Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-01-31
A BARGAIN.

come ON some pressing business She
looked rather excited also trifie nerv-
Gus. MIR Tyson said she. Miss
Hardawav:'' said l. IL want 10 have
q 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 nue. with dubious eyes.
IL hope you won't think il extraordi-
nary Of me. y She said in sort of stam-
mer, "but ] wanted your assistance. +"
eff / could do anything, : ! observed.
to reassure her, command me. She
averted her eyes and fidgeted with .
book upon the table. lyon see, she
explained, Its rather delicate. " l
nodded. Exactly, l assented. And
and ] don't know. but m sure it's
it's rathcs cledful F" "Good, said /
"Things are & fat, as a rule. = You
will probably say No at once, . she
went ON, land I'm sure / don't blame
you. . II should like TO have the oppor-
tunity, at any rate, / said with a
smile. She started and half rose in her
chair "Im afraid I've interrupted you
in Your reading, she exclaimed. IL
only came in on the impulse. It's really
nothing. +" Now, said /, lying back in
my chair benignly, you positively fire
my curiosity. . mo, . she said, shaking
her head. 1T was nothing. only
/ leaned forward and touched her arm.
Miss Hardaway," / said earnestly,
"what, you would rob a poor old fogy
of his only consolation-that of advising
others? Fiel / 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 / had no idea what the
dear girl wanted Avoided you IL she
said. "No indeed. If you only knew.
That's what Here she came to an
abrupt pause II should very much like
to know what that is" / said after
waiting for moment / suppose look
ed at her kindly. Perhaps / beamed he
nevolently. Old fogies do. AT any rate
she seemed to take courage, and sank
once more into the depths of the arm
chair. Il have been very much worried
lately" she exclaimed, with sigh. |
nodded comprehensively Tit was
that that made me come rushing in
here,' she went ON. IL was deter
mined not to stand it any longer" |
waited politely. Its that young Mr..
Urquhart, y she said, with an appealing
glance at me, as if should now under
stand all. / understood nothing, but /
lifted my eyebrows Really? / 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 l 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. /
only pinched my expression into greater
intelligence and sympathy. And now
that we are down here, he takes the OPP
portunity of-of Fostering me, and
and-well, Aunt Catherine encourages
him. I" "Ah, said /, 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.
"I, my child?' 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 in the arm
chair, as if she would like to leave it.
''Tell me how you thought could help
you," said "Shall take him away
and drown him?'' "Oh, no, she ex-
claimed eagerly, 81 didn't mean that ~
OF course / did not suppose she had
meant that. "Well, what was your
ideaf' / asked. "You see, began Miss
Hardaway, cit is difficult for me, with
Aunt Catherine as my chaperone. And
she likes Mr.. Urquhart. !" ''Of course it
is, 1 assented. "Well, do you want me
to chaperon you? Is that it," Now ]
examined her. She was really very
pretty girl and particularly so when she
blushed. She blushed now as she said !:
"You see. Mr.. Tyson, Ithought-it was
very impertinent Of me-but you know
was driven ont of my senses by the
STUPIDITY things And thought, per-
haps''-- She hesitated You are a
great deal older than am, aren't your"
BLESS you. yes r. answered. Twenty
years, at least. might be your father. "
All the same, it was not nice to feel
that, somehow. But Miss Hardaway
was relieved--eased over her difficulty,
perhaps / should say. Eyes, thought
SO, and that was what made me so rude
as to think that you-that THAT we
might pretend, you know, she STAN
mered. 81 will pretend anything you
like, child / declared. "Will you
really !" she asked eagerly. Certainly,
answered. ''That we are engaged:"
she asked, hanging on my words.
/ will confess that was somewhat
staggered, but in a second chuckled to
myself. Most certainly" / said. Miss
Hardaway's eyes looked gratitude. Il
knew you would be kind, . she remark
ed "Then that will get rid Of him, you
see,'' she added. Yes, / suppose it
willl' assented. "Then that's all set
sled" said she rising suddenly to her
Feet, and now must 60. 1t is so good
If You, Mr.. -" ''Bnt stay, inter
rupted, rising also. Let rs understand
0cERs OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
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