The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-08-11

but even if ! had been alone, you we're not
why did you bring Lady Vallant-were an
afraid of meg
Afraid of you,''
"Yes, yes-were yor afraid thai 7 shouj1
begin to seek to bothr and begulle YOU a,
once?H
Believe me, Miss hrriot 1 was aot vain
enough to think that yor would conde:ccnd so
far, l said, warmly
But | shall 'conde.cend quite As far If
not farther she said carelessly II want
you to like me i mem you to like me: Won
Will be living in the parish, and [ couldn't
bear you TO be any ting but friend; here
are my roscs--you arr to look at them, not at
me, please
She was better woth looking at than any
rose on that bright Jme day | cannot call
to mind any of the ddails OF her dress, but
have a general impression that it was floating,
ample, diapanous. Sle had no hat on, but
she shaded her face with Il small sun-shade,
which presently, as We stood among the
roses, she asked me tohold.
You have not BEEN long in olders, have
you2' she asked
About year
And did you take orders as soon as you
Were old enoug gh?n
No, | Travelled on the continent for two
years after | left college
And how old were you when you left col
legeF"
'Twenty-two.'
Then you will be twenty-slx your next
birthday, and l shall be twenty-tiree; l am
glad you are my senior; if you Were younger,
most likely you would waste yolr tire by
falling in love with me; now you will be more
sensibleD
She was free as q child from Confusion as
she said this, but 1 felt the color mount to my
brow. For a few seconds | thought that |
would WOO her without more delay | could
not love her better than | did if | knew her for
ayear, or for a century. Why should l hesi-
tate to avow that love! However, prudence
prevailed. and did hesitate When | spoke
1t WIS to say:
Age is no safeguard, Miss Herriot.''
No! Isn't it! We'll, at any rate I am
glad you re not younger, because boys love
rose in my collection. Oh! what do you think
of my old home?''
Il think it altogether charming;'
80 do $50 have many men who have
wanted to-
She paused, and l asked
''What?n
81 can't tell you; here's a white rose to put
with that crimson one. Roses red and roses
white, on a summer day-do you know that
song!n
L do not.''
Then III sing it to you have it to
guitar accompaniment; no, | won't sing it to
you to-day, before the others; but if you'll
come tomorrow you shall hear it,
Need it be telI how eagerly | promised to
come Need 1t he told hsw I went, not only
tomorrow, but many .6-morrows, and how
She grew kinder and kinder and how my sis
ter thought my suit was prospering, and how
l feared my fate too much to put it to the test?
My poor parish 1t Jared badly at my hands
III those days, | am afraid; for when was out
of her resence | was absorbed in thinking of
her.
Three months passed in this way, and my
sistc - 5'---4--o 20 U"re ny WIN ov-''l "ivo
in dcferring speech which should bring the
affair to a final issue But | felt myself that
the present was so perfect that | could hardly
wish it altered Melanie and | were on those
terms of halfacknowledged love which have
such peculiar fascination for both men and
women | could be satisfied with nothing
more definite for time, | told myself and my
sister, and my sister shook her head, and
said we 1--WE might as well be openly engag ged,
and have done with it."
| was with her daily, almost hourly, for she
spent great deal of her time at Lady VAL
lant's house, and Lady Valiant was the most
considerate of sisters and hostesses. We read
together, we rode together, we sang and talk
ed together, incessan lv. If by any rare
chance, when she was at home, | missed call
ing at Herriot Court she would reproach me
with my neglect of her in the most plaintive
way. Our intimacy, and what was likely t.
ensue from it, were spoken of pretty freely in
the eighbol hood, and more than once | was
openly congratulated. Still there was always
something to prevent my saying the actual
words which should de away with all doubt.
How it was | cannot tell; but when | brought
myself to the point of utterance, she lured
me away from it.
Une day was sitting listening TO her sweet
voice and watching her sweet face and we
were alone. Suddenly she put her guitar
down, and bent forward with both her pretty
hands on my shoulder, as she had claspet
them there many time before How her
touch thrilled me And how well she knew
it
"Walter,7 she said with rather sad cadence
in her tones, 'ours has been happy fellow
ship, hasn't it ~
| caressed her hand for momentin in silence.
Then | determined to be bold and ask for it ::
and so, holding it very tightly, and kissed it
once or twice l began:
Has been happy, and will be even happier
dearest. You know"
"That l mustn't be treated by you in this
oAiSSANhlNIiiOuo way. '"A'Si" W. HiuHt oS-
have better than this tomorrow. l shall
have vistOr'
"Who is he p l asked, jealousy.
''An old schoolgirl friend Of mine, Kate
Treherne, is coming to stay with me-
Before she comes let me ask
'No, l won't have you ask anything. Go,
now. | will not have you here another min
ute to-day / have thousands Of things to do.
| couldn't attend to your prettiest speeches. u
She said all this hurriedly. Thep she added
in a lowor voice, After to morrow you shall
say what You like to me-
| kissed her hand AMI promised obedience,
and went away then, and was in fools para
disc for the remainder of that day. Ihe next
morning | went up, about eleven, to Herriot
Court, and remarked an unaccountable and
unusual stir in the place When | was shown
into the drawing my darling came for
ward to me with bright blushing face, and
looked round at a young lady who was sitting
by the table examining some rich dresses, as
she said:
This Is my particular friend, Mr.. Armit-
age. Walter. this is Miss Treherne,"
Miss Treherne scanned me cu~iously as she
acknowledged the introduction, and felt al
most inclined to resent the expression o
mingled smile and sneer that there was upon
her face. She was a large, handsome, acqui
line-nosed brunette, with big dark eyes, and
very low brow Languid and rather insolent
in her manner, | thought as she turned tt