Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-01-17

me think differently"
We had been spending an evening a
whist, and now that the game was over
we four had enjoyed social cigar be
fore separating.
The talk had turned upon serious
matters, and Amory, an agnostic, had
advanced his favorite theory that every
thing was governed by chance alone.
Clark, who had studied for the min
istry, but was now in business. had
combated with him for vigorous hall
hour, and as the night was cold, and We
were about to part, it was evident FROM
Amory's last remark that he had no,
been convinced.
For myself" said l, also rising. Il
have listened to you both. and have
said nothing; but If you viii come tC
my rooms tomorrow night l agree u
tell you a story that bears upon this
matter. and lien you can better decide
which theory is the right one
1t was agreed, and the next night, af
ter little supper, my three friends
settled themselves about my open fire
and told me to begin.
You will remember my brotherin
law. Merriam, of the navy? Well, thir-
teen years ago. he was in Paris, on
leave. He had a good-looking. smart
valet, for he knew but little of :he Gus.
toms of the country. and needed some
one to assist him, and he thought he
had a most desirable servant, until one
night he awoke to see the fellow at his
cash box with a dark lantern at ono
side
Ned did not wait, but springing froT.
his bed he seized the man, and they had
a handto-hand struggle il the dark.
for the lantern was overturned the first
thing.
Merriam was Of gend size. and II
was evident that he was about '9ifEsI
powering the valet when the fellow
stabbed him, and slipped from his
grasp out of the door and escaped. The
wound was not bad one, and as he
had in turn given the thief a good
pounding he did not follow.
Upon examining his cash box he
found that the man had only taken
some 200 francs and a handsome meer-
schaum pipe that he had recently
bought, and, feeling himself stranger
In strange land, he concluded to call
the matter square and not to go to the
police at all, which conclusion he fol-
lowed, and he never saw his valet in
France again.
When ne returned home, naturally
he told of the experience and described
the pipe to me, as it was a curious one,
and seemed to be the thing that he
most regretted losing.
1T was Turks head. small, and
with flowing hair and beard, with the
mouth open, as if laughing. and in the
back of the mouth the artist had in
serted one small gold tooth that could
only be seen if you knew where TO look
for it.
1t was just the sort of thing a na.
val officer would fancy and spend his
money for, and, as l say, it was the one
article that Ned most seemed TO miss
by the robbery.
Five years after the occurrence thai
1 have related, an old client OF mine in
troduced me to a gentleman one day by
the name of Dupray. He was a French
man who had come to England to en-
gage in business. and in some way had
become acquainted with Mr.. Leroy.
Leroy was merchant, rich. queer.
and with no family but his daughter.
Now this daughter, strangely enough.
was entirely opposite to her father.
He was homely, she was beautiful:
he was queer and rough; she was one of
the sweetest women that | ever had the
good fortune to meet. He wanted
everything his way and she was willing
to do his will in every particular but
one, and in that l upheld her against
her father, and to his disgust.
'She wanted to marry a young man
who was doctor in neighboring
town, while her father desired that she
should make a grand match with some
one who should raise her from the level
on which she WIS born.
"A few days after my first meeting
with Dupray, Leroy came to my office
in Il most merry frame of mind, and in
a few moments announced to me that
the Frenchman was in love with his
would allow it.
The Frenchman was willing to set
tie on her all the property that her
father might leave her, so that he was
not after her fortune.
He's a fine man, too, Hamilton
said the old merchant, rubbing his
hands; comes of one of the old families,
and has plenty of money. l think We
shall make a good thing of 1t If Marcia
marries him.
We'll. suppose she will, Of course,
4 nd I n
strong was his control over her, and
wondering whether she had given the
Young doctor up. What does she say?'
The old fellows face sobered
That girls the apple Of my eye, as
sou know, but she's as stubborn as her |
Did daddy. She refuses, unless l can /
produce what she calls proof of The high |
standing of Dupray, and he has sent to /
France for the papers
Il thought for moment, and then /
said:
Was the wedding to have been a.
once, before she made this demandT
That's 1t. / wanted her to have
him, and he wanted her at once. for we
were to go to the continent together
and make the wedding trip q sort Of
business trip, too. But-confound it
YOU know the girl, nd she has simpl,
backed out until the papers come. Its
all right, though, and in two weeks the
matter will be arranged
Il cogitated a little and then said:
BETTER have the settlement drawn
while you are waiting. l suppose you
intend to give Marcia everything, and
you might make the will and then have
sign the settlement, or at least
have it all drawn up so that 1t can be
signed when the time comes. tell you
mat I want to draw that paper. 12S
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