New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-14
"HE sTooPs TO CONQUER
By MARY CECIL HAY.

BY MARY CIVIL Hal.
1t is not usual for the quick dark eye
of Mr.. Victor Luhorne to wear the puz
lied look that they are wearing now; still
less usual is it for the old baronet to b
comfortable doubt regarding his owl
wisdom and foresight. True, the doub
is but vague one, yet it Expresses hin
none the less heavily and disagreeably TO
all that.
"You seem slower than usual, Foster
Do the contractions puzzle your"
Every much they puzzle me tonight
sir; but shall manage to decipher then
in time"
The face the young man bends allow
the written page is face which any ON
might like to look upon, yet Sir Victo
turns his eyes from it hurriedly and walk
down the room.
This young secretary of his had becom,
strangely useful to him-almost neces
sary, as it seems-and yet he feels it would
have been better for him to be alone here
now that his daughter is coming home
his only daughter and heiress. Doubly
this thought Expresses him when be re.
members how, in another year, she is to
be mistress of the splendid home which
had been his fathers, and which would
have been his but for the birth of this
nephew, who is soon to be his darling's
husband. True, it was he himself who
won the baronetcy in that long time OF
war through which his head and hand had
done SO much in England g service; but his
elder brothers son must inherit it from
him, just as he inherited from his father
the grand old abbey which even vet Sir
Victor likes to speak of as home. The
quiet, handsome face of the young man
has not again been raised from his copy
ing, when a carriage rolls past the un-
shattered window; and when it stops q
girl springs from it, in the silvery moon
light, and laughs out her Joy at being
home with such bright music as the old
house has not echoed since this girl left it,
eight years before.
My first glimpse was the brightest and
best Of all, papa, " she says, as She enters
the library, with her hands clasped round
her fathers arm. Il saw the dear old
room through the uneurtained window
as Of course you meant me to do I saw
everything look exactly as it has looked
in my happiest dreams. l saw you at the
window watching for me, and fancied-"
Glare, this is my secretary, Mr.. Foster,
Foster, Miss Luhorne."
The young man bows, but Sir Victor's
daughter offers him her hand with a Ger.
tain grave and simple courtesy which is
natural to her, and in no part the result of
her foreign education. She las detected
from her fathers introduction tina! this
gentleman is a dependent in the house.
and as such Clare Luhorne recognizes in.
stinctively the claim he has upon her
courtesy.
This evening at the Roveries is one to
be remembered through whole life. For
the father, because he has his daughter
back with him once more; for the child.
because she is home again. And br |
Allen Foster, too, although, as soon as |
his absence is allowable, he leaves the |
father and daughter together in their
happy reunion, and returns to his work.
He has scarcely glanced at Clare through
the lingering dinner; he scarcely once
addressed her; and now she watches his
receding figure, with her brows drawn a
little.
us he copying your MS, papa-the
great book on the war? Sometimes. do
You know, l have been vain enough to
.ASy you AAA6AS 6iNC AUC CQdC TASK. |
Father, dear, can he bestow as much
care upon it as l would have done?"
She is sitting close beside him, and he
bends down to kiss her with an infinite
tenderness.
Never mind him, pet. He will only
% here until his task is finished. He
an receive only courtesy and attention in
his house; and beyond that he looks for l
,othing but quiet"
Clare wonders little at her fathers
quick, decided words; wonders whether |
re fears, or fancies, that her coming will 6
Under this work on which for years his
eart has been set {
Il wish you could have done the COPY 9
ng for me, dear" he adds, with change a
tone that is almost pathetic in its ten t
erness. ut would have spared me t
oubt and harrass; but it would have b
iken me year at least to teach child X
Ike you to read my shorthand" r,
"And can Mr.. Foster do it without any a.
aching at alp"
"Of course not, of course not" the b
aronet answers, almost sharply, 'but "
EN- are quicker at that sort of thing than s,
omen are" n,
And more patient, papa?" O,
He glances at her with swift scrutiny. hi
as she guessed already at Fosters
.tience, or his skill? And then she goes. hi
ID he PAGES to and fro, muttering to him lii
If, in his vexation:
"Why has he made himself so necessary ar
me that l dread the thought of losing
N? If he were gone. 1t would be pa
ter, safer far. A young, romantic girl, 81,
tn all her mothers proud indifference to be
alth, and all her fathers admiration of
ellect. But she is good child" adds no
Victor soothingly to himself, as he re-
Iers the library, where the young secre- tn
y sits engrossed in his copying, ga thi
%, ooedlent child, and Victor will be sp:
u soon. Besides that, she knows full no
Y what is due from daughter of mine
the future Lady Luhorne." da,
Foster, he says aloud, as he takes his no
chair at the fire, 'just write letter
me, will you, to Victor Luhorne. ESQ tina
ne Abbey, Cheshire? Say / believe he,
J to be the time he fixed for his return wo
England, and therefore We are exnect. us.
him on his promised visit here. Saw con
daughter has returned from Italy. and +
ink it high time the cousins renewed nov
which has for so long been sire
onally suspended" "
IS that all, sir? l have written it, anx
le baronets eyes are upon the fire will
but his voice catches little of the "