The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-21
T..

Meanwhile the situation had become
as unbearable to Sydney as it had to
Doris, all their plans for communicate
ing having so far failed, the natural
course of events having taken turn
for which no provision had been made.
A love so intense as his could stand
the separation no longer.
That very afternon he would boldly
go to the house and ask to see his be-
loved; her father might say or do as he
pleased. The resolution once formed,
he was in a state of feverish impau-
ence to put it into practice. lie Woulu
start at once. And start he did, Won
dering what reception he would re-
ceive at the hands of her parent, and
hoping that he might not he invested
with the Order of the Boot. But
Providence had prepared for him
surprise, one of those Kaleidoscope
changes which ever made the pest
laid schemes Of mice and men gang
aft aglee."
Scarcely had he reached the gate
when a telegraph boy ran up and hand-
ed him a message. Sydney's hist
thought, of course, was Doris-then,
some dire disaster. As soon as his I'M
patient hands had ripped off the COW
crinC he read:
Come at once in friendship.
"Richd. Shirley"
An invitation from the very man
whom he had been mentally picturing
as kicking him out of the house!
SAY I'll be there like a shot, he
said to the astonished messenger; then
recolIecting himself, mo answer" and
L.. n
the station to catch the train then due.
His reception surprised him as much
as the telegram. He was welcomed
at the threshold by MIR. Shirley and
taken into the study, his host beaming
with the very essence of atfablllty. Al
ter a few preliminary "haws' and
vicious clearings of the throat, Mr.
Shirley addressed him thus:
in refusing your ardent request for
the hand of my daughter I believed
that | was acting in the best inter
ests of my only child. ] know nothing
against you: indeed, much to your ad-
vantage; but the principal reason that
induced me to take the course that |
did was your openly expressed disbe-
lief of matters of which you could not
possibly be "A Judge. Young man, read
that" and with a dramatic flourish he
handed him the message.
After minutely detailing the circum-
stances of it's arrival. he continued:
In compliance with the command
therein expressed l have sent for you,
to give my consent to your union with
my daughter, and l am not without
hope that the mysterious message you
have before you may be the means of
converting you by its tangible exist
ence and the forgiving nature of its
contents"
Sydney gazed at the paper bewild-
cred, speechless. This was a complete
hoorer.
well, now go to Doris; she awaits
you in the drawing room. Leave the
paper here; it is too precious to trust
out of my sight. / have to go out now
on business, but if you will give me a
call, say tomorrow evening al o'clock,
| shall be prepared to discuss matters
with you"
1t is needless to attempt to describe
the rapturous meeting of the reunited
| lovers. Those readers who have expert
| enced such blissful moments can pic
ture it for themselves, and those who
have not, may rest assured that to
them the gates of Paradise still stand
unreVealed.
The next evening sydney kept his
appointment with Mr.. Shirley, whose
| exuberant delight seemed to show that
| heavy load had fallen from his mind.
Then he would go through the Incl
dents of the mysterious arrival again,
taking Sydney by the arm and leading
him around the room, all the while eX-
| planning how matters stood on the
eventful night.
You see, the gas was alight. lust
as it is now, and the window was fast
| ened-look at it-cannOt be opened from
| the outside; and the blind was drawn
right down, like this. The only other
means of ingress is the door, locked.
All! 1 have not locked it," and as he
spoke he shot the bolt At the same
instant loud ting" caused both men
to spring round and rush to the table.
There, floating on the liquid in one of
| the glasses, was another tiny roll of
| paper. Shot from somewhere it had
| evidently struck the glass, making it
! ring. Unfolded, the contents ran:
1T is we'll We are satisfied" Again
| from Thibet and the date the current
| day. It was with very different feel
| lngs that the two men gazed at the
| piece of paper Mr.. Shirley's face bore
a calm expression which told of a
| thankfulness that danger was past,
| and that he felt once more at peace
with his masters; while Sydney stood
| ag'hast in the presence of the unfath-
omable, his hair bristling on his head
| and his teeth chattering from very
| fear. At last he could bear it no long
en-, and fltnging open the door. he
rushed out, nor paused until he found