Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-04-29
CHAPTER VIII.

i. | as Sne SpranS 10 uer leet, utter d ndll
hour passed by the side of bed of scar
let geraniums, Il have shipped and snip
ped until | don't think l have left a
bud in that border to break forth and de-
stroy the harmony of our arrangements,
and as she slipped off her gardening
gloves. and concluded her solloquy, she
became conscious that a well-favored gen.
tlemanly looking man at the gate was
watching her proceedings with apparent
interest. Finding himself discovered, the
stranger raised his hat, and, opening the
gate. came forward with a bow, and
said
This is Miss Caterham's. l believe !;
and you, l presume. are Miss Chiches-
| ter?"
"Certainly." replied the girl, "my aunt
Miss Caterham, lives here, and | am
| Mary Chichester: but you must excuse
my saying that 1 cannot recollect that
we have ever met before. Perhaps you
wish to see my aunt on business?'
Exactly" replied the stranger. You
are quite right. neither You nor your
aunt ever saw me before. Miss Chiches-
ter; but l have the authority of a very
old friend of yours to excuse my intru-
sion-Mr. Carbuckle.'
"Mr. Carbuckle :" exclaimed Mary.
"Yes, he is very old friend. You had
better come in and see my aunt Auntie,
you see, is not strong. However, we
shall no doubt find her in here, and
then-Well l think 1 must leave you to
present YOURSELF and so saying she
opened the drawing room door, and, ad-
4
briefly, This gentleman wishes to see
you on business"
The stranger bowed and he said MY
ma me is Ringwood; you have doubtless
received note from Mr. Carbuckle, in
PRODUCING me, and saying how glad |
should be if l could be of any assistance
to you"
ANY friend of Mr. Carbucklc we shall
always be delighted to see but | certain
ly have received no note from him men,
tioning your name to me. Perhaps it
miscarried but l really don't know, Mr..
Ringwood. that l require assistance about
anything"
1T is very odd replied Mr.. Ring
wood. that Carbuckle should have neg
lected to write; but as it is so. / must
ask you to take my own account of
things. Carbuckle. as You know, very
busy man, with more work to do than
he knows how rightly to get through
what hope to be myself in DAYS to come,
but young barristers at starting have al
ways to complain that they have got no
work to do. Carbuckle is a very old
friend of my family and he happened to
tell me the other evening about the dis
IL
told me all the facts, Miss Caterham."
Instead of thanking him for his volun-
teered assistance, or welcoming him as
he had imagined a friend of Mr.. Car
buckles might expect, Miss Caterham m and
her niece gazed al him with evident dis
may and uncertainty. AT length the elder
lady seemed to recover her speech
Il must trouble you to go away, sir.
I don't know how you became mixed up
in affairs of mine, or where you gained
your knowledge but l shall certainly re-
quire no assistance from you. Ring the
bell. Mary, please"
"One moment, Mr. Ringwood; one mo-
ment. Auntie, DEAR" exclaimed the girl. |
Don't you think it is but justice to tell
Mr.. Ringwood what be appears in our
object any one can have in imposing |
upon US in this matter, and 1t certainly |
seems unlikely that Mr.. Carbuckle would |
have, almost simultaneously, sent two gen.
tlemen to inquire into this business for |
US but it might be So"
1.-Two gentlemen" exclaimed Mr.. Ring |
wood "Do | understand you, Miss Chi
chester, that some one, claiming to have
been sent by Mr. Carbuckle, has called |
here to inquire about every detail you |
can remember concerning Terence Finni-
GAM"
Certainly. A gentleman called upon
my aunt two days ago, protesting to be
exactly what you represent yourself to be
now. a friend of Mr.. Carbuckle's, come to
make these very inquiries. My aunt an
swered all his questions. and he promised |
we should hear again from him shortly"
This Is interesting" said Mr.. Ring
wood quickly. "Of course, Miss Cater
ham, you look upon me as an impostor.
cannot blame you. There undoubtedly |
is an impostor in the field, and can most
thoroughly understand bis object In the
imposition"
81 do not know what to think" replied
Mlss Cstsrham nsrvously. -Mr. Psgnm ]