The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-05-02


need defend him. BuJ Aunt Elvira pal
no attention 10 her nlcCc; il almost seemed a
if she had not had her in her thoughts il
speaking She stood still where Nelly hat
left her. gazing down Il eruad bare and blind
ing in the August heat and mutlcring TO her
self like one in dream Truly, her thought
were not with Nelly; tary had been carrict
years back 10 "A scene iluilar to this morn
ing's; the same play, "Giy with different ACT
ors- the play WhuS' sudden ending haC
dropped the curtain over ncr Lire and put on
its lights leaving her 30 gropc as best sh
might through the shadow.
| Nelly did not know this; she did not know
az much of her auni's story rs the neigh
bors, who smiled pityingly over "poor love
cracked Miss Elyira," ~ the country phrase
ran. See could not, indeed help seeing tina
the poor woman Vas different from otheI
| people; but, ignorant OF what hud made hcl
so, she took those mutlcrcd words us a doubt
OF MIR. WestbOurnc, which though powerless
to shake her faith IN him, for his sake she
WAS yet bound 10 resent Accordingly she
kept her own counsel, never so much as men
tioniDg his name; not even when by.and.by
her longing for sympathy in the sore trial
that was wearing on her would otherw isc
have opened her heart
But no news came Of Harvey Westbourne
Days, weeks, even month at last, had PASS
ed, without bringing one of those tender
words he had promised 10 send to console her
in his absence. But, he had promised and
for long time, that was enough for Nelly,
who made excuses for him till she almost
succeeded in decciving herself; not quite, else
she would not always have had that fixed,
yet eager air, that hopeless look, that still
seemed watching for something that did not
come-that never would come again
No, the summer came and went. Int /, did
not bring Harvey Wcstbournc; neither that
year, nor the next, nor the third, nor ever
again to the little village IN the valley In.
decd, so far from wishing to- revisit il he
would rather have put even its remembrance
away, He had just enough CONSCIOUSNESS.
OF wrong doing to max" the place and the
people unpleasant in his eyes. And from
dislike To blame was an easy step Ii WAS a
solitude, where one got morbid for
want of contact with the world and It's WAYS:
witness that disagrccablc woman; witness
that silly child, who had not been able to
AXE commonplaccs at their true value, bit
lad returned them with irryer he had new
,r wished for. Well, since those absurd mo-
tons naturally could moi last, it would be
better to put an end to them once for all, than
~ slow degrees.
So Nellie's memory was laid aside like
Ter picture. Mr.. WestbouInc was careful not
o disturb the dust over either and had sue.
,ccded in forgetting long before new innu.
,nce came to his his aid H...
AT ms first meeting with Cora DOYLE. ne
old himself that she was not at all the sort
If woman he admired She was too simple,
90 direct; her large eyes looked straight IN
o those they encountered IN what he Ict al
discounted way; the arch of her beautiful
mouth was a thought too firm for feminine
Besides shr lacked coloring. the
harm OF charms to hun. So, quite honestly.
he criticised her to himself, and counted ticI
lays TILL he should Get another view uflhpsc
ariOus impcriectons
As their acquaintance grew, hc found thatI
c had not ovcrChcrgCd his FIRST sketch SacI
vas cold and hard enough on occasions, rs
c discovered more tnau once, when, atterl
isteuing to his theorizing till he tancicd hisI
loqucncc was beginning to tell, she had
made some Keen, quiet speech. tia. cat
Trough the web OF words like II limsy cob
rtb She had not the least notion of sparing
lis cherished sclt-love, or Of yielding him
hat general sympathy he had grown used tol
Jok for from women; vague sentiment did
OF pass with her; il must be defined with u
learncss that obliged him in some measure
, feel it first.
That was perhaps y hirs .nr.t O. h,..
for him; t.t, ever aide numb !
ng, she raised him ia his oNu eyes by the |
cnuinencss thus infused into his life.
The young man knew very acil that hel
lrCd for her rs he HID never before cared for /
ny woman and be believed that she felt ,
ortlin instinct Tor him. rs tor anything be- .
oud, he was utterly at u loss, fer her mani
cr conveyed neither encouragement nor The !
verse. But there was another who tancicd [
G read her better. This was Leonard Ilaw- .
y, an older acquaintance OF Miss D0ylc's .
IAN Harry Westb0urnc, hut lacking the |
tiers gilt of making the most OF himself. .
o when, Is often happened, the two met in
cr presence, 1t was always Hawlcy who tcil |
uictiy into the background. But, rs lockers
n are said To see most of the game, SO he OBJ |
rived Il good deal that escaped WCStbOurnC; |
crtain indications of Il greater interest in the .
ritist tAan she allowed him to see, iurtiye |
lanCes avcrtpd before his could meet them
uiCk changes Of COUntcnancc COnjradiCling |
Ie indifferent voice, a kind of consciousness
al effort of manner, which, altogether, led |
IT, IaWlcy to Il most unwelCOmC conclusion,
ld one that mad restrained the question long
ady on his lips. And this idea was in no
isc cOntradlcted by her occasional sarcasm,
hch he Interpreted as impaticnce of any.
ling unworthy in the man she loved, or per.
lps Jealousy of any opposing influence to
er own.
One evening ia particular seemed 10 show
i'm this more clearly than usual. They
ere looking over a portfolio of sketches,
hich Miss Doyle had expressed wish TO
&c y loose leaf iluttered out and tcll at
.awlcy'S feet He stopped to pick II mp, and
| looking at It forgot To return it ~ the
hers.
strange" he exclaimed, what singular
,semblancc"
What is it, Mr.. iIawleys What have you
'und lherc:' asked Miss Doyle, looking up
/ him.
Hawley laid the sketch ON the table, under
lc eyes of both; it was Nclly's picture.
1t was three years since the artist thrust
nat sketch aside, and had forgotten it-near
as long had he ceased to remember the
rginal, and that sudden reminder was al.
lost like blow il the face to him. The