The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-12-08


their hands clasped in each others
In the hall whicn had Just been so
noisy and heated with the late storm
passing through.
"You have not displeascd me; it
is j who have been i'll tempered"
Hope continued, in still lower voice
, still softer and richer in his tones
al ought tc ask you for forgiveness,
Grantlcy, before you go, for ] have
often behaved so badly to yoe.'
"You must not do that" he ex.
claimed hastily, and his eyes filed
with tears. "I could not bear that,
Miss Hope. I cannot bear to hear
you even blame yourself for any
thing"
"Grantleyw she said; and then
} she stopped and said no more.
Still with her hand in his, still
} looking down on her as she stood
with bent head and lowered eye.nls
before him, he drew just q sh. lc
nearer to her.
"You spoke ?" he asked.
She laid her other hand on his
arm.
81 am much obliged to YOU for all
that You have done for me these many
years." she said, almost in q whis
per.
The words were formal but the
voice and tone were not; the dow IL
cast eyes, the parted lips, the checks
ow crimsoning and now paling, the
heaving breast, the pride swept away
bene - C swell of this unusual ten.
, derne nnd girlish gratitude, all
told of something deeper and warm
er stirring in that impetuous heart,
than what those quaint, formal words
expressed.
"Do not say that you are obliged
to me for anything, dear Miss Hope"
said Grantley, himself scarcely able
to speak; ait has been honor enough
to me to be allowed to serve YOU"
"No one has ever done so much
for me-" she said.
because no one ever" he
stopped in his turn, and said no
more; then er pause, he went
on; 81 have done nothing for you
unwillingly, Miss Hope If you had
asked me at any time, to give you nv
life, l would have done it as freely
as 1 would have give you a flower. -
l have but one object that Observing
and obeying you; and l have but one
desire-that OF plea ing you. Ihave
done the first the best way / could.
if 1 have failed in the last SADLY
But / want you to remember me
when l am in India" he went on to
say, land to remember me with as
little dislike as you can; and I am so
glad of o-day, for the last thing you
will have to remember of me, will be |
The tears were swelling in ncr
81 shall never forget to-day" she
said gently, "nor how good you have
always been to me, dear Grantlev."
I'm 81 you can say that, dear
Miss Hope. / am glad | am going
to India too, though / shall never
see you again; for if stay in Eng
land, shallonlyfall outof favor again,
and then / shall have the pain of sec
ing You hate me more than ever, per-
haps."
BY this time the tears were run
ming down her face.
81 have never disllked You Grant
ley" she said: 81 have pretended 20
do so, but it was mere prctcnse, and
1 have tried, but l could not. like
you better than you like me, Grant
ley--a great deal"
"Hope -
What was iii What happened
What madness took him ? Meth
of them ever knew, boy and girl s-e
they were; but Hope found hcrs
clasped to his heart, with her q \
around his neck, and their flush, wet
youthful faces laid against each oth-i
er.
But they were not in smooth water
yet, and had something more form
idable before them than even their
own misunderst nding and childish
blindness had been. Though John
Rashleigh might forgive a girlish
freedom like that of which Hope had
been guilty, it was by no means GER
tain that he would forgive this far
graver sin. The light Of his eyes, !,
and the pride OF heart, she for whom
lords and princes would not ha c
been to good, TO give herself away |
at sixteen TO a poor relation. Hope
knew all the trial TO be passed |
through. IL must be met, however,
and that ut once, unless she and |
Grantlcy would und take Q clandes- /,
tine correspondence for which the
one was too proud, and the other tool
hon or unless they would give
up each other-which neither would |
hear Of, What she anticipated, came
to pass, in even exaggerated torn. |
The futher was furious; violent be-
yond anything she had dreamed pos
sible; but, girl as she was, SIZE was
firm, and Grantley would not yield |
her as long as she would hold to
him.
Then came that terrible collision
of two Wills of equal strength, and
the battle of love and pride which
tears a mans very soul. Look which
way he would, there was no comfort
for John Rashleigh; and. refusal or
consent was equally madness and
despair. But he must decide. The
proud man had to balance with the
father; and eventually the father won
- l.. Il a.