The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-09-25

udO given ucr, sdyluR DIS Su0 UlU SO, LII
has never left my finger since you
placed it thero!'
MY best Of girls, /" I cried. raising the
little hand to my lips and kissing it
fondly, II am the very happiest man in
the world! And now must hear all
your doings; tell me how you got
home!''
"There is little TO tell, she answer
ed. II followed your route via Thurs
day island, Brisbane, Sydney and Mel
bourne. staid in the latter place for
nearly 4 month, and while there adver-
tised for companion. The result was
Mrs. Barker, nice, amiable little per-
son, whom you will shortly see. When
we reached Naples, I happened to see
an advertisement concerning this fur
nished house in an English paper, tele-
graphed about it, received an answer in
Paris, engaged it and arrived here this
morn ag.
AID how did you leave the settle
ment? And, by the way, where is Mr..
'Beelzebup?
tThe rettlement was very we'll when
came az W. They were busy building
the lew ommunal hall used to talk
to you about. And poor old Bel is left
at the bungalow. Twas afraid he might
excite remark and possibly draw suspi-
cion upon me.
Allie. do you think you are safe in
London cried in alarm, all my old
fears rushing back upon me at the men
ton Of that one word suspicion. "What-
ever should do if any one suspected
your
You need have no fear on that score,
dear, my intrepid sweetheart answer
ed. There is no one in England who
could possibly recognize me, and the
only people in the whole world who
could do SO are vesey Of Hongkong, the
sultan Of Surabaya, the rajah of Tavoy,
Barkmansworth and that lieutenant and
nlidshipman. The first is dead, the Sec
ond never leaves his own territory, the
third is in bad odor with the English
government just at present and little
likely to come home. Barkmansworth
is, I presume, still in Hongkong, and
the lieutenant and his Junior are with
their ship in the China sea-
All the same, / shall not be satisfied
until we are safely out Of Europe again,
Allie. %
"You say we Then you mean to come
away with me, George?'
"Of course. With whom else should
go? Rers. Somebody is coming. -
"It is 3-E.s. Barker, my duenna. Now
we mrgi be matter of fact folk once
more.
AS she spoke Mrs. Barker, dapper
little lazy wifi silver gray hair and a
very pleasant expression, entered the
room.
"et me, introduce DR.. De Norman
vile = you y said Allie, rising from her
chat ind going forward to meet her.
Cdr. De Nornanyille, Mrs. Barker"
bowed and Mrs. Barker did the
same. Then we went into dinner. What
haI pered during that very pleasant
meal, how Ms Barker found occasion
to require something from her bedroom
afterw I'd and SO left us alone in the
drawing room together, need not re-
late. S.fice it that when got home
about Il O'Clock I was the happiest and
at the sane time the most nervous man
in England.
Next morning called for Janet and,
willy nilly, carried her off there and
then to call on Allie. We found her
walking i'll her sarden, which led down
to the river, Ind must be excused if
say that. prou' as l was of my darling,
was infinitely prouder as noticed the
| look Of astonishment and admiration
that Cam into Janet's face when she
was il reduced to her. Allies radiant
beauty and charming manners were ir-
resistible, aud before they had been to-
gether half an hour the two women
were on tine best of terms. It was Allies
earnest desire that we should remain to
luncheon, aid she herself walked to the
railway station with us when we at
last took our departure.
"Now that do you think of my
sweefhe ~ asked as we steamed out
of tlt ~.
81 e.. hat she is very beautiful
and charming GIRL" was my sisters
immediate reply, "and if I know any
thing of my sex she is as good as she's
beautiful.
This pleased me, as you may be sure,
and when jane, went on to tell me that
she had invited Allie and Mrs. Barker to
spend few days with her and that the
visit would commence the following
afternoon my opinion of my sisters
kindness became even more exaggerated
than before.
And SO that week went by and an.
other after it, till Allie had thoroughly
settled down among us and nearly all
the preparations for our wedding were
complete. By that time, you may be
sure, she had won golden opinions OF
every side. On each occasion that saw
Janet she was more and more profuss
in her praises of her, until I had really
to tell her that unless she moderated
them little should soon become in
sufferahly conceited about my good for
tune.
/ One morning when was beginning
to think of getting up the following
note was brought to me with my snav
ing water. 1t was from my sister ant
/ had evidently been written the previous