Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-11-25


eager, hopeful already he had hall
OWNED his fathers meaning.
"You love books, Duke. had
thought you might desire an education
The proceeds OF that ring will deiray
your expenses at school-maybe helE
you through college. But you osn keeE
It il you choose. Which shall 1t BET"
"Father knowledge before anything
else in the world What care il my
body starve, so that my mind be fed 7
So it was decided. A fortnight after
ward Duke had left Romney and en-
tered the renowned school at O.
Six years passed. Duke had been siz
years at college and WAS at home on q
brief vacation.
Miss Delamere had completed her
education and como "out"a o wonder
fully beautiful and accomplished your
lady, followed by train OF opsequious
admirers. .tr
Quo still July night aho stole away
from the revelry at the Hall and went,
- Of old, to the cliffs (; to tho very sr OF
where Duke Rutherford had saved hey
life. Chance had taken him that night
TO the same spot. He was sitting silent
in the moonlight, looking out at the sea,
thinking OF that bygone day when she
had given him the heliotrope for a
keepsake. All these six years the
heliotrope had been kept by him NJ his
greatest treasure. Her image had 'ecn
ever present to him, squirting him On to
exertions in his duties, making every
fresh victory, every upward step, a
triumph for her sake. And yet he never
asked himself why this was or what it
would end in. 1t was so and he could
not help it. But he felt that to aspire
eventually to the hand OF Lucy Della
mere, the richest heiress in the county,
the daughter OF one of the proudest
women in England, was as hopeless an
aim as an attempt to grasp IN ignis-
fatuus.
He heard her step-perhaps the thrill
at his heart told him who was coming,
he rose and turned toward her, waiting
her pleasure. She might recognize him
or not, just rs she chose.
She passed with naughty glance.
He did not finch but stood with folded
arms, his tall, manly figure outlined
against the purple sky, his face lit up
by the young moon. A faint flush rose
to her white forehead.
els it Duke Rutherford Z"
"Miss Delamere Will you not well
come me home9"
She gave him her hand. After all,
old memories held still their sway in
her heart.
Some secret audacity moved him to
say it. He bent over her and whispered: {:
" l have the heliotrope yet, Lucy"
Her eyes blazed ; she snatched her
hand from him as if the touch had stung
her. Remember to whom you are
speaking!" she said, sharply. II have
other business than listening to the
silly talk Of lovesick boy Good night
to you, Mr.. Duke Rutherford"
Duke gazed after her az she fastened
away.
"The time may COME" he muttered,
"yes, it may happen that she will be
glad to unsay those words I can
wait"
Six years passed again. Duke Ruth
erford was making q name in the land.
On his graduation he had studied law,
been admitted to the bar in due time,
and after two years was in successful
practice, one of the most rising men in
his profession.
Wealth came to him slowly, but fame
was not chary. He had turned his at
tention and his leisure moments to
literature, and already ranked high as o
poet. His father was dead. There was
no tie, save memory, to bind him to the
old place at Romney. So he travelled,
when he could do 30 with benefit.
He frequently met Lucy Delamere in
the gay world. Their old familiar foot
ing Of early days had given place to a
colder and more distant acquaintance
ship. He could not forget the hint he
had whispered to her respecting the
heliotrope thai hot July night. Her
pride had taken slarm, yet to him she
was and ever would be the ono woman
the world contained. His heart never
for one moment sHerved from its pas
sionate allegiance. And shei What
meant that frequent absence of mind,
that dreamy look in the beautiful eyes,
that constant look OF sadness on the
exquisite facet What meant that sud-
den flush, that lighting up of the fea-
lures at the first moment that his name
was announced on entering a room 2
We're love and pride having battle9 It
would seem SO, for on his approaching
her the light and the flush would die
away and a cold, proud word would be
his greeting.
Suddenly it was announced that Mrs.
and Miss Delamero were going to
America. An illness had attacked the
elder lady and sea voyage WAS recon-
mended by her physicians as her only
chance OF recovery. They had advised
but to this she would not
listen; 80 long voyage seemed to her
like bidding farewell to earth. She re-
solved to try the efficacy of trip to New
York.
The news reached Mr.. Rutherford,
among others, and startled him. Gould
be make use Of this opportunity For
some time past certain matter of bust
ness had demanded his presence in
but he had been unwilling to
devote the time to the journey. It was
now THO COumeuCem0uG OF inc long va |
cation, and SO far circumstances were in
his favor. As he thought of the long
and close proximity to Lucy Delamere
this voyage would give him, and of what
It might bring about, his heart leaped
with hope and his face flushed as the
blood coursed more rapidly through his
veins; for the Duke Rutherford of by
gone days and the Duke Rutherford Of
The present, to whom the highest honors
Of his profession were possibleof attain
ment, were two wholly different men.
So it came to pass that one day he
found himselfon board steamer bound
Tor New FORK, and Mrs. and Miss Della
mere were among the passengers.
The second day of the voyage they
we're all on deck OF sunset, promenad-
ing, laughing, chatting, enjoying the
fresh breezes. More than ever, as Mr..
gazed from a distance at
Lucy Delamere, he confessed that her
youth had not made false prophecies of
the glory of her womanhood. Her
wealth of dark hair rippled away from
her broad white forehead: her ewes