The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-02

| etook 10 the card ard mechanically turned
| IL over. IN. b." and few lines OF hand
writing He paused at an, b." Her writing
and my initials, ae she names me-Ned, Ned
/ Berton It must be for me. She knows that
[ am here. What else, then, could the card,
my card be here for N. b. to any other
eyes, and In case OF accident. simply nota
bene but to me, alb, | will note well, my
angel IN B.'-Ask mama tonight, and II
she says no, ask papa; and II he says no,
make him say yes. Tonight, without delay.
| February TO-"
February i0,' that lie tomorrow. Ask
mama. Oh Dolly, can you mean IL Your
command is law; but Mrs. Derwent VIII say
no. That is foregone conclusion, since
have no prospects, no immediate prospects At
least, and here Ia Eustace Hurd worth half q
million. There Is no hope for me there.
Then ask papa and II he says no, make him
say yes Can make him What shall do
to make him What arguments can ! bring
TO bear upon this Intelligent, kindly. but
thorough man of the world, In this age OF
high living, when sentiment rates at so little
and money rates as SO much, to show myself,
young lawyer with an income Of barely
$4,000 year. just rival, In claim for the
hand OF Dolly Derwent, of Eustace Hurd,
worth half mllioni What argument how
shall | express myself to reach his heart, for
] suppose that under all bis jovial worldliness
he has heart. Let me think"
And he thought Alone there In Dolly's
room with the light lowered to spark, sit
ting In the arm chair, with his head leaning
upon his hand and his eyes downcast, he
thought. The wind that had arisen with sun
set died down; its wild sobbing across the
hills and In the tree tops ceased rain fell ;
then sharp, fine sleet beat again the win
dow panes; that, too, ceased. The little por-
celaiD clock upon the mantle struck half-past
four. and still Ned Berton thought. At last
dim daylight gllmmered on the walls, and
then, wearled to the soul. he flung himself
upon the sofa and fell asleep.
Some one awoke him late. He was the last
one at the breakfast table, and sleighs eight
dashing little cutters, with "lust room for
two were at the door. The eight had been
procured with some difficulty; but this Ned
Burton was not to know, politeness would
not Inform him that he was the odd one Of
the party, the seventeenth, who had not been
provided for, having been invited by Mr..
Derwent on the suppositlon "of course Ned
was included'-a supposition- which. Mr.;
Derwent found emphatically, afterward, had
moi been founded upon fact
Mrs. Derwent however, not to be remiss as
hostess, made the best OF an embarrassing
b'under and In spite OF her plan that only the
young people. seven couples, should enjoy
the sleighing, and In spite OF her antlpathy
to that diversion, and her uncomfortable fear
Of horses. which even the sober grays OF her
park phaeton could not render calm, heroic
ally ordered the cutter.
She came and rested her plump little jew
eled hand with matronly ease upon Ned's
shoulder, as at the now deserted breakfast
table he bent over his plate In distracted
mood, trying to swallow bis hot roll and cof-
fec, and said, genially $50, Ned, | am to go
with you. But only on one condtion-that
you will promise not to run away with me-"
Ned Withdrew himself from his souls pre-
occupation just sufficiently to jerk down o last
mouthfpl and say, with rather confused gal
lantry, II cannot promise for myself Mrs.
Derwent. but will promise that no unappre-
ciative animal, no Unframed fiery steed,' shall
run away with you"
"Then come" said she, gaily, "for they are
all going or gone. Why, Ned, you have eaten
nothing. Won't you have another cup OF cof-
fee Mol Well. we shall lunch sumptuously
at the Blue Globe; they have been two weeks
you. Where Is DollyY'
All, Dollyi There she stood on the door
step by the side OF Eustaee Hurd, wrapped
tight In her cloak. ready for departure, and
her sweet, warm face-not hooded deeply
enough to hide its golden halo turned visit
fully backward. Goodbye, mamma" she
cried; and then she saw Ned, and the sweet
faced changed-turned pale for an instant.
Ned thought If such o thing could happen
that q rosebud should turn pale. She gave
him just look. scarcely smile. He felt
his hearts blood beating answer to her APP
pealing look.
Such morning as that morning was lone
OF Those miracles OF mornings when the white
mantle OF the snow makes the world like
newborn planet; when nature shows herself
In all her artistic renderings sculptor more
than painter, exclaiming for the moment
like the passionate angel OF the palette,
Form is everything; the outline Ia the pic
ture." The sleet had polished the snow, and
the scene was not only nodded against the
horizon In bold and chlseled contour, but
every detail OF foreground, every stone and
fence and leafless bush, and every aisle OF
perspective, every farmhouse and grove
and over-branching forest, was as II cut in
crystal or in marble, decisive and pure and
delicately hewn In matchless marvel of curve
and tracery. white, new world
To Ned Berton with one thought In heart
and brain and imagination, this wealth Of
beauty was as naught. And Mrs. Derwent
certainly had no expression of admiration on
her countenance as she said spasmodcally:
This Is really" with an alarmed glance at
the horses ears, "the best-isn't 1t, NedY'-
with terrified gasp as the sleigh lurched and
darted forward leighng that We
and an impetuous movement of her hand out
of her mutf-"we have had" and an uneon-
trollable clutch at Ned Bertons arm-"in
years"
"Splendld!" said Ned, gloomily, "Glor-
ious' said Ned, savagely. "Oh, how | WISH"
he thought, that / could get hold Of Eus-
tace Hurd's coat collarl He would be tossed
into that snow bank before he knew it; how
does he dare to bend his head 50 close to
Dolly2 There now they have turned the
corner; they will be out Of sight Whoa
Charlie, hi, Charlie!" to the horse. which ex-
hibited decided signs OF uneaSiness, develop
ing presently into vicious restiveness, the
unruly beRs now leaping frantically onward,
now shying at a shadow, and with up-rearing
hind legs bespatting the occupants of the
sleigh with bits of Ice and snow. Mrs. Der
went nearly tainted, and then came to; and
Ned Berton nearly swore, as the sleigh in
front exasperatcd him with its silhouette of a
tender couple, and then recovered himself
with q consideration OF pity for his really
suffering companion, and with faith in Dolly.
SO they proceed, having some intervals OF
smooth-going conversation between long
spells of harassing irregularity in the con-
duct of The horse, and of stinging jealousy of
Ned. and of unfeigned terror on the part Of
Mrs. Derwent, until, after distressing sleigh
ride of two hours, they came to the Blue
Globe; and Mrs Derwent, Immediately after
alighting, rushed to Dolly and said: My
dear, / cannot possibly go back with him.
My nerves will be shattered. You will have
to, for you are not afraid OF anything, my
darling. will go home with Eustace Hurd;
you must go with Ned. Only" sudden
caution" you must promise that you will
not speak word or let him speak word be-
yond commonplace"