Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-12

fall n upon a vG'gsr no2.Ir a penalties OK
phau."
"My mother has new sean Z ina, r. Is
true she il an OrphE~. .ars f. .-r4 aim #.
house, but She has hcsa 1c...cr1el a..Fs.iI-
Gated by gentle, refuel Eea-,'e. and llle-e =
no taint Of vulgarity ab12t DER. Aun. 81
rla, do you think AN a man 10 love vul-
No, Rob; but Think an aims Eouse or.
p, AM"
But a gentle. lovely woman, the woman I
love! might seem 20 SCTe,. in Your lace,
auBtie, but you see that II wCalI be a Scnrl-
drel's part 10 court your friend. vhea DO. n
love and honor bind me to Edna
Yes for she knows my love ard has con-
fesstd her own. Could any true man desert
a woman after thaJ?"
events. Come, Rob, be reasonable Draw
off little by little, and let me Introduce the
girl wish my heir 10 marry"
In an instant Rob's lips were firmly set,
ard his eyes took steady Light of resolu-
ton. Never had Mrs Hepburn heard so
manly ring TO his voice "a it took when he
ITO please you. Aunt Maria, I would do
anything honorable. and If i were free, L
would try 10 give even my love, where you
dictated. But 10 win your money, to place
mysel in the position of your heir, would
not lift a finger. Ii you mean the emphasis
In your last words Tor "a threat, 1t is power
less. Let your friend wei your heir, if YOU
wish, but my love and honor can not be
bought"
He rose as ne spoke, as II he would have
taken his leave, but Mrs. Hepburn pat her
hand upon his arm.
"Stsy, Roa." She SAID, Il did not mean to
wound You, should have judged you better
than 10 threaten you IL any way. Forgive
me, ana In token or your forgiveness stay
neart TO my companion, ! can trust you for
all the courtesy friend of mine may claim"
Indeed you can! am heartily at your
service and her. for Il cavalier, Au 1tte"
W Z ma ngfff
servant answered The summons, and
Mrs. Hepburn said:
go to No. 1, AID ask the lady there if she
Will come TO me, IL she is disengaged.
HelghO, Rob" she added, as the servant de-
parted, "you have no idea what very
pretty ESstGy castle In the air you have demol-
~ am sorry, But you viii forgive me
when you have seen my Edna. You will not
let mothers strong prejudice against per-
feet stranger influence you, will you,
al won't promise. All. L hear my friend.
She hes come in at another door. Come in?"
There was a rustic of skirts, the bed room
door opened, and in the doorway stood tall,
graceful girl, whose eyes flashed aud whose
cheeks grew rosy, when she beheld Robert
Harkner. Just for one moment she stood
there, and then Roo had both her hands fast
in his. and was drawing her toward him.
But her face grew pale, and she drew back
from the loving arms that would have en-
circled her.
you must not" she faltered; "your mo-
ther wrote to me! l cannot be the cause OF
quarrel between you and your mother"
"You need not fear that" said Mrs. Hep
burn, dryly. 81 will undertake to remove
all her objections"
"You! Do you know herr" asked Edna.
"From her cradle, my dear. This gentle
And" she added. merrily, "you may depend
upon him for all the courtesy friend of
mine may claim"
"More, more, Edna!" Bob, cried. "You
may trust him for LIES devotion. for truest
love, for entire loyalty. You have long
known my love, and have shown me your
own, and Aunt Maria Will help me 70 coax
you TO give me soon a husbands right to
love and protect you all your life"
BLESS me-" said Aunt Maria, looking
straight at the wall, "if did not think that
Harkner. your love and honor could not be
bought"
Nor can they, auntie, for long ago they
were freely given away. Edna, darling, you
will not send me from you now?''
NO" she answered, shyly. 81 see now
why my kind friend took me from the semi
nary: If she is pleased, am
what, Edna?" asked Rob.
For she paused, all bright bushes.
bitterly miserable, of course she is" said
Aunt Maria, "but she may be hungry, as |
am: Too much talking has given me an ap-
petite, SO am going to dress for dinner, and,
Master Rob, in ten minutes, | shall call
Edra. But you may dine with u.s.
What Rob said in these ten minutes you
may guess, but certain 1t is that Edna never
left Mrs. Hepburn until there was grand
wedding at that lady's house, when Miss
Seabright became the bride of Robert
Harkner.
And Mrs Rarkner smiles graciously upon
her daughter in-law, who is, she tells her
friends, "such lovely woman, and such a
favorite with dear Aunt Maria, who met
with her in her summer travels, and was
perfectly charmed with her"
And society asks no further Information
regarding Mrs. Hepburns companion.