Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-11-30
Autumn Leaves.
COMPLETE IN FOUR CHAPTERS.
CHAPTER III.


Sir Gerald Mayne called, as he prom
ised, on the morrow. liked him better
then than l had in the ballroom. He i
was so kind and courteous to Mrs. Cor
don, so attentive, speaking so kindly of |
the dead husband and absent son.
Il like that young man, my DEAR"
she said to me when he had gone; ''he
has good heart. hope they will not
spoil him.
Sir Gerald's visit was long one. He
talked to me until my sister came into
the room, and then he had no thought
for anyone else She looked very love-
ly and dainty in her simple morning
dress and floating ribbons. Some music |
lay on the piano, and he asked Clarice |
to sing. She had a sweet, clear soprano
voice, rich and musical she sang as the
birds do, without effort, freely and nat
urally. Sir Gerald was charmed, and
asked her to try duet with him. The |
two voices harmonized superbly; they
sang Mendelssohn's II would that my
love-" and ''Oh, vert thou in the cold
blast % and then Sir Gerald began to
talk of music, and she listened with a
slight flush on her lovely face
He fingered until the probability of
being obliged to ask him to stay to lunch
struck me with dread. He asked me if
| knew his mother, Lady Mayne, and
said how much he should like her to call
upon me. / noticed another thing; he
did not leave until he had found some
pretext for calling again. He asked
| Clarice if she had seen celebrated ar
lists illustrations of well-known poet,
and when she said NO" eagerly offered
to bring the work over. could not for
bid it, although | began to wonder how
| all this would end-not in sorrow for
my darling, surely.
The next day large basket of hot
house fruits came over from Beecham to
Mrs. Gordon-ripe purple grapes, april
cots, peaches and everything that could
tempt an invalid There came, too,
bouquet of flowers. | am sure Sir Ger
aid gathered these himself, and thought
of my sister the while She raised the
purple grapes in her white fingers, and
seemed to enjoy them very much. There
was not the slightest consciousness in
her manner.
Sir Gerald came himself the next day.
There was no pretence this time-he
asked at once for my sister. When |
said that she was in the garden, he offer
ed to 90 to her, and 1 could not refuse.
He went; and at the end of an hour,
thinking the tete-a-tete had lasted quite
long enough, l joined them. They were
both seated on a garden-seat, Sir Gerald
turning over some pictures, and Clarice
looking on; and as 1 looked at my Sis
ter's face | saw that the innocent, loving
heart was awakened at last-she would
| never be child again. At that moment
l almost hated him. What had he been
saying to call forth that sweet. conscious
, look? How would it all end Even
r while l smiled and spoke to him, l re-
f solved that he should not come here SC
. often, talking nonsense to my sister.
: / said nothing to Clarice for that day
@ thinking it better for the impression tt
a wear away while.
J. On the morning following Mrs. Ruth
n ers sent the carriage and an invitation
|. for Clarice to spend the day with her.
o have wondered since what the future
n would have been had that Invitation
never reached me, for at noon Lad,
Mayne called. Sir Gerald was not will
> her. After speaking of her own sever
L cold, and Mrs. Gordon's health, Lad,
l. Mayne turned to me suddenly, sayinl
Il that she had heard that my sister hat
l. returned, and that she was a very love
Il ly child.
" "She is very pretty l replied, IAN
as good as she is fair; but no one ca
call her a child. She is more than sey
enteen, and taller than am
J Something like alarm passed over he
.e face, but / had no intention of mincin
q matters if there was any danger, othe,
: should see it as well as myself No or
should be able to reproach me by sayin
g that had encouraged anything Of tt
J. kind in an underhand way
- ASK Sir Gerald Mayne," | said franl
:. ly; ''he admired her very much at Beecl
am ball."
Her face eleared-the honesty of Il
= words pleased her.
!. Lady Horton told me that she was
: child" was her calm reply. 81 shou
e like to see hers she at home %
If Clarice had been near, and Lat
: Mayne had seen her before the dang
"A grew deeper, would my sisters have be-
the same ?
Look cool and speak indiferently as
Der would, there was no keeping Sir Gera
To- from Lime Cottage. One evening
ds, rode over. bringing some new songs
me Clarice, and throughout the long gloo
ar ing they sat singing sweet snatehes