The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-06
go 80 q 90 MM#s. :. :.
He was TO san in seven Gays.

He was 10 sail In seven Gays.
Meanwhile the engagement was an
nounced in the Morning Post of Jan.
Is.
On the 10th Mr. Harding found a
note from Sir Emilius at his office:
Sir-My Morning Post informs me that
a marriage has been arranged between
your daughter and my son. IL you care
for the young lady's happiness, you will
put a stop to this at once. Yours faith
fully. ENILIUS DAINTREE.
n. B.-I send this word OF warning in
duplicate. both to your city and TO your
private address. as / think 1t hardly
likely that you will receive both copies
IL my son is still with you.
Mr.. Harding started to his feet. He
had not received the copy posted to his
house. Was the father a liar or the
son something worse? The fathers
reputation-stayi
1t was the son.
He had been down before Mr.. Hard
ing that morning The latter had
found him In the dining room when he
entered, and on his own plate were
such letters as he had received. Hard
Ing seized his hat, then reflected.
changed color and took a pen himself.
The note which he subsequently dis
patched by hand was a model of firm
ness, tempered by tact. He demanded.
however. an immediate explanation of
Sir Emllius Daintree's words, and the
messenger was to wait for an answer.
The messenger returned without one.
Then Mr.. Harding called in person.
Sir Emilius was not at home.
But next morning there was another
brief note at the office:
Dear Sir-I have been thinking the mat
ter over. You have my sympathy, but
cannot enter into details. / absolutely
decline to do so. You know the proverb.
and a word should be enough for the
wise. or you may go for your explanation
to my son, who will tell you 1t Is all my
spite. 1t is for you as a man of the
world to believe to disbelieve him
that point. ' will say however, that so
far as / know my is not insane. j
would to heaven he were, Yours. etc.
EMILIUS DAINTREE.
Mr.. Harding was now a miserable
man. The very sight of the betrotheE
pair became an hourly agony. yet he
lacked either the courage or the will
TO interfere. Only four days rename
He called again on Sir Emilius Dain-
tree. but again the baronet was in
visible
This time Harding left en- urgent
note. and yet another perfectly civil
one awaited him in the city next morn
ing Ii was to be the last however
and said so plainly in the following
terms:
My Dear Sir-Tou must excuse my
willingness to see YOU or to correspond
further upon the little matter of my son
and your daughter. You viii apprehend
that the subject is probably more painful
edy. / have none. NV son need never
become your son-in-law. but unhappiy
he will always be my son.
Your last question is however. a fair
one. and / viii answer IL frankly on con-
dition il is the last. So far as I am
aware. then. my son has not already
Ito my knowledge = - he ever had a
wife. 1 should say Is quite capable of
having half n dozen. However. this is
not it at all. And I must beg you as
n gentleman not to question me any FUR
Their upon what is in fact a family mat
ter and one only named to you in con-
fdence for your own guidance.
Upon this understanding / have the
honor to remain. sir. your obedient serv-
ant. EMILIUS DAINTREE.
Mr.. Harding held his tongue. and
James Daintree sailed away the be-
trothed OF Claire Harding who was to
follow him to Sydney in six months.
year earlier Mr. Harding might
have been tempted to keep silence for
reasons, for the sake of the
daughter. Lady Dain-
tree"-and so forth He was not him
self man of noble blood. but he loved
the nobility and had of late very near
" cut himself off from their smile for
ever The temptation, on worldly
grounds alone. would have been strong
enough the year before. Yet the IA
Tiers heart would have resisted it.
He would have spoken out then and
acted, too. like an honest man. Now
he did neither, because his mouth was
stopped, and his hands were tied by a
stronger thing than social considera-
lions. He was gagged and bound by
lbject fear.
And this was why Daintree the
younger was allowed to sail away be-
trothed to Claire toward the latter end
Of January, 1888.