The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-09

| audacious young scamp Lisie
| did you meet himf
| ford commanded my husbands regimen..
I wish he would come back. why. the
| curtain will fall In a few minutes ana
| can't attend to this scene"
| "I wouldn't trouble myself, IL were
you! / am quite at your service; III see
| YOU home. and find out tomorrow II
can. what has befallen that you"s
| scamp 49, A..
"Oh. General Blair! he will be sure to
| ooner foeI quite uncomfortablel III 1
thought he could behave so disgrace
fully
.I should not like to be In his shoes
| when he next meets you Indeed ne wouio
deserve any punishment II he has desert
| ed YOU In this Infamous manner.
The minutes slipped swiftly past the
last strains of the dying songstress ceaseu'
| the enthusiastic plaudits OF the auuien
recalled her to life and the great mousse
began to empty itself. the attendants ap-
reared with coverings to place over the
velvet upholstery, still Lisle was absent
without leave.
mo use waiting any longer; few min
| utes more and we shall not De aoie u
get a cab. Come. my dear Mrs. Merrlcn' I..S
| Let me put on your cloak MISS u
| more here's your scarf. It's deuced ooo'
4
| ing to nowadays. BY George! ha'o
| seen a man shot for less insulting con-
| duct to n woman (and such woman than
| this" cried the general who looked very
much alive not to say triumphant anu "o
led his silent mortified companions 10
the exit There he stopped youns ma
who was hurrying out. Huiio! Calvei"
have you seen Lisle' anywhere apou'.
"Yes; about an hour ago he was iea'-
ing the house with Algy Moore and
lady"
Just so, Just as 1 thought" chuckied
the general as with the help OF an opse-
quious commissionaire he secured 1our
wheeler.
TT is quite the most extraordinary
thing" murmured Mrs. Merrick, throwing
herself into corner.
"I am sure something very unforeseen
has occurred" said Miss Gilmore thought
fully. "for am quite sure that only some
necessity of the last Importance Wou'u
have induced Mr.. Lisle to leave us with
such scant ceremony"
Little more was said by either of the
ladies'. The general talked at Intervals
with politeness and animation. but the
trio were subdued and depressed Dy ihls
strange disappearance.
Arrived NJ Clifton Terrace. General Blair
assisted the ladies' to aiight and opened
the door for them with Mrs. Merrick'5
latchkey.
''No. my dear madam. I will not go up
stairs. You ought to go to bed and try
to sleep off the unpleasant effect of this
COMPOUNDED contretemps. Take my advice,
have some brandy and soda. with lump
of ice in It before you go TO bed. II
will be revivirg as well as cooling. I'll
look In tomorrow afternoon IL you'll al
low me- TO let YOU know what Information
may collect Good night, my dear lady:
good night"
''You may be sure 1 shall tell Mr.. I.isle
my opinion very plainly. I never was
treated in such a way in my life before"
cried Mrs. Merrick. refraining with some
difficulty from tears.
"GoOdby. Miss Gilmore; gOodby my dear
Mrs. Merrick. God bless you" He grasp
ed her hand painfully tight and left them.
When they reached their bedroom 10
Miss Gilmore's great surprise the bright.
buoyant widow suddenly sat down and
burst into tears.
''My dear Mrs. Merricl<." exclaimed her
friend in a tone of astonishment.
Yes. dear; I am an awful fool, I
didn't think l cared so much for that de-
lightful boy! But to think he should make
so little Of me before that diSagreeable.
cantankerous. contemptuous general OH
l will tell him how disappointed and NOR
tiled I am and that / will never have
anything more to do with him. never.
never never! I always felt, though I
did not acknowledge It to myself. that he
was just brimful of pride and looked
down on middle class people. and why.
pray? what did he or his ever do for the
good of his country? My husbands peo-
pie have fought and bled for England
these hundred years, and I thought he
really liked mel mean as a confidential
friend. Good heavens! what n fool / am
and drying her eyes.
We'll. yes: think you are" returned
her companion, land It's not like you. In
my opinion Mr. Iisle Is not proud. he
has the simplicity of n real gentleman. I
am more uneasy than offended. I believe
ne has got into some terrible trouble
but there IS no use in conjecturing. We
have no clew. Let us go to bed
Tomorrow. however. brought no clew
nor many tomorrows. In vain the fam
IL solicitor, who loved young Godfrey
Lisle. sought the aid OF police and detec-
tives. The papers. then much more reii-
cent than at present. gave paragraphs on
tho subject. Not a creature had seen or
spoken with him since he bid good night
to Algy Moore and his sister. His valet
had had leave to go out for the evening
and on his return found everything just
as he had left II before going out. The
landlord of Lsle's rooms said he had
heard no one come IN. though he had been
kept awake by tOothaChe. Mrs. Merricks
wrath melted into the most poignant anx- /
iety all sorts OF dreadful crimes suggested /
themselves: she wished the river to he /
dragged for his mangled remains. Every /
one was eagerly curious and Sincerel'- dis |
turbed for the prescribed nine days. after /
which things resumed their usual course. /
Marmaduke Iisle Esq. of LyntOn Chace. !
who took little or no trouble about his /
nephew, was married with due pomp. Mrs. !
Merrick after some wise reflections. (
agreed to take command of the general I
and started for India soon after her broth /
er had carried off Mary Gilmore TO his /
Northumberland home. and perhaps the /
only faithful memory was little dreamy. |
silent Sissy's who at the end of each /
quiet day in her new school offered low /
Ing prayer to God that He would watch |
over and pre- serve her missing hero
CHAPTER II.
Away IT. still, savage South Africa. in /
which the first seed of many future rail- |
roads had just been sown. where ostrich |
FARMS diamonds and gold had not as
yet suggested themselves TO the original |
colonlsts the sun was setting one fresh |
almost cold. evening toward the end of /
March. over a wide. open and somewhat |
desolate stretch of country, the features
of which were shrouded bv the fast clos
ing shadows of coming night.
Under the clear dark blue sky group
were standing as if to draw breath after