AN OCULAR DELUSION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5913, 19 August 1890, Page 4

AN OCULAR DELUSION.

i.BY ERAMv HOWARD ROWE.]

CHAPTER IX. Si:Qt7EI, TO ECCTOH STOHY (CONCLUDED). " During tho night before last an inspiration came to me," continued the doctor. "Tho wedding is fixed for next Tuesday; •), you it reached mo just in time. It happened in this wise : " I was at their bouse about nine o'clock in the evening. Tho mother and I were engaged in a game of piquet. You will observe that I had become quite intimate. The young lady was sitting not far away, with'her fiance'near her. I could not help noticing that she was looking bored, and even dispirited. Of a sudden there came a seratehinar and whining outside iv tho hallway. The girl's face lighted up at once. Running to the door, she opened it, and admitted tho King Churles. . He begun at once leaping upon his mistress's skirts. The dog "is not as handsome a.s he was. Tb« loss'of his eye has given him a rather sinister expression of countenance. But his mistress seems to think him more beautiful than ever. I don't bhirue her, considering what the dog has done for her. Indeed I have com!) to look upon her extravagant affection for her canine pet as a beauty rather than a blemish in her character.

" She went to tho sofa, the dog climbed into her lap, nnd the usual salutations took place. I glanced at her companion, and started. The expression that had come into the man's face was positively shocking. It had turned a greenish yellow in color, and tho look of loathing and hatred and horror that came into the eyes I shall not forget easily. He said nothing, but presently be came over to us, on the pretence of watching our game, and in a few miuutcs took his leave, to the great relief, iih I could not help suspecting, of his future wife. "Meanwhile my inspiration had come to me, and I was turning it over rapidly in mv mind. I carried it away with me, slept with it night, before lust, and sat. up with it all day yesterday. By dinner time it had developed into a plan of action. "At eight o'clock yesterday evening I called. As luck would" have it, the mother was sick, so I had Marion all to myself. It was Sunday evening, so we could not play piquet. I asked her to play some micred music, of which I an> quite fond. When I conceived the influence of the music had produced a sufficiently pensive condition in the. girl's mind I begun operations. I told her I wanted to talk to her, and leading her to a obnir, and placing myself in ono opposite he.r, I plunged at onco into tho middle of the affair. I spoke very earnestly, I told her frankly and fully the condition of Fred's mind toward her, without confessing- how I came to find it out. I painted in the most pathetic terms the sufferings the young fellow was enduring on account of his unhappy passion.

" The girl, like all clever women, is an adept at dissembling, but it was ovident that when i got through her pulsts were beatimr much faster than when I began.

"1 told her I had no apoloirics to make for talking to her us I did. The happiness of two young people whom I cared for was in jeopardy." She was wrecking her own lift- as well as Fred's in taking the step she proposed. I had made up my mind she should not do so without having all the facts before her.

'•At first she clevt-rcly guarded herself behind an affectation of incredulity. She itiMsted that I v,as laboring under a misapprehension. Then this dwindled into a blushing protestation of regret that the fact should be so, if I was not mistaken. She trusted that Mr F.wing would see how foolish it was in him to think of her in that way ; he would noon forget her and find some one munh more worthy of him, and so forth, and so forth, and so on.

*' I let her talk on this side as much a? she I'.-nuM, it all as a species of necessary feminine gammon, which, nevertheless, I was round, on my fealty as si gentleman, to appear to believe. When she had quite finished I returned to the attack. 1 told her that I, of course, recognised her riifht to sacrifice herself to her mother's wishes, and that I could understand that she might, and doubtless did, regard her prop->.--ed action us a piece of heroism on her own part. She bridled at this and said she was marrying to pleise no one but herself. I suggested that the evidences of pleasure sho was in the habit of exhibiting over the approaching ceremony were the most retnarkablo that had ever come under my observation. At this she bit her lip and seemed on the point of exhibiting temper. But she restrained herself."

" You were a trifle rough on her, weren't you, John:-" demanded Mr Herkimer at this point. " Not more so than the occasion demanded," was the reply. "The heroic treatment was my only chance. Having exhausted myself on this branch of the case," the doctor resumi.il, " I next turned my attention to that side of it- wliich I had kept in reserve. I now delivered my grand attack. ,' ' Doctor Vibrot's report,' I said, ' will be duo in about a week.' " Sho glanced at uir quickly, and tho crimson spni:ur to her cheeks. " ' Does Mr Tr, heme know i' I asked. " Her eyes fell before mine for a moment. Then she raided them again, aud said coldly : " ' No.'

" ■ Shall you tell him?' " ' I—l do not knoiv,' she said, hesitatingly. ' My mother—' " ' Will not permit it. Yes, I know that. Do you think Mr Trclierno would adhere to the engagement if he knew- ?' " Again that sharp glance in my direction, and again her eyes fell before mine. "'Why,'she stammered, 'do—do you believe he would hesitate ?' " ' I do.' '• rsho kept her eyelids 10-.vorei for a moment. Then she rose, took a turn up and down the room, and stopped before me. " ' Yoi: are right,' she said. ' J shall tel. Mr Trclierno all about it to-morrow. " Then she moved away again.' " • It is the honest thing to do,' I said. " She shrugged her shoulders. Her back was toward me and she was staring into the coals of the wood fire that barued in the grate. " ' When shall you tt-11 him r' '■ She wheeled around quickly. " ' You do not distrust me ?' " I looked steadily at her, smiled, and shook my bead. •' ' lie will he here to-morrow at eleven. He shall not leave the house until ho knows the truth.' " That was all I wanted to know. Soon after I took my leave. Arid I departed from tinst house with a light heart, I can tel! you, Aim. For I knew I had put « stop to l ! ie accomplishment of a great wrong." •• j see," said Mr Herkimer ; " the dandy wouldn't marry her if lie knew." "Precisely.'; "John, you're v bold, bad schemer." " Thu:>!» you. When I got. home I found Fred waiting to-- mo. J i, :l j u .,,f word that I wished him to f-pwid tho night at my house. I at L-noo took him into my confidence." " .Did you tell him about tiic oper-ition, John ?" " " is'o. Rut I told him that I knew the engagement would be broken oil on the morrow--tli,it's to-day. 1 told Mm about the coniini,' interview between tho young lady and her banco. Then I advised a very bold course.'' Here the doctor stopped and indulged himself in a silent chuckle, which was interrupted by tho c-.rpct manufacturer excluimiug testily : " Well, what did you advise ? Can't you stick to your s-ory r" '•Ah.'t-' bo sure," said the doctor, resuming hi.-, eoiupi'iuro aud his narrative at tho same time. " But if you thought me bold before, cam, you'll call mo a regular daredevil now. 1 wouldn't tell Fred what the su-ret wt'.s, but I told him that I knew its revelation would break oil the engagement sii ipiy because the dandy was an ass. As for Fret!, it was easy to seoiiow the land lay with him. All tbe secrets in the world wouldn't keep him from mimying Uie girl if he could get her. I told him to follow ' the other man to tho house, and when lie I had gone, to enter boldly and press hi K -nit ! with all the eloquence he could command." "Ah .'" ejaculated tho carpet man, approviugly. " Carry the girl by storm, eh ?" " Fred was very nervous, and doubtful of the issue, at first." continued tho doctor ; " mil" I sac-ceded in imparting much of my own confidence to him before I got through. - When I found his courage beginnimo to rise, I told him that nothing hut tho most j daring conduct would stand him at thin puss. I advised him to b-ivo a mmist'.r uuii . v. liue.iif ■ iciidy, and not to leave the house until lv. i.;:-i imKe.-d h.r to go with him." ' The ea;-;,,:l. Ui,i..uta;:i,arer gave vent to a -i long whi.tle. h " v'vhv, •!• bn, you aro a icgular Mcphj.-;- " topheles," ho s".i>i. fc " You se: , ) ar -ii.-d 'his way," proceeded o the doctor, smiling contentedly. " M»rion 1 would tell the scret to Fred as well as the other man. '11,0 contrast in the manner with w)»!er, tbe uotvs would be received by , the two suitors could not, fail to have a great elitet upon the girl's mind Then, ii I-Yed w ™« v noramsivn mimii'h. I believ«d ho eoul,l tt

carry her off her feet. A nature like hers will do a thing on impulse, under the influence of the excitement, that it would not consent to after reflection. That was my idea at least. I didn't want the girl to have a chance to get back under her mother's influence."

" Well, how did it all turn out?" queried tho carpet man, interrupting at this point. " I don't know," the doctor replied. " I haven't heard yet. I'm still curious on that point myself." At this point tho door-hell rang. The doctor looked at the clock on the mantel.

"Half-past eleven," he said. "The servants have all gone to bed. I'll have to' go to the door myself. I hope it's not a

patient." Ho went, out and returned in a few moments carrying :i very much amused expression on his countenance aud an open telegram in his hand. The latter he handed to Herkimer. The carpet manufacturer took it and read as follows : " Washington, DC, Nov. '25, ISS9. "Dr.. JohnCiienow-stth.No--Madison Aye.: " Ari-iwd litre by Congressional at 10.30. Send congratulations to Arlington House. "Ma. and Mm. Frederick E-whig."

|TO BE COXTINUKD.~|