The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-20

any young man with such name could
not be trusted to any great extent
Don't You know where he livesf'
"No; thought 1t was London from
some things he said." answered Miss
Rodney. "But I do not know his ad-
dress. and no one thero could tell me
anything about him.
"Ohl You tried to find him. did you
How long had you known himf''
From the time I met him on the
Matterhorn until / parted with him on
coming back to the Mont Cervin hotel
at Zermatt. Miss Rodney replied
coldly.
"He may have been struck with you,
and perhaps he would be willing to tes-
tify to little thing like this to accom-.
modate lady he liked
"Ohi Why do you keep up this sort
Of thing. unclef" cried Miss Rodney
impatiently. "Why don't you be Just
and do what you promisedf"
'Tisn't unjust If wait until find
out. Get this young man. and If he
seems to be credible witness I'll be-
ieve him. said Uncle Josiah. with an
air OF waving point in his niece's IA
vor. "Then. again. look herei How do
j know but that YOU II go and take Car
rington. after ALI You've got six or
seven months to consider that point.
Now. 1t wouldn't be square for me to
make such a handsome provision for
you IL you were to step into your Aunt
Matilda's money. 'Twouldn't be right
to your sister. She wasn't offered this
chance You were your aunt's favorite
and came in for Darlington and all the
good things" The old man chuckled at
his own sense of humor.
Miss Rodney rose to her feet indig.
nantly. She had lost her temper at last.
Don't mention the name Of that
miserable creature to me ever again."
che cried with indignation. ~ will
swear to You. IL you would like it, that
will never wed the-oh, I cannot
even speak his odious namel saw him
In London. and he insulted me after
ward by calling on me. Then he in
suited me further by writing a letter,
evidently meaning TO disgust me more
than ever with himself He said he was
willing to marry me il wanted him.
And you suggest the possibility Of such
vile thing to me as thatl Have you
no decencys You may repudiate your
own paper and become thief, uncle"
she said violently. "but how is it pos
sible for you to fall 80 far as to men,
tion the name Of any woman relative
OF you.s in the same breath with that
cur2'
Uncle Josiah was having great deal
of enjoyment over this fiery niece Of
his His taste in enjoying such things
was unquestionably bad. unworthy an
uncle of his years and with a really
charming niece. when she was treated
with any kind of fitness But he did
enjoy seeing her in a hot. indignant
mood
$50 you didn't take to Darlington,
not even when he said he was willing
to marry your He may have wanted to
put himself on record as being willing.
because if he were to refuse you would
get the money. What did you DO to
him2" he asked quickly.
Told him No in way that could
leave no doubt in his mind" replied
Miss Rodney. Don't talk about it any
more. The whole sickening business
has made Inc hate the very name of
Darlington. But you need not despise
him 80 much. After all. he was within
his right, and you are refusing TO do
what justice and your own honor de-
mand. There is no use of talking bout
1t any more" she concluded. rising to
90.
swell. give me time to make the ar
rangement, said Uncle Josiah, with a
caJoling air. lyon don't expect me to
go right down TO the bank and get il
now Besides. you ought to bring on
Strandham. Scanlon-what was his
nsmes-to prove your statement. You
could advertise for him in the London
Times Say he will hear Of something
greatly to your advantage il he comes
forward and says that he found you
without chaperon on the Matterhorn. 4"
His niece disdained further remarks.
She rose and left the room. The next
day Uncle Josiah who had not dou bted
her word in the least. made arrange
ments for transferring several blocks of
gilt edged stock to her In his odd way
he said nothing Of this. He rather hated
to see his plucky niece. whom he secret.
ly admired very much. become abso-
lute'y independent Of him. even though
she owed such freedom to himself
Miss Rodney kept her peace and
treated her uncle with an unvarying
reserve after this 1t tried him more
than she realized But she felt how
mean and unjust his conduct was. and
could not or would not make any at
tempt to cajole him into doing his duty
and redeeming his promise to her One
thing she noticed. and Mrs. Rodney
also remarked ii Uncle Josiah did not
complain and comment as much on ex.
penditures where his niece Florence was