The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-09


gested.
My dear lad. there is very little to
tell We placed Hugo on the throne of
Sparta, nominally to guarantee the indie
pendence of the Asia Minor federation,
but really as a buffer against Russia. In
many ways Hugo was remarkable man.
In seven years he had transformed an
autonomy into a powerful nation. 1t was
all wrong, of course, and quite contrary
to the convention, but 1t suited us to pre-
serve a policy of mastery inactivity In
the matter. Hugo was a born sovereign,
gifted in the arts of war and organiza-
ton. splendid ruler for so turbulent and
! treacherous a people. And yet they all
hated him like poison"
Wasn't there some mystery" Robert
suggested. Didn't he disappear
After the successful termination of the
Acropolian campaign-yeA That last bat
tie consolidated the kingdom. Hugos son
was Just of age, and immensely popular
everywhere, just the man to pursue the
policy of Cancellation necessary for the
well being of the state. At any rate Hugo
was never heard of again. There was
mountain skirmish In which he and his
suite We're attacked, and none of them
were ever seen subsequently. The snow
of the Attlias keeps the secret safe.
And so Sparta benefited by the
changer"
"Undoubtedly. Look at their position to-
day! Still they owe II all to King Hugo
Some day his character may be written.
There IS a romance ready to the hand or
a novelist for you! On the whole, King
Hugo was, perhaps, the most striking
personality ] ever met"
"And so Sparta benefited by the
changer"
1t came up a few days later in quite an
other form. Not that there was any oh,
lection to coldly artistic admiration of
Miss Corona Antony's JNnoesque fgurey
and Egyptian eyes. But Che dark head re-
cllning on Bobs shoulder, and the white
arms about his neck, was another thing.
And this is precisely what Sir Robert
saw in a corner of the Leg of Mutton
spinney, where the new Burmese pleas
ants were.
"Confound the pheasants," Sir Robert
muttered as he walked away. But for
them 1 should never have seen that, and
now l shall be bound to interfere. If the
lad were less honorable than he is why
but l won't tell mother yet. I'll manage
this myself"
Sir Robert opened fire the same evening
over his claret. He was in no mood for
port on the present occasion.
Bob" he said, II was in the Leg of
Mutton spinney to-day, about o'clock.
Robert looked a little guilty. But, on
the whole he felt relieved.
I'm not sorry to hear it," he replied.
ooh, this is worse than / anticipated.
What are you going to do?"
Marry her"
with my permission, of course?'
Respectfully, sir, should be happy to
have it. But it is all the same. You can't
cut off the entail, you know, and I've got
Aunt James money. What do you pro-
pose to do in the matter?'
You will bring ,disgraee on the fam
lily"
.sTNiv,lorooo,,g Nv eyraa srra ,,dfa = bor
made his money selling bread pills in coun-
try fairs A Radical shoemaker at Mac
ton reminded me of the fact last week"
MY father, sir, was court physician to
George ""
Robert laughed.
Now, I ask you" he said. as an honest
man, If that is anything to be proud OFF,
"Can 1 see this young lady2" Sir Robert
replied.
mot for day or two. She has gone to
stay with her old governess in Macton."
ooh, she can read, them"
Large print" Robert replied: with
youth on her side. we hope to conquer the
asprate difficulty in time"
Sir Robert gave it up for the moment.
His son sauntered off presently, and left
him to his own troubled reflections. A
little later he quilted the house and took
his way towards the Red Cottage.
Sir Robert had made up his mind what
to do. He would confront this fellow An
tony, and show him the patent absurdty
of his scheme. Doubtless Antony and his
daughter had put their heads together.
The heir to title and fine estate would
be a sturgeon in the net of the fishers.
He knocked at the door Of the cottage.
Antony himself responded. His hair was
white, his figure bent, as If with the toll
of the pillow and the mattock. He was
dressed in serviceable and wel-worn gray.
Sir Robert lowered above him, grand
and benign. His cloak thrown back dis
closed the Cypripedium In his buttonhoie,
an Order dangled on the glistenng white
ness. beneath a diamond blazed. Next to
intellect, there is no easier consciousness
of superiority than that of sartorial adj
vantage.
Sir Robert felt this in a measure.
your name is Anthony" he said
Inter ALA" the other replied quietly.
Come in, Sir Robert.
lie led the way to a room tastefully guis-
ed. A lamp burned in one corner lamp
shaded down TO a pink haze like twilight.
The host indicated a chair, a hugely com
Portable one. and took another himself.
The faint fragrance of an unusually fine
cigar permeated the apartment.
II was not possible for Conway to see
the face of his host. That was IN re-
poseful shadow like the rest of the room;
In fact, all seemed repose and refinement
there. And tenement there, refinement
suggested rather than implied.
you came here to see me, Sir Robert"
Antony opened out. "Weli?"
1T Is about my son; you understand"
what possible concern can your son be
to me?"
None, perhaps, to you personally" Con-
way replied drily; but have every rea-
son 10 believe that your daughter holds
a contrary opinion"
"Ah You are speaking from knowl-
edge2"
Ocular demonstration, Mr.. Antony. OLD
diplomatist as ] am, ! have sim a few
Illusions left, and belief In my own eye
sight Is one"
rs II possible that my daughter could
have 80 far forgotten herselfY'
The speakers voice had something Of a
horror In lt-horror and wounded pride. A
royal Hapsburg detecting a budding or
spring kissing a scullery wench could
have been no more deeply outraged.
1T " strange" Sir Robert replied, cold
~. "how many points OF view there are.
Now your daughter may be a very respec-
table young woman"
Man, are you mad to speak to me
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