Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-04-05
CHAPTER XIV.

Now. by a two-headed Janus,
Nature hath framed strange fellows in her
time.
Hardinge is hardly gone before another
"a far heavier-step sounds IN the pas
sage outside the professors door. It
is followed by a knock, almost insolent
in its loudness and sharpness.
What hole you do live in says Sir
Hastings. stepping into the room, and
picking his way through the books. and
by them. Bless me! what strange
beings you scientists are. Rags and
bones your surroundings, instead of good
flesh and blood. Well, Thaddeus- hard
ly expected to see me here, eh?'
you want me?' says the professor.
E'DOn't sit down there-thOSe notes are
loose; sit here"
Faith, you've guessed it, my dear fell
low; / do want you, and most confOund-
eddy badly this time. Your ward, now,
Miss Wynter! Deuced pretty little girl,
isn't she, and good form, too? Wonder
fully bred considering.
Il don't suppose you have come here to
talk about Miss Wynters good man
ners."
EBy Jove! / have, though. You see,
Thaddeus, I've about come to the length
of my tether, and-er-1'm thinking OF
dullness- domesticity, and all the other
deuced lot of it."
1T is an excellent resolution, that
might have been arrived at years ago
with greater merit says the professor.
"a preacher and scientist IN one;
Dear sir, you go beyond the possl!b9IIse =
to business. See here, Thaddeus, have
told you little of my plans, now hear
the rest | intend to marry-an helress,
bien entendu-an it seems to me that
your ward, Miss Wynter, will suit me
well enough"
and Miss Wynter, will you suit her
we'll enough?"
"a deuced sight too WE'LL | should say.
Why, the girl is Of no family to signify,
whereas the Curzons-It will be better
match for her than in her widest dreams
she could have hoped for
Perhaps, in her widest dreams, she
hoped for a good man, and one who
could honestly love her"
"Pouf! You are hardly up to date, my
dear fellow. Girls, nowadays, are wise
enough to know they can't have every
thing, and she will get good deal. little,
position-I say, Thaddeus, what | want
of you is t0-er-to help me in this mat
ter-to-crack me up bit, eh?-ro-you
know"
The professor is silent, more through
disgust than want of anything 10 say.
Staring at the man before him, he knows
he is loathsome to hinl-Ioathsome, and
his own brother!-this man, who, with
some Of the best blood of England
in his veins, is 50 far, far be-
low the standard that marks the
ing in more ways than one. To
the professor, Sir Hastings, with his
handsome, dissipated face, stands out
tawdry, hideous, vulgar-why, every
word he says is tinged with coarseness;
and yet, what a pretty boy he used to be,
with his soft, sunny hair and laughing
'SYou will help me, eh?' persists Sir
Hastings, with his little dry chronic
cough, that seems to shake his whole
frame.
impossible" says the professor, sim
ply. coldly.
mo? Why?'
The professor looks at him "a penetrat-
ing glance, but says nothing.
"Oh! damn it ALL says his brother, his
brow darkening "You had better, you
know, if you want the old name kept
above water much longer"
you mean-?' says the professor,
turning a grave face to his
Nothing but what is honorable. [
tell you I mean to turn over a
new leaf. Pom my soul, | mean
that. I'm sick Of all this old
racket; it's killing me- And my title is
as good one as she can find anywhere,
and if I'm dipped rather-her money
would pull me straight again, and
He pauses, struck by something in the
professors face.
''You mean-?" says the latter again,
even more slowly. His eyes are begin
ming to light.
Exactly what l have said" sullenly.
you have heard me-