The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-19

| uUHOiy, AoA Nsso luAIo CluSIlcu ny
her unkindness.
SWELL she answered briskly, con
fession is good for the soul. At all
events, you. know it now. I would not
deceive anybody hate your
,"'Why do you hate me, cruel girl 2
I replied; recovering from my emotion
as she spoke in tones 50 hard and cold.
ISL hate you for supplanting your
brother = she exclaimed, with flashing
eyes. 4 hate you because he is going
away and we shall never see him
again. He has written to say that he
shall change his name, and will try
never to be heard of any more
"'I received my quarters allowance
yesterday, observed, going at. once
to the heart of Phil s. trouble with true
fraternal instinct. MY brother wants
money will send him that !:
':'1 would if were you,'' said the
girl. It's the least you can do, con.
sidering you are to have everything
EYES, answered with composure;
SITS the least I can do, but not the
most
| 'Hypocrites never speak out re-
marked the little maid, bitterly; and
think that those sharp words cut the
cord which had bound my heart to her.
[ never thought of her as wife after
she had spoken them. l looked upon
her henceforth as an unjust and ungen-
erous partisan, who should be u"de-
ceiVed in due time and brought to rea-
son. She grew up from hoydenhood
to womanhood very fair and frank to-
wards others, very cool and insolent
to me; and heaven knows how rude a
pretty girl CAN be when she desires to
wound. During three years I think
that directly or Indirectly she embit-
tered every hour of my life. She hoy
cred about me and stung me like a
gnat, her approaches were so swift and
her sting was SO keen.
! "Then it came to pass that my faith
er and my uncle died. both the same
year, leaving some ambitious dreams
for ne unrealiZed; and one bleak
November morning sat by our silent
hearth opposite Maude and my mother,
who were both in deep mourning, and
they began to speak to me as owner of
Bellairs and Fontenay.
S. I suppose you will live here your
self, John 2 said my mother, dryly.
'Maude and can leave far Nestfelds
when you please She glanced up at
my cousin as she spoke, and I saw that
there was a secret intelligence between
them. Perhaps they depised me equal
ly. though my mothers manner was
rather business-like that aggressive.
Maude, however. had turned her head
away, and was drawing a narrow neck
| ribbon she had on fiercely through
her lips, as though she required to
curb the hot wrath which was master
ing her. knew that she meditated an
explosion as much as she ever medi-
tated anything, and that Indignation
had entire command over her. My
father had then been dead about six
weeks, and my uncle had died before
him, SO that the edge of our sorrow
was blunted yet this was the first
time we had all three met together.
Il drew out my watch when my
mother had spoken, and, in answer to
her inquiry. said that could decide
nothing. Then kissed her gently on
the forehead. and added, 'Phillip will
be here, presently, ma m. Look You'd
er and you will see the post-horses
which bring him back to us coming
| through the beech-trees. 'Tis a pref
ty sight,
"'Poor Philip sighed my mother,
and saw two large tears glitter as
they fell from Maude's eyes; and the
wayward girl tagged fitfully at the rib
bon in her mouth.
rang the bell, and Marwood our old
steward, who was my brothers. favor
| ~ ;,,@D
where we were sitting in answer to my
summons.
s'Is all ready for Sir, Phiiip?' l
asked of him.
".Yes sir, answered the old man,
with a respectful bow, though he
seemed but i'll at ease with me. Then
| took my mothers hand and led her
through the open doorway and into the
great entrance hall, where all of our
servants were mustered, and she could
see how had the table spread in the
banquet-room to welcome Philip back
from Australia, where he had been liv-
ing for two years, absent from our
sight, but ever present in our hearts.
He had only stopped one day in Lon
don at my request by telegram, to see
our family lawyers Messrs. Heriot &
Mortmain. Now, in a few minutes.
he would be with us again, and there
on the threshold of his house we stood
to welcome him. [ kept on the left
hand of our mother, and little be-
hind her, and apart; Maud stood by her
right, well in front. and with those
fierce, defiant eyes of hers unsoftened.
I believe she would have killed me if
she could have done it.
''A1y brother Philip was All active,
handsome man, very tall and straight,
with the air of a knight and noble