The St. Cloud journal., 1873-07-03

should ssy I did. IL mean to be =
governess, and take care Of myself. Il
told Aunt Kendall 80 yesterday"
s"1ndssd r said he, sardonically.
"And may 1 ask what you mean to
teach?'' :s
The blood rushed into my cheeks
like fame, and to this day I 1emem.
Der tho keen throb of humiliation
which made me hang my head like .
ehidden child. I had meyer been sent
to school, but had grown into a tall
girl OF seventeen, with only such little
smattering Of reading, writing, and ar.
ithmetic, as Aunt Kendall could give.
Under the circumstances, the governess
idea was certainly sufficiently absurd :;
but, then, why need Uncle Kendall
have tainted me with my ignorance in
such a tone. and in the presence of a
stranger?
1t was the veioe Of the latter which
broke the silence-quiet, but with a
kindness in it which I understood in.
stinctively to be meant for me.
"beryl is the daughter Of your niece,
is she not?'' he asked, addressing Un-
Gle Kendall. "Certainly, in that case,
she has . better right to your fortune
than l."
"She has no right at sll," retorted
Uncle Kendall. "She is . fool if she
thinks so! I have always meant to
leave the manor to . Kendall and I
should like the fortune I have spent
my life in making to go along with it.
But ate has to be provided for, I sup.
pose"-the soornfal finger was leveled
at me again-"and so 1 have been
thinking-she is pretty enough, as wo.
men go-that you might not have any
objections to marrying her, Ross: 1t
would settle oil tEoable. 1 hope you
have not been silly enough to burden
yourself With : wife-eh?'
II have been too poor = man to af-
ford such luxury" answered. the 9TH
er. he tried to speak gravely, but my
sharpened ears could detect IN irresisti-
bic inclination to laugh 10 his voice.
That tone proved drop too much in
the already brimming cup of nay shame
and confusion. Child though I was,
could still appreciate the indignity and
contempt with which I had been treat.
cd and burning tears of rage were in
my eyes Is I rose suddenly to my
feet.
II am going, Uncle Kendallw ]
said, in voice which trembled from
the same cause. I'll cannot stay
any longer. It is true you have fed
and clothed me-" I cried, passionately
'but you have not bought me, and yor
have no right to offer me along with
your fortune! I don't want any of il
Il would not have any Of it =; but T.
Ithiak you might have spared m,
such ap insult IS this r. =
"Is the young fool mad 7" demand.
ed Uncle Kendall, too much surprised
to be angry. "What the devil does
she mean Take your seat again this
minute, Beryl!"
But for once I was deaf to tho voice
Of command. I rushed to the door,
and it was while was fumbliue blind.
ly at the latch that found Ross Ken.
dali 1t my side.
"Come back, Beryl," he said, as he
might have spoken to child. "You1
uncle did not mean to offend you. lie
is plaiu.spoken, like all old people, but
he meant no harm. Of course his idea
was absurd; ; but Why not laugh at it
instead Of taking it like this !? I have
= better one to propose, lnstead," he
added, laughing hisef. "Won't
you come back and listen to it? By
Jove, If you don't''-as I still retained
inAexjble hold of the door-"l shall
order my horse At once for your claim
to Kendall is certainly better than
mine"
II have no claim - said I. But
curiosity, operating with the last threat
brought me back. Then, having plac'
ed me in a chair, Ross addressed him
self to my uncle.
II have ten days to spare, SIR" he
said, "and since your letter was very
kind, 1 came down, meaning to spend
them at the manor. Now, I propose
that, instead Of talking any further
about estates and heirships, We devote
these ten days to learning something
about each other. You cannot possibly
tell how much OF how little you may
like me Or trust me on closer aoquaiut-
anoe, while, IS for this young l.dy"-
10 esturned and looked at me with 4
smile in his kind, dark eyes-"I trust
that she may at least learn to tolerate
me as : cousin. All questions Of any
thing else we will waive at once. 1t is
enough to say that no consideration
could tempt me to offer myself to q wo.
man I did not love honestly and for
herself =" .
'tThe moro fool you'' commented
Uncle Kendall, in bis usual candid
fashion. "There Is some sense in what
you say about deferriag tho discussion
Of business till We know each other .
little bettsr,' he added after = pause 3;
"only I am opposed to delays. We
never know what may happen ; and I
had fancy to draw up my will to-