The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-05
At The LAST MOMENT.

day morning at the station OF that
name, when the special train starts for
South Africa. 1t is desperate strug-
gle while it lasts, and the uniformed
men have an exceedingly warm time
of it, but they have always conquered
before, and this encourages and gives
| them enthusiasm Mr. John Beste- the
name was on the leather label of his
single portmanteau-Mr. John Beste,
down in good time before the real tussle
began, looked on with interest. He was
a tall, reserved looking man, with "a
short beard and the brown complexion
that comes to men who have looked
at the South African sun.
mo one to see me off," said John
Beste. CA short mother was stepping
on tiptoe to kiss a burly youth, and
the sight gave him thoughts.) of
course there is no one to see me off, ;"
he continued, argumentatively. why
should there be?''
Mr.. John Beste placed his portman-
teau in the corner of first class COM
partment, and laughed a little bitterly
at his grumbled soliloquy. A light
touch on his arm made him wheel
round. The sound of soft voice made
him flush.
Mr.. Beste!'
Miss Langham! Are you here to
say goodby to me?"
That was the idea," said the young
woman, brightly. 81 suppose there are
Others How long before your train
| goes?"
about twenty minutes, Miss Lang
ham,
only twenty minutes. I am sorry
| that you are going so quickly. And
you will see Mr.. Charterhouse. l sup
pose''-and she stepped aside to avoid
a juggernaut trolley of luggage-"as
soon as you arrive?' she resumed.
Il can't possibly avoid that. Is Mrs.
Langham here?"
MY aunt does not know that I have
come down. Did you want to see her,
Mr.. Beste?"
Her presence" he said, gravely, lis
not Indispensable to my happiness"
Il am afraid that you are inclined to
be a little unjust to her. You don't
know her as we'll as I do, Mr.. Beste.'
THAT is so. But Mrs. Langham has
made confidant of me during the time
that 1 have been here, and--well, l
think 7 understand her"
''Tout comprehensive c'est tout
pardonner," quoted the young lady.
sNot in every case"
Ct should like to know what you
| talked about. It occurred to me at
dinner last night that
upon my word, Miss Langham, I
have half a mind to tell YOU"
Half a mind is plenty, Mr.. Beste. I
have a special reason for wanting to
know My dear aunt has not always
the best tact in the world"
That" he said dryly, occurred to
me-"
WAS it of me that she was talking,
I wonder? Was I the objects"
cit was of you," he said.
"And my aunt said?''
Am 1 bound to answer these ques-
lions, my lord?"
Al band of Jewish financial gentlemen
came along the crowded platform,
forming an encourage to some import
ant individual in their center. With
the enterprise of their race, they forced
the other passengers aside, and Mr..
John Beste and Miss Langham were
separated in the commotion.
| You are bound" said the young Por-
tia, returning, "to answer all the ques-
tons that are put to you for the next
! fifteen minutes"
|
shifting his rug from one arm to the
other. and bending a little closer to the
bewildering hat and the charming face
that it selfshly attempted to hide, Mrs.
Langham was extremely anxious that
1 should convey certain information to
Mr.. Charterhouse AS manager to Mr..
Charterhouse's valuable mine, Mrs.
Lansham seems to have thought that
I -1l, ! II aot CHI I
say?-a valuable fellow conspirator.
| GO on she said, quickly, and with
great concern.
Il wonder whether you can guess
what I am going to say?"
II hope I am not guessing rightly. IL
is too terrible
Mrs. Langham was good enough to
say that for anything 1 could say to
my-my master, Mr.. Charterhouse, that
would assist the object she had in view.
I should be well repaid. This was, OF
course, very generous of your aunt
$50 on, Mr.. Beste."
The time was flying. Passengers were
settling down in their compartments,
and at every window was a bunch Of
| heads. There were tears, too, because
some CT those on the platform-parents
|
lin. adieu to husbands-were sufficiently
old-fashioned to possess emotions.
| "And what I had to do was this. MI
Charterhouse is, as you know, pach-
elor''
mir. Charterhouse may be an old
maid for all 1 know or care" she said,
holly.
And II was to use my influence
with harterhouse-which is, l admit,
consi6erable-to induce him to come
over here toto see Miss Langham."
"And buy her, I suppose" she ex-
claimed, trembling with excitement
but not allowing her voice to raise it.
SELF ITO buy me, and to sign the
! agreement at ST. George, Hanover
Square
1 II think" he said alphabetically
that your aunt is very anxious that
you should make a good marriage
These good marriages are all bad
ones" declared Eva Langham, hotly.
"Mr. Beste, you must help me. / can
not allow my aunt to make me appear
shameful and ridiculous in peoples
eyes. You must promise not to say a
wold to Mr. Charterhouse about me.
| don't knew him, and I don't want to
know him"
He saw you once. think, when you
were girl at school,
Il beg of you, Mr.. Beste, to do this
for me. 1 shall marry-when I do
marry-just whom 1 like, and I will not
consider any one whom I don't like"
IT am glad to- hear you say So"
Il should not dream of saying any