The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-01-28
A Fiancc by
Express
&c. By.
HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, 1893, by Charles ". Hooke
Copyright. 1904. by Charles ". liooko

| DfrHU ana water Untll Slle was IOC
= weak TO oppose patcrnal command. The
method Is unusual now In this part a
the world, and therefore the luck N
Stuart IIollngsworth may be called er
crptionalIy bard.
Iloillngsworih was engaged to Ruth
Warren without her fathers consent
Hollugsworlh had n great reputation
az u wit and had said one or two very
, clever but not unkindly things about
: Albcrtus Warren
Otherwise IIOllingsworth was uhex
ccptiOnabc He was not so rich ~
Warren, but he was In good way Of
business and striding on toward great
success brisk bright, CHEEKY fellow
he was despite the melancholy cast Of
his cnuntcnnnrc ana the sad, sweet
voice which lent itself so well 10 the
purposes Of his unrniling jcsts.
Warren was different from everybody
else in the world, but most particularly
from his daughter, who possessed n
very amlablc disposition. She was
plump and pretty, exceptionally cheer
full in gentle way and quite destitute
of any trait that could be called an &c
ccntriCity II could be seen with half
an eye that she was saturated With
love for Hollingsworth In the way OF -
piece Of cake dipped in wine.
Her father had done his best to make
an old maid Of her. She was already
twenty Many sutton had been
frightened away from the grent, square
house. with its antique iron fence and
its strips of dusty lawn. But nobody
could brighten Hollingsworth He was
not n tall man, and he was sleEderly
built. but he was armed always With
the mighty weapon of invincible good
bumor. Not even Albertus Warren
could quarrel with him. aud perhaps
that IL why the old sinner resor'ted To-
desperate measures.
| Whatsoever the explanation may he.
this IL the situntionr HoIIingsworth
knew that the young Indy was in her
fathers house. He had faith TO believe
that she still loved him, but he could
neither see her nor get one word from
her. The truth dawned upon him slow
ly He was informed at the house two
or three times that Miss Warren was
not at home. He expecteG' note from
her by mail, and II did not come.
very earnest communication from him.
self brought 10 response from her.
Then he called at Mr.. Waren's efice
and was denied
At the end OF week Hoilingsworth
had n confidential talk with his friend,
T.,I. L.,
srented the subject with levity. EIe
had recently been the victim Of very
good Joke which HOllingsworth hud
put up" and he expressed n mean
spirited qualification that fate should
have avenged him. Coming 20 II mere
serious view at last, he said:
There are various things that ypu
can do. The young lady is OF ngc. She
can claim her liberty"
That's the way look at it," rsl
sponded IIollingSworth.
Brock shook his head.
The old man viii get tircdi of it." he
said. "Iic won't irnprison her long"
Two or three days elapsed with1lt
bringing any new developments, and
then Breck called at Holli1gsworta,e
apartments He looked worried
"tve seen AlJertus," he nid. "and
I'm afraid that the matter IS more So
riolS than | had supposed. The ola
villain has got something ur.his sleeve.
What il is don't know, but he evident
~ believes 1t 10 De Il winnCr If ne
| didn't, Stuart, my hoy, could fix this
whole matter FOR you. Tnis in cunn-
drncc to you: I'VE got very strong
hold an old AIbCrtus Warren. ara
wouldn't scrupie to use il In n case Of
this kind. If he We're merely holding
out nbstinatcly against YOU, with no
! definite plan in view, [ could SWING
! him. But he's trying 10 accomplish
| something. I'm sure OF it, though
don't see what it can be unless he in
tends to make her marry somebody else
She is the sort of girl TO mind hsr ia
thCr."
at is her only fault," replica Hol-
lingSworth. But, see here Jack.
There's one thing obvious-she Is being
tricked. Nobody can convince ne that
she doesn't suppose that she has sent
word to me- She has trusted her letter
to some rascally servant
as there anybody in the household
whom you know particularly well?"
asked the lawyer And Hollingsworth
replied that he had occasionally held
nmicablc conversations with the house,
keeper, who seemed to be friendly dis.
posed toward him.
But" he added, give written to her
already and have got no reply"
write again." said his friend, land
I'll try TO deliver the note and get an
answer. Ask her If she can suggest
: any way by which You can get into the
house without Mr.. Warren knowing
= It, That's the point You must have
an interview with Miss Ruth If it's IL
any way possible. This case is desper
ate, 1t will come TO runaway mar
riage before you get through with 1t
and If you take my advice you'll ar
. range for one Mt the earliest possible
= moment provided that you get {
5 chance TO talk to the young lady"
Hollingsworth wrote the note. ant
Breck hurried away with 1t. He diC
= | o -.