New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-17
TRIBUNE, SUNDAY H. 1ss-TR1pLE SHEET

Was there to be place of repentance allowed him
lie held the letter in his hand not opening it for
tho moment, ami asking hiuscf If it were so,
whether he would he happy, or-the reverse Ii
PAD been Illuminating to come TO end of the
dIeinn of brighter things, but-would it not lie
rather lnConvenicnt that it should be resumed
agalnE These were his reflections. his self-ques.
tionlngs, before he opened the letter. But when
ne did open It and found that the letter was not
from Anne but Rose MOuntford, the anti-cmax
was such that he laughed aloud. Little Rose! he
lah IaId her Il great deal of attention. and made
himself something of slave TO her little caprces.
not Tor any particular reason, though perhaps, with
please, whoever she might be. What could little
Rose want with him to give him a commission
something To buy for her. Or to match. of the
iioimn3S WIN winch some girls have faculty for
keeping Their friends employed. He began to read
the recollection that this was now the only kind of
communication he was likely to have from the
family FAM not Anne: not those letters. which had
nan NeXed, half charmed him with their impractic-
able views yet pleased his refined taste and perccp-
ton of beauty This gave him sharp prick. even
though 1t WAS with smile that he unlodcd the
letter of Rose.
al But when he read it he brought to him;
sell with a curious shock. What did it mean 7
Roses letter was not occupied with any commits
SONS, but was of the most startling character us
follows:
DEAR Mr.. DOUGLAs,-I am writing to you quite
secIetiy-nobody knows anything about it-and |
nope at least Whatever You do, that you will keep
my secret, and not let Anne know, or mamma.
feel quite sure, though nobody has said a word,
that Anne and you have quarrclled-and am so
sorTy; don't know if she thought YOU neglected
her, and paid too much attention to us. am quite
you never meant anything by it. But what hat
want TO say is. that hope You won't pay attention
II se Is cross. 10 make 1t up, and get married to
Anne ! on know all the money has been left to
me. but if you marry will promise faithfully to
give her part of 1T, say quarter or even third
WhiCh Will he enough to make YOU comfortable
Ar. Loscby proposed this to time ago. and
nave quite made up my mimi to it now | will
give her certainly Il quarter. perhaps third. and
this onght to be enough for you to marry on
can't do 1t till come of age, but then You may he
sure, II you are married, that / will make Il new
W.! urec,ly ana settle 1t so. The first thing is
that YOU should be married, Anne and you. l wish
Tor 1t very much now.
BE sure, ahov, everything, that You don't let ont
that have written To You, ever either to Anne OF
mamma. Yours very truly,
ROSE MoUNrFoRD
This letter filed Cosmo with consternation with
oerlSlon with sharp irritation, yet such sci Sc of
the abSurdity, made him laugh III the midst of
aLl ms other ,h sentiments. f9r Il moment the
Could 1t he, however dIStantly, however uncon-
sciously, inspired y Anne! But that was not to be
believed: OF could Mrs. Mountford, wanting per
hapS To get rid OF her stepdaughtcrs super, sion
have put this idea of nterncddng INTO Roses
head But her anxiety that her secret should be
kept seemed to clear the mother: and rs for Anne ,
mat much he knew, however hc might be deceived
in any other wav He read il over auoin Win -
sense of humiliation and anger which mastered his
sense of the absuriity. This little frivolous play
thing of gIr To interfere IN his affairs 1t is true
indeed That II tins assurance had been conveyed to
INN IN serious way, becoming its Importance, say
by Mr.. LoSchy himself, and while there was yet
nave been by no means an unpleasant interference
to Cosmo. He could not hut think what a differ
ence II might have made If only month back only
lolihieht PACK; inns information had been con-
yeNed Ia him. But now that it was perfectly use
less. now that Anucs letter and his own reply had
entirely closed the matter between them, to have
ms chlld push IN with her little Impairment offer
hcr charity to her sister! Rose bcotowIng quarter
Oh het fortune upon Anne-ihe younger graciOrSY
aiordIng provision to the elder! BY Jove! Cosmo
SAID to himself. with an outburs OF fury Rose,
creature lkc Nose To have II i'll her power thus to
insult Anne. He was himself detached from Anne
and never more would there be any contact between
them. Still twas in his power 10 aNrngc her for
once IN a way. CoSmo did not pause for once in
his lie, 10 think what was prudent, but stretched
out ms hand for paper and ink and Immediately
lndlted his reply:
NY DEAR LITTLE Miss RosE;-Your letter is very
fairy tale and you the good fairy, removing the
obstacles from my way; but, unfortunately, there
were not any obstacles in my way oil the Kind You
suppose ana your present of part OF your fortune 10
me, which seems To hc what you mean, though car
Iicu "ut through your sister. Is, Tear. sort of
lhhR thai neither the respectable MIR. Loscby nor
any other lawyer would sanction. 1t is very kind
OF you to wish to crafty me with much money
but, aaS cannot take lt-unless. indeed. you were
to give me the whole of it. along with your owl
pretty little hand which should not at all object
10: Are yOu quite, quite sure never meant any
thing by the attention | paid you? Perhaps |
meant all the time 90 transfer my affections from
one sister To the other. from the one without any
money to the one with a fortune, which she can
afford to divide into four even three parts.
Think over ii again and perhaps Won viii find ont
that this was in my mind all the time Hut shnrt
OF tins, lear there is not much ground for a com
merclal Transaction of any kind between Won and
me. Your obcdient servant to command,
C. DOUGLAS
This was the revenge he took upon Rose for her
linprTiincncc: 1t was mere impcrtincncc he sun
posed once, and once only, il crossed his mind
that she might have had "A motive for hrr nnv,t,,
that he should marry her sister. But how conl1
That beY 1t was an ImpoSsibilitV. And notwith-
SiaEdiHng the miserable way IN which you will say
lle had himself behaved, his furious indpnut ion ~
TINS patronage of Anne by Rose shows how real was
sun The love and better worship for Anne that MAS
III his heart. W
And when he had satisfied his temper 'bv this
letter, he sat and thought of Anne. Would If have
becn well with this support behind 10 have ven
tuied, perhaps. and been bold and Knit THEN lives
togetherf Roses guarantee though the nltcr irri-
tHtcd inm 50 much, would have made that pos.iiIc
winch at present was impossible Would M. ganr
nave been worth the camille lie SAT and thou,,hi
over lC foe "A long time IN the darhrming eycnint,
ana Signed. On the whole, PERHAPS as thjuos
stood. And then he went ont To his cluh T.,
Yine. Not proud Of himself far from proud of linz
Scf-toelng, On the WHOLE a poor crratur, ,rl
yet. Perhaps, aS things stood, it was iu,t "a we'll
CHAPTER NNXIV
Roses letter To CO4mo had been conccivnd I'm
sudden comlnotOn of feeling, in which her iuDttr,ts
ana SENSATIONS had come upprTmOst ana rat nl,nnst
out OF hcrOwn control. That savage sense of nrn,,
cry Whlch exists III unrcasunInu chiIIhond Lnt
risen 60 iamc and lice within her, mingled with n'f
mace sun more furious 10y the terror au, manic az