A Lover's Revenue.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 91

A Lover's Revenue.

Chapter I. "Ha! You refuse me, do you, Miss Hamtagg?" ss 5*5 * The man who asked! the question had ; passed the first flush of youth. He had mot reached the age at which it seemed ' expedient for him to part his hair just L *hove his ear and plaster a thin layer thereof over the top of his head. He had thrown aside the walking-stick of young -manhood, but had not assumed the cane of middle age. It is well to speak of these facts, for they are necessary to the full 1 understanding of this painful story. More',<»ver; they cost nothing extra. "I do, Mr M'Stabb," said the young lady "■ookfiy. - "Th&a. listen, to me, Rachel Mickergy - Hamtagg 1" he hissed. "I vow you shall bitterly repent it!", Chapter H. Wild whistled the bleak wind, dismally -moaned the huge elm tree that rasped and -scratched itself against the cruel edges of the tiles, shrilly shrieked the weathercock on the barn roof for a drop of oil, and . jjruesomely groaned Algernon FitzThompeS>h M'Stabb as he stole forth in the dead night, made his way cautiously by a ' -ircuitous route to the ancestral washhousa -jo. the backyard, and went inside. "Fll show her!" he muttered between his teeth. From beneath his coat he drew a soompacf "bundle of letters, cut the string Ifchat bound them together, struck^ a match. r«nade a bonfire of the collection, and "watched them elowlv consume to __ ashes. 'Vhile the crazy building shook as if with and! .the wind sighed hoarsely °siike one in sympathy with the wretched I font wrathful ■ man. He was burning the :-letters he had written in happier days to -Bachel Hamstagg. She had returned them 'to him scornfully. C Chapter HI. ? "This is so sudden," said the "widow inlnshingly, "and so unexpected. I—l -jfhonght your visits to our house_ were for = tihe purpose of seeing my daughter." # J "She is too young," replied the visitor £<fecidedly. "I told her so last evening. frWe parted in ,a friendly spirit, but I gave feher to understand as delicately as I could I should hot call to see her any more. ifl sadden, it is true, but I trust none :."ihe less agreeable on that account. May I I venture to hope?" | "Well, really " E "And now, my dear," he said, at the exipiration of a happy half hour, as he gently

lifted her head from his Bhoulder, "I should like to see your — or perhaps I ought to say our — daughter, to tell her of this happy event." "Shall I call her?" "If you please, my dear.**

Chapter IV. "Rachel," said Algernon FitzThompson M'Stabb pleasantly, "you will be glad to know, I dare say, that I am to be your father. That is all we wish to say to her, is it not, my love? You may go, Rachel. Please close the door, my child, as you go out."