The Holly chieftain., 1901-06-21

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the broths and jelllss which she made
each day and which she pressed upon
his acceptance With 4 faee ~ long q
an undertkker.G {
The whole house was In league
against him. and the poor wretch knew
1t mot. Yet he stood It out manfully;
and there seemed some danger that be-
tween his uneasiness and his obstinacy
be would grow seriously Ill. Bssides.
Christmas was fast approaching and
the girls wanted to dance the New
Year In and the Old Year out, 1t their
own house In Necklenburgh Square.
What was to be done with the banker
to make him strike his colors, desert
his ship and own himself soundly
beaten? a
It was Rose Who formed freah
plan. which she thought might be sue
cess full. She proposed it that even
Ing when the conspirators met, u
usual in the turret chamber, to hatch
new plots against the peace of the mas
ter OF the house. But at hrst. Mrs.
cowley had somewhat to say.
I'm afraid We shall have to give it
up n bad tob,' she remarked, shak-
ing her head dolefully.
why. mammal" asked Catharine.
"Your father will never own he Is
afraid. my dear; and can see that
We are killing him by inches. He is
getting 30 thin; and. really he does
not eat enough to keep sparrow alive.
II We should worry him into = fever
or . consumption, should never for
give myself"
"No fear Of that, aunt. while his OBJ
stinacy lasts" replied her nephew,
cheerfully. But l wish to goodness
he would get frightened and give US
. chance Of seeing q little more Of this
round world than We can expect TO
see while We are cooped up here. For
my part. I feel a. II was . kind Of
iron mask. You ought to make me .
handsome present for undergoing this
imprisonment. aunt"
80 l will, my dear. II 1t ever comes
to An end" W
There's the worst of it."
"I-wonder II he suspects" said Mar
jorie.
my love. how should he!" u
True! II he was q woman, now, /
should feel sure that he had discovered
onr secret BsinE = man. I suppose
there ID not much fear" X
WELL" said Rose, complacently, II
think I can set you all free"
"HowY
BY inventing new ghost. which /
shall patent"
They all laughed.
You see he cares little for the cra-
die now. In fact, think we are ali
getting used to 1t. But II you will only
do - I tell you've will bring this old
room Into use-and take the letter and
the lock Of hair We found here, and
scare him so he will be ready and will
ing to go out OF the house the very
next day
Rose then entered into all the de-
tails Of her plan, which was pro-
nounced an excellent one by every
body present In obedience to her in
structions. CAthas4ne had a toothsche
and Mrs. Cowley . headache the next
,evsaiAG which forbade them slttinx
up latsr than nine o'clock. Mrs. Ma
carthy and Rose also retired at that
early hour. to wait upon the invalids,
and Mr.. Cowley was left alone in his
glory. without even cat to bear him
company. He did not object to the
solitude, however. He mixed himself
some more grog, smoked one or two
cheroots. and finally took up book to
keep himself awake. 1t was q volume
of American tales. and this was the
story which. by ill-luck, he happened
to select: -.t st
While I lay one night in the irst
distempered Visions Of my illness, I
heard those who watched beside me
telling an old tale of a family long
since extinct in our settlement.
"An old and wealthy man had won
. fair young girl for his bride, and
brought her from her native England
to this distant country that hs might
separate her forever from an early
love-A cousin to whom her hand had
once been pledged and-so said the
gossips-her heart always given.
"Gold il NO less powerful In the
mother country than this; and for iii
sake the father Of the lovely Ginerva
took back his pledged word. and gaye;
his daughter to stern and moody
man, who little knew how TO value
the prize he had gained.