The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-01-24


she can read character with any physi-
ognomist in the world, and the silly
folk think her prophetic, when she Is
only clear-eyed."
Think my uncle was using an invisi-
BILE probe. know / colored, and he
laughed again, but said nothing-nor
dbl.
The excitement had not all been on
my account. Bella had received an in
vitation to spend some months with a
newly-married friend in London, and
oood-natured Winnie was in high glee.
Even aunt acknowledged it was "a
chance not to be missed, if possible;'
and saw her glance furtively at Uncle
Ritson's face, which fancied was
graver than usual. Still, possibilities
were not discussed in my presence. 1t
was not until had retired to my own
pretty room for the night that l over
heard the sisters discussing the
problem, unmindful of the thin parti-
ton between the head of my bed and
theirs.
1 found that money-or its scarcity
stood in the way, and heard the chances
of the matrimonial market calculated
with balance greatly in favor OF Lon
don.
Money! How hated the word! 1
would have given every shilling l pos
sessed to be assured that Edgar Neville
was true to me, and would seek me out
when the period of probation prescribed
by my father was gone by. But where
could he seek for me? Correspondence
I 10 anf W
address, and my father had withheld
Edgar's from me. All, how he repented
before he died! How glad he would
have been to have left me in those
strong, protecting arms!
I soon bridged the monetary difficulty
over in spite of my uncle's opposition,
and think / showed something of my
OLD self in the spirit with which l en-
tered into the needful preparations for
Miss Ritson's launch on the sea of Lon
don society, little thinking what might
be its import to myself.
1t was May when she went. sug-
gested that she should tighten her
mourning, being about to visit a bride
hint she seemed glad to take, for her
pretty lavender bonnet set off her face
much better than her heavy Grape.
She kissed me very heartily before
she got into the gig beside her father to
be driven to the station, to which her
boxes had already been dispatched, and
I felt more satisfied with myself than L
had done since / had crossed the Cum
berland border.
Letters filed with the wonders she
had seen and the places she had visited
broke up the monotony of our lives.
Then came one from Hastings, in which
she told of her introduction to Mr..
Neville.
1 think my pulse stopped as Winnie
read out the name. / know aunt asked
me if I was ill-if the heat was too
much for me. But I drew myself to-
gether, said nothing" was the matter,
and tried to convince myself that the
name was q common one.
Again and again we heard of this
same Mr.. Neville, and my heart began
to be torn with doubts and suspicious,
and very demon of jealousy seemed
to take possession of my breast. L felt
assured that Bella was in love with him
and that he was the Edgar Neville of
appearance and family were convincing.
At length letter came, addressed in
a manly hand to Uncle Ritson, with
Edgar's well-known crest upon the seal.
1t was proposal for my cousins hand.
My head swan round, but 1 sum-
moned courage to ask Mr.. Neville's
Christian pane. He had merely signed
j. E. Neville.
All, that was it, sure enough-John
Edgar!
I had my back toward my uncle,
standing in the doorway, as / asked.
No one noticed how / staggered into
the hall, or how / snatched my hat from
the stand and darted up the mountain
side to cool my fevered brow and still
my throbbing pulses. How l went or
where went could never remember.
L have some recollection of falling as L
bounded across brook, of old Elspas
face bending over me, and then no more,
until found myself in my own snowy
bed, with Winnie watching me. and an
array of physic- bottles on the window
seat.
Elspa had found me where had
fallen, half in half out of the stream.
Unable to drag me thence, she had
summoned help with peculiar whistle
she kept suspended to her girdle, the
shrill nc tie of which no shepherd dared
to disobey.
1t brought couple of shepherds to
the spot. My limbs were lifted out of
the stream--she had already bathed my
brow and plastered up my temple-and
then 1 was carried slowly down to in
terrupt the answer Uncle Ritson was
sending to Bella and Mr.. Neville.
My fall and the immersion were ac-
credited with the prolonged fever which
almost baflled my uncles skill. If any
one suspected otherwise it was old
Elspa, but she was too wise" to revert
to the subject when she came to see me
ere my convalescence.
Very slow was my recovery, retarded
no doubt by the scraps Winnie read to
me as pleasant ne,cs from her sisters
letters. 1t was now Eddie" this, or
Eddie" that; and. as / shut my eyes
and ground my teeth, the better to en-
dure, felt indignant that my noble
| fronfed Edpar should have a not name