New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-06

,n' y, Tantain Iovcester You Yourself, not to
fatter YOU too highly .ooo
she was prevented from finishing her sentence
by little white dog with cora rouhu NE ne ~, ~
"a bo suddenly emerged from the belt or trees "e
side which they were pacing. ana causeu n ni
horse to plunge violently by ieaphs up "' "''
Eco down Topper. you wretch she cried
nickinr him with the lash of her crop; Il though,
l had broken you of that norr 10 ''''"
where have you come from, pray At, ,
Topper shook himself. wasged ms tali anu
snapped viciously at the cord which hai'pe'e"
bis movements. 49,, ,Ioca
"Ue seems to have come from a very wet place
at all events" remarked Jack Goodwin. ana
them saw look here, Unless | am very mucn
mistaken our friend has been hay'mS ,'t these
squeak for his life. What internal rasca's '"eSe
He had dismounted and had unfastened the
cord which, with the loop at the END Where NV
stone had been told it's own tale as plainly as
could be- IT'S good luck for Topper that thas
fellow has something yet to learn IN the ART VI
tying "A knot said he. -, ~
II would not have believed it of Stevens eX-
claimed Alice Indignantly. "Well, ne may look
out for another place now, for snail dis''''ss
him tomorrow morning. ,
IF you can prove MN SuillN- p"' """' W.
denCc is there?
There is the cord anyhow. Give it to me,
please 1t is a piece Of strong twine, see ana
it has evidently been used before to tie up a
parcel because there are traces OF sealns-WaA
upon it, may he able to disc over now IL came
into Stcvenss possession ~
She could talk Of nothing else until the Abbey
was reached and so eager was she, on theii al
rival. to set Investigations on root tiia' she
V ent at once to tn, servants hall, leaving JACK
TO narrate the tale Of the frustrated tragedy 10
Mrs Lindsay and Captain Leycester. whom ne
found drinking tea together in the library.
Il hope am not more ;nhuman than another
Mrs. I.indsay's comment upon ,n' 'oMo
'but really can't find il in my heart L" rejoice.
II ever a dog deserved drowning. thai on" M
As for Ieycester. il may be- taken as .ertaiil
that the sentiments I'm his heart did not lnciuu'
thought
and among other disagr' 'ahl" questions NhIch
sugg,.,t ted themselves to him was that OF now iar
II would Ice I'm his power. as a NOR" or less non
orahle man to keep his guilty secret. lie c"uld
not ~ course alloV the keeper 10 be- dismissed
but Stevens il might be hoped. would be ape 10
proy.. an alihi while TOPPER WHO'S" habits were
notoriously independent. had not. so far as ne
was aw are been seen to leave the house IN MS
company. .,
with Il wrnked brow. that the little brute Is
1uite sharp enough To- bctray me In any case
| may as we'll give up all hope Of ever conciliat-
Ing him after this What a duficr | was not 10
knock him on the head bcfor" chucked nm INTO
the water .,
lie Was still occupied with these and similar
vain regrets when Miss Iiylton. accompanied by
her dog entered TIA" room Sh" had mad' lnfu"
les she said and believed that she had op'alh'u
"A Glow. but she did rot seem inclined To b" com
ruulcatiy. nor did she show any signs ~ as
pleasure with her lest. who's" pr"s"nc" roper
FOR his part chose to ignore by The time that
Jack Goodwin had gone off to change his clothes
and Mrs Lindsay had bctaken herself "lSrNn'I"
To- write letters the Would-h" murderer was ie"l-
ing considerab bis treasured. 50 that II was an
the greater shock To- him 10 he asked point blank
why did you try 70 Kill my dog. Captain Ley
without waiting for reply Miss Hylton went
ON You need NOT trout IT, To deny IT, Tn" but
Ter saw Topper crossing tn" park with YOU after
luncheon. and find that me twin" when was
fastened t. his collar came of a parcel which
You received from London this morning. should
only like To know. just as matter OF curiosity
fFitsfT
cruel and coWardly act
Topper who had been lying before the fire.
strollod up to his nistress'S side surveyed th'
luckless accused ana apo AIRED TO associate nm
s.lf with her I'm that lcgitmat" query
Iryccstcr. pcrc"ivng that nothing say" IN"
triiih could be of the slightest service To him.
made the answer and tn" apo al which heiittcd
his uncomfortable situation. He could not n"
said. expect her 10 forgive him and yet. n sh'
We're generous as we'll rs just sh" W"uld ~
knowledge. perhaps that 1t was she Wh" had
cNlos.d him To- a vcll-nigh irresistible tenpta-
ton She would acknoNl' dye AT any rate. that
he had no cause to love Topper. whereas sh"
was awar" Of how profoundly and passionat"ly
he loved her
And YOU gave me to understand almost in so
many words that ! must earn MS approval be-
fore could hop" 10 he accepted 10y YOU why;
II h, had been Il man. Instead ~ a dog sh"uld
have been more than half inclined To put MN OUT
Of tn" way"
Il don't doubt g." answered the girl collly.
Well I am glad 10 know for certain that Top
per WAS right in his estimate Of YOU. captain
YOU nay forgiveness You may b" Interested IN
hearing that should have refused your Halter
ing offer anyhow. After all. one marri"s 10
please ones self not to pleas" ones friends.
however sensible and thoughtful they Say bee.
Thank You" returned Lcyccst"r. with a forced
smile. II think | can understand what mat
means Allow me- to congratulate" YOU upon the
approval with which your dog evidently h"nois
Goodwin | may well take this opportunity
Of thanking You FOR your hospitality. ana beg
ging YOU To- let mc haN" "A trap Of some Kind pres
emil Ia fp n
little / shall just catch the NJ express. and
don't feel quite equal 10 Offering the further
congratulations which YOU and b" VIII probably
expect &. morrow
Miss Hyton did not deisn to notice ridicu-
lous and gratuitous piece Of imr"rtncnc" which.
nevertheless. brought the blood into her checks.
She replied with much dignity. that a carrag"
should bc Tered. as desired and Immediately
left the room. followed 10y Topper who paused
for an instant upon the threshold to calculate
Cow" very sharply and d"cisivoy. Coming
from a dog ~ such silent prop"nsiics. this part
ing salute might Ice taken and. Indeed was
taken insultinglN significant
mysthcd and amazed man was Jack Good
win when he cam" down 10 dinner and was in
formed Of his friends abrupt departure
called away" exclaimed the honest simple
ton. What for?-called where But Of course
h. Is coming back again
Hiss TIylton really could not say. Captain
L,yocstcr had gone to London. she believed. she
had not inquired whether h" proposed to return
to their part Of The world or not
"Well,' Jack declared. II can't understand II
at ALI.
Nor can " said Mrs Lindsay. with grim
look at her niece which did not altogether bear
out her assertion.
But although Mrs Lindsay was fully pre-
Pared to hear that perVcrS' young woman had
/, fused a good Offer she was by no means pre-
pared for the communication which was made
her in her bedroom some hours later after
she had retired for the night
My dear Alice" she cried. throwing up her
hands In dismay. you ar" utterly unaccounta-
BILE Jack Goodwin OF AL p"opl, in the world,
\ dull-Wittcd nDncntity whose one merit. | have
always thought. was that h had sense enough
To abstain from making advances to YOU What
can You in him that YOU failed to see in
Captain Leyccster?"
"Oh good many things replied the girl
,omposc,N. Among others. that he is
thorough gentleman and good spOrtsm
Whni [ cnnfn4s Tint n Mns rnlh slunil