Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-01-04
A BARGAIN.


A BARGAIN.
There was slight tap on the door,
and Miss Hardaway entered the library
with little rush. She looked anxiously
round and then made step toward me.
! dropped my Kinglake on my knee
and looked at her. Evidently she had
come on some pressing business. She
looked rather excited; also a>trifle nerv.
GUS. "Mr. Tyson" said she. Miss
Hardaway?" said /. CT want to have
talk with you about--about something
which, She hesitated. Certainly. y
I responded amiably. won't you sit
DOWN." She sank into chair opposite
me and regarded me with dubious eyes.
IT hope you won't think it extraordi-
nary Of me-" she said in sort Of STAN
mer, "but ! wanted your assistance. -
II ! 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. !
nodded. Exactly" assented. "And
and I DOM know, but I'm sure it's
it rather dreadful" Good" said L.
Fittings are 90 fat, as rule. "You
will probably say No at once," she
went on, land I'm sure I don't blame
you" II should like to have the oppor-
tunity, at any rate," I said, with a
smile. Sho started and half rose in her
chair. "I'm afraid I've interrupted you
in your reading, she exclaimed. ell
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. 1T was nothing. l only
I leaned forward and touched her arm.
Miss Hardaway,'' ! said earnestly,
"what, you would rob poor old fogy
Of his only consolation-that of advising
others? Fie! think you owe me some
thing for the studious way in which
you have avoided me lately"
It seemed that / couldn't have said
more to the point, though
heaven knows I had no idea what the
dear girl wanted. Avoided you'll" she
said. "No indeed. II 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. I suppose look
ed at her kindly. Perhaps beamed he
Old fogies do. At any rate
she seemed to take courage, and sank
once more into the depths Of the arm.
chair. II have been very much worried
lately" she exclaimed, with a sigh. I
nodded comprehensively. ''It-it was
that that made me come rushing in
here,' she went on. 81 was deter
mined not to stand 1t any longer" !
waited politely. It's that young Mr..
Urquhart," she said, with an appealing
glance at me, as il should now under
stand all. I understood nothing, but I
lifted my eyebrows. Really" I punc-
tuated. Yes" she resumed, taking
fresh courage. "He is frightful nui-
sance. He follows me about every
where. 4" She paused, and as I seemed
expected to say something I remarked
that it was very impertinent and that
he ought to know better. You see, !"
said Miss Hardaway, "iny aunt wants
It," really did not comprehend what
her aunt wanted, but did not say so. I
only pinched my expression into greater
and sympathy. And now
that we are down here, he takes the OPP
of-of Fostering me, and
and-well, Aunt Catherine encourages
him" ''Ah," said /, pulling my mus
tache, that makes difficult situation,
doesn' 7 1T" "And / thought you might
help me-" she ended with plaintive
shot from her eyes.
II, my child?' asked In wonder.
But how? I should be delighted, il I
knew" Miss Hardaway said nothing.
She appeared to have exhausted her con-
fdence and sat tremulously in the arm
chair, as if she would like to leave it.
"Tell me how you thought could help
you, ! said. "Shall l take him away
and drown him." "Oh, no., she ex-
claimed eagerly, II didn't mean that !"
OF course did not suppose she had
meant that. well, what was your
ideas" asked. "You see," began Miss
Hardaway, it is difficult for me, with
Aunt Catherine Is my chaperone And
she likes Mi. Urquhart. I" .'Of course 1t
is, ! assented, well, do You want me
to chaperon your u that IT." Now I
examined hen. She was really very
pretty girl and particularly 90 when she
blushed. She blushed now a. she said !:
lyon see, Mr.. Tyson, thought-it was
very impertinent Of me-but you know
I was driven ont of my senses BY the
things. And I thought, per-
haps'- She hssitated. "You are
great deal older than am. aren y you9"
Bless you, yesp' Tanswered. Twenty
years, at least. ! might Be your father. "
All the same, it was not nice to feel
that, somehow. But Miss Hardaway
was relieved-ea over her difficulty,
perhaps / should say. "Yes, ! thought
70, and that was what made me 90 rude
y to think that you-that THAT we
might pretend, you know" she stam-
mered. II will pretend anything yous
Ike, child" ! declared. will you
really = she asked eagerly. Certainly, "