The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-11-03

W yOus IliSS IVES w AoVS
about the premises"
Mr.. Marshall proved himself a quiet
and peaccable member of the little
household. He liked dogs. and allowed
Miss Ives King Charles spaniel to
sleep, undisturbed. amid the papers OF
his table.
He was partial to birds and enterea
at once into the most friendly Of ALI
ances with the parrot and the macaw.
He grated Miss Isidora's orange tree
for her'and showed her a new way to
train her way plants.
At the end Of four weeks Miss Isl
dora put into execution Il plan which
she had long been forming.
"Mr. MARSHALL" she said. Its a great
deal of trouble for, you to 20 three
times Il day tramping down t.!at long
hill to the Toplady Arms and back
again. You are 40 longer a STRANGER
to us here. We have learned to re-
spect and trust you. If you choose to
take your meals with us here, | shall
De quite willing to admit you to my
frugal table as a fl''"nd
Mr.. Marshall's countenaEce changed
oddly. He made Il curious sound in
his throat as II he we've swallowing
something.
"Miss Isidora." he said. II can't"
"Can't?" repeated the lady.
Nothing could induce me to eat
salt under this roof" said Mr.. Mar
shall incoherently.
"Bless and save us! Is the man
mad?" cried Miss Isidora Ives.
II am. socially speaking. a fraud"
said the stranger, "a forgery"
Miss Ives sat down on the sofa in a
helpless way and stared at him.
but your sweet g~raciousness and
kindness have conquered me-" added
Mr.. Marshall.
what do you mean?" said Miss Ives.
"Just this" said the stranger. II am
here on false pretenses. am your
cousin. the plaintiff. My name isn't
Marshall. but Gideon Marshall Robin
SON."
"Ma'am," whispered the heartless
maid. who turned absolutely green On
hearing the name Of the family enemy,
"shall I bring the kettle of boiling wa
ter?"'
"Rebecca.'' said Miss Ives. hold
your tongue and go out and feed the
young turkeys. I am fully competent
to manage this matter myself"
And Rehecca, feeling herself put
down, departed.
II came here" went on Mr.. Robin
son. ito loek into the facts of the case
myself. l have heard of your preju-
dices against me-
Eyes, l think So" interposed Miss
Ives. .
"And I do not blame you for Them"
said Mr.. Robinson. Nov that l am
personally acquainted with you, Miss
Ives, nothing could induce me to pros
ecute this
Ubiquitous claim" interposed Isl
dora.
Ubiquitous claim" acceded Mr.. Rob.
inson. with a repetition Of the swal-
lowing sound. "Just what you please
to call it. respect you as a lady, but
l appreciate you as a relative; but,
of course, knowing who l am, you can
not tolerate me any longer as your
friend. l will pack my bag and de-
part at once. l can only feel regretful
that l have deceived you so long. I
feel myself to be a hypocrite and q
swindler."
He waited meekly to receive the full
tide Of Miss Isidora's curbed wrath.
She put out her plump little hand, with
four dimples in the four joints.
Don't go" she said in a low voice.
what" cried the incredulOus plain
tiff. -
"There's no reason why we shouldn't
be friends said Miss Ives in her odd.
brusque way. Things seem SO very
different, now that we are acquainted
with each other. Couldn't we-compro-
miseY"
"Isidora," said Mr.. Robinson, "we're
cousins, you know, twice removed. l
may call you Isidoraw
'Oh, certainly" said Miss Ives.
"We are the two last seeming heirs"
"Plaintiff and defendant" nodded
Isidora.
Exactly so. Now it has just oc'
Cured to mel mean, I've been think
ing of it for some time-that If we
were to unite our claims''-
"To get married, do you mean?" said
Isidora bluntly.
Eyes, precisely. 1t would put an end
to all litigation" pleaded Marshall
Robinson. "Would you be willing to
marry me?" said Mr.. Gideon Marshall
Robinson.
"Y-yes!" said Isidora. II think
should. I'm not young. but then six
and thirty is not absolutely old"
"You are a rose in full bloom" said
Mr.. Robinson enthusiastically. "and
myself am not a mere boy, it must be
remembered"
"And If people should laugh at us
why, wen let them laugh" said Isl
dora.
"And we'll laugh. too" said the mid