The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-01-15

Ordinary mental and physical endow.
ments are enough for me. If you at.
tempt to make any such match for me,
I shall rum
But have you any reason to sup
pose that such a girl exfsts?" de-
manded. "Who Is she?"
Il have no intimatio as to who she
is," he replied, addressing me directly.
Il perceive no more than that she is
some one for whom you have a high
regard, and it is doubtless great hon.
or for me to be coupled with her in
your thoughts. But ask you to think
Of it no more"
you have read from closed book"
said 1, "and it is a marvellous thing to
do. But you have read only q single
paragraph and have failed to grasp the
sense Of the whole volume. We want
your head in our business, Mr.. Donald
son, and are willing to pay for 1t, but
your heart Is your own, and should be
the first to dissuade you from a mar.
r1age, however advantageous it might
seem to be, that was based upon any
other impulse than the love Of q good
woman"
Donaldson, with evident feeling, land
unit for matrimony. Only cheerful
people should marry. A rich mans
money may bless or curse his children.
At the best, it is not SO good as a happy
disposition; at the worst, it leads ia
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 l 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 ghosts!'
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.
tions which were pressing for utter
ance. ! may say, however, that when
we had abundant opportunity there
after we obtained scant information.
Donaldson either could not or would
not tell how eaohtained his psychic
messages. 1T 1ssiike suddenly remefn-
KNOWN" was the usual way in which
he lodged the question. and he would
never speak upon the subject ut all
when he could avoid doing so.
Upon the matter Of Donaldsons 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 a hat tree upon which our coats
were hung the mirror in the wall could
not explain the phenomenon. 1 could
see around one side Of this obstruc-
tion 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
added to our working force at Tun-
bridge and became a member of my
household, and there singular and
amusing complication presently came
about. Mrs. Jane Harrington, whose
husband is a cousin Of mine and has
charge Of q 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
Millie 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 tho 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 Dorothys
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
aforethougEt, than. Dorothy, who lived
on the other side of the town and was
merely the schoolteacher.
Millie was fiirt, Pm 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
very easy and graceful manner in the
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
Millie and her mother were at my
house, and the place was so gay that
I did not feel at home. In the even
ings there would be music and dane.
ing, and would sit ip corner alone
except when Hackett strayed into this
scene Of unaccustomed reveIry or when