Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-01-17
s. Observation-Disclosures i


ture,' said he, lifting his hat; and, to
give the scoundrel his due, he's as po-
lite as any man ever met.
'Good-morning, SIR said I, slipping
my notes into my pocket, and looking
as confused as if I'd been caught
poaching. Yes, I'm trying to pick up
few ideas. Somehow the house seems
to cramp one on a morning like this
I'm rather pleased to have met
you,' he said, for wished to have a
quiet chat with you about your neph-
ew.'
Indeed said I; and how may he
interest your
"'Well, he said, IF you are a man Of
discernment, you must see that he has
taken a great fancy to my relative,
Miss Courtney Well, since this is a
family matter, should like to explain
her position. Although they are living
in comparative retirement, the Court
neys have the best of blood in their
veins. They are not SO well off as they
might be, but when my uncle, as I cali
him. dies, the greater part of the estate
comes to me, so that Morals dowry will
be very small one, and she will be de-
pendent upon me. I don't know the
extent of your nephew's resources, and
have mentioned this matter-and you
will please observe the strictest silence
about it-because I shouldn't like it
said that he was in any way the victim
of an intrigue. You know, as a man
of the world-and that you are so, sir,
am sure from what saw last night
and it was wonderful how. we'll he
could tickle ones ears with his soft
words, though one knew very we'll that
they were nothing but blarney from
the Irish side of him-'you know that
the world is only too apt to handy
about such names as Irish adventur-
esq., and so forth, and they're not
pleasant hearing for the lady's friends
"'I'm sure interrupted, mo one
could say that of Miss Nora Courtney.
She's as innocent, sir, of intrigue as
| as
":As you are,' he suggested, and
there you are perfectly right; and I'm
! glad that, if matters should ever come
to head, we have had this opportuni-
| ty of discussing the affair.""
My cheeks had grown crimson as I
listened to Anguish, and at this point
/ could no longer refrain from breaking
in with:
Course him for his consummate i'm
pudence! If ever get within reach of
him again, Ill-I'll-'
Probably have to let him go! But
you are long way off laying him by
the heels yet, Mr.. Tremayne, and if
you let your impetuosity carry you
away, you'll never do it. I'm glad to
&ol, hi,
when the buttons were on, and please
! goodness, some day We'll have a bout
with sharper weapons. He's a keen,
observant man, and it's just as we'll
that I had time to trample out your
footprints. He left me to go to the
station, and I saw him off this time,
so that we can sit down for while in
peace under the shadow of our fig tree,
or, better, perhaps, by snug fire,
though by this day month we may look
out for squalls. Meantime, old Court
ney will cultivate you, and maybe, be-
fore the storm comes, you'll be Unit
ed Irishman, or a Fenian, or some
thing"
Anguish was perfectly right with re-
gard to Morals father, for I could
scarcely take mW walks abroad, no
matter the direction, without meeting
him, and so eloquent was he on the
wrongs of his native land, and so we'll
up in chapter and verse as to this
and that hard treatment melted out
to his suffering countrymen, that had
I not been behind the scenes he would
at least have deeply interested me,
and, acting under Angulsh's directions
I led him on to suppose that I had the
greatest sympathy for the oppressed
and down-trodden Irish.
He had dropped in to luncheon once
or twice, but Nora never came with
him, and could catch no glimpse of
her. not even on the occasion of my
visits to Connemara Cottage.
The spirit of study had once more
taken possession of Travers, and so
Immersed was he in his books and
problems, and so very dreamy was he
becoming, that nothing but a shock
of very alarming nature could pos
sibly reuse him; but that shock did
not propose to administer unless we
sorely needed his help, and to this day
I don't believe that he realizes the ter
rible nature of the struggle through
which we passed.
Three weeks had gone by since Dor
vile left us, and one evening Mr.. Court
ney was so pressing in his invitation
that, without being almost rude, I
could rot avoid "just dropping in to
have bit of dinner" and in the draw
ing room of the cottage I met Nora for
the first time since I had parted from
her in the woods.
"Mr. Tremayne," said the old gentle
man, as he ushered me in. "has come
to take pot-luck with us, Nora. dear.
and perhaps he'll stay and have a
smoke with me afterwards. We're not
the best of company, sir. for, somehow,
this place doesn't seem to suit us. and
it's longing we are to get back to Ire
land. If you'll excuse me one minute,
Nora will keep you company"
AS soon as the door had closed upon
him she said to me:
"Do you remember" she said. what
+ told you about lending him money?
He's going to ask you for it tonight.
and if you let him have it. I shall take
it that you are trying to buy me. and
I'll never open my lips to you again.
Do you heart" she said, almost fierce
ly.