Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-10-25


Mr.. Tym's fashion, and squared about
to his former posture. l thought my
undanntedness and straightforward
ness had at least shaken him.
lie finally answered. his voice at least
lowered from the first high pitch:
But, granting this. what then? At
best your plan requires considerable
time"
That / admit" / said, reluctantly.
at could not well be compassed under
a few years"
"And meanwhile my niece might lose
a desirable match. Come, would not
be unreasonable. You seem a likely
enough fellow, and all l have heard
of you commends you, yet notwith-
standing / cannot now concede what
you wish. Coon and achieve the things
you speak of. if you can, and then we
will see what is to be said. Further
than this l will not promise. Indeed.
l have gone beyond my first intent in
yielding so much. But it must be un-
derstood that there is to be no more
love-making. / shall have my eyes
open-which it seems hitherto / have
not, or have been overpassed-and all
infringement l shall meet by strict
measures. Now you have my answer,
which 1 have meant should be to the
point, as is my custom"
He ended with little more severity
than he had begun. yet not harshly,
and seemed to await my answer.
In good sooth. could not find much
fault. He had not given me the sort
of reply l could have wished, to be
sure, and 1 did not go to the length
of finding much encouragement in his
generalities; yet, on the other hand,
he had not fatty refused me, and he
had not treated my suit with con-
tempt. l perceived that it stood me
in hand to meet him in the prompt and
frank fashion he seemed to look for,
and hence I nodded in a satisfied way
and answered:
81 can ask nothing more. 1 am
aware that the greatness of what
seek is beyond my deserts, Let it
stand as it is, then. You do not posi-
lively refuse me, and ! have my own
success to work out. ! am beholden
to you, sir, for your consideration"
''Why. you are welcome" he an
swered, quite genially. "And, Master
Ardick," he went on, as ] rose and
made TO go, 81 would say that | wish
to stand your friend. have very keen
ly in mind the obligation you have
placed me under-you and your COM
panions. 1 trust at no distant day
to be able to repay some small share
of the debt"
81 thank you in turn" said, rather
coldly. 'but in the presen hospitality
you repay all that l, at least, can ac
cept. wish you good-nig a. $50 -4
And with n well-managed bit of loft.
mess (albeit my heart was heavy) 1
turned and stalked over to the COM
panion.
Master Ardick!" he called after me,
to my surprise.
AYE, SIR" / responded. wheeling in
stantly, my pulse suddenly quickened.
Mentioning your companions sug-
gests another matter. Do you recall
that 1 once asked you whence they
hailed?"
81 do" answered, considerably dis
appointed. 1 had expected something
to another purpose.
"And you said that Mr.. Tym and the
captain were from Southampton and
Mac Ivrach from Glasgow? l am ask
ing merely to be sure l understood
you"
"You are little astray,"I 1 answered,
my silly irritation passing; "only the
captain is from Southampton. Mr..
Tym, though he has of late lived in
London-that is, when not at sea-
was born and reared in some town in
Sussex"
'Is it so?" he said, with little sur
prise. "Then 1 Inexperienced you.
That alters the case. / must see Mr..
Tym. will explain to you that the
business concerns the letter that Capt
Sellinger brought. This letter was
from a dear friend of mine, now dead,
and is of very much Importance. 1t
was written in New York, where my
friend lived, and came to me in the
strange and roundabout way you
know of. Among other things, must
now get upon the track of a certain
family of Sussex. If you are about to
go below. will you not ask Mr.. Tym to
step up hither?"
Certainly" l answered, and with
slight distraction from my own mat
ters for the moment, 1 wished him
good night and left>the deck