Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-11-01
PENDERLEITH.
CHAPTER /.
THE PROPOSAL REJECTED


cSyAvING fulfilled the mission which
T5brought me here, the rOie allotted me
GIbeing performed will take my
leave, your ladyship."
'"Taking with you, madam, my ire
vocabIe reply: I refuse-utterly, ahso-
IuteIy refuse-yOur sons suit"
AZ can but add, your iadyship, that
your being perfectly unable TO show any
Just reason for the refusal, II Gernrd likes
to wed Alma without your leave, shall
not thwart him."
"And madam, and Lady Pender-
leith, rising from the fauteuil ON which
she had been seated, brought her white,
well-shaped hand angrily down on its
geIvet-cushioned arm-'and ], madam,
say If my daughter, against my will,
wed your son, may heavens curse 90
with her; may blight fall on her hap
piness-her home!'
f"ThOse are severe sentences, your la
dyship,r answered the other, calmly re-
garIing the pale, agitated, handsome
face of her companion, aS she drew on
her glove.
Possibly; nevertheless they are not
likely to prove untrue"
"Your ladyship, then, is a sybil, thus
to mark out the future of those poor
children, whose only fault, I see, is in
their having fallen in love"
'eLove! IOve!" calculated Lady Pen
derleith, an angry flush crimsoming her
brow. ar misery comes To yOur son,
madam, let him b,ame you for having
tostered his passion. With me, it has
been the duty Of my life to keep these
two apart.
"Yet they have met, aud loved, y
broke in the other, with irritating com-
posure. "L'honn,e propose, Dieu dis
pose, you see, holds good even with Lady
Penderleith."
''Pray, madam" rejOined the other,
haughtiIy, "keep the sarcasm Of your
tongue for your own home, where you
will find filter subjects. Our interview
is ended. Oblige me by quitting Pen
derIeith, never tore-eHter it. You have
my answer to your sons proposal. A
refusal, accompanied by the determin-
alton that if Alma thwart my wishes,
he shall take her penniless BRIDE"
Until your ladyship's death responded
her companion, coolIy, "when, 10y the
will of your much-tO-be-pitied husband
your fortune must come to her"
Lady Penderleith bit her lips. Her
large dark, gray eyes seemed to change
color. The assertion was true; and the
quiet taunt contained i'm the word,
"much-to-be-pitied" appeared TO have
struck home.
''Then, madam, it is as l believed .
she exclaimedi scOrnfully; "it is for the
estate, not the girl, you have been schem.
ing ~
''NOt so. Gerard has wealth sufficient
and to spare, though mother may be
excused feeling pleasure in the thought
that the lands which should have been
his, but for his dURfs scheming, may
still be so. Yet, even for that, would
not aid him to wed a girl he did not
lOve.U
81 say" almost shricked Lady Pen.
derleith, ''it never shall he hi-. The
lands are mine. l will sell every acre
The money is mine. ! will squamdeI
every shilling, and die i'm work house
sooner than son Of yours shall benefit
by either"
''Rather the sou Of Lyle Penderlcith
who was so wanting in taste a. not {,
appreciate the charms of Gertrude Raw
as Gertrude Ray would have literally
given her heart for him To have done
Dispose of your wealth as you please
Lady Penderleith.. The more vindic