The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-10-15


the pilot off Holyhead. and II she fol-
lowed the beaten track on her long
run to the river Plate-as sailors will
persist 10 miscaling that wondrous
Rio de la Plata she might be signaled
from Madeira or the Cape Verde is
lands. But shipmasters often prefer
to set course clear of the land till
they pick up the coast of South Amer
lea. If she were not spoken by some
passing steamer there was every pos
sibllity that the sturdy old vessel
would not be heard of again before
reaching her destination.
But David Verify heard of her much
sooner. and no thnnderbolt that ever
rent the heavens could have startled
him more than the manner of that
hearing.
Resolving to clinch matters with re-
gard to Iris and her elderly sister, he
invited "Owd Dickey" to supper on
Sunday evening. The girl endured
the mans presence with placid dig
nifty that amazed her uncle. On the
plea Of headache she retired at an
early hour. leaving Bulmer to gloat
over his prospective happiness and
prmed to the point of dementia.
He was quite willing to accompany
Verity~to the bank next morning. A
pleasant spoken manager sighed his
relief when the visitors were gone,
nd ha ft.aa fn tfnl OF N itat
bills discounted" on Verity's page In
the ledger. More than that lawyer
was instructed to draw up a partner
ship deed. and the representatives of
various shipbuilding firms were asked
to supply estimates for two new YES
| sells.
Altogether Dickey was complaisant
and David enjoyed busy and sue
cessful day He dined In town. came
home at a late hour and merely grin
ned when servant told him that Mr..
Bulmer had called twice. but Miss Iris
happened to be out on both occasions.
| Nevertheless at breakfast on Tues.
day he warned his niece not to keep
her admirer dangling at arms length.
"E's queer owd codger." explained
the philosopher. "Play. up to i'm bit,
an you'll be able to twist i'm around
your little finger. b'lieve he's goin'
dotty, an you can trust me to see that
the marriage settlement is o. K"
''Will you be home to dinner" was
her response.
mo. Now that the firm is in smooth
water again. must show myself bit
It's all thanks to you, lass, an I'll not
forget it. Goodbyw
Iris smiled. and Verify was vastly
pleased.
~ am sure you will not forget" she
said. "Goodbyw
"There's no understandin' wimmin.'
muspd David as his victoria swept
through the gates Of Linden House
Sunday afternoon Dickey might ha
bin dose of, rat poison. Now She:
ready to swaller i'm as If e was {
chocolate drop"
Again he returned some few minutes
after midnight. Again the servant an
nounced Mr.. Bulmer's visits. three o.
them, and again Miss Iris had beeI
absent. In fact. she had not yet come
home.
Not 'omew cried David furiously
"w'y, it's gone IL. Were the-w'er'
Is she?"
| No one knew. She had quilted th'
house soon after Verify himself ant
| had not been seen since. Storm ant
rage as be might and did, David coult
not discover his niece's whereabouts
But enlightenment came on Thursda.
morning. A letter arrived by the frs
post. 1t was from Iris:
My Dear Cncle-Neither you nor MI
Bulmer should have any objection to m
passing the few remaining weeks OF m
Liberty In the manner best pleasing I
myself On Sunday evening In your pres
ence Mr.. Bulmer urged me to fix an earl
date for our marriage. Tell him that
shall marry him when the Andromed
returns to England from South America
You will remember that you promised las
year to take me to Rio de Janeiro an
Buenos Aires this summer. l have bee
learning Spanish so as to help our sight
seeing. Unfortunately business prevent
you from keeping that promise. but ther
is no reason why / should not so. l AT
on board the Andromeda and Will prob
ably be able TO explain matters satisfac
torily to Captain Coke The vessel Is du
back at the END of September, believe
SO Mr.. Buliner will not have long TO wal
II Is more than likely that Captain Cox
\ viii not know | am aboard until Thurs
day. and | have arranged with frien
that this letter shall reach you about IN
| same time. Please convey my apologize
to MIR. Bulmer and accept my regret fc
any anxiety you may have felt owing
my unaccountable absence. Your affe'
tionate niece. IRIS fohh L.
David narrowly escaped an apople'
tic seizure. When he recovered hl
senses he looked ten years Older. Th
instinct of self preservation aion
saved him In his frenzy from blurtin
forth the tidings of the girls high
lncoherent with fear and passion. b
contrived to give orders for his ca
rage and was driven to his otiic
Thence he dispatched kilograms to e.
cry signaling station ut which by II
! remotest possibility the Andromed
might be intercepted. and the text
every message was, "Andromeda mu'
return to Liverpool Instantly"
II But the wretched man realized thu
he was doomed Fate had struck
, him mercilessly.