The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-02-09

and to the cold contempt she nau tr1eu
so faithfully to Undue her with-con-
tempt of all that was low born and ill
bred. Mrs. Delamere would never have
thought of looking for princely heart
beneath the rough jacket of one she
considered too far beneath her to merit
even the tribute of passing thought.
The sea breezes gave beautiful
bloom to the cheek of Lucy; and the
sports she shared with Duke rounded
her limbs and gave grace and vigor to
her step. Mrs. Delamere read her ia
vorite novels, entertained her chosen
company, and reigned queen at the
Hall, and Lucy enjoyed the wild free
dom of the cliffs.
The young girl was almost reckless
in her daring at times. This afternoon
she was in her most dangerous mood.
A cluster of flowers growing in a cleft
in the rock below the surface of the
cliffs, attracted her attention. She
sprang toward them. Duke waved her
back.
ct is perilous, Lucy" he said. hur-
riedly. "Look at the black rocks be-
meath. A single misstep, and"
Ct am no coward" she laughed, de-
family. eff you are pale, am not,
and am going to carry these bright
things home to mamms.
Before he could prevent her, she had
swung herself over the precipice; and,
resting one foot Oh a narrow shelf Of
rock. her left hand clinging to a frail
shrub that had taken root in the sparse
earth at the top, with the other she
grasped the coveted blossoms.
Duke. white and rigid, stood above
her, looking down. She shook the
flowers above her head. ''See! dare
do what boy trembles at seeing done"
She stopped hastily in the gay, taunt-
ing speech she was making. The treach-
erous rock under her feet crumbled and
fell, and there was only that little sway
ing shrub to hold her back from eter-
nifty!
Duke threw himself upon his face,
reached over and caught her uplifted
hands in his, and drew her up slowly,
laboriously-fo she was nearly his own
weight, and he realized too we'll how
much hung on the result to be hasty or
reckless of his own strength. He rose
to his feet, lifting her up with him.
For one moment, breathless and over
come by the thought of what she had
escaped, she leaned against him; then
turning away, she seated herself on a
rock.
80, Duke!" she cried, paled with ter
ror of her late danger, you have saved
my life! What will mamma say? What
can 1 give you as a keepsake to show
how grateful 1 am % And she began
to detach the heavy gold chain she wore
at her girdle.
The boys face flushed proudly as he
put it from him.
"Give me the bunch of heilotrope in
your hair" he said. 81 want nothing
else"
She pulled it out and laid it in his
hand.
- You will throw it away tomorrow,
when it is withered," she laughed.
mo; shall never throw it awayw
The day was setting in steel-blue
clouds; great banks of them obscured
the setting sum- From the troubled sea
vast masses of drenched fog swept up
upon the land.
Duke into his bed chamber, where he
kept his private desk and meagre store
of books. He took from an ebony cask-
ct a ring set with large diamonds.
There, my son." he said, " this is
the only thing l have on earth to show
that noble blood flows in our veins.
That ring belonged to my great grand
father, the Duke of Somerton. It cost
one thousand pounds. 1t will bring
readily more than half that sum. 1
give it to you. Will you keep it to
show that your ancestors were mobiles
Or" He paused, and looked into the
boys face.
"Or what. father?" Dukes face was
eager, hopeful; already he had half di-
vined his fathers meaning.
You love books, Duke. 1 had
thought you might desire an education.
The proceeds of that ring will defray
your expenses at school-maybe, help
you through college. But you can
keep it if you choose. Which shall it
be-"
Father, knowledge before anything
else in the world. What care l if my
body starve, SO that my mind be fed ?"
SO it was decided. A fortnight after
wards Duke left Romney and entered
the renowned school at c..
Six years passed. Duke had been six
months at college and was home on q
brief vacation.
Miss Delamere had completed her
education and come "out," beautiful
and wonderfully accomplished young
L I'll l. e II.