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

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r. III tell you what did do l meant to ba,
,le come back in the bus, but it was full, so
ne ran all the way and got back in time to sc
'r- them get out. The bride was so preiy. an
a: thay are not going to stay, so it was INV onl
nd way make sure Of having another look q
a her, but I've not had time to cool yet.':
ca The most idiotic proceeding" began NJ,
Id Reeve, looking at the boy crimson forehead
We then checking himself as if he thought b.
We was lecturlng, he added, "be,ter not do
te again, Gilbert; if you are 50 inprudent yo
ir will do away with all the good OF Pau, an,
ID you are so well now"
ut Gilbert might perhaps have blushed. bu
IT he could not grow redder than he alread
,e was instead, he tried to change the subject
IN ''The bride really is a sumner. Such ewes
n. and snch hair. Her mother, if she is he
ot mcther. is quite young woman. not above
Is forty, l should think. l didn't hear he,
e 9ame the carrier only said, Sir Edward and
IF Lady Liford.'"
1t ''Sir who ?' Mr.. Reeve turned to him with
t. awakened interest
J. "Oh! forgot to tell you, they're Sir Ed,
o ward and Lady Lifford on their wedding
}, tour. He is to dine at the table.L .L'hote to-
a night; the ladies said they would not come
r down.
e Mr. Reeve turned away. He felt sick at
heart. Why should they, Of all people in
K the world, have crossed his path? Mildred
he though, bitcrly-Lad driven him out Of
! England, and now she must needs pursue
= him here. Before he had re. overed himself
the table d'hote bell rang, and he turned in
$ with Gilbert and took his place at dinner
MS neighbor at table, good humored
frenchmaD, with whom he had struck up an
: intimacy. found his effor.s at conversation
responded to very feebl on this evening. and
soon noticed that his companions ewes were
fixed on tall, rather heavy looking English
man OF about sixty-five, who sat opposite,
making poor work Of the thin soup and
greasy ish placed before him. Edward
Reeve knew the faces at table well enough
10 De sure who the stranger must be. TINT
Mildred husband! To think of her. in her
bright youth anu beauty. sacrificed to a man
Old enough to be her grandfather! To think
OF her conserving To SUCH Il sacrifice on the
very eve of liberty! Edward Reeve recoi.
lected bitterly all her loving words to him.
When he burnt her hair he made fond
foolish excuse to himself for not DESTROYING
the little purse, by saying that he had prom
ised her 10 keep it always, but now be |
| thought he would burn it as soon as he /
reached his room. What had it been bu,
| the irai token of tickle love? Lady Lii, /
tord might be drinking her tea up stairs, It 1
Mldred-his Mildred-with her pure love
and child-like faith. coult never exist again.
II indeed sha ever had existed except in his
own fancy
and. coming roInd 10 Gilbert, touched HIM
on the shoulder
81 beg your pardon, but fancy you are a
son Of m old friend. Gilbert Blake. DO YOU
know /. ronr taIhe- was at Christ Church in /
90 and '2l?"
Gilbert colored and answered. and the next
m"meh. ha'i accepted Sir Edwards in la
on 10 Spcnd the evening in his rooms
Al most before Mr. Reeve had caught the
purp0rt OF the conversation, he found himself
il. Gu led III tic invitation Which, however.
he ,.'ec. 7ed, pleading Il bad hea 1ache, and
walke,l no oe TO his rooms, chaiing in "ardly
A heada che The biiords were oniy pass.
ing through Pau. and tina, headache should
last until they were fairly gone he could iot,
no. and he wonld not, meet Lady Liffor l.
He tried, with Indifferent success to devote ,
himself to his books ill Gilbert came hume, ,
and then ref ained from all questions as to
how the evening had been spent. 1t waa {
rather a relief that Gilbert seemed disposed
to be "A good deal less cotlnunlc tive than ,
usual. He volunteered no account of bii !
visit, and few words were exchanged be- {
fore the two gentl2nen parted for the night. t
Next morning. As Mr.. Reeve was sitting |
doggedly down to his books Immediately {
after bre reakfast-Giberts studies did not
begin till later in the day-a little pink ncte |
was mt :.to his hand. The contents were !
d. follows:
'.HorEL DE FRANCE Tuesday.
"DEAR Mr.. REEVE: If you spare the
time, it wouil be very kind of you to call
here today between IL and | o'clock. | .
have several Things to say to you, and greatly ,
wish TO see you.
Yours very truly. /,
''SmpRED LIrroRp." |
Edward Reeve groaned in spirit. Was it ,
not enough for Mildred to have w,sted the
best ye rs of his life, that she must persecute
MIN so Or was sne II. trouble. and some
shadow of her old trust made her send for {
him in her dis ress? 1t did not signify, il.
either lie must obey her summons, for {
he could not confess himself 100 weak to
bear TO see her ,
At half past eleven he presented himself ,
al the door Of the Hotel de France, and ask
ed for Lady Lifford. Miladi was at home,
Monsieur would find her apartment an pre-. :
mier, if he would give himself the trouble to {
walk up stairs. The apartment door was
opened bv English lsdy's maid, who ,
showed him into TIE sitting room, and de- 6
parted without announcing him, closing the
door softly behind her. I
On low chair before the fire sat Mildred ,
reading She had not hea d HIM ,ter, and
for a second he watched her in silence. The q
freight was cleaning on hair as bright and
luxurlant as ever. but he could see that the
hand held up to shade her face, too. was :
paler tan it used to be, ana he fancied that !
the lines of the mouth had a look Of sadness ,
that they were strangers to on that day four ;
years ago bered, ah, how wildly
when she had sat at his feet in the school
room at Cbaley Hall. :,
Awkwardly enough he advanced towards
the FIRE pla ,e bat at the first step Mildred
looked up. and the old beautiful ewes met
his. She colored violently as she rose from
her seat, held out her hand, and tried to
speak, but the effort WAS too great she hid
her face in her hands and burst into tears.
A great lump stuck in Edward Reeves
throat he stood looking at her, quite un- :
manned. and with al. his sternness melted. q
Tell me anything you like he said gently; .
don't grieve SO, | did not come here to
blame YOU y"
Bat Mildred did no. hear; she was strug-
Cling with her sobs 81 beg your PARDON"
she managed at last to gasp out. ut is SO
foolish, but have been i'll and-and unhap>
pv." All at once she turned SO pale hat he
though. she was going to faint. distinctive
ly T.. r~t out his arm to support her; perhaps
she mistook the gesture: she turned towards
him, gave one look up to the familiar face
with its Expression Of unchanged ten1erness
and burst out crying again, with her head on
his breast
For once in Edward Reeves life he lost
all power of sel:control Alvey weat every
thought of what was due to her and to him
self, away went prudence-swalowed p in
e /. |