Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-09

Z W1tJu 6bQNEA AAANtS NAAANtAcA- 49,
hand closed tightly over hers, which
was Immediately withdrawn.
+ lit ism that / IN doubtful about the
/ future, said CRthbert. The worst OF
it is that man spends his best years
! fighting fate, 50 that at last when the
/ gods deign to become amicable be IS
only another Midas.
"But there's your uncle, = suggested
Dorothy.
Cuthbert smiled. "You don't know
1 him. He repudiated me years ago, not
without reason. When was Of age,
came into possession Of the sum OF $780,
/ 00O--a gift from this same thoughtful
relative. I afterward learned that he
/ gave it to me as test. He wanted to
see what / would do with it,
And what did you do with it?" ask
ed Dorothy.
Its hard to tell " said tho young
man ruefully. II took a college ohum
! with me to Europe, aud when we re-
turned five months later hadn't PEN
n.y."
"Oh, " said Dorothy, without much
surprise She herself had extravagant
tastes, coupled with unlimited pocket
money; moreover, she knew little Of the
practical value of money. so that it did
not seem to her remarkable that one
should spend $50, COO in five months
while travelling for pleasure. And is
your uncle angry with you for that?
How unreasonable"
"Can you direct me TO Saints Rest,
the residence of Mr.. and Mrs. Baxter?'
asked wheezy voice beside them. They
started and turned toward the speaker,
whose footsteps had made no sound on
the soft sand 1t was the speck they had
noticed in the distance half an hour be-
fore, now grown to the proportions of
short, rather stout, middle aged gentle
man. Dorothy was the quicker to recoy-
err herself and replied:
Certainly. It's only short distance
from here. You can see the cottage
through those ines-straight ahead. "
"Thank you" said the stranger. He
was observing Dorothy with respectful
but i'll concealed admiration. Like all
ugly men, he had an almost abnormal
appreciation of pretty women. And this
man was ugly-undeniably, hopelessly,
phenomenally ugly. He was even gro
tesque, which gave him an air of dis
tinction that comeliness could never
have impaired. His features were large
and set far apart in his wide, roomy
face; his small dark blue eyes sparkled,
and he was flushed with exercise. Over
all played an expression of bland and
playful innocence. like that of "a good
humored child.
II am Mrs. Bakers uncle, he an
nounced.
"Oh. Professor Swithin Mrs. Bax-
ter has spoken of you to us-we are her
guests-and she has wondered much
what has detained you, said Dorothy.
Then, to Cuthbert's disgust, the profess
or walked with them to the cottage,
usurping the conversation in the inter
est of his own affairs He had been de.
layed by business exigeucies he had
come without sending advance notice.
presuming he could obtain a carriage at
the station; he had been unable to do
so, and therefore had been compelled to
walk the entire distance, which must
} be over mile, and he had left his lug
| gage Nv bnC 5battOLs 1AOi8 NRo
a valuable telescope. He hoped it might
not be injured.
"You are interested in solar biology,
Mrs. Baxter tells us, :" observed Doro-
thy after all these incidents had been
laid bare.
II have made study of it for over
80 years, " said the professor with pride.
Indeed / may say that am one of the
pioneers who searched for knowledge
along this line in this century"
II suppose it is very difficult to I'M
derstand, . murmured Dorothy politely.
'Oh, that depends upon the amount
, of application given to it to certain
extent Though have a natural grasp
of scientific subjects, can usually tell
the place any person occupied in the
great solar world merely from observa
ton. Now, if / might venture to hazard
an opinion-as to yourself, for instance
If you would not consider me imper-
tinent"
Certainly not, said Dorothy, smil
ing.
81 am of the opinion, then, that you
are Sagittarius. If you will be so good
as to name the day Of the month on
which your birthday arrives, we can see
whether or not have Numbered"
Dorothy named Dec. IL. She was
amused by the eccentricities of this
quaint old gentleman.
"Righti Quite rightP exclaimed the
professor joyfully.
They had now reached the cottage,
and Mrs. Baxter was advancing to meet
them, full of welcome and introduce
tions. General Stanhope, a tall, thin,
intellectual man, who surveyed life
calmly through pair of big, round
eyed spectacles, was delighted, in his
cold, deliberate way, to meet again his
old friend, and they sat down ON the
piazza for chat about old times. Lalla
Braddon, a delicious little creature in
pink with short curls and big violet
/ b,,,.