11—DISAPPOINTMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 12

11— DISAPPOIN TMENT.

Had R bomb ospJoded is tbe room it could do& have 3&u«*>d Mr Boyd greater irorprifco aod ar.noYfliico tlian th« IJoformatloti iuipar'ed by K#«wr. He ravad awd 6t*mperi aod swore be would »av?r ooo'Ent. He rcqniwrfced Eireestto th* following meming wUhoot holdirg oomninnjcation with Lilly ; and trilh " I presume you will now retire," ht led tbe wnj to BrteM's betlroom, aad cocci ud»d by remiiadi»g biva of the necessity of m«kiog a start after an early bte*k£&«t which he would order for him.

lirnejt oloeed his door, and as bo siood &nd viewed nimeelf in the glass he was astonished at the pallor of his f&ca. True he bod but little oolonr at auy tiros, but the abrupt treatment and ar-gry manner of Mr Boyd i»ad gireti him a ghastly paleness, ancl his blue eyes filled with tears as he reflated that tha duties he had been building in the sir bed couipltitaly collapEed.

Em<?et D*le was by ao means a bad m&toh for Lilly B- yd. He oauift of a good family, bad ta*ov ..eme for hin -all in the world of erf-, and hi* nuking acoouutwus in a healthy oonditlon. Ho was, however, not a robusfc man by any means. He Etood about sfc 6ia jn heJ^h*", and bin flixeu curly hair and bla« cyee gate him a somewhat femiDlce spp«arenoe. He wa» oi a very e^reuivo nature, and tbe menner and word* 1 , of Mr Boyd h&d out him to the qnick. He h*.d restraitied himself from raying what he thought to hie 2i06«, bafc as he stood viewing hiinfcelf in the glnse he bvrcre an oafch that he would yet pay his fiancee's father back iv hie own coin. ab he thought of poor Lilly the bJood ronhed to his face, and on the spur of the moment hft felt inclined to go to bar room in the hops of finding her awake, tell her all, aad leave tho house at once. Ha, however, re* trained himself, wad instead of doing so eat down and told her all on paper. He abked her to be lrua to him, and all would come right in the end. lie would iind me«s of commuaicaliDg with her, and would arraugo for their future.

At 7.30 he was up and aboub. BreAkfnfffc was parts ken of, and as he mounted his steed be slipped a sovertign Into this hand of ihe g?oora, nxid handirg him the letter he had written to Miss Lilly, received an asiuranca that the missive would reach its destination direci, •wh*rcapon our disheartened aftisl throw himself itito the saddle, and with lingering side glances in the direction of tho horneislcad he rude away with augry passions reging in Li«s u*flßiiive bosom. To ray that Mr Bcyd slept not tb.9 sleep o£ tha jw*t afier Inturirg Eruest's contefsion ia supsrflcous. Hs fumed and muttered to bimaelf : " The idea of auch a thiDg 1 and ma having it cut and dried so nicely. She tiball many Frank Hfcgglfct, and no cne elee. Hie station joins mine, and with the muaJgamation of euch eetatcs notbing bm good can oome of H."

Mr Boyd had a very unpleasant interview with Lilly in the moroiog, and the bold Buind Uken by the young lady eomewkal! " fi*bb«rgsi3t«d '" the worthy ? qaatter. 14 D*ar father," she said, " i do not wish to disobey yoar commands, bat I love Ernest, and no earthly power, net even th«i love I bear towards you, will stand between ue. He Ui a worthy and respected young m»n, atid if jou b-ave m»'3e other arrangements for my disposal wlthoat consulting me —weil, tne fault is yours, not; mine. A% for Frank Eaggltt, be ia the last man on this earth list I should oare for as a husband. Do not for a moment conwder me a commodity to b» disposed of in the beat market, for I have no intention to allow myself to fee so treated."

Tho poor girl then burst out crying, and as she throw herself into the ohair sh« said, •• Ob, if only mother was bore I " This proved too much for Mr Bcjyd, and he quicily turned on hia beel and made for the shed, whore he soon became engrossed iv his work amoog the lleecsp.