The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-06-25

SooAoo NAooO1NoAS VAeAAooso euAV0VoAUV
to disturb the general harmony every.
body's temper more or less oriss.oross
that morning, In the first place, every
one was late for breakfast except Lady
Blake, who reveuged herself by seold.
ing her daughter openly, and drawing
moral lessons ont of unpunctuality for
the benefit Of the other delinquents.
Her l.dyship announced that she never
suffered anything to prevent her going
to church, and when no one took up
the intended gauntlet, made pertinent
inquiries Of the other ladies'; wondered
if Frank drove to Dec siae, OK walked
to the parish church. Arthur Berthe
voted Sunday mistake everywhere ex.
cept in London. One could 90 to
Maidenhead, and there was "Belps
Life," his brother explained to Miss
dort's query As to f.vorite preacher,
and Eversley suggested they should 60
to bed again till dinner.tiue.
Not only did it rain, but, to make
bad worse, it pretended to clear just in
time to provoke . possibility Of church.
gong, but too late for the morning SER
vice at tho English chapel Of Dee side.
Lady Blake in goloshss and water.
proof cloak came to beat up recruits for
the Presbyterian service, and Lady
Blanche, out Of opposition, became VIC.
lently High Church. The rain came
on again, and nobody did 60; but a
battle Of churches was waged be-
tween the two ladies' the one carrying
about ostentatious little books that she
did not read, with dangling crosses and
crimson and gold ribbons to mark
special prayers, and the other piliug
the table with commentaries and limp
tracts, aad pouuoiog on oil novels and
newspapers to hide them.
General Fitzigs.m trying to trim his
little bark between the two tides, was
much buffeted by both. Blanche snpb.
bed him, and Lady Blake compelled
him to attend private and impromp.
tn ceremony in the dining-room, where
she preached to her daughter, Miss
Gort, and few of the servants.
Before luncheon, when the ladies
were all together in the ibrsry, the
poor man further put his foot into it
by asking, sheerfully, "BY the by,
how had the discussion ended last
night-that romantic oolloquy over the
haunted chamber ? Was Miss Filner's
behest to be obeyed, or did Lady Blake
reign paramount over their host 2"
Lady Blake turned piercing glance
on the company in general.
my nephew has far too much sense
to think OF such folly; he was only
laughing at Miss Filmer. The room
will of course, not be opened"
George Filmer looked up to Mr..
Fitzwigram and smiled, but would not
be provoked into answering.
fare you superstitious, Lady Blake! p
inquired Miss Gort, ,nnocently; edo
you dread tho curse I"
NO." emphatically and with severi-
ty, II am not supsrstitious; I hold all
superstition to be mere weakness, and
weakness I abhor, ~ 1 do the mere
desire Of power unless for great and
good end"
"Ah, then you will let the fair lady's
behest be done I" the "Oourt Journal
interrupted in his most fascinating
manner.
"But the folly Of granting IN idle
whim is different thing" Lady Blake
continued, sternly, trans6xing Mr..
Fitzwigram with her eagle glance ;
"and Miss Filmer, even if che supposed
Mr.. Fraser meant to obey her behest''
(this was'said with delightful snphasis)
""ould never think of asking for any.
thing so absurd and unreasonable"
A dead pause followed these words.
Lady Blake felt herself monarch Of all
she surveyed. The gong for lunch
sounded, and she rustled with dignity
into the dining.rsom.
! miss Filmer eats nothing" Jack
Eversley remarked, and it was quite
true; with some satisfaction Lucy had
seen that her rival was pale aud Ian
guid all day. Well might she be pale
Two spirits were fighting over he,
soul, and she had lost the power, OK the
will. to bid them cease and be still
Was It love, indeed, the wild throbbine
that shock lsr, the doubt that held he1
in thrall I
To have him, to give up Ill for him
ono msment,-thsn-ne, no, not Civ
up the wealth, the name; she sicken
end at the thought Of poverty, Of insig.
ni6oanoe. She had only the world
and could she let it slip7
| And yst-to lay her heart in BIZ
hand-a hundred times she had said j
to herself during the past night; t
bid him hold her, take her, keep her
I-be was her master, already she fel
it. H-if-yes, if, after all, the doom
were true,-aud why not ?-if tn
room were opened, and 1t were true
he would have al she need not los
it, an evil, evil voice spoke in her a,