Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-04-17
CHAPTER XII



both o. them. are very dear
TO me-" said BaSStord Hollis.
ter, 1T i; the great grief of my life
that owing to matters beyond my con.
troll, | have been unable to care fOr
them as | should like to do This be
ing the case. | have been Obliged to al
low them to accept many favors from
my only sister 0ctavia This in ordi
nary circumstances. would not be re.
pugnant to my pride, but my sister is
very unusual person she must do
for my children in her own way. and
while | was prepared, in agreeing that
they should accept her bounty for
some whimsical manifestation of her
eccentric character, | did not imagine
that she would 90 so far as to shut me
out from all knowledge of her plans
for them That Mr. Ame~ is what
has happened
His voice rose and fen muurntully.
He pulled his pipe for moment and
continued
There is now something forward
here which ! do not understand |
have an idea that Octavia has contriv
ed some prepoSterous scheme for
choosing a husband for Cecilia that is
In keeping with her odd fashion of
transacting all her business do not
know its nature and by the terms of
her agreement Cecilia is not to dis
close the method to be employed to
me-not even to me her own father
tI,,t te
rather rubbing it in
But you don't assume that your
daughter is not to be Il free agent In
the natter You don't believe that
some unworthy and improper man is
to be forced upon herr?
THAT, sir, is exactly what l fear"
"You will pardon me. but l cannot
for a moment believe that Miss Hol-
lister would risk her nieces happiness
even to satisfy her own peculiar hui
NOR Your sister is Il shrewd woman,
and her heart, | am coAvinced, is the
kindest. Among the suitors now
camped at the Prescott Arms there
must be some one whom your daugh-
ter approves, and see no reason why
he should not ultimately be her choice.
Now that YOU have preached the mat
ter, | make free to say that one of
these suitors is an old friend of mine,
Hartley Virgins by name, and that
he is a man of the highest character
and gentleman in the strictest sense.
He had been listening to me with
the greatest cOmposure, but at the
h. tn tn1
and nervously clutched my arm
THAT man may be all that you say"
he cried chOkinGly, but he has acted
UNANIMOUSLY toward both my daugh-
ters. He is a rogue and a most despic-
able fellow He has flirted outrage
ously with Hezekiah while at the same
time pretending to be deeply inte'
ested in Cecilia
But, my dear sir. is it not possible
that you do him Il great wrong! Ma
it not be the other way round thaf
Hezekiah is triting with Virgins al
fections? He's splendid fellow. Hart
ley Virgins, but he's Il little slow,
that's all And between two superb
young women like your daughters Il
man may be pardoned for doubts and
hesitation. The thing is bound II
Straighten itself out"
He tossed his head impatiently.
Has it occurred to you that o.
tavia's interest in this Hartley Virgins
may be due to a tritiing and immat e
rial fact?'
Nothing beyond his indubitable
eligibility
Then let me tell you what | sus-
pect. Both his names contain seven
letters. My sister is slightly cracked
as to the number seven. | swear to
you my belief that the fact that his
names contain seven letters each is AT
the bottom of all this Incredible. my
dear sir, but wholly possible.'
Then, such being the case. why
doesn't she show her hand openly:
You send conjecture far when once
you entertain SO absurd an idea"
You think my assumption unlike
Iy?" he asked eagerly.
II certainly do, Mr.. HOLSTER You
may as well assume that. as Virgins
Is specially favored in the number OF
letters in his singularly prosaic and un
romantic name, it is Miss Hollister'
plan to keep him dallying seven years
He seized me by the arm and forced
me back against the battements. thef
stood off and eyed me fiercely.
You speak Of serving and Of service
Will you tell me just why you are here
and what brings you into this affair
What are You doing IN my sister
honse where I have 10 come like a
thief in the night 70 see one OF my
own children"
FASTENED % declare my professio'
and that / had been summoned oy Mis-.