The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-02-21
CHAPTER v.-(CoNTrNuED.)

chamber favored him with solfeggio
exercise, which strained to the utter
most a somewhat acid voice.
81 wonder whether that is the bride
singing" speculated the vicar, land |
wonder if she is very much attached
to my gentleman. Rather hard lines
for her, if she is fond of him, poor
child"
At last Mr. Umpleby appeared, pie
'thoric, rubicund. pompous.
Happy to have the honor of MAX
ing your acquaintance, vicar" he said.
.''I have long known you by repute.
Everyone in Grandchester does
that" answered Leworthy, pleasantly;
I'I have been too often in hot water
mot to be pretty well known"
Impossible to please every one,
murmured Mr.. Umpleby.
Precisely, and the man who tries 1t
ends by pleasing no one. l have taken
my own course, and though I've made
a good many enemies, thank God I've
made twice as many friends. Now, Mr..
Umpleby, must ask you to receive me
with all good nature, and to believe
that mean well by you and yours, al
though I have come on most unpleas-
ant business"
The merchant looked uneasy. An
other great firm gone wrong, perhaps;
a question of big bad debt.
as it a business matter?" he fal-
tered. -Fa d setd
mo, it is family matter.
"Oh!" he said, with an air of RELIEF,
as if this were of minor Importance.
"You are going to marry your
daughter tomorrow" said the vicar.
81 am"
"To your clerk. Mr.. Foy?''
eyes. sir. 1t is not the first time
that a merchants daughter has mar
ried her fathers clerk. believe,
though it is out of the common course
of things"
~ am here to beg you to postpone
the marriage"
con what grounds"
"Before I tell you that, you must
give me your promise to communicate
nothing | tell you to Mr.. Foy."
1. UmplSUy hCOACoISN'
"Mind, it is vital to you, as a father
TO know what I have to tell
Mr.. Umpleby gave the required
promise.
The vicar told his story, beginning
with the scene at the railway station,
ending with the story he had heard at
Parminter.
.eWere you aware that Foy had
sister,"
~ never heard him speak of one"
Curious, that, in your future SON
in-law."
Mr.. Umpleby sat and stared into
space like a man bewildered. He WHIP
ed his large, bald forehead with the
biggest and most expensive thing in
bandanaS.
s'This is a most frightful suspicion,
he said; ga young woman poisoned
for you seem to think this young wo-
man was poisoned 1t is an awful po-
sition. Every arrangement has been
made for the wedding, as you may
suppose-guests invited-some OF the
best people in Grandchester. My wife
and daughters have the highest opin-
ion of young Foy. I may say they
are infatuated about him. His con-
duct in business has been irreproach-
able There must be some mistake
some ridiculous misunderstanding.
Ell got Foy's address at your office,
and at that address I heard OF sis
ter of whose existence you are abso-
lutely unaware Do you think that
speaks we'll for your intended son-in-
law?'
''He may have had some powerful
reason for concealing her existence.
She may be weak in her intellect. She
may have gone wrong. AS for your
idea of slow poisoning, that is too alb
surd."
"And you mean this young man to
marry your daughter tomorrow morn
ing?"
''What am I to do? 1 never cared
about the match. I have been per-
suaded into giving my consent. My
girl had a right to look higher. But
to stop the marriage now would be"
Simply prudent. Investigate the
case as l have put it before you. If
I am deceived-if Foy is not the man
who took that dying girl to the rail
way station-if Foy's sister, or wo-
man who passed as his sister, is not
lying dead at Milldale, l will make
the humblest apology to you and Mr..
hoc ioin