, 1874-07-12

che was II, and he was tho only hero In the
! world to her he was SO big, and strong. and
ONCE romantic and heroic, that seemed it for
| hiu-poor " Vikin5!" How hard it WAS to him
to lit at tllis extreme end Of tho hearth-rug aud
look across At the enhancing faco and charming
| we're Strathspey's property, and not bis own, Is
he had fondly hoped they would ho q!
But then, again. why not talk about StEath-
| epey p he burst forth. There il nothing left
to us to talk abont that know Of: I suppose I
must not tell you that lore you, Bell and it is
| what always say wnen We speak OF ourselves.
Oh, confound it al To think that smpleton
should Aayo come between US! And that you
| should give your sweet self to him, after-after
| all that lna passed-after all those dear old
| DAYS 1T Drum1ie."
| Bell turned her face away, saying nothing ;
| but heanw little quiyer OF tho pretty red Hps,
! and 4 tremuous motion Of the dropping eye!ids:
He rose from his chair, crossed the dreadful
| hearth-rug TO take her beautiful, nervous hand
"Oh, Bell t" he cried, holding it so fast that
| abe cou1d not draw it away. - How am to give
| you up: You have not been fair to me-. Was
it fair to let me love you so long thst it Viii tear
my heart by the roots to let Tou 50: and then to
| throw me aside because am only the poor Laird
OF C1andar1e1, aud another man is to have m
! Earldom? You used to say that you would
rather Own the crags and hills at Clandarrei than
! be the Queen OF England. Oh, Bell, my dear,
| remember what happy children ne were when
| re thought that Dalgarnock top was nearer the
blue sly and heaven than any other place in tho
| world!"
It seemed to lsobe1 that shs almost felt the
| fresh hillside breeze blowing upon her cheeks,
aud smelt the sun warmed heather. She forgot
| her stern grandmother, Lady Drumlto; she for
| got that she was great beauty and an engaged
young lady. The tears gathered in tue long
| lashes, rolled down her face and fell upon her
hand, sparkling almost as brightly rs that fash
ing diamond.
''Wa shall never
BE so NEAR HEAyEs AGAIN."
she sobbed. "Oh! We shall meyer be 70 near
t Heaven again. 1 am drifting farther away from
| it eyery day, Eereward. Ire people always wick
ed and unhappy when they grow up to. be men
| and women +"
| And Why should they be ?'' be said, the mist
| rising to his blus eyes, in his great yearnipg.
''And why should ne never bo so near Heaven
| ngrn2 It is love that brings Heaven near, Bell !;
love. and truth, and honest faith. Lady Drum
| lie must have been more cruel than l have
| thought, il it is she who. has given you such
! fancies." And he bont his great, fair head over
tho little baud, fret almost crushing 1t IN hls
| own. aud then kissing it passiouately.
| ''Don'.-oh, Jou must not!" said Bell, CRYING
softly, and trying to take the hand away from
him. lyon arc forgetting, ana-and you ought
| to remember"
Remember what? That it il Strsthspey g
| little hand now-that they have made you false
to your promise to mo7 I should like to forget
"But it is not right. you KNOW" che faltercd,
| tcnrfuIly.
"Right!" said be lifting his face. and looking
At ler. :" Is 1t as wrong as tie other, Bel? No;
| I swear to you, it is more my hand than Strath-
| epev's and there lies the sin OF it. DO you
think would como here if he had won you from
J me honestly, hoart and soul Z Do you think
/ would utter word Of reproach to you Il l knew
you cared for him as you once cared tor me? l
won't say as you care for me- now for IT you
loved ME, my dear, you would have strength
against them all. II you loved him, lsobcl, I
Should ecoru to speak should be ashamed to
! count myself man, il I could not bear my pain
in silence, aud bo glad that you wero happy.
But you know he has not the Tower to stir your
! heart for second; you know it. And you know
they
Rave sold YoU TO ELI;
sold You for teo sake Of the dead mans ehoes ne
| is waiting to atep into.'
It was always the way with Clandauel. She
might begin by being cold and majestic, by
| treating him to the regal airs and graces with
which sbe overpowered her other adorers but
ha III. Ariably swept them aeidp, with Ills honest
! Vandalism, in the end. He always brought with
! him such = sweet breath of the hll-sides, the
loch, and the heather
.0h !" abe said, desperately, turning to him
her tcar-wet face, "how wish l lad never come
to Edinburg. How I Hirh graudmamma had LETT
mo at home at Druulio! But you know how
firm and hard she is,'' she added, pteouely.
POOR memmss loro-match, aud what life elo
Las led her SINCE papa died, and she
vas obliged to take US all to live at
ntu1nlie lihs- wonder. myself. how
poor mauma hns liked to bear it. I should
| have died. I never remember the time when
grandmamma was not sneering, in her queer
| way, ct loye and poverty; aud she has often
told lib :Ll-Marian. Helen, nnd me-that ehe
would taae good care she had no more love-
matches ani sentiment. lou hare no idea,
| Heroward. What cruel things sue can say. and
how obstinate she il. We are all afraid Of her"
| Stately md higil-mindedas this young beauty
was, she WAS afraid Of her grandmother. Dread
fully nfraid Of her. A terrible old woman, who
| was capablc Of nuy Btrong-mlndad act OF ven
| geance against those uniucky members OF her
| family who might dare to defy her. There were
rumors that her husband, Sir Archibald, had
stood in so much awe Of his rigid and 1mplncable
spouse that death had been happy release for
| him. It was certain that poor, pretty, gentle
| Mrs Lowthcr had eaten bitter bread when sho
| had been Door, pretty, gentle lHobel Drume.
and that ehn Ind been driven to her marriage
with the .canty ty-endowed Scotch minister By her
! mothers rescntless severity.
| CIaudarraI know tho old Gorson's pecu1iari-
| ties TOO well. Ho Tas as firmly convinced ns
| Eell herself that Lady Druulie would be capable
of any harrh treatment TO carry out her Will. 10
| le eald nothing ouly carcssed the little hand
more tc0ueIlt.
''Mr. Strathspey."
Andrews cangh had been heard before the
| door opened, which gave notice Of the approach.
3Ir. Strathspey entered rather awkwatdly, not
withstandiug the fact that he ought to have felt
sure OF his Welcome. Perhaps, after all, he Was
not 40 very sure OF it.. He stared shout him for
q moment and then canght sight OF Clandar1el,
and glared at hun with his little. narrow eyes.
and then lie caught eight OF Bell each sitting
demuro1y at tho two extreme ends OF the hearth
rug. Iaobe1 rose slowly aud gave him her slim
fingers, eren less cordially tnan she had offered
them to her cousin
$50 glad-er-to find you-er-at home"
stammercd tho little man. overwhelmed with
confusion. "Hope you are weller after-.-er--
dissipation last night. Delightful, wasn't it
Hope Lady Drumle's vcll-cr." But nc did not
condcscend to take the slightest notice Of Here
ward, aud, Indeed, had
TURNED HIS BACK TroS H1I.
Miss Louther fixed her large eyes upon him,
with cool significance. - You have met my
cousin, MIR. Clandarrel, think
He was obliged to zee him then. And some
thing in the calm glance OF his fair besros1eI
1nado him feel that it would have been better
had he Eeep him before.
"Ah-e-yes 10 be suro," 10 said, as loftily
as he dared. Beg pardon. Bellcye I have.
How de o." aud he vouchsafed Hereward