Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-03-19


Is being offered her"
The Major has sprung from his chair
and seized one of Malcolm's hands just as
that last word is spoken. MY dear boy"
he cries, nothing could be further from
either Marion's or my own thoughts than
to offend so charming q person a. your
mother. We shall take pleasure in pay
ing her visit this afternoon"
That afternoon the visit is paid. The
Major improves upon the good impress
meeting. "The man is superb" she tells
Malcolm, in her august, law giving way.
II never saw such mingled breeding,
ease, wit, and manliness. Your father
must meet him. l suppose that it will
only be proper for US to have dinner
next week Edred Gawtrie is coming up
again, you know, and there are the Curl
engs, and then from the hotel we might
get Mr.. and Mrs. Everard."
Malcolm says nothing.
Just three days later, Mr.. and Mrs.
Hurst call upon Marion and the Major.
The dinner invitation is then given. There
is no refusing it, as Marion overwhelm-
ingly feels, with the beaming face of Mr..
Hurst before her, so like the face OF
Malcolm, the son whom he adores.
She promises that both she and her
father will go to dine at the Hursts' next
Thursday, but she does so with every in
tention Of subsequently breaking the
promise.
That afternoon Marion sees Malcolm,
and announces to him:
Papa and are not'going to dine at
your house on Thursday"
"Then you will MORALLY offend my
mother" Malcolm cries, with anger. 81
think see how it is. You wish to shun
Edred Gawtie."
Poor Marion clutches at this one sud-
denly offered straw of excuse. Hitherto
she has had no suspicion that Edred CAV
trie was TO be among the guests; but she
hides this ignorance with prompt skill.
"How can you expect me TO dine at
the same table with this man, then" she
hastily questions; "for / suppose. of
course, from your manner, that you know
everything Of what once happened be-
tween u.s."
Al do not know" frowns Malcolm.
Years ago, in sort of secret way, we
were engaged. / thought it very clever
then TO induce man for whom / cared
nothing TO believe that / loved him. /
behaved horribly to Edred Gawtrie. 1t
sickens me now to think of how l led
him on to a certain limit and then sim-
ply laughed in his face"
Malcolm, staring straight into her face,
feels all his anger vanish.
"a very awful story" he comments, as
she finishes. "How lucky never could
find out how ii feels to be jealousl But
Marion, my darling, a recollection has
just crossed my mind which bears rather
oddly upon present affairs. / remember
that both father and mother specially said
they had not mentioned the names OF any
Of our guests to you. In this case, your
putting forward the fact of Gawtrie's
presence as reason for not appearing
at our table has trif1e of inconsistency,
/ think" He draws nearer and takes
both of her hands. "Ah, Marion, strang-
est of mysteries You must find some
be tier excuse"
She looks at him with cold eyes. 81
will 60 myself. l will not let father 60.
Does this satisfy your"
at will not satisfy them. You must
both come, Marion"
As she separates from Malcolm that
day, II Is with the halfshaped resolve
that she will 60 alone, and that
an excuse shall be made for her
father that must piiue nobody, viz:
sudden illness excuse which can
shadow 80 many sins of omission.
Marion stands, little later, at the
door of the sitting-room, having left
her own, the lack of color within her face
making an utter ghastliness there.
Il Papa che calls softly, while knocking
at the shut door; and her fathers voice
bids her enter.
Let us not follow her. For more than
an hour afterward the sounds of her sobs
may be heard in the silence OF the outer
hall.
When Marion energies from that room,
Il is to go Immediately and write Malcolm
4 note. In this note she positively
promises that her father and herself shall
dine at his house on Thursday.
The day OF the dinner at length arrives.
Marion and the Major drive over in a
carriage Of plain elegance, and cause, as
they enter Mrs. Hurst's rooms, quite a
little admiring buzz.
The Major Is more the prince this even
ing than Mrs. Hurst has yet seen him.
The rooms are quite well peopled when
be and Marion appear. Two or three
male hands are held out TO him almost
by friends of former days,
and he hears cordial words spoken that
light his face with sweet, rich smile.
Marion is listening TO few sentences
from Mr.. Hurst, when voice at her elbow
makes her quickly turn, with vivid
little flush.
Goodevening, Miss Farrowe. have
come to give you my congratulations"
Her eyes are now full upon the pale,
handsome, oval face Of Mr.. Edred Gawtrie.
And presently her hand Is in the hand
hat he is holding out for her. Good Mr.
Hurst takes the opportunity of smiling
himself away.
To Marion this meeting is an intense
annoyance. Her eyes search the room
1ervously for Malcolm, while Edred
Iawtrie stands at her side, well dressed,
we'll bred, with the suspicion ofan amused
,mile at the edges of his thin, pale lips
But Malcolm is nowhere To be seen; he
las not, indeed. been In the room since
he Farrowes first entered il.
Presently Edred Gawtric speaks again,
with sly kind Of suavity.
II trust that the present engagement
stands no chance whatever of missing
consequences"
Marion's brows cloud.