The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-10-16

| look coming into her eyes, a compressed,
almost merciess expression gathering on
her firmly closed lips.
Then She heard voices from some one
descending the stairs, and then lsidore
Duncan came down, followed by Mrs, Sar-
dis and Clyde, and Gladys stepped away
from where she was that they might not
see her, yet where her eager, jealous eyes
could watch Isidore Duncan's sweet, serious
dignity of manner as Clyde Sardis walked
beside her to the carriage that had JUS!
driven up.
Five minutes later, before the carriage
was lost to her gaze, old Mr. Sardis came in
"a fine, handsome, courtlY old gentleman
of sixty, whose eyes lighted at sight of her,
as he went across the room to where she
stood.
well, my little girl II is within one
minute of the time when said ! would
come to hear you tell me whether or not
you would accept an old mans love, his
name andRhis home, Gladys, my darling,
issitl" ~ -.
For she had bewitched him, and all his
magnificent fortune, his princely home, the
grand old name, the unassailable position
as his wife and mistress Of Sunnylands,
were lying at her feet, to be taken or re-
ected.
It was a wonderful streak of fortune, and
GLADYS had told herself so over and over in
the twenty.four hours since Mr.. Sardis had
made his offer of marriage TO her.
4 wonderful piece of good luck, only
handsome Clyde had been nearer the truth
than even Gladys had dared whisper to her
self when he had said that for such as she
love should be lord of all,
And she never could, by any possibility,
care for Clyde's grandfather with all his
courtly manliness, his riches, and his posi-
ton, because she loved the grandson, the
magnificent young fellow who was sconf-
IDENTIFY expected TO make love TO and marry
Isdore Duncan.
Gladys felt a great wrenching pain at her
heart, strange commingling of anger, dis
appointment, jealousy, and misery, as she
imagined Clyde and Miss Duncan riding to-
gether.
Mr.. Sardis gently interrupted her wan
dering thoughts.
well. Gladys Remember ! have been
patient for twenty-tour hours, and now
| want TO know how tits 10 be. Child,
can you let me have you for my b!es-
sing, my treasure. Can you come to
me and love me with all your fresh young
heartl Because, unless you can, dear, |
would rather you would frankly tell me
what will be q sore distress to me-"
To be mistress of Sunnylands.
To own the very horses and carriage with
which Isidore Duncan was riding that min
ute.
To rise higher than the naughty woman
who paid her for services rendered.
To have diamonds and sign bank checks
should shel
If only she could crush down that fierce
longing for Clyde Sardis; if only
I'VE will be very pleasant family cir
cle," Mr.. Sardis said; you are aware that
Clyde and Isodore will be married in a few
months, and unless you come 10 be my lit
tie wife, shall be very lonely, all TO my
self
He smiled down in her paling tace-and
for lust one little minute her breath seemed
leaving her lungs, her heart seemed as if
grasped in n cruel iron hand, and then it
was over, and She smiled in answer.
1T is not because ! cannot comprehend
why YOU should want me, Mr.. Sardis. If you
really do
She had no need to finish her sentence,
for Mr.. Sardis drew her to him in a sudden,
glad embrace
MY own little love, You never, never
shall regret this. II ever woman eXpe.
rienced what it was to be an old mans
! darling it shall be you, my Gladys"
And, after she had escaped TO her room,
she walked up and down the room, with
her white, drawn face that would have hor.
rified both OF the men, with her small fair
hands tightly clerched, trying to beat down
the agony of jealous longing for Clyde Sar-
! dis with his handsome eager eyes, that had
completely conquered her.
Once that evening she went to Mr.. SardiS
as he sat at an open window--in apleading
little way that was absolutely irresistible,
please don't mention our engagement,
will you! 1t will be unpleasant for me,
until get little used to il, Wait I'll |
tell you, pleasel'
He caressed the fingers that lay so light.
ly and coaxlngly on his coat sleeve.
"If you wish it so, Gladys. 1t is fortu.
nate that you spoke so early, for | had fully
intended to explain 1t all to Mrs. sardis,
Isidore and Clyde, when they have finished
their croquet, 1t is almost too dusk for
them to see now
And, despite the prompt acquiescence to
her whm, Gladys also comprehended he
would have preferred it otherwise,
when they finished their croquet,' Mr..
Sards had said, and when they had finish
ed it Mrs. Sordis, Miss Duncan and Clyde
went into the briliant.l lighted parlor where
the old gentleman sat, and Clyde went
straight to the dusky corner in the adjoin.
ing room, where Gladys sat deeply musing
II will not intrude Miss Saxehurst,' he
said, lightly and halfinQuiringly, as he
went up to her SO near that he could see her
beautiful face, that was even more gloritied
by the peculiar light Of the fire that leaped
upward in the open CRATE; and then, catch
ing up one of her hands that lay like lily
petal on the arm Of the chair-the self
same hand his courtly old grandfather had
I