The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-08
CHAPTER II.

Mr. Scrope went abroad, apd after
time he returned home to begin his
career.
Alice Jervis pursued her homely
and monotonous life. She grew
quieter and graver and worked more
diligently She believed she had de
cided rightly as regarded Mr.. Scrope' g
happiness; and the sacrifice she had
made for bis sake made her feel that
she had a right to be interested in
him. She lived in the excitement OF
seeing his name in the papers, and
in gaining every particular of him
within her grasp. She smiled when
she read his name among the pre-
sentations at court, or noted his
presence at court balls. At such
times she'Iooked down at her shah.
by dress and poor appointments sur
rounding her, and wondered what
sort of On appearance she would
have made under other circumstan-
ces At length she saw another an
nouncement. Mr. Scrope was going
to be married She turned pale, and
put down the paper And yet she
expected this announcemeut-had
looked for it day after day. Never
theless she felt a strange pang,
which as long as be was unmarried
she had escaped.
Down by the river, where the wa
ter-aags hoisted their yellow stand
ards among the reeds, aud where the
forget.me. blossomed along the
banks, she sauntered, listening to
the murmuring waters, whose burden
was Past! past past " Even Ro.
yer appeared to understand it, for be
looked up mournfully into her face
and whined Then the gray bars Of
clouds spread across the setting sun,
and blolted out the sunlight but
still Alice paced up and down under
the pollard willows, until the even.
ing was far advanced. Night was
setting 10 around ber. The light Of
life was over She had scarcely re
allied until the present moment how
persisten,ly Mr.. Scrope had been in
her every thought
The morning after reading the
news in the papers another very
startling piece Of information came
to her. She was an heiress By
one of those strange chances in life
that are so common nowadays, her
mothers brother, beginning life as an
artisan, had amassed princely for.
tune. And Eow at his death DE had
left it between Alice Jervis and her
brother. Alice Jervis sat down and
wept bitterly. To her it had come
as mockery. Her lot in life was
cast, and what did she want of mon
ey now? In due time she read OF
the marriage itself She cut it out
of the paper; and placed it in her
packet book. 1t was all over.
Three years slipped away. Three
travellers entered hotel in a little
foreign town. The youngest of the
women was Alice Jervis, now a
beautiful woman, little past her
| first youth, but whom one knew in a
moment in spite of the improvement
that had taken place. Her brother
was with her, but fe was scarcely to
be recognized. A tutor and three
years Of foreign life had caused a
wonderful transformation The ell
derly lady, Mrs. Jervis, was not
much altered, except that her dress
was as handsome as her heart could
desire. They took their places at
the table dhote, and exactly opposite
to them sat lady and gentleman.
The latter looked wearied, and bis
short black moustache twitched with
NE curvings of the relentless mouth
beneath it. The lady was fair, fash-
ionable and vivacious.
Alice Jervis started. She would
have moved; but William Jervis, all
ignorant Of past events, had exclaim,
ed: "Mr. Scrope."
Mr. Scrope looked across, wonder.
ing at the friendly recognition from
an apparent stranger. Then his eyes
fell upon Alice, and be started, but
quickly recovering himself, be bow.
ed saying:
pardon me if at first | did not re
member you"
Mrs. Scrope had turned in delight
toward William Jervis. The frs
English voice, excepting my hus
bands, that I've heard in three
weeks l do not understand Italian
and had consequently had no one t.
talk to but Mr.. Scrope. Can yor
imagine any thing more dreadful p
Then. turning to her husband. she
said: "You must introduce me Il
your English friends"