The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-11-16

She spoke with a Sigh, curl Of the
lip. and drew her hands away. He
did not try to keep them, but said
moodily:
Everybody may be right, for
aught / know. When we were chill.
dren, our guardians favored a cores
pondence between us, though, until
that magic year Of hers, we were for
bidden to meet, by that absurd old
will. 1t used to be fine, romantic
thing to me when | was foolish lad
II used to write to the child as my
wife; and | put bundle of her let.
tiers in the fire last night, ranging
back to the days when she made the
printing-letters-"
| "Poor child such long-standing
affair Of the hearth said Che girls
moekihg voice. Z
He looked down ather half angrily.
81 see you consider me conceited
prig, Joan; but remember, when |
say am afraid it may be, as you re.
mark, an affair of the heart in some
degree to her, l have acknowledged
that it was a romance to me also"
"When you were a foolish lad,
yes"
"And besides," he went on, ignor.
ing her flippant interruption, save
by a deep flush, "there is more in the
matter than perhaps you know. If
she refuses me, or | do not ask her to
complete perhaps ought to call
it our engagement-the estate all
lapses to some public endowment-a
museum or what not. And she has
been brought up with everything
which wealth could give her; and she
would be left without a penny. If l
could hope she would let me look out
for her as a brother"
"Bnt you are nothing of the kind" !"
cried the girl, interrupting him with
heightened color. "Of course you
81,
couldn't do anything of that sort for
her."
81 am afraid not" he said regret.
fully. A heavy cloud was on his
brow, as the girl looked up sideways
to see. She said, on a sudden:
"Why don't you ask me if she
would care so very much? People in
my position, you know, are usually
conidan.es."
II have no right to ask that ques.
iN., ,-r,. ---lsr,- IS h,c-e.,lr. n..sLl- 7
to ask it of her, Joan? You are a
woman; tell me what woman would
think honorable dealing with her."
Her color was coming and going,
and there was quivering smile upon
her lips. Sincerity" she said.
The two had mechanically resumed
their work, but Wentworth stood still
as she said this. He took joan $
hand in his.
81 shall see her this evening then,
and shall tell her the whole truth"
he said. "And, Joan, l owe it to her
to abide by her decision. Is it not
so?"
"Yes," she answered, standing be-
fore him with her eyes downcast.
She did not look much troubled, on.
ly flushed a little. Was he perhaps
throwing all his past away, and all
the brilliant promises Of the future,
for girl who did not even care for
him?
But he did not ask her any ques-
tion; he only held her hand a mo-
ment thus, then let it fall, and turn
ed slowly away, striking across the
fields towards his own home half
seen among the trees.
An hour later he saw the Kirton
carriage drive past his gate, on the
way home from the railway station;
some one was leaning back inside
very much veiled. Wentworth hard
ly looked after 1t, though not very
long after he was following it to
Kirton Towers.
Was Miss Kirton at home9 Yes;
Mr.. Wentworth would find herin the
mushroom.
She was playing softly, in the dusk
of the summer night, as he went in.
She did not come forward when he
was announced, but he saw a white