American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-06-04
STEP-M0THER AND STEP SON.
A Story OF Love, jealousy, Ha-
tired, Revenge and Heroic
Sclf-Sacrifice. el
By Tire Author Of " Doru Thorne" "a Bridge
of Lore" At Var With Herself" "a
Him Bestf'' a Rose IN
7h0rns." dr., dc.
CHAPTER Iu.-CoSrINuEp.

CHAPTER IU.-CoNrINuED.
"She is the beauty of this neighbor-
hood he said, :. and she deserves her
position. L am sure you will like her,
Lean. She is the very type Of a bright,
clever. earnest English girl"
The eyes that reminded him of the
- deep waters of the Black Tarn were
raised, with some slight trouble in their
depths, to his. Did he love her, that he
spoke SO warmly in her praise?
II see that she is beautiful; and
something tells me she is good. But
who is she?" asked Lean.
She is the daughter of the late Earl
of Carlien, and she was left an orphan
when she was quite child. Her aunt.
Mrs. Pitt. of Withdean Grange. adopted
her. and she has brought her up. Lady
Viola has some small fortune, but not
much; the late EarTs estates were all
entailed."
"Where is Withdean Granger" asked
Lean. half hoping-she knew. not why
that it was at some great distance.
"OnIy two or three miles from here"
replied Ross; sssthe lands adjoin. And,
now that the carol-singers have finish
ed. shall take you back? And will you
dance with me? 1t win be our first
dance. Lean" Already Lean was
something quito apart from the rest of
the world to him.
Lean Dynevor danced with Ross, and
nearer and nearer to the shore
fnpm which there is no return Lady
Viola watched the two, wondering If
the place that had been hers was taken
from her.
There had never been any mention of
love between the young heir of Larch-
j yton Mcte and Lady Viola Carlien.
Every one said it would be an excellent
match, and the girl loved him with all
her warm, happy heart. She had loved
him as long as she could remember,
and he had always felt the truest, most
kindly affection for her. For the last
ten years they had been like brother
and sister. They had played, studied.
ridden, walked. sung and danced to-
for Lady Viola when she saw his beau
tiful young kinswoman installed in what
had been her place. st3y
Mrs Pitt and Lady Viola to be invited
to Larchton Mere for the Christmas
week. Both Lady Viola and Ross had
enjoyed it with frank, simple enjoy
) ment; but this year there was another
element iitroduced; things were no
longer the same. Perhaps Lady Viola
had never understood her own heart
until she saw that a rival had been
placed in the very heart of her king
dom. She understood it now by tie
chill that suddenly came over her and
the dull pain that made her heart
ache. 1t was natural that Ross should
be attentive to his kinswoman, who
was at the same time his guest and
stranger. 1t was fitting and right
that he should dance with her and talk
to her. But was it needful that her
: face should reflect the happiness of his?
Need they both look as though they
had floated away into some brighter
sphere, and had left the colder world
behind themP Need Ross watch her
in that, lingering way, looking glad
when she was glad and vexed if she
looked sad? Beautiful Lady Viola bit
her lip in vain irritation; she played
with her fan 5untn che fragile ivory
broke; she toyed with her bouquet until
the flowers were destroyed. and their
8 white petals lay on the ground.
Ross came to Lady Viola for the sec
ond dance. Her first instinct was to
turn away, to refuse to dance, to tease
and irritate him, to punish him for
having deserted her even for half an
ahoura but her better sense and judg-
menf came to her aid. Bad temper
would never help her; she would only
A.fHn DehiS uOuuty CnarMmg'
and SO charming was she that Lean
Wondered wheti5cr he loved her. l;.e :
CHATTER ". ,-,.r
THE next morning Sir Austen. his
wife. son and guests all wake through
the snow to the beautiful church at
Larehtou; and, after service, the party
:, returned to Larchton Mere to spend the
day. But underneath all the smiles,
the courteous greetings, and the kindly
words ran a current of tragedy. Lady
Gunner already hated Ross She was
jealous Of him; and she determined not
only to resist his authority, but to drive
him from home. Lean loved him; there
had been no hesitation about that; she
loved him almost as soon as she saw
him, while Lady Viola suffered a torture
of jealous pain.
Lady Cumnor was essentially selfish
She would not have been satisfied even
had there been a fair division between
the two sons. Hers must have ALL She
had formed for herself plan of action.
and D seemed to- her an excellent one
for attaining her end. twas this. She
would on every occasion contradict,
either blandly and with a smile, or i'm
Periously, with frown, everything that
Ross saidss Ii he wished a thing done.
= 6hC WOuA0 PlCbCub IL ne WdnIcu
anything he should not have it, She
would disguise her dislike to him by
smiles and words that would cost moth
ing. The result of this would be that,
finding round him nothing but discom-
fort and discord, Sir Austen would be
compelled to remove his son from home !;
and, when that was done, the coast
!, would be clear enough. She could
manage the rest. She knew well that
the world in general would take her
part, - beaptfI Young step mother
against gsoTn-up son.
She understood Ross's character well
all its, nobility, its Impotence, the
!. hot temper and great generosity and
she .sniled to. herself as she thought
!. how easy it would be to torture him
and make him sutEer. True. conscience
: did ask why. she should torture him,
whyshe must suffer !; and the answer
was, he was the-son of the dead woman
who had once held her place he was
the heir to the property she coveted for
her son he was handsome. and be-
loved by SIR Austen as her son could
never be. Everyone seemed to look up
to him, and the servants adored him.
II any little thing happened to him. the
whole neighborhood was in tumult.