Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-16
CHAPTER XLIII
Copyright, 1918, Star Co

Copyright, 1910 oIar 70.
you are looking very lovely,
child, but thinner than when L last
saw you. What is wrong?"
Darius Blake asked this question
of Cynthia Long soon after they
met. The pair were seated at a
table in an inner room at the Bilt-
more-a room with no orchestra and
few people. The Chicagoan had led
the young girl in here rather than
to the crowded room in which many
handsomely-gowne women and a
few bored-looking men were taking
afternoon tea.
"It is tea by courtesy" Darius
Blake commented dryly. But L OBJ
serve that in many cases it is served
in highball or cocktail glasses"
The table he chose was in a cor
ner and nobody was seated near it..
Being a man who spent no time in
preliminaries, the lawyer went
straight to the point. First of all, he
told the girl such facts with regard
to her fathers affairs as she had
already learned from her uncle.
There were still left, he informed
her, some three thousand dollars
belonging to her.
when your uncle wrote me of
your engagement" Mr.. Blake eX-
planned, "he informed me that you
wished to use this money for your
trousseau. One could get a very
superb trousseau with that sum, 1
should think"
His eyes twinkled. but Cynthia
looked grave. 1T is of that that
I must talk to you!" she burst forth.
II want to pay for my own we'd
ding, instead of allowing uncle to
pay for it"
At this juncture their conversation
was interrupted by the waiter, who
appeared with the order of tea and
buttered toast. When this had been
placed on the table, and the attend
ant had moved to a discreet dis
tance, the elderly man looked sharp
ly at his companion and made the
above comment on her appearance.
What is wrong?" he repeated.
Are you not well?"
II am perfectly WELL" Cynthia
assured him.
He continued to regard her keen
ly. There is an expression in your
eyes that was not there in the old
days" he insisted. But 1 will not
poster you with questions. Instead,
will say few things that may
set your mind at ease if you have
been worrying. Did your uncle tell
you how your father happened to
make the investments through which
he lost his property"
His Love For the Girl
"Yes, uncle said that fathers dis
ease obscured the clearness of his
Judgment. l know dad was not to
blame"
Indeed he was not" Mr.. Blake
affirmed. 1T was his love for you,
and his desire to put you in a po-
sition where no need could touch you
that made him risk all-or nearly
all-he had in the hope of getting a
vast sum of money for you"
II was sure that was the cause
of his action" Cynthia murmured
"I thank you for telling me-"
And now," with a kindly smile,
what else is troubling you? 1 am
sure it cannot be the fortunate
young man to whom you are en-
gagged. Mr.. Livingstone wrote me
of how fine q chap he is. In Chicago,
where he is known, he is well
spoken of. 1 took the liberty of
looking up his record there-just
for my own peace of mind. you
know"
She NODDED; but did not speak.
"Well?" he said at last.
With an effort the girl voiced the
thought that was uppermost in her
mind.
"I am worried, Mr.. Blake-I may
as we'll confess it-because my uncle
declares that he is going to pay
for my wedding. l have enough
money of my own to get my trous-
seau and pay for my wedding-and
| mean to use it for that purpose"
She spoke defiantly. To her. sur
prise her companion did not agree
with her.
1--WE will not discuss just now the
question as to how much money
you have or would need for the pur-
poses you name" he said slowly.
"But let me ask you one very plain
question. Why should your uncle not
pay for your wedding and for every
thing that may be connected with
the AFFAIR.""
She stared at him in astonish-
ment. "Why, Mr.. Blake, surely you
cannot be willing to have me place
myself under such obligations to
Uncle Stephen? Do you know that
he has paid some of-some of poor
Dads back debts?"
A Few Unsuspected Facts
"Yes," Darius Blake replied calm
ly. 'I know that he has paid them
ali. And l also know that it is exact
" what he should have done. !
approve of it entirely"
but" Cynthia protested, 'I have
no claim upon my uncle beyond
the fact that my mother was his
sister. Surely that does not mean
that a man must pay out thou
sands of dollars for the sake of
making his niece comfortable, and
to give her a handsome wedding .
I'm this case 1t does" her COM
panion said gravely.
She gazed at him. mystified. Then,
as he remained silent. she asserted
herseIftonce more.
"I viii not allow It'll" she exclaim-