The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-07-21

cord which had bound my heart to her.
| never thought of her as a wife after
! she had spoken them. | looked upon
her henceforth as an unjust and ungen-
erOuS partisan, who should be u"de-
| ceiyed 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 | think
that directly OF 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
I her sting was SO keen.
"Then 1t came to pass that my faith
er and my uncle died, both the same
year, leaving some ambitious dreams
for me 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.
- suppose you will live here your
self, John : said my mother, dryly.
'Maude and can leave far Nestfelds
when you please She glanced up at
my cousin as she spoke, and | saw that
there was secret intelligence between
them. Perhaps they depised me equal
~, though my mothers manner was
rather buSineSs-like that aggressive.
Maude, however, had turned her head
| away, and was drawing 4 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. NV
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 yond-
eli and you will see the pOst-hOrses
which bring him back to rs coming
through the beech-trees. lis a pref
ty sight.
"'Poor Philipi' sighed my mother,
and saw two large tears glitter as
they fell from Maude's eyes, and the
Maynard girl tagged fitfully at the rib
bon in her mouth.
| rang the bell, and MarWOod our old
steward, who was my brothers. favor
tie servant, came into the library,
where we were sitting in answer to my
summons.
Is all ready for Sir, Philip!
asked of him.
les 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. Ueriot &
MOrtmain. Now, in a few minutes.
he would be with rs again, and there
on the threshold of his house we stood
to welcome him. | kept on the left
hand Of our mother, and a little be-
hind her, and apart; Maud stood by her
right, well in front. and with those
fierce, defiant eyes of hers unSoftened.
| believe she would have killed me if
she could have done it.
My brother Philip was an active.
handsome man, very tall and straight,
with the air of a knight and a noble
about him. He was not humdrum
fellow like me, and | could not but ac-
knowledge to myself that Maude must
have been blind not to have preferred
him. He sprang out of the travelling
carriage which had brought him from
the station, in less time than [ should
have taken to think about it, and
bounded up the terrace-StepS before
the castle three stairs ut once. Then
he took my mother to his heart, and
let her feeble, outstretched arms en-
brace him, while her pale face looked
pitifully up, all full Of sorrow. Still
holding her III one of his strong arms
dIid SOoIllIIS llCI WIFI Wig NOIuS,
my brother turned and held out his
right hand to me with the mien of a
king.
"'God bless you, Jack!' lie said !;
and that was all.
Il never saw such a scOrn in human
eyes as that which cleaned in Maude s
like baleful marsh light till those
words were spoken; and then she
seemed to have a flash of inspiration
from on high, and | saw that she had
guessed my secret. 1t was a trumpery
business to make such fuss about. !
had only resettled the estates on
Philip, and have lived at 'NestfeldS'
ever since.
0FientalS at Philadelphia