Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-09-17


spoke in the room she had left
$50 you heard of Sandys death?"
This was Pettibone, leading counsel
for North in the ''Venning Will Case"
He detailed Sandys sudden death,
of which he had been witness. Lal-
lege listened.
"Confound it, North, where is all
this draught coming from? You seem
to live in the Cave of the Winds!"
Pettibone was elderly and testy He
spied the balcony door and tried to
crowd it shut. 1t rebelled, because
a fold of Miss Testers gown lay upon
the lower hinge. Pettibone jerked the
door wide open to see what was the
matter. Lo! a very beautiful young
woman in a Powered silk home dress
with point lace at neck and sleeves.
Pettibone whistled.
A spark in powder barrel produces
immediate results. Lallege had, life
long, been adulated, accustomed to
hats off and Difference She had never
before been whistled at Rage over
topped all other emotions-all re-
solves. She had but one refuge from
this low-minded, insufferable, hideous,
inopportune, hateful old man! That
refuge was julius North himself.
Something of the tranquil, unsearch-
able, protective strength of the skies,
at which she had just been gazing,
seemed in his face as he stepped to-
wards her when she was revealed by
Petitioners act. Lallege did not hest
tate; she moved proudly into the
room, took North's arm, leaned on it
confidently, and in the sweetest of
voices said:
"My dear, perhaps the room is cold
We do not feel a chill as old people
do. No doubt your friend has rheu-
matism"
Now, this was distinctly venomous,
for Pettibone was always grasping
at vanished youth, and fought fierce
ly the encroachments and approaches
Of age Then Lallege and julius looked
each other in the face.
Lallege had misled Todd; now she
undertook to hoodwink old Pettibone.
julius was jubilantly resolute to have
no mistake made here at the last, no
loophole for this delicious creatures
| retreat
Eyes, yes, Pettibone," he said, his
words ecstatically tumbling over each
other, "close the door. Mrs. North will
| not object. Mrs. North, may present
my lawyer, Mr.. Pettibone? Pettibone,
congratulations are now in order, al
though we had not intended to pub
| fish the fact quite so SOON"
Congratulations! 1 should say so,'
cried Pettibone, regarding with pleas
| ure the handsome pair. Happy man!
| What march you have stolen upon
us! Mrs. North, my ignorance of your
| presence must plead my excuse for
my unceremonious entrance at this
hour. Such tremendous incident as
Sandys' death hurried me here to see
North and learn whether he will carry
his case up or come, if possible, to
| some understanding with the new de-
| PENDANT"
'"The case,'' said Lallege, calmly, as
she leaned on North's arm, will not
be carried up. How can it be? 1 am
Mr.. Sandbys' heir, and, of course, Mr.
| North and I have all things in COM
mon"
| She shot a covert glance at North,
who, perhaps, had not dared to sue
in such ardent haste for the hand
which held the Tai in it's dimpled soft
ness.
"Mr. Sandbys' heir?" demanded Pet
tibone
Yes, his nearest kin and universal
legatee," said Lallege.
You are-Were, | mean-then, Miss
Lallege Lester" said Pettibone, look
| ing for his hat. $50 the Venning will
case, North, will not be carried to the
supreme court?"
1T has been carried there and de-
cided in my favor" said North. what
court is higher than the supreme court
of love?"
Pettibone shook hands and disap-
peared, stupefied
"Take me home at once" said Lal-
lege, firmly, before the remainder of
your dear 500 friends appear. What
state do you suppose aunt is in? l
know she has sent to all the police
stations and is having me shouted for
by the town crier. No doubt she will
die of fright"
Representations of awful conse-
quences to her aunt were continued
with view to keeping North silent
as the two passed under the arched
portal of the Tai, and so out beneath