The sea coast echo., 1900-02-03
oddly. He made curious sound in

oddly. He made a curious sound in
his throat as if he were swallowing
something.
Miss Isidora," he said, 81 can I. !"
CAN'T repeated the lady.
Nothing could induce me to eat
salt under this roof, said Mr.. Mar
shall, incoherently.
''Bless and save u.s. Is the man
mad?" cried Miss Isidora Ives.
''I am, socially speaking, fraud,
said the stranger, "a forgery"
Miss Ives sat down on the sofa in n
helpless way and stared at him.
but your sweet graciousness and
kindness have conquered me-" added
Mr.. Marshall.
''What do you mean?" said Miss
Ives.
Just this" said the stranger. 81
am here on false pretenses. I am
your cousin, the plaintiff. My name
isn't Marshall, but Gideon Marshall
Robinson.
"Ma'am," whispered the heartless
maid, who turned absolutely green on
hearing the name of the family enemy,
shall [ bring the kettle of boiing
water?"
''Rebecca, says Miss Ives, thold
your tongue and go out and feed the
young turkeys. L ain fully competent
TO manage this matter myself. -
And kebecca, feeling herself put
down, departed.
81 came here" went on Mr. Robin
son, ''to lcok into the facts Of the case
myself have heard of your pre-
iudices against me-
"Yes, ] think So" interposed Miss
Ives.
And I do not blame you for them, "
said Mr.. Robinson. Now that am
personally acquainted with you, Miss
Ives, nothing could induce me to pro-
secute this
''Iniquitous claim" interposed
Isidora.
"Iniquitous claim" acceded 1Ir.
Robinson, with repetition of the
swallowing sound. Just what you
please to call it. [ Irespect You as a
lady, but appreciate You AS rela-
tive; but, Of course, knowing who /
am, you cannot tolerate me any longer
as your friend. I will pack my bag
and depart at once. ! can only feel
regretful that | have deceived you so
long. I feel myself to be hyprocrite
and swindler"
He waited meekly to receive the full
tide of Miss Isidora's curbed wrath.
She put out Ler plump little hanl,
with four dimplea in the four joints.
Don't go! she said in a low voice.
what" cried the incredulous
plaintiff.
There's no reason why we
shouldn't be friends" said Miss Ives,
in her odd, brusQue way. Things
seem so very different, now that We
are acquainted with each other.
Couldn't We com pronise:"
'Isidora," said Nr. Robinson.
were cousins, you know, twice re-
moved. Imay call you Isidora:"
ooh, certa.nlyn' said Miss Ives.
eve are the two last seeming
heirs,
"flaintif and defendant. nodded
Isidora.
Exactly SO. Now it has Just &C
Cured to mel mean, I've been
thinking of it for some time-that il
we we're to unite our claims --"
''To get married, do You mean?"
said Isidora, bluntly.
yes, precisely. 1t would put an
end 10 all litigation," pleaded Mar
shall Robinson. "Would YOU be will
ing to marry me?" said Mr.. Gideon
Marshall Robinson.
"Y-yesr' said Isidora. 'I think l
should. I'm not young, but then six
aud thirty is not absolutely old" "
you a'e rose in full bloom" "
said Mr. Robinson, enthusiastically,
"1nd myself am not mere boy, it
must be remembered.
and if people should laugh at US,
why w II le. them laugh" said Isl
dora.
And we'll laugh, too" said the
middle-aged lover, cheerfully.
The fire was allowed to go down,
the kettle cover taken of. the charges
drawn fro the gun. and the Tower
pronounced to be no longer in state
of siege.
And this is the way in which the
famous case Of Robinson vs. Ives,
which had promised to swell the fees
OF lawyers innumerable for the next
ten years, was removed from the court
Of records. And no o4e was so ry
except the legal gentleman aforesaid.