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

a;:Weil,' she answered st,ssdl briskly,; con,
fession is good for the soul At al
events, y on: know it now. 'tIWould not
deceive anybody. hate you'll fs2H5
~. ~ 'Why>do you hate me, cruel GRIT
I replie ed; covering from my emotion
as she spoke in tonessso hard and cold.
".I 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, ss. Il If II
"'1 would if I were yop..' said the
girl. It's the least you can do, con
sidering you are to have everything q
"'Yes, answered with composure;
'it's the least | can do, but not the
most.
'Hypocrites never speak OUT re-
marked the little maid, bitterly: and
I think that those sharp words cut the;
cord which had bound my heart to her.
1 never Thought of her as a wife after
she had spoken them. 1 looked upon
her henceforth as an unjust and ungen-
erous partisan, who should be unde-
| 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 how
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 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.
| ''.'I suppose you will live here your
self, John 2 said my mother, dryly.
'Maude and can leave far Nestfields
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 fercely through
her lips, as though she required to
curb the hot wrath which was master
ing her. l 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.
II drew out my watch when my
mother had spoken, and, in answer to
her inquiry. said that I'could decide
nothing. ThenI kissed her gently on
the forehead, and added, 'Phillip will
be'here, presently, ma m. Look yond-
er and you will see the spost-horses
which bring him back to us coming
through the beech-trees. Ills a pref
ty sight
"'Poor Philip = sighed my mother,
and l saw two large tears glitter as
they fell from Maude's eyes; and the
hayward girl tagged fitfully at the. rib
bon in her mouth.
I 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.
'sIs all ready for Sir, Phiiip?'
asked of him. =
"sYes SIR answered the old man,
with a respectful bow, though he
seemed but i'll at ease with me. Then
l 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 I 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, Ito see
our famlly lawyers MesSrS. HerlOt &
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. I kept on the left
hand of our MOTHER and a little be.
hind her, and apart; Maud stood by her
right, we'll in front. land with those
fierce, defiant eyes Of hers unsoftened.
I believe she would have killed me if
she could have done it.
ssA1y brother Philip was an active,
handsome man, very tall and straight,
i with the air of a knight and a noble