The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-11-25

t "upon my wife?" repeated Sir Edwar
e opening his honest eyes very wide at Ii
grandlloquent speech, and looking curious
E peaceabie. What in the world has La,
Lifford to do with it? Do you suppo
young man, that l make her responsible f
the freaks and follies of any youag lady $!
has the charge off"
Unbounded astonishment took possessc
OF MIR. Reeves face he looked at Mildre,
ALMOST uouoting his own sense of hearing.
is not she-do you mean-s not tb
Lady Lifford p he stammered at last i, d,
confusion. N''
No! here is Lady Lifford, if Won pIease
said CHEEKY voice, and a blooming wor,s,
tat, fair, and forty, with the rosies, cbeak
and the merriest smile, walked into ~
room.
"Mr Reeve, what have you been saving +
distress Miss Grant so ?'
MY dear, perhaps you NAV be able TO nm
derstanj what Mr. Reeve means. be bange,
! if cam said Sir Edward, and sat bimseI
down stoidly upon an ottoman.
But Edward Reeve had turned to M,ldre3
and drawn her again into his arms befor,
| them all. "My darling, tell me ONLY on,
thing, he whispered, do you belong TO me
still - ''''
And Lady Lifford laid hands on Sir Ed
ward and canveyed him and herself O t of the
room, and left the lovers together
And so yon forgive me my little plot. do
you, Mr.. Reeve Ian he'd Lady Liford,
about an hour later, when they were all seat
ed at luncheon. Mr.. Reeve was teaminp.-
his eyes were glittering through hls specta>
cles with their old twinkle. and the excite
ment had wrought up his spirits to most
unwonted pitch
Il am ready to forgive your ladyship any
tling,' he replied, ''5ut | confess a rreat
deal that has happened Is beyond NY com
prehenson.
"lo wits are wool gathering. am
AFRAID but here comes your pupil to look
alter bis tutor. Perhaps he may be able to
enligh'en you.''
Gilbert's handsome face showed itself at
the door With laughing ewes and ont.
stretched hands he walked up to bis tutor.
May | congratulate you, Mr.. Reeve? /
was not tar wrong, was /, in telling Lady
Litford that though, you were still wearing
the willow for young lady vou had been
engaged to? CHATS why he tyrannizeI over
me sol, he added. in comic aside to Lady
Lifford
Wrong. no! bat how in the world did you
know anything about il q
''Sir, YOU have sister, have mother.
they know each other said Gilbert, dra
natically.
Come, come said Lady Lifcrd. .'you
ak as if | had noting to do with it. | am
not going TO let you carry off all the credit
'f thus happy denouement
No, said Gilbert, .oldiny his han Is re-.
ignedly. Il know no names. sad little 4
hought, in the innocence of ,rv heart. when /
came ~ last night with Sir Edward. that .
vas being led into a p'o, which voa.d end I
n my being left tutorless. and probably /
,lucked"
BE quiet, sir, and let me tell nv story to
lr. Reeve said Lady LiTorl. good hu nor
diy; II had no ilea Of taking nv niece
broad to try wha, change of climate would
10 Tor her without knowing wha, the com
'laint was that came upon her so quoerly
ast Christmas day. So BY degrees | per.
uaded her to confidc in me. and have been
n the look out vcu slice. When h .arI
hat Gilbert (Mr Blake, beg vonr pardon.
knew your father so we'll in old daysl. what
iilbert told me, put tso AMI two together.
nd it flashed upon me all at once that 1t
'as my marriage YOU had heard Of and mis-
,ken for Mild.ed's. Ny poor brother had
uarrel with me wears ago about money
iatters, aud his wife never iCrrave me tin
he other day, 50 it was no wonder Won had
ever heard, at Chaley Bridge of a MiI1red
rant OF the last generation, and thought
lat you might not know that .,he Grl..,s he'd
cen Richards ALWAYS from Gather tn SON.
hilbert conf ed 40 me that he lad taken
liidrea ior inc "a; ne st..ior. and described
er = you accordingly. So YOU see il was
resist Ia i.,i, I
'"--e intimate than should naturally have
ent. ard to take care ,ha, Mildred should be
i the drawing room to receive you. Gilbert,
as q good boy and held his tongue. and YOU
nd Mildred proved yourselves quite equal to
ne situation
Lady Litford made curtsev to her niece
'ho, between her Smiles, and her tears, and
er bushes, looked a v.ry charming picture
confusion
"Haw. hawr SS.r Edward. loud iausna
ing through the group; it is doubtful
neither he had previously had clear idea
what was going on. ''BeSt Joke | ever
card: thought | was going to call him out
IT kissing my wife. eh ??
''Allow me tn kiss her hand, this time in
our presence. Sir Edward" said NJ. Reeve,
18th unprecedented gallan,rv, and suiing
lie action to the word. He retained her
and in his after raising his head. as he said,
My dear Lady Lifford, YOU have been a sort
Providence to us both. / don; know how
shall ever thank YOU. but it will take a long
me, an0-it's surely not true that you are
DING to leave Pau 10 morrow -
6. OF We rejoned Lady Lifford. with q
Terry laugh ''Prnvidence will not desert
Oh as soon as all that. We are only abroad
,r pleasure. Sir Edward SAYS he likes Pau,
nd | intend to stay for the wedding