The Holly chieftain., 1904-05-06

Win neT lace ElGQe1. upon lne Otler
side of the bed, and back again. HIS
lips moved for the last time, but no
words issued from them.
He tried again. and this time
though there was no sOund-it seemed
to the other, who had his eyes fixed
upon them. and his ear strained to
catch the lightest whisper. that the
motion of the lips might be translated
into the words, Keep my secret"
Il will will" he answered, and
even as he uttered these words the
end came.
Tie next day Ted Burritt returned
home Unexpectedly.
The first thing he did was to write
a brief summary of events to DR.. Jere-
miah Cartwright, who, in spite of the
very short time which had elapsed
since his last visit, again made his ap-
pearance at Magnolia Lodge-osten-
sibly to hear further details, but more
particularly to carry out deep laid
scheme of his own.
And what do you mean to do-eh?
| mean, about the young lady? Oh,
you needn't look as though you don't
understand what | am talking about!
I've not forgotten what you told me
about her. What a beautiful blush!"
And the little gentleman chuckled:
then all at once, became preternatur-
ally grave. "By-the-by," he said, slow
ly, and with noticeable tendency to
avoid his friends eye, "about that bill
of mine"
Ted looked surprised.
"Bill?" he repeated.
Yes, BILL" continued the doctor.
You didn't suppose was going to let
you off, did you? You haven't forgot
ten what | said little while back
about sending one in, have you?"
The young man looked and felt non.
| plussed.
II have made up my mind to take it
| in kind
What l mean is,' continued DR..
| Cartwright, that instead of receiving
payment for whatever services l may
have rendered, in ready money, am
| willing to take it out in some other
| article
And what might that article be?"
was the natural but still perplexed in
| quiry.
Your sister," was the brief and
much to the point response.
by Jove!" was the exclamation II
| called forth-followed by, you don't
mean it,"
Don't I. thought" was the deter
mined reply. I've been meaning it
for some time past. What's more.
I've sounded the young LADY, don't
mean with a stethoScope-and she
wasn't half so much surprised as you
seem to be-"
The brother Of the young lady in
question burst out laughing
Il suppose | shall have to give in,
and | may as well do it sooner than
later"
| About three months later a gentle
man in the most irreproachable attire
called at the residence of the late
James Ferrers, Esq, of Belmont
House, Hampstead, and requested to
see Miss Ferrers.
That young lady, who had descended
to encounter her visitor quite in ignor-
ance as to his identity. was confounded
beyond measure to discover, in the
| supposed stranger, none other thpn
that same individual whom she had
first met at the Royal Academy and
who had afterwards occasioned her the
greatest perpleXity Of mind by doub-
nf hn
waited at table and cleaned the plate.
Only-he had grown the loveliest
moustache and 1t seemed perfectly i'm
possible to imagine for moment that
he had ever done such a thing as
polish the forks and spoons and make
himself generally useful.
Ted plunged at once into the object
| of his visit.
Il should have called much sooner" :"
| he remarked with a compassionate
glance at her deep mourning, but was
afraid Of intruding upon your retire
ment. l have statement to make
an explanation to give, which cannot
withhold any longer"
He came nearer to her and-oh. the
presumption of the creature!-actually
ventured to take her hand.
"Do you remember being at the
Academy, one day last June, and drop
| ping your catalogue?"
Did she not? But she made no
audible reply. and the explanation thus
propitiously commenced was continued
without any interruption beyond an oc.
casional stifled exclamation on the
part OF it's recipient.
1t Is not necessary, however. to re-
port the whole of what passed during
tho Inf tnr A