The record-union., 1897-05-09
A ROGUE'S ERRAND.

Il lUUUhD lnhAMU.
The time was II o'clock on a sunny
morning in May some thirty years ago
and the place, the Long Walk in the
Regents Park, London.
The people, coming from opposite di-
rections, both young and fairly good
looking, met and shook hands Leo, a
big Newfoundland dog, who acted as
the girls escort, made a third at the
meeting, and welcomed Eustace Dare
with three or four effusive barks.
You must not detain me more than
a very few minutes" said Miss Eversor
as her lover took one of her hands
Indeed, L would not have come out al
all to-day had 1 not been anxious you
should know the news"
AS a rule, Mary Everson was al
smiles and bushes when she met Dare
to-day however, her face was both pale
and serious.
What news?" asked Dare quickly
THAT of your uncle's illness"
"Ah!" calculated the young man, the
whole expression of his dark, hand
some face changing on the instant.
1T was on Saturday we met last
resumed Mary. well, in the course
Of Sunday Uncle James, who, as you
are aware, has been ailing for lone
time, became seriously worse. Yester-
day morning his symptoms were sc
alarming that DR.. Burrows obtained his
sanction to calling in an eminent spe-
cialist. OF the result of the consulta-
ton | of course know nothing; but
am happy to say that to-day uncle is
very much better-Dr. Burrows himself
admits as much. After breakfast this
morning a lawyer, whom he had pre-
viously sent for, arrived, and after be-
ing eloseted with him for upwards OF
an hour, took away his instructions fol-
the drawing up of his will, which he is
to bring at 10 o'clock on Saturday
morning, ready to be signed and wit
messed
He must indeed be ILL.," said Dare, ''if
he has consented to have his will drawn
up. 1 was afraid he would go off one
of these days without having made it
and leave everything at skies and sew
ems
| they were now walking side by side
and then Dare said: Il suppose, dar-
ling, that Uncle James has given you
no hint as to how he intends to leave
his property?''
None whatever, Eustace; why should
he?" asked Mary. turning a sur
prised face on her lover.
"Oh, 1 know of no reason why he
should. STILL / thought it Just possible
| that he might have let something dror
| in your hearing about his intentions. -
Mary shook her head There was
something in Eustace's remark which
Jared on her feelings. Il can go nc
farther to-day" she said presently;
and with that she turned and began tc
retrace her steps.
Dare turned with her. Usually he haG
plenty to say for himself. but TO-DAY
he was silent and preoccupied neither
was Mary in any mood for talking. Al
the park gates they parted Before
letting her go he drew from her a
promise that she would endeayor tc
meet him again on Saturday and bring
him whatever news there might be
to tell by that time. She had already
an address to which she could tele-
graph to him in case of need.
Eustace Dare was the orphaned
nephew of James Armishaw, an Eng
lishman, now nearly go years old, who
had made a fortune in the United
States, and still had his home there
Being unmarried and having no other
relatives than some half-cousins, Mr.
Armishaw had adopted his sisters sor
when the latter was - years OF age
and had brought him up with the in
tention of making him his successor
when he should see fit to retire from
business.
In the course of a holiday visit tC
England, Mr.. Armishaw had sought out
one of his half-cousins, a country doc
tor with a large family and a small
income and had been so pleased with
the latter's eldest daughter that he had
taken her back with him to the States
This was the Mary Everson whose ac-
quaintance we have already made
Mary and Eustace had not been lone
under the same roof before they fel
in love with each other, and that not
only without the sanction, but without
the knowledge of Mr.. Armishaw. A
| little later had come terrible eX-
| plosion. The merchant, who for some
| time past had seen cause to find serious
fault with Eustace, after a stormy in
terview with the young man, bade him
| quit his roof forever But, in order tC
save him going wholly to the dogs. il
| he were minded to change his
ways, his uncle after few days so fal
relented as to settle on him an allow.
ance equivalent to 600 a year of Eng.
| lish money. The only explanation O,
| the affair which Mr. Armishaw vouch.
safed Mary was that his nephew hac
offended him beyond forgiveness, ant
| that she never was to mention his
name again.
| But when Dare next saw Mary, which
| he contrived to do few days later
and when he found that his uncle had
| told her no particulars concerning theil