The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-01-24

| Sscr IL no Whnts 10 make an ass OF him.
self
(Which, of course, you do not" said
the major conclusively.
The time that ensued between tho
coin adjudication and the date of Dab
nsy's departure was very full one
"Of course you are not going awav be-
fore Christmas" Loulou said tearfnllv.
bedewing the big f she was embroider.
Ing in the CORNER Of masculine hand
kerchief. "And, Dabney, now that we
are all by ourselves, want you to say
that you hold me guiltless of that cast
ing vote. How could tell which side
of that dreadful copper was going to
come uppermost?''
"To be sure. how could you? And Won
are not to make yourself unhappy about
this business. I love you, dear. You
know that. And if were not man
absolutely without a calling or an occu-
patton should have told you long ago
just how loved you and how wanted
| you to love me in return. But I didn't
think it would have been quite fair to
Uncle Duke and Aunt Mollie. They are
getting old, and I would be making
them poor return for sheltering me in
my forlorn ofphanage by robbing the
old nest. So we understand each other,
Lou, as far as there is anything to I'M
derstand, and when 60 away from
you l leave you as untrammeled as bird
of the air.
| tive made my arrangements for
starting the day after Christmas, and
mean this Christmas shall be the jolli-
est sort Of one. What's the use of fret
ting over what can't be helped?"
So Christmas was kept in the old
home as nearly as possible as it used to
be in the old days before the war,
when the quarter yard rang with the
| jollity Of hundreds Of dusky participa-
tors in the revelry Of the big house.
On Loulou's plate was a most mystic
rious package. But as written on it in
Dabney's hand were the words, "Not to
be opened before have gone, she hero
ically put it aside and bent her energies
to making that Christmas day a men,
orable one to all of the tribe Of Fair
child, which has many ramifcations.
Major Duke drove to the little rail
road station six miles from the planta-
ton gates "to see the boy off. :" He and
Dabney, with Dabney's luggage, filled
the numbering old coach very full. Ray
mond had staid behind, conscious of not
being wanted.
"You have plans, dear boy?" the old
man said, looking wistfully into the
handsome, manly face by his side.
"No, sir; can't say that have"
ga destination at least?'
"None. l suppose it will be heads
lose, tails 1 win, in the untried field
before me-"
(Which sounds reckless. "
mo, sir, not exactly. It,just means
that l am not going to whimper at ev-
cry backset -
ST think" said the major, producing
a sealed letter, "this may be of service
to you at some juncture.
Dabney put out repelling hand.
"Not money, STRIP
"No. No one knows better than you
do how impossible. it would be for me to
help you with ready cash to any amount.
It is simply your credentials. You may
never make any use of them at all. But
at any time when your simple personal
statement might be discredited this may
stand you in good stead"
And while the old warrior was slowly
driving back to his home, bordering the
things that had come and gone since he
had taken Dabney into his paternal
keeping and Dabney was whirling
away on the little narrow gauge rail-
road with his already forgotten creden-
tials tucked into pocket of his travel
ing bag, Loulou was shut up in her own
room wrestling with the many knots in
the strong Irvine which Dabney had tied
about her Christmas present.
The weight and size of the package
had already excited her liveliest curios-
ity. AS it stood revealed it was scarcely
less mystifying-a miniature chest of
drawers in gold lacquer ware; five draw
ers, each one labeled with a date. Five
Christmases ahead she would be at lib
erty to open the bottom drawer. A note
of instructions from Dabney lay on top
of the cabinet. 1t said;
"The key that is in the top drawer
will open it alone. You will receive, on
four successive Christmas ewes, the keys
as they fall due. If Christmas day
comes and goes without key reaching
you, you may know that the man who
has loved you, and you alone, has ceased
to live. My daily messages are in the
drawers.
Loulou drew out the first drawer with
feeling akin to reverence.
How many hours he must have
spent culling these tender flowers Of
prose and poesy and delicately TRANSCRIPT
ing them Oh the filmiest Of paper for
her perusal
How could she forget him, with those
dear messages whispering to her dailyp
She stood the cabinet on her dressing
table, surmounting it with photograph
of Dabney The key to the one drawer
she wore about her neck on a slender
cord of silk.
Could any one but Dabney ever have
devised so cunning scheme for con-
slant intercourse? The secret Of the
cabinet was all her own. Only its pretty
polished black and gold exterior was