Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-15
LANCASTER, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY JANUARY I5 1885,

ward, | mean? You know him, my
servant Edward p
yes, / know him by sight, and
did meet him. answered Wardour,
scarcely able to believe his ears
And where was it that You met
him., said Althea, her eyes raised ca
gerly 10 his face.
Not far from tho avenue gates,
replied Wardour.
sOn the road TO --'
Con the Dorchester road. Pray,
have you any more questions on the
same subject to ask me, Althea, he
said, sternly.
She looked at him, turned deathiy
pale, and shook her head with a pa
tent smile, and sat down by the win
dow again.
Wardour turned away, grimly, and
took his place beside Father Paul, at
the snpper-tabIe.
Althea rose and went slowly ont of
the room, her dog following her, and
looking from her 10 the others with a
large, sagacious sympathy, which he
seemed trying TO communicate TO
them. She stood still at the door
and looked back, Wardour saw that
she was very pale, and her ashes
were wet.
Come, come, lass, said her father.
cheerily, 'thou'rt tired to death with
thy mad wanderings. Come and
take sup out of my glass, and let
Father Paul give thee a cut of that
venison pasty.'
She tasted yesterday explained
Father Paul to Wardour.
Come, Child said Lady Glyn, pat.
ting the chair beside her.
Altnea stood and smiled on them
all, and answered, sadly but sweetly,
Yes. yes; will JOIN you soon.'
She went away, and young War
dour, yearning after her, heard the
bits OF dry corn and grass that chung
to her habit rustling against the
bright oak passage as she went.
Wardour's heart was too full of
painful doubt and suppressed passion
tor him to be able to talk; but he
listened as the others talk of the
fearful doings at Dorchester, and the
perils of this and that neighbor, and
congratulated themselves and young
Wardour on their own and bis long
i1attention to politics.
Though, if anything had gone
wrong with you, boy said Sir Thorn
as, syou have friend on the safe side
in the Duke of -
When the old butler brought in
more wine Lady Glyn inquired if
that was not the chapel door she had
heard beng opened, and the old man
told her that his young mistress had
ordered lights there, and was there
now by herself.
A few minutes more and Althea
came in, no longer in her habit, but
in one of her white festal dresses, and
with rich color and smile on her
face.
She sat down between her father
and mother with humble, childlike
air, and ate and drank with a show
OF appetite which Wardour could see
was but a show.
He noticed that when Sir Thomas
or Lady Glyn were looking another
way, Althea gazed at them with a
strange, pathetic gaze.
Once, when there was a slight
noise below, Wardour saw her set
down the glass she was lifting and
and listen, and wait, with her hands
clasped in her lap and her eyes
closed
After that a fit of restlessness
seized her, and she rose and went
again to the window.
Father Paul. said she, suddenly,
coming and dropping on one knee
between the priest and Maurice,
'when | confess to you it often seems
to me that you could tell me more of
my sins than can tell you. Let us
have confession tonight as to my
state, but let it come from your lips.
Now. tell me, in what have | sinned
most deeply p
Father Paul was somewhat taken
aback; bat he soon recovered his
amlable dignity, and stroking Baby
Glyn's dropping head, answered,
my dear child, my belief agrees
with your own confession, which,
rejoice to say, is ever humble and
true. Your own will is too strong,
your submission to the Divine will
not sufficiently meek and trusting.
Baby Glyn felt the cold sarcastic
eye of Wardour on them both.
you think Father Paul is too in
dulgent with me, Maurice said she,
half turning towards him.
4 am Protestant, answered War
dour, sand little versed in matters of
confession. No doubt, Father Paul
and you would look on it as great
absurdlty if / placed before such
great iniquities as wilfuiness and i'm
patience of temper the slight sin that
changed gallant and true gentle.
man into a drunken sot, and that
hath turned two brothers into enc.
mics so bitter tina. their friends are
afraid blood will be spilled between
them if they meet
A deep silence followed these
stern words of Maurice. All knew
them to be true. Althea rose and
stood behind his chair with her face
in her hands.
sWhat can / do, Maurice p
1T is suspense which causes the i'll
blood betwixt the brothers; that
you can put an end to if you choose,
suppose, answered Wardour.
Father Paul, said Althea, in these
times we can none of us tell when
we go to bed what may happen by
the morning. will write to these
gentlemen tonight. May ask you
to assist me with your ADVICE p
Father Paul went with her to a
writing-table, and they sat for some
time busily engaged, while Sir Thorn.
as, Lady Glyn, and Wardour drew
nearer round the blazing logs which,
summer or winter, were always need.
ed in the great, damp rooms of Mer.
lewood Chase.