Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-09-07
fContinued from first page.l

and Luxlelghs daughter go toSetner' anu
the prize is to be yours on your return !;
always supposing. viii, that you act your
own part like gentleman and--a lover.
"And 1t ! don't?'' A-..
The Squire's laugh rang out with mer-
riment which had not grain oil Suspicion
in it.
"If you lose your reason during the
next year-put 1t that way, W III.
Whe N Mr.. Will looked up ! was pass
ing him 10 leaving the hall, and remem-
Der wondering how 1t was the squire
could lie so unsuspettlng. When mad
reached my own room, still thinking over
that expression on my young master $
face. found Miss Agnes standing at the
window, looking out into the park as she
waited for me. When we had held our
usual morning discussion, she turned to
1.-The window before leaving The room.
IF you are looking for Mr.. WILL MISS
Agnes" said !. standing with my back to
her and speaking easily what, with my ODD
fashioned notions. fancied would oe wise
to say, ..be is in The hail. The master has
been talking to him OF his wedding WIN
e Miss Luxieigh. l WAS re-a"rang'ng the
curtains and the master told ME not 10 80,
so heard Them"
She was facing me now, innoccntly and
wistfully looking into my eyes, SO my next
words nearly choked me.
1''For years this has been an understood
thing Miss Agnes-did you never hear
itp You see the Luxeigh property touches
Wesmede north, south and east. VI
course it will be a wise marriage
She was looking at me still, and the Old
light was within her eyes and the gentle
smile upon her lips; but oh, the wilderness
of that facet
Il dare say, Miss Agnes" said bend
ing over my fire, THAT you have never
even heard OF it,"
''Not--yet.n -4ts sss
81 When she went away from the room so
quietly, of course wished hadn't said a
word but still I'd done it with the fancy
! that it might be kinder to do it at once.
Somehow it never seemed to enter the
Squirrels head that there could be danger 10
his plans in the close intimacy between his
son and Miss Agnes; or in the charm to
Mr.. Will of such a sweet girl-companlon
in the home in which he had never known
another or sister AS for Mr.. Will, don't
think that he ever even tried TO feel that
Miss Agnes was like sister to him, for
from the FIRST he had loved her as brothers
don't love ;aand--yes ;after all these years
: can say it as confidently as said it then
firmly as Mr.. Capleton's heart was set
: upon that projected marriage for his son,
everything would have ended happily for
Miss Agnes and Mr.. Will, if it had not
been for Captain Warder. No; even yet
/ cannot tell how, but feel as sure OF it
asI am that that's the wind, sobbing on its
way across the heath.
When the day came for Mr. viii to leave
home, no one saw his parting with Miss
Agnes, but two hours after had watched
tie carriage out of sight. found her at the
window with her eyes fixed on the spot
where il had disappeared, and though they
were filled with tears, never saw that
trustful look upon her face so trustful as it
was that minute.
think that Miss Agnes had made de-
termination that, as far as she possibly
could. she would be both son and daughter
to Mr.. Caple,on in his sons absence; and
it was preltier than any picture to see them
observation-disclosures together. She would
walk with him round the estate, discussing
alterations and improvements just as his
son would have done his arm in hers, and
always the brightest interest in her face.
She would drive him for hours among his
tenants, remembering everything for him,
and doing much In her gentle quiet way
to win their hearts, as he could do with all
his wealth and power. She would ride
beside him in Exeter on bis weekly visits,
and the two horses, by force of habit, kept
SO closely together that it became a proverb
there. She would go with him to the
heavy county dinners, leaning on his al M
= as bis own daughter would have done, and
SO grateful to him for her plain white dress
(ard making so much Of it in her pleasant
way) that often when I've watched them
of. my eyes have been too full to meet
hers-,he idea Of IL Tears because she
loved the old man so well.
But the best OF all was to see them to-
gether through those long winter even
iDgs, when she would sing to him, read
TO him, talk to him-ah. well, it is such Il
nature as hers, / think, that can make
home for man 10 its highest and hottest
sense.
For many weeks after Mr.. Will left us,
CaptaiR Warder did not show himself at
Wesmede, and when he came at last,
walking quietly and undemonstratively
through the little eastern door, it wasn't
very wonderful that none of us could sus-
pect or be guarded against the misery
he brought. After that first visit others
followed rapidly; and / understood very
well how the Squire. having planned the
marriage between Captain Warder and
Miss Agnes should be willing to throw
them together.
But still Miss Agnes avoided him wnen-
ever she could, and when / asked her
Gust for no purpose at alD which of her
cousins she liked best, the rush of pink TO
her face, and the trembling OF her lips
when she said, zone was all truth and
honor"-and then she failed for words
was proof enough that she had sounded
Captain Warder's nature.
Gradually. during those visits of Cap
tain Warder to Wesmede, there came a
consciousness of something being wrong
/ don't suppose / can make you under
stand, for Icouldn't understand it myself.
but all the peaceful calm of the old house
seemed ruffied. and not only did we see
that the Squire had grown suspicious of
his adopted daughter, but we noticed that
in every word he uttered of his absent
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