Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-06-21

found that money-or Its scarcity
stood in the way, and heard the chances
of the matrimonial market calculated
greatly in favor of London.
Money ! How hated the word
would have given every shilling pos
sessed to he assured that Edgar Neville
was true to me-. and would seek mo ont
when tie period of probation prescribed
by my father was gone by. But where
could he seek for me Correspondence
had been forbidden. He knew not my
address, and my father had withheld
Edgar's from me. All, how he repented
it before he died ! How glad he would
have been to have left me in those strong,
protective arms !
1 soon bridged the monetary difficulty
over in spite of my uncle's opposition,
and think l showed something of my
old self in the spirit with which l entered
into the neediul preparations Tor Miss
Ritson's launch on the sea of London so.
ciety, little thinking what might DO its
import to myself
1t was May when she went. | sug-
gested that she should tighten her mourn
ing, being about To visit II bride-a hint
she seemed glad 10 take, for her pretty
lavender bonnet set off her tace much
better than her heavy Grape.
She kissed mo verv heartily before she
| got into the gig beside her father, 10 be
driven to the station, to which her boxes
had already been dispatched, and I felt
moro satisfied with myself than had
done since l had crossed the Cumberland
border.
Letters filed with the wonders she h ad
seen and the places she had visited broke
up the monotony of our lives. Then
came one from Hastings, in which she
told me of her introduction to Mr.
Neville.
think my pulse stopped ms Winnie
read out the name, know aunt asked
me if was i'll If the heat was 200 much
for me. But drew myself together and
said " nothing" was the matter. and
tired to convince myself that the name
was n common one.
Again and again we heard Of this same
Mr.. Neville. md my heart began to be
! torn with doubts and suspicious, and n
demon of jealousy, seemed to take pos.
session of my breast. | felt assured TINT
Bella was in love with him, and that he
| ,vas tho E1uar Noy;Ila oc ny, odorntion A .
MI that she stated of his appearance and
family were convincing.
At length letter came, addressed IN n
manly hand Co Uncle Ritson, with Ed
ear's well known crest upon the seal. 1t
was n proposal for my cousins hand.
My head swan round, hut summoned
courage to ask Mr.. Nevilles christian
name. He had merely signed j. E. No
vile.
All, that was it, sure onoagh-John
Edgar.
had my back towards my uncle,
standing in the doorway, as | asked
No one noticed how staggered into the
bnll, or how L snatched my Int from the
stand and darted up the mountain side to
cool my tevered brow and still my throb-
bing pulses. How | went or whore
went could never remember | have
some recollection of falling rs bounded
across beck. of old Elspa's face bending
over me, and then no more. until l found
myself in my own snowy bed, with Win
ME watching me and an array OF physic
bottles on the window sent.
Eispa had found mo where had fal-
len half IN and half out of the stream. -
Unable to drag me thence she summoned
help with peculiar whistle she kept sus
pended to her girdle, the shril note oI
which no shepherd dared to disobey.
1t brought n couple Of shepherds to the
spot. My limbs were lifted out Of the
eam-she had already bathed my brow
and plastered up my temple and then
was carried slowly down, to interrupt the
answer Uncle Ritson was sending to
Bella and Mr.. Neville.
My fall and immersion were accredited
with the prolonged fever which almost
baflled my good uncle's skill. Ifany one
suspected otherwise it was old Elspa. buI
she WINS too " wise > to revert to the sub
ject when she came to see me ere my con-
va alesceuce.
Very slow was my recovery, retarded
no doubt by the scraps Winnie read L
me as pleasant news from her sisters let
ters. 1t was now Eddie" this, o.
Eddie " that; ard as | shut my eye
and ground my teeth. the better TO endure
| felt indignant that my noble frontec
Edgar should have a pet name like &
5ady. To me he hnd the majesty of II
monarch. How could she address him
so?
! was down stairs before the Christ
mas came, able and willing to assis. my
aunt ia her multitudinous preparations
and tried To smile aud look grHtfed dur
ing the Christmas merry making.
| had heard but hardly seemed to re-
alze, that Bella was to be married early
in the new year, and that she and he'
husband would come To spend the honey
moon with us, and | was doing my best
to nerve myself for the meeting.
The old year was closing in. Espa-
who else ?-came up to the house with n
letter she had found lying in by road.
1t should have been delivered some days
previously f; and it was supposed that the
postman had taken IRE drink than was
good for him during the Chri.tmas
1nndiness and dropped it by the way
Goodness ! how that letter stunned me
Bella was by that time married. She
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