Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-02-05
CHAPTER xi.
NV Bsfuddlsmsnt Increases

My BsfuddIsnsnt Increases
"~eS y on must understand. Mr.
Ames. that my daughters,
III both Of them. are very dear
to me-" said BasSford Hollis.
ter. TT IS the great grief Of my life
Tint. owing to matters beyond my con.
troll. l have been anabte to rare for
them M | should like to do. This he
Ing the case. ! have been Obliged to al.
low them to accept many favors from
my only sister Octa vin. This. In ordi.
pugnant to my pride. but my sister Is
Il very unusual person. She must do
for my children In her own way. and
while ! was prepared. In agreeing thnt
they should accept her bounty. for
some whimsical manifestation of her
eccentric character. | did not imagine
that sile would go 30 far us to shut me
out from all knowledge Of her plans
for them. That. MIR. Anes. Is what
has happened"
His voice rose and fell ~monrnfully.
He puffed his pipe for a momen and
continued:
There is now something forward
here which ! do not understand.
have mn Idea that Octavia has contriv-
I'd some preIUsterons scheme for
choosing q husband for Cecilia that Is
In Keeping with her odd fashion of
~trnnsacting 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-n0t even to me her own father.
You must agree. Ames. that thar TX
rather rubbing 1t In"
"But ,you don't assume that yoar
daughter II not to le n free agent In
the matter? You don't believe that
some unworthy and Improper man Is
to Le forced upon herr
That. sir, Is exactly what fear"
"You will pardon me. but | cannot
for \ moment believe that N!ss Hob
lister would risk her niece's happiness
even to "a tisfy her own peculiar hu-
NOR. Your sister h y shrewd woman.
aud her hen RI. ! am convinced, Is the
kindest. Among the suttors now
sauiped at the Prescott Arms there
tluxt lie GONE one whom your daugh
ter U YES. and ! see no reasoR why
he should not ultimately be her choice.
Now thai you have preached the mat
ter. make free TO say that II OF
these suitors Is an old friend OF mine.
Hartley Virgins by nnme, and that
he N q ma Of the highest character
and a gentleman IN the strtctest sense.
lie had been listening to me with
the greatest composure. but at the
mention of Virgins name he started
aud nervously clutched my arm.
That mau may he all that you say"
he craed chukingly, "hut be has acted
UNANIMOUSLY toward both my daugh-
tiers. He Is a rogue and n most despic-
able fellow. He has tirted outrage
ously with Hrzekinh while at the same
time pretending to be deeply inter
| ested In Cecilia"
But. my deur sir. Ia II not possible
that you do him a great wrong! May
II uot be the other way round that
Hezekiah IN trining with Virgins af,
fe~etions? He's u splendid fellow. Hart
ley Virgins. but he's Z little slow.
that's all. And between two superb
! young women like your daughters \
man may be pard0ned for doubts and
hesitation. The thing II bound 10
/ straighten itself out"
lie tossed his head impatiently.
"Ilas IL occurred TO you that Oc-
| tavia's interest IN this Hartley Virgins
may he dur 10 n trtting aud inmate
rial factT"
Nothing beyond his indubitable
eligibility"
Then let me tell you what ] sus-
pect. Both bis names contain seven
letters. My sister is slightly cracked
Ms 10 the number seven | swear To
you my belief that the fact that his
names contain seven letters each II at
The lottum 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 Ooes
you entertain 10 absurd an idea"
You think my assumption unlike
Tyr he asked eagerly.
Il certainly do. Mr. H0itsfer. You
may n well that. ~ Virgins
h specially favored In the number OF
letters In his siuxulariy prosak' and IN
r~eInsute ame II Ia Nixa HOLSTERS
plan TO keep him Outlying rcveu years"
He seized me by the arm and forced
NE back agaius, the battlen,ents. then
.tcod on and eyed me nercefy.
You speak Of serving and ut service!
viii you tell me just why YOU are here
and what brings you into this AFFAIR?
What are 0 doing In my sisters
house. where | have to come like 4
thief |, the night to see u OF my
own children
FASTENED to declare my profession
and thut | had been summoned by Miss
HOLSTER to examine Der chimneys !
could NOT. however. tell bin, that until
my arrival the chimueys had behaved
themselves admira bly,.
!, You've admitted your friendship fo'
THIS Virgins perscn-that's enough.
he said when | had concluded. Il ad
.t,a 80, s, Lao ~ tha healso At QneA