Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-02-08
A BARGAIN.

There was a slight tap on the door,
and Miss Hardaway entered the library
with little rush. She looked anxiously
round and then made step toward me.
I dropped my Kinglalle on my knee
and looked 1T her. Evidently she had
come on some pressing business. She
looked rather excited; also trifle nerv
ous "Mr. Tyson?" said she. "Miss
Hardaway?" said l. "I-I want to have
a talk with you about-about something
which, She hesitated. Certainly"
I responded amiably. "Won't you sit
down." She sank into chair opposite
me and regarded me with dubious eyes.
81 hope you won't think it eXtraordi-
nary of me- she said in sort of stam-
mer, "but I wanted your assistance. :"
eff I could do anything" observed,
to reassure her, command me. " She
averted her eyes and fidgeted with a
book upon the table. "You see," she
explained, "it's rather delicate" I
nodded. "Exactly,' assented. "And
and don't know, but I'm sure it's
it's rather dreadful. "Good," said I.
"Things are SO fiat, as rule. - "You
will probably say NO at once," she
went on, "and I'm sure 1 don't blame
you. !" 81 should like to have the oppor-
tunity, at any rate," I said, with a
smile. She started and half rose in her
chair. "I'm afraid I've interrupted you
in your reading" she exclaimed. ''I-I
only came in on the impulse. It's really
nothing. - "Now," said I, lying back in
my chair benignly, "you positively fire
my curiosity. - "No," she said, shaking
her head. sc 1t was nothing. l only
I leaned forward and touched her arm.
"Miss Hardaway," I said earnestly,
"what, you would rob a poor old fogy
Of his only consolation-that of advising
others? Fie! I think you owe me some
thing for the studious way in which
YOU have avoided me lately"
1t seemed that l couldn't have said
anything more to the point, though
heaven knows I had no idea what the
dear girl wanted. "Avoided you!" she
said. "No indeed. If you only knew.
That's WHAT Here she came to an
abrupt pause. 81 should very much like
to know what that is I said after
waiting for q moment. I suppose look
ed at her kindly. Perhaps I beamed be-
nevolently. Old fogies do. At any rate
she seemed to take courage, and sank
once more into the depths of the arm
chair. 81 have been very much worried
lately" she exclaimed, with a sigh. l
nodded mprehensively. "It-it was
that that made me come rushing in
here" she went on. "I-I was deter
mined not to stand it any longer" I
waited POLITELY. ''It's that young MI.
Urquhart, +" she said, with an appealing
glance at me, as if should now under
stand all. I understood nothing, but
lifted my eyebrows. "Really?" 1 pune
tuated. ''Yes," she resumed taking
fresh courage. "He is frightful nui-
sance. He follows me about every
where" She paused, and as seemed
expected to say something 1 remarked
that it was very impertinent and that
he ought to know better. 'You see, :"
said Miss Hardaway, ''my aunt wants
it" really did not comprehend what
her aunt wanted, but did not say SO. I
only pinched my expression into greater
intelligence and sympathy. "And now
that we are down here, he takes the op-
portunity of-of pestering me, and
and-well, Aunt Catherine encourages
him.. "Ah,' said I, pulling my mus
tache, ''that makes difficult situation,
doesn't it?" "And thought you might
help me-" she ended with a plaintive
shot from her eyes.
81, my child?" l asked in wonder.
''But how? [ should be delighted, if
knew" " Miss Hardaway said nothing.
She appeared to have exhausted her con-
fidence and sat TREMENDOUSLY i'll the arm
chair, as if she would like to leave it.
Tell me how you thought could help
you," I said. "Shall take him away
and drown him?' ooh, no." she ex-
claimed eagerly, 81 didn't mean that!"
Of course I did not suppose she had
meant that. "Well, what was your
idea:" asked. "You see" began Miss
Hardaway, st is difficult for me, with
Aunt Catherine as my chaperone. And
she likes Mr.. Urquhart. " "Of course it
is, assented. "Well, do you want me
to chaperon you? Is that it?" Now I
examined her. She was really very
pretty girl and particularly so when she
blushed. She blushed now as she said +:
lyon see, Mr.. Tyson, l thought-it was
very impertinent of me-but you know
l was driven out of my senses by the
stupidity things. And thought, per-
haps"- She hesitated. "You are a
great deal older than am, aren't you?"
BLESS you, yes" Ianswered. "Twenty
years, at least. I might be your father. "
All the same, it was not nice to feel
that, somehow. But Miss Hardaway
was relieved-eascd over her difficulty,
perhaps should say. eyes, l thought
so, and that was what mado me so rude
as to think that you-that THAT we
might pretend, you know" she stam-
mered. 81 will pretend anything you
like, child," ! declared. "Will you
really!' she asked eagerly. Certainly, "
| answered. 'That we are engaged!"
she asked. hanging Oh my words.
| Will confess that [ was somewhat
staggered, but i'll q second l chuckled to
myself. "Most certainly" said. Miss
Hardaway's eyes looked gratitude. 81
knew You would be kind - she remark