The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-07-10


riage however advantageous 1t might
other impulse than the love of good
woman"
81 am a melancholy fellow" said
Donaldson, with evident feeling, "and
unfit for matrimony. Only cheerful
people should marry. A rich mans
money may bless or curse his children.
AT the best, 1t is not so good as happy
disposition; at the worst 1t leads to
nothing that is half so bad as hered-
itary sourness of heart. You will for
give me for mentioning this subject.
Really, | was afraid that / might be
beguiled into some sort of an expert
ment. 1t may have been a cranky no
ton, but this whole conversation has
been such a weird mixture of business
] and ghostsY'
The big clock in the corner struck
and surprised us all with the lateness
of the hour. 1t was necessary for Don.
aldson to return at once to his office,
and so we could not ask him the ques
tons which were pressing for utter
| "
we had abundant opportunity there
after we obtained scant information.
Donaldson either could not or would
not tell how he obtained his psychic
messages 1T is like suddenly remem-
bering something that you have always
known" was the usual way in which
he lodged the question, and he would
never speak upon the subject at all
when he could avoid doing so.
| Upon the matter of Donaldson's rec
ognition of his friend Writings pres
| ence we made one discovery before
leaving the restaurant Hackett sat
down In the chair which our young
friend had occupied and Immediately
| perceived that owing to the position
of hat tree upon which our coats
were hung the mirror In the wall could
not explain the phenomenon. could
see around one side of this obstruc-
ton and Hackett around the other side,
but it was precisely in the necessary
line of Donaldson's vision.
About two weeks after this remark
able luncheon Deacon Donaldson was
bridge and became lember of my
household, and there a singular and
amusing complication presently came
about. Mrs. Jane Harrington, whose
husband is a cousin of mine and has
charge Of branch of our business in
the west, came to visit me, bringing
her daughter, very charming young
woman of twenty. In some mysterious
manner Donaldson got the notion that
Mile Harrington was the beautiful
psychic whose union with himself was
secretly plotted by the willy Stephen
Hackett and me. He had never been
able to rid himself of the idea that
something of the sort was in the wind,
but he was entirely Ignorant of the
facts in the case Of Dorothy Vaughn,
In fact, nobody In Tunbrldge except
Hackett and me knew that Dorothy's
coming to teach our school had any
connection with our quest Of mysteries.
1t was far more likely that Donaldson
should suspect Millie, who was there
upon my direct invitation and SEEM
ingly thrown into his way with malice
on the other side of the town and was
merely the schoolteacher.
Mile was fiirt, I'm afraid, and as
the deacon was the most attractive
young man in her vicinity she pro-
ceeded to practice her innocent arts
upon him. think he was not natu-
rally timid in such matters. He had
vorv aocv and craaafI1I manner in tho
company of ladies, and not even so
simple an old fellow as myself could
fail to see that he had learned his les
son in the school of experience. Mil
lie found him an admirable cavalier,
and she kept him busy in her service.
1t may have been five weeks that
Mile and her mother were at my
house, and the place was so gay that
| did not feel at home. In the even
lngs there would be music and dane
ing, and | would sit in a corner alone
except when Hackett strayed into this
scene of unaccustomed revelry or when
Dorothy could be persuaded to come
over after the school, She was in
mourning for her aunt, of course, and
could not join in the sport, but she
held It No harm to ST y sober black
and watch the others. We had some
great talks in this way, but it seemed
to me that she was not in so good spir
its after this brief season of festivity
got well under way. Indeed it must
have been a trial for young and pref
ty girl, as thought more than once. 1t
never occurred TO me that there could
be any Special trouble. Even when
she advanced the opinion one evening
that she was not doing very well with
the schoo! and perhaps it might be
better for her to 80 away totally fail
ed to comprehend. nszy.svyz -xss..-
That night after the house had be-
come quiet was sitting before the
fire in the library alone when Donald
son dropped in to keep me company.
at my invitation he took a cigar, Sc
lecting one that was black and strong,
and when he had lighted it perceived
that there was something on his mind.
A man who wishes to conceal his men
! tai state should not smoke in the pres
ence of smoker.
"Mr Harrington" said he at last
you have been very good to me. You
have put me In fine way of business,
so that my future is assured-if l be-
have myself am very grateful in ev-
cry way, and I'm going to please you il
can. But by lingo, he cried, sudden
" springlng up, II can'ty'
why not?" asked as gently as pos
| sfhlp