The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-05

with such nm apparent interest In the sub
! ct on hand thlt Lydia was utterly de-
ceive1. and thought she must have been
mistaken IA to her mistress showing any
unusual emotion when she heard OF the
duel
But all this time Euphemias resolve wns
taken. Just before LYDIA retired she said
onrebssly:
by the nv, | have promised 10 ride over
to Lady IIardinges to breakfast tO-nor-
row lot wharton have the horses ready
by six for It's full M hours ride to Wood
cirh. and the break fast = iy there"
"Yes, madam. DO you want me any
lonecrr
mo Good night"
But when Lydia was dismisaed, despite
the harness of the hour. Mistress Enphe
MIA ali not 20 60 bod; she sat bv her
dressing table, her head leaning on her
hands, her temples throbbing, her brain
bu' ming, and never tear to re love the
ayony, only one thought tingling ever
worse and worse. Oh, fool that sbe Ind
been 20 throw away her happincss' Oh,
wrptchpd woman, to have imperllled his
life by her follyl
Mistress Euphemia had really never suf
fored brfOrr, and her pain was all the BIT
te or for that and hour nfter hour passed,
vet she did not stir. Her head was stu
bowed on her ulenched hands. and hut for
n slight movement of her fo it and the low
sound, half sob, half moan, that broke
forth every now and thon. she might have
been asleep.
Snc was reused Ivy the grny morning
light shiuIng in through the window. She
rosc and going to tho bed pulled the
clothes aboutj lydia muat not fni out
the bed had not been slept in. Then she
hathed her face with fresh water and
kneeling down SAID her morning and even
ing prayers ut once Never before had her
petitions been IA pure an ardent; for tho
the first time they were not for herself.
BY this time II was nearly i've o'clock.
when lydia wOult come TO wake her. but
would not b. surprised NJ finding her near
lv dressed for ladies', at all events country
ones, rose early then. aud Mistress Eu-
phpmia was one of the earliest.
Very lovely Mistress Walwyu looked M
she stood on the steps OF tho hail door
waiting for her horse. Her ri ling habit of
purple cloth laced with gold showed to
perfection the beauty OF her form; her
dark hair, free from powder, was clubhed
behind and tied with n broad black rib
hon: and the small cooked hat and McCh-
lin lace era, at completed q dress that wis
nerhaps the most becoming she could wear.
The unusual languor OF her dark eyes and
the paleness OF her cheeks served only to
make her beauty the more womanly anu
charming; even old Thomas, the groom,
who had served her from infancy, was
struck by her iovellness.
"1here's none that can match with her."
he thought, as he held his MISTRESS stiriup
for her t. mount. "rhey may well call
her the pridp OF the West country. for III
warrant all England cannot show her like"
She gathered up the rcins. and. with n
smiling nod to the old man, started down
the long avenue.
But when she turned out Of the gates,
she took not the road to Wocdl"igh but
the one that led to Templeton Grange.
Her scheme was not to take farewell Of
Mr.. Tempcton, in case the ducl should
end fatally for him; she AIMED at Tar more
than that. She knew her power over him,
and never doubted she could use II now rs
she had 50 often done b fore.
So she had resolved to humble her pride
and implore him to give up tins duel. In
her passionate desire to save his life she
forgot all other oonsiderailous-her lover :
honor ia the sight Of the world, the misery
| that IN such n case he would endure from
| the scorn Of all his friends. everything but
| the one dreadful iaCt-he might die, and
| through her.
A man IN those days must have been, to
refuse "A duel. a coward below contempt a
| SIR Charles Grandson, or very far IN ad-
vance of his age. | am not saying what II
right or wrong: am simply stating the
real case OF things in l76l or course there
were some few men so noOly fearless OF
| the worlds scorn, so loyal ~ their Obedi-
| ence to the laws, both of God and man,
that nothing could have forced Them to
shed the bloc Of man for frivolous
| quarrel; but these were few ana far be-
| tween, and William Templeton was not
one OF them: he was n not tempered. non
/
| hood, aud II would have rs soon occurred
to him to be false to his mistress rs to shirk
| a quarrel or let syllable DO Dreathed
| against her name.
| pleasant Devonshire lanes, between hedges
twisted and inter 'wined with dog-roses
and honey~uckle now III their full bloom
| the trees almost met overhead, so that she
| passed through avenues OF soft green
gloom the early morning freshness was IN
| the air. cool aud sweet; not drop OF dew
was dried from the leaves, not flower vet
| dropped its head from the summer heat
| IL was hard almost impossible, TO DelleVo
| that SO bright "A morning was tho one that
| might bring death To the man whom lsht
| now knew she loved above all the world.
Ii was near seven when she refined in hei
| horse at the door OF Templcton Grange
| She would have inquired n Madam Tenn
! pleton, Williams mother. were yet risen
| and was rather perpleXed ms to how sh,
was to achieve her Object OF seeing VIII
liam alone when he himself appeared al
| the door.
His eyes lit up with n delighted surprise
! when he saw her, and he came up inmedl-
ately to help her to dismount. Poor fel.
| low, he had just been writing farewell
letter to her, never hoping TO see her again
| ON earth.
Good morning, MIR. Templeton." sho
said. III rs light "A tone rs she could muster
" have ridden over TO bring Madam Fem
pleton the point patterns | prom lsed her
aud to ask her to give me dish OF choco'
late; but am afraid am early"
INV mother will soon be down. ho an
swered Meantime. ! must Ill her place
| John will see to your horse. VIII ii please
Won to come in aud rest! p
81 think would rather see the garden.
| IL YOU will he my escort No; after all,
am tired with my long ride, and shall be
| glad to rest" she replied.
He bowed, aud led her into the
| quaint old parlor, wainscoted aud
| paneled with oak nearly rs black as
| ebony, on which hung family portraits
mostly OF n forbidding appearance; the
window was open, aud a musk rose thai
grew round il filed the room with Its odor
Mistress Euphemia leant out 10 gather one
of the delicate flowers, which she toyeo
with, passing it's frail satin petals to and
fro, so as 70 brush her lips. Despite tn,
indolent grace of her attitude and her ap
parent ease OF manner, she had never fell
SO nervous and embarrassed What SHOULD
she say, aud how should she say II?
Directly the servant, who had beer
busted about the room, had gone, her care
| less manner left her.
"Mr. Templeton," she said, with GER
tain umidity she had never shown IN ad
dressing him, "cannot You guess the rea
object that has brought me hereY'
~ dare not, madam" he SAID, with {
passionate happiness III his tone that made
IL tremuous
is 1t true that You are going this day e