The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-06-18


"let me tell you
II will let you tell me nothing" she
in terrupted, Robert, / am engaged to
Charley Ferrals. Do you think that
while you are acting as you do now,
mamma will listen to one word about
him 2"
In the new light that had fallen upon
me, think was nearer falling in love
with Cecile than ever I had been In my
life.
sCharlie Ferrars?v I cried tand he
came down here to plead his cause with
my aunt; and she told him she had other
views for you. eh ? Wouldn't let him see
you, perhaps so that was why he had an
idea of throwing himself over the Castle
Cliff 1 see it all. o, Cis y
"You are not vexcd with me p said
Cecile
s.Vexed p said I. "If you could only
know what it is to me. So I am to draw
back for Charlie, and all the onus is to
fall upon me? / am to pretend that /
won't have you p
aRobert = she exclaimed.
ssDo you really love him Cis ?" said
I. ssHe is the best fellow in the world
| began searching about for my hat,
which was in my left hand all the time
sWhat are you doing Robert? !? she
asked 'I thought you would help me-"
$50 l mean to,-so / will" | replied
SEQ to the promenade, Cis; you must.
Tell nv aunt am too meet you. / will
do that any yhow; only don't keep me now
please
In less than half an hour 1 was out on
the balcony of Mr.. Penryn's lodging, and
Constance with me, very close to me /; |
might even confess that my arm was
round her. And casual passers-by could
look up if they choose they could see
nothing for the heavy curtain over the
window behind US. Even if they could
have seen. | don't think, in my then state
of mind, that I should have cared and
Constance was saying, "But you never
mean that !? You could not have had the
heart to stay away from Nugent."
"But l should, though said L off
you had said anything else, would never
have gone near the place. Are you sure
I am quite awake,-that It's a real you
l have here, or only a dream Z"
e'Do | look like dream 2" she asked.
eyes you do, very, replied" 81 can
hardly believe that you are not one.
/ Why do you move away? don't want TO
go. 1 am content The world has been
very good to me to night"
'sBut Robert, you said"
;sAh, poor Cecile !" said I. "And you
won't mind helping her, for my sake?
Come then. .
! Once more under the lamps on the
promenade The band was playing, the
! seats under the colonade were full, aud, ),
passing along the sea wall | saw the fish
erman's boat in the ripple of the moon
light, just as though he had never stirred
/ from his post but stayed there to see the
end. And there amongst the upward
stream of people came my aunt and Ce
cile, Lady Nugent, pale, stern displeased;
Cecile with her head bent down. My
heart gave me one great throb of antici-
patton then | put the little hand within
my arm a little tighter and went forward
boldly | saw my aunt's eye fall upon
me, upon US, rather, [ saw the little start
which she could hot repress, the sudden
naughty questioning, and the drawing
herself up. Then, spoke.
'sAunt," said |, '.let me introduce Miss
/ Penryn, the daughter of our vicar at
Nugent. Constance, this iSLady Nugent,
my aunt.
The color that was so seldom there,
flashed red over Lady Nueent's cheeks (;
one single withering look fell upon me,
and then all sign of emotion was gone,
and she making her little cold, matter-of-
fact speech to my future wife,-accepting
the position. She was clever woman.
But, better than this. | caught glance
from Cecile, strangely bright | had
seen the hand clasp with which she greet
ed Constance, and vague pictures of fu-
! ture meetings at Nugcnt before US all be-
gan to fit before me. [ night have tried
to catch what the two girls were talking
about; but l was busy giving my aunt
summary of Charlie Ferrar's prospects,
which grew very fair under my handling,
and claiming my right as Ceeile's nearest
male relative, OF giving to her marriage
portion.
Perhaps Cecile heard Charles name,
and was wicked enough to listen. / don't
j know. At any rate, when bade them
good night and good by,-for of course l
was going to Nugent with the Penryns,-
Cecile fingered little behind the others.
/ and came up close to me.
"Good by, and God bless you Robert" :"
said she. .'If said anything hard to
you this evening, forgetit. Ihope you'll
be as happy as | am.
i ~, =, r.