The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-11-20

81 should think mott
''Its my property and every cent Of the
) income goes to that hawk-nosed old harpy."
, 'But, dear, she will die some day"
"Dier with bitter incredulity. "Never!
never! The knotty variety Of parasites like
mistletoe. live forever"
'And 80 you have nothing-absoutely
: nothing-out Of what is rightfully yours
} through your mother? Shameful! shame
ful!' said the girl.
!, "I'm big coward to tell you all this, F."
he went on, but felt so down in my
} luck that had to talk. Now, might
have made money out OF the plantation il
!, l had stayed and work ed it instead OF leav-
ing it to the tenants might have made
five hundred, perhaps a thousand dollars
extra for myself out OF it, but couldn't
do it, Dolly; just couldn't stay there and
clothe and feed that old woman with my
own hands. She lives in the house, and
oh, we'll"
eyes, dear, have mamma"
eyes, but you mother is-excuse me,
Dolly, but your mother is fat-plump, |
mean to say-and portly women must be
more durable than thin ones with claws
ana heaks"
"Jackw
eyes"
"lm thinking about that plantation.
I'm so glad you've got it,"
"Well, Pm not"
"Oh but you will be. You see, didn't
know You had property, and that was max
ing it hard for me. l thought Of that COL
lection of old family miniatures Of yours
you showed me, and thought that might
don
"Do? Do for what?" he calculated
"Never mind. 1t really wouldn't, any
way What want you to give me now is
a mortgage-a genuine mortgage for $4,000
on that Virginia property"
"What?'
"How much is that property worth?"
ooh, perhaps Sl5, 900, should say. But
what on earth -"
"Well, its just this,' said the girl ex
citedly. II am to give you $4,000. 1t is
the income | have saved from some prop
erty left me. | am to give you $4,000 and
you are to borrow it from me by fixing up
a mortgage on your plantation for that
amouAt. My lawyer will attend to it in
regular form. Papa didn't leave me his
business head for nothing, Jac'-, dear"
"And what am to do with the money!"
asked the youth aghast.
"Now, I've been thinking out all that
for months. thought it out when was
dancing and I had long, restful, delicious
thinks over it while stupid men were twad-
ding their nonsense at me. Papa made
his pile mining, you know, and what have
you studied mining and engineering for if
you can't make yours that way, too? You
remember talking to me about gold posi-
blities in Alaska? Well, want you to
take this money and try your luck there
And-oh, Jack, don't be so rude and don't
kiss me while Pm talking, and don't look
at me il you'd cry with feeling if You
weren't six feet in your stockings-your
socks, mean. You are to go to Alaska
and make fortune-a great, big fortune,
big enough to make mamma quail before
you and to convert the Count into poor
little black trucking grease spot at your
mighty feet"
Dolly Randor was a little body and she
was almost breathless and decidedly
tumbled and out Of order when she emerged
from his enthusiastic recognition of devo-
ton. The big fellow stood up and held
her at arms length and looked at her-ob,
l can't begin to tell you how he looked at
her, and then he gathered her up in his
arms again, and presently they both sat
down, and he said, "Oh, Dolly" in voice
hushed with tender emotion, "Oh, Dolly, /
can't accept"
And then she put her little soft, white
hand across his lips and said in the decisive
way belonging to small woman: "You are
accepting nothing. | am making you a
loan, sir. III girl can't help a chap she
loves before she gets him, she shouldn't
have the right to do it afterwards, that's
all. And-well, if you don't let me I'll
I'll marry the Count, or that beastly old
officer with the wooden leg, or a Chinese
attache, or something like jack the
box from Corea."
They both laughed and there was much
pei sonal talk an argument and many car
esses that need not be recorded here.
Suffice it to say that two weeks after this
conversation Jack Stuart threw up his Job
and went to Alaska instead of to the bad,
as everybody thought. His companions
during his stay there were not the devil &
servants-women, wine, cigarettes and
cards-but instead, a miniature by Amelia
Kussner of a very beautiful girl smiling
from frame of turquoise, a face all Wash
ington society would recognize, and to keep
its memory bright in til, heart Of its owner
there were letters-long, delicious, crossed
and recrossed letters-scented with violets