The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-02-12

ness. Bertha, you re not audaclOus
enough to be presuming upon finding
favor in the sight of that young noble
man who is expected at Mrs. Ellinger's?'
Ethel fairly gasped the words. Bertha
laughed and nodded.
Exactly. I'll not have the slightest
objection to being Lady Tresillian-
would you"
But the girls daring audacity had
fairly taken Ethel's breath away.
Bertha made charming little bow
that effectually silenced her.
He will yet remain Lord Algernon
'Tresillian, with rent roll of seventy
thousand, and the owner of the finest
estate in Cornwall, and perfect palace
in Park Lane"
Ethel leaned back among the cush
ions, perfectly discounted, while Ber-
tina smiled, and arched her stately neck
like some war horse who scents the bat
tie from afar.
Next Thursday three weeks, at Mrs
Ellinger's reception, given in honor of
my lords arrival, the siege will begin.
You'll see."
"What did you say his name is, Ber-
tina? You know who mean-that hand
some young man with the blonde
whiskers."
Ethel nudged Bertha, as in the brief
interval between the dances, the two
girls found themselves together on
sofa in corner of Mrs. Delmayne's
drawing room. Berthas eyes cody fol-
lowed the direction indicated.
"Oh, that's Mr.. Desmond. DO you
call him handsome ?"
81 should think 1 did: and evidently
he entertains some such opinion of you,
Judging from the way he looks over
here"
A little flush surged over Bertha's
face.
"Nonsense! you know perfectly we'll
there are other people to be looked at
beside me. Don't stand so near, please"
Ethel looked wonderingly up, sur
prised at the unwonted hardness in
Bertha's manner.
81 think l am right, however. Who
is he, anyhow? 1 think he is perfectly
elegant"
Bertha curled her lip.
"YOur opinion is immaterial to me.
As to who he is, how should know?
Heitru SoHlc JIG say tiiut Ho Wuo chS"Scu
in mining business, l believe. Thanks,
Mr.. Delmayne-yes, I'm ready for the
galop."
After that, no one heard her mention
Mr.. Desmond's name, often though he
called to see her, often as he escorted
her to places of amusement, and only
Ethel knew the secret of Bertha's reti-
cence, her alternating moods of sweet
ness and tartness, her sarcasm and ten
derness, her gay merriment and down
cast tearfulness. Only Ethel, who knew
that young Desmond was comparatively
poor.
Those three weeks that interviewed be-
tween then and Mrs. Ellinger's recep-
ton in honor of Lord Tresillian were
quickly spent, and the afternoon pre-
ceding the great event, Bertha's dress
came home, while the two girls were
chatting in their room.
ooh, isn't it lovely! Bertha. you
surely will fascinate Lord Tressilian.
Was there ever such sweet shade of
pink?'
Bertha deliberately examined it, SO
different from her usual enthusiastic
way,
say therell be handsomer dresses there,
however,
And it was "pretty enough" SO en-
HANGED by Bertha's statuesque face and
marble white arms and throat, and
among the very first to bow ut her
shrine was the lion of the evening, AL
gernon Tresillian, the wealthy baronet.
81 must congratulate you, Bertie,"
Ethel said as they drove home; his lord
ships devotion was very marked. am
sure that I begin to think you will real
ize your ambition.
In the darkness she did not see the
deep blush that spread over Bertha's
face, nor the angry pallor that followed.
"Such hideous old man; did you
see how purple his face turned when he
bowed? ?"
"Oh, Bertha, you forget how rich"
"Do be still, Ethel. Can't you see I'm
dying with headache
So the Spring days now wore on,
finding Bertha now jubilantly gay, now
petulantly cross, now miserably
wretched, until one April morning,
there came letter to her, written on
heavy, cream-hued paper, bearing a
crest at its heading, and subscribed
Tresillian."
A manly, straightforward letter, in
which the estates in Cornwall, the house
in Park Lane, the seventy thousand a
year, we're laid at her feet--on condition
that she accepted their owner with them.
With the reading of that letter all of
Bertha's unwonted irritation left her;
her old sweetness came again; and yet
she refused him.
"And might I ask why?"
Lord Tresillian had begged an inter-
view and asked her the question.