The Princeton union., 1903-02-19
6be Nese, q ) !
Arabian x
By :$$$:s.., ~: *$sS.. Nights !

BY ROBERT
LOUIS
STEVENSON


Francis entreated him to be more
specific.
"You cannot picture my uneasiness
as to these conditions" he said
'"They are two," replied the lawyer,
"only two, and the sum, as you will re-
member, is $500 year, and unbur-
dened, forgot to add, unburdened."
And the lawyer raised his eyebrows
at him with solemn gusto.
'"The first" he resumed, lis Of re-
markable simplicity. You must be in
Paris by the afternoon of Sunday, the
18th. There you will find, at the box
Office of the Comedie Franchise, tick
ct for admission taken in your name
and waiting you. You are requested
to sit out the whole performance in the.
seat provided, and that is all"
II should certainly have preferred a
weekday" replied Francis "But. aft
er all, once in a way
"And in Paris, my dear SIR" added
the lawyer soothingly. II believe am
something of a precisian myself, but
upon such consideration, and in Par
Is, should not hesitate an instant
And the pair laughed pleasantly to-
gether.
''The other is of more Importance"
continued the writer to the signet. ut
regards your marriage. My client, TAX
Ing deep interest in your welfare, de-
sires to advise you absolutely in the
choice of a wife-absolutely, you under
stand" he repeated.
''Let us be more explicit, if you
Iplease," returned Francis. "Am 1 to
marry any one, maid or widow, black
Or white, whom this invisible person
chooses to propose?"
81 was to assure you that suitability
of age and position should be a princi-
pie with your benefactor," replied the
lawyer. "As to race, confess the diff
ticulty had not occurred to me, and l
failed to inquire, but. if you like, I will
make a note Of it at once and advise
you on the earliest opportunity"
Sir" said Francis. lit remains to be
seen whether this whole affair is not a
most unworthy fraud. The circum-
stances are inexplicable-I had almost
said incredible-and until see a little
more daylight and some plausible mo-
tive l confess should be very sorry to
put hand to the transaction. l ap-
peal to you in this difficulty for infor-
nation. l must learn what is at the
bottom of it all. If you do not know
cannot guess or are not at liberty tt
tell me. Ishall take my hat and go back
to my bank as I came''
Il do not KNOW" answered the law.
yer, "but I have an excellent guess
Your father, and no one else, is at the
root of this apparently unnatural bust.
ness''
| MY. fatherr' cried Francis in ex.
treme disdain. "Worthy man, 1 know
every thought of his mind, every penny
of his fortune.''
''You misinterpret my Words" said
ehe lawyer. II do not refer to Mr..
Scrymgeour, Sr., for he is not your
father. When he and his wife came to
edinburgh, you were already nearly
one year old, and you had not vet been
three months in their care. The secret
has been we'll kept, but such is the
fact. Your father is unknown, and I
say again that I believe him to be the
original Of the offers 1 am at present
charged to transmit to you.'
1t would be impossible to exaggerate
the astonishment of Francis Scrym-
geour at this unexpected information.
He pleaded this confusion to the law
yer.
Sir" said he, latter a piece of news
so startling you must grant me some
hours, for thought. You shall know
this evening what conclusion I have
| reached.'
| The lawyer commended his prudence,
and Francis, eXcusing himself upon
some pretext at the bank, took a long
walk into the country and fully consid-
cred the different steps and aspects of
the case. A pleasant sense of his own
importance rendered him the more de-
hDerate, but the issue was from the
hrst not doubtful His whole carnal
man leaned irresistibly toward the $500
year and the strange conditions with
Which it was burdened. He discovered
IN his heart an invincible repugnance
to the name of Scrymgeour, which he
had never hitherto disliked; he began
| to despise the narrow and unromantic
interests Of his former life, and when
once his mind was fairly made up he
walked with a new feeling of strength
and freedom and nourished himself
with the gayest anticipations.
He said but a word to the lawyer
and Immediately received a check for
two quarters arrears, for the allowance
was antedated from the 1st of January.
With this in his pocket he walked
home. The fiat in Scotland street
looked mean in his eyes; his nostrils,. for
the first time, rebelled against the odor
of broth, and he observed little defects
of manner in his adaptive father which
filled him with surprise and almost
with disgust. The next day, he deter
| mined, should see him on his way to
Paris.
In that city, where he arrived long
before the appointed date. he mt nm at