Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-02-24
THAT THIRD OFFER.

tllat i stIt to lhcrpASe-l would fcCl safe
in making the venture"
Yes. that ought to start you. | sup
posr you haven't picked out the girl vet
NUw, | am going to make You an offer
The day you tell me some nice sensible
girl has prnimscd To- marry you will give
you my check for $4,000, along with my
blessing What dn you say
Il say it is II go, and Robert graspcd
his unclc's hand.
Very god, but that Is not all. OF
course, my boy, ! do not want To- Interfere
in your affairs, but-you know Enid
Humphrey, of course
YES
well, her mother and were great
friends Ii amounted to deal more on
my part, and that is your old unclc'S ro-
nance Now, my hoy, could not get the
mother, but IL you, my nephew, should
happen 10 get the daughter should be
very glad, and Robert not meaning To uso
any undue influence you understand.
would make Ia check, say, twenty five
thousand.
Robert seized his urclc's hand and
worked it up ANA down 300 to the minute,
his face bcaming viii delight and graft
tudc
Uncle Tom" he gaspcd, you're
brick of purest ray serene. You sit right
down and fill out that check and will I've
hack for it in 20 minutes, and he was
gone.
Lord bless my soul!' said the aston
ishcd old gentleman. Il was evidently
mistaken about his not having yet picked
out u girl.
Twenty minutes after leaving his uncle's
house he was sitting by her side, an en-
gagged man and one of the happicst in the
universe. SIc told her the exact day and
minute when he first knew he loved her;
she rcciprocatcd; all was bliss
Finally Robert declared he must go.
You see, " he said, II have very i'm
portant engagement with Uncle Tom. In
fact. my dear, with grin. lit is mat
ter Of bread and butter for two
II don't understand
"Of course not women never do under
stand that part of it. Butt am going To
clinCh that very necessary adjunct to mat
rimonial happiness this very afternoon.
What on earth are you talking about,
Il Robert"
Uncle Tom made mo an offer; promised
u RlNt Illt IL NIitlh lpI S-'l.'fb inc instant
that l could tell him that you had prom
iscd to be my wife"
ooh, indeed"
YES, clever in the old boy, wasn't it,"
said Robert, with dim perception that
somebody had Numbered.
VERY clever indeed. And very clever
in you to take such quick advantage of 30
generous an offer.
why great goodness
But you are not so shrcwd,' she hur-
ricd on, "in telling me ST soon Of the great
induccmcnt that brought you here this
afternoon.
Enid, dear
Miss Humphrey, If you please, DIR.
Buchanan.
Don't I've So sarcastic and angry. You
know that love You; that for two years
| have not had thought but for you and
of you. This offer of my unclc'S was
made in the kindpst spirit He knew that
my practice was not sufficient to Justify
me in speaking to any girl Of marriage,
and like the dear old fellow that he Is he
came to my rescue. He had previously
offered me $40, 900 to settle down with any
one, and then because he had once loved
your mother, and because he admircS You
SO very much, hi afterward said that he
would make it S25, 900 II could get you. "
OBJ put in the girl rapidly, you are
candor pcrsonitled That explains fully
! why you have so seldom come near me
during the last few months, when you
were free to choose whom you would, but
now, on receipt Of this larger offer al
! hour ago, AS q premium for choosing mo,
you hasten back to my side. Some other
| girl--Annic Bennett, for inStancc-must
| feel almost rs highly complimentcd as
! do "
Enid, Enid cried the unhappy doc.
tor, you are trying not TO understand
! Uncle Tom made the two offers Mt the
same time, the other one first, but both MT
| the same cOnvcrSation-bOth this after
4 noon. Can't you sec? And you know
why tried to stop coming here. l could
/ not ask you to marry me, and without
that could honorahly tell you Of my love?
As for Annie Bennett, l haven't laid eyes
on her for two
t That will do, DR. buchanan" said
! Enid, rising; "you need not try TO explain
any further. take back my promise. All
is over between us forever" and she could
not hold back the sob in her throat
Miscrably. enough Robert picked up his
hat and passed out into the hall. With his
hand on the street door he paused.
1t Is now or never. I'll risk 1t. "
When he re-entcred the room, Enid was
standing before the mantcl, one hand rest
ing heavily on it.
Enid" he began humbly, forgive me
If l say one more word. ! cannot leave
you In this way. was so ast0undcd ut
what you We're saying that forgot an
other offer my uncle made me. "
He paused, but she did not help him
Robert continued:
"Ho named another girl and said that
If would marry her he would give he
$50, 00O."
"Oh!'
Eyes, he really did"
And who-who was the other girl?"
well, Enid / was SO overjoycd ut the
offer about you that l rushed off here
without waiting to hear the rest of it, but
rs | slamm, tho front door l think
heard him say, Annie Bennett.
For II moment there was another pause
Robert ventured to take the hand hanging
at her side.
Don't you think, Enid, he said, press
ing 1t between his own, don't you think
that makes difference"
And Enid said very low, "Yes-I sup.
pose it does-R- Robert. "
The girl was not crying now, and Rob
ert took her In his arms. e. Jouctt Sinlp
son i'll Cleveland Press.
He Wanted to Know.