The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-20
Continued from page 6.l
THE SPINET.

her uncle asked, amazedly; he had
never seen his niece in an irritable
mood before.
dick Brennan has lost the money
which was to pay his fees and support
him for the next year" she said. HE
said goodbye to me yesterday evening
when you were asleep, and said he
meant to sail for Canada before the
end of the week.
He might have had a word with
me. You could have walked me. I'm
sorry you didn't" remarked Mr.. Gavin,
testify "You know, Mollie," he added,
seriously, 81 thought he and you hit
it together remarkably well, and he
was young fellow ! liked; he had
brains, and l expected him to do credit
to his profession later on. How he
lost two hundred pounds at a slap
can't imagine-but, of course, you
know"
Il can't exactly say" Mollie re-
piled, reddening furiously. 1t sud-
denly occurred to her that Dick might
not like to have that part of the story
revealed. 81 was too surprised to ask
for any details, and he went away al
most Immediately"
'If the money did not disappear
through any deliberate fault of his
own said Mr.. Gavin, shrewdly-for
his niece's confusion had not been lost
upon him-"you may tell him, Mollie,
to look upon me as his banker for the
present. When practising successful
ly, in due time, he can repay me. 1t
would be a terrible mistake for him
to throw up his career with the goal
in sight. Be sure to let him know at
once" To which Mollie made an al
most inaudible reply, supposed by her
uncle to convey assent to his wishes,
and becoming gratitude.
AS a matter of fact, she felt herself
in a painful predicament. Being con-
vinced that Dick had tired of her and
loved someone else, from whom, he re-
ceived letters, which were carried
round in his inside pocket, she could
not very well tell him of her uncles
Offer to lend him money.
''It would look like running after
him." she said, Indignantly. Then, too,
even if all were well between Dick
and herself, he had lost the money
backing a horse, and betting was a
thing Mr. Gavin considered on a line
with burglary, and kindred crimes.
In those circumstances she could do
nothing but wait and see if Dick would
write, but that he would she had small
hope.
The following morning broke beauti-
fully clear and fine, and in due course
Mr.. Gavin rose and proceeded to the
sale of antiques as he had intended,
did the weather permit.
A man of considerable wealth and
cultured tastes, he was an ardent col
lector of rare and beautiful antiques,
and his home was filled with the spells
of many marts at home and abroad.
Left to herself, MoIlie INDUCED in
the luxury of thinking for long time
uninterruptedly of her sad fate, and
Dicks Inconsistency. Ii he had loved
her, he could not have parted with Der
so easily; he would at least have sent
her line since to soften the blow of
separation-even if it had to be. He
had not even asked her to write to
him, as friend, to Canada. He had
parted with her lightly, she thought
bitterly, and then her tears fell anew
as she remembered that letter which
he would not show. HE is worthless
and not worth tear" she said,' reso-
lutely, after minute or two, and pro-
ceeded to her rooms to prepare her
toilet for shopping. Just then maid
came to tell her that some men had
brought piece of furniture to the
door, and wished to know where they
would place it. Guessing it to be a
purchase of her uncle's, she hurried
downstairs to give directions, and
found it to be a charming old spinet
which somehow seemed rather IA
miliar. She decided on having it
brought to the drawing room, and,
when the men had gone, set herself
to examine it more closely, but still
she could not call to mind where she
had seen it before, with it's exquisite
old hand-painted panels, where ridicu-
lousy elegant shepherds and pow.
dered and painted shepherdesses tend.
ed impossible sheep amidst sylvan
scenes.
Finally, she ran her fingers over the
yellow keys, evoking here and there a
thin, sweet quavering sound, but most
of the notes were dumb.
what pity that the art of tuning
a spinet has been lost" she was think
ing when she heard her uncle's voice
in the hall, and hurried to meet him.
well isn't it a beauty?' he asked
jubilantly, as she led the way back to
the drawing-room, land got it almost
for nothing. It's a genuine Pedrigali,
but Manning didn't know it. Those
things are out of his ken, clever as he
thinks himself"
"But he knows lovely carving, finish
and hand-painted scenes, SO your moth
ing must have been something after
ALL" Mollie responded, wisely. "But, y
she added, "it's really exquisite"
I'm almost ashamed to say l only
gave fifty pounds for it. Manning said
the owner wanted money at once, and
must sell it. | hadn't my check-book
with me, so couldn't pay then, but as
you are hated for walking, Mollie,
perhaps you would hand him the
cheque. It would be quicker than post
ing it.