Middletown transcript., 1896-11-28

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gamut of tints from brown to gold q
the sunbeams played on it. She locke
up into the old gentleman's face will
the most confiding expression.
'Isn't provoking? There is absolute
i. ly no news.''
: Really, Pm deli ghted-I mean, b
i corrected himself hurriedly. sit is mos
extradorinary."
"Isn't itp / came down here weel
ago to meet my aunt and uncle, as WI
, had arranged before they went abroad
and to my amazament, found no ont
here."
"Yes, Yes," he put in, soothly. "Il
was very trying. Poor little girl. Pool
childp'
81 should have gone straight back to
London if it hadn't been for you, Mr.
Stanton. You have been more than
kind to me-"
"Not at all, my dear young lady. ]
was touched at the loneliness of your
position, anxious to be of service to-
to SO charming waif."
| She shot him grateful glance.
"But think l really must go home
now. went to Carlinford, as you sug-
eested, thinking that some letter might
be waiting me at the post Office, but,
a. l tell you, there was nothing. can
not tell what has happened to my
friends. [ feel l must 60 back to Lon
don tomorrow.
"To-morrowl' Mr.. Stanton stopped
aghast and looked down at her. "You
mean to leave" and looked down at
her.
/ "You mean to leave Startmouth-"
s.Yes.n
"I-At least you will allow me to
see you safe to London-to your friends.
Oil forgot, my poor child, you are an
orphan. But at any rate you will let
me take you back to the people with
whom you are stayingp
.'Oh, nol'' she said, hurriedly. s'I
could not think of giving you so much
trouble"
sTroublel If it were not that it
means losing you at the end I should
call it pleasure. There, it is settled,
isn't itp And what time shall we go?"
Indeed, Mr.. Stanton, cannot ac-
cept your escort. It-I-they-ohl
can't you understandp"
Her face was turned away from him,
they had wandered away from the pa
,ade on to the beach and she was draw
ing cabalistic figures on the shifty sand
with her parasol. He looked at her for
second, and then he felt the blood
rushing to his head.
"My dear Miss Alban, do y1u mean
that any one-that some one"
She nodded, not desisting from her |
diagrams.
'sThat some one has dared to hint |
that-that you know what I mean
Apparently she did, for she answered |
in low voice.
THAT is it. I overheard something
in the drawing room this morning;
and what would they say If you came
to London with me?"
There was moments pause, and
with a sudden gulp, Luke Stanton
plunged manfully into the deep waters
of declaration. They would say in
truth-that he could not bear to lose
her, that he loved her, that he wanted
nothing better than to hear her say she
would be his wife. Would she say it
here-now? He was an old man, triple
her age, no t-but-but-He
to,,ped, out of breath and red of face,
and Miss Alban covered her face with
her hands and made no answer-even
when, having recovered himself, Mr..
Stanton pressed her still further.
81 don't know" she murmured; 81
must think. am so surprised"
Of course she should have time to
think-until tomorrow. Would she
tell him Tomorrow
An inarticulate sound no doubt
meant yes, and then came a more CO.
herent, ''You will go now, won't your
I want to be alone" l.
And with many backward glance ,
Luke Stanton went. He chuckled to
himself again as in his own room his /
syes fell on the bowl of water, cold
10 ", over which he had opened Adrian's 6
letter. He would be finely caught; and {
1t was not case of cutting off his nose
% spite his face, for Kittie Alban was ,
IS pretty girl as one would wish, and {
! perfect little lady.
He took unusual pains over his dress :
ng, crumpled innum erable ties and at Q
asst was ready. To his dismay, how /
sver, when all the guests had fled into
liable d'hote he had to realize that Miss {
Alban, whose seat, it is needless to say, a
was next to his own, was absent. /
On questioning the waiter he found l
hat Miss Alban's dinner had been /
sent to her room. Luke was disap-
pointed and little alarmed; be fidgeted 7
lbout after the meal in an aimless sort a
If fashion, and finally sent message ]
o inquire after the absentee. The an a
'wer came that Miss Alban had head
Iche. IL
When man of 60 screws himself up r
o pitch of taking unto himself a n
wife the presence of the dear one elect n
8 necessary to prevent his rejecting /,
90 deeply on all that the step may a
mean, and the evening seemed very a