. Mrs Lcversor
spoke with conviction, but deferred cx
PLANTATION, and Johnnie laid the matter
before Arkwrght.
The latter privately debated whether
there was insanity or some other cub
board skeleton in the girls family, rem
dcring matrimony inadvisnble, or whcthc
| 5ohnnie had been committing enormite
that had come to Mrs. Leverson ear
| but not to his And he was the NOR,
mystified when, next morning, the I'M
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