The Portland daily press., 1881-11-14

tagu was picked up extensively bruised,
and very careful to give Jack as wide berth
as was compatible with the capabilities OF
the ship.
''Curse your Jack shouted after him. 'I
don't believe sh would have you at any
pricer' And yet it puzzled him to guess why
Dorothy had acted as she did.
One week the regiment remained, after
landing, at place called Deolalee: and
when they went forward to Unapore they
marched without Mr.. Bryan Montagu, who
returned to England by the next steamer.
he had seen enough of India during these
seven days, he said; but Jack Sinclair al
ways felt, with thrill of satisfaction, that
he had something to do with his return. He
had not forgotten the time not far distant,
when BRYAN Montague had talked of the de-
lights of India with what was nothing short
of rapture.
Three years passed away before Jack Sin
clair returned to his native shores. He did
so then because he had come into his inheri-
tance, for his father had gone into that
higher region where such things as earthly
riches and troubles have no place. But he
died. blessing Jack to the last; and Jack had
been sent for, reaching his home, alas! too
late.
And so he was 40 longer Jack Sinclair, the
dragon. troubled with numerous debts and
other difficulties, but Sinclair Of Cleve, the
owner of good estate, the head of good
country family 1t was perfectly astonish-
ing how nice every one seemed to find him.
The self-sanie people who had looked very
mucdaskance at ''that dreadfully wild fell
low, Jack Sinclair" found out that, after
all Young men will be young men, and that
hast lodt
went so far as to affirm that the widest
Young men make the best husbands. Those
were ladies with marriagble daughters.
But they angled and baited their traps for
him in vain. Jack would have none of them.
His mother remained the undisturbed mis-
tress of Cleve and his sisters declared he
must have left his heart in India.
Jack said EXACTLY SOP and then they
wondered why he hadn't married her. Efic
suggested that perhaps she was married al
ready; but the more strong minded Laura
secuted that idea altogether. She was sure
Jack would not be such fool as that. No;
depend upon it, Jack did not feel altogether
satisfied about herl Perhaps her family was
not to his liking. That the lady might be
unwilling never entered their heads. Was
not Jack -Sinclair-of Cleve, with 81, 900 q
wear?
uogavar +beir coniacturas brought than
M nearer the truth since lack turned
aoof aor n the;r hints and invariahlv
answered them with the same word. "Ex-
actlv y
lyon ougbt to marry.o Laura told him
one day.
ssEysctlv., ,, said Jack. easily
.Grben whv do,,,t vo1,p,, she asked. npm
.ure von,re in love.
ssEyactlv -
To saw the least of it. the answer was dis
conraoino
Howaver in love or ont of II. Jack did not
chang his condition. He went about in the
character of an eligible bachelor. and SEEM
ed to find the position a yery pleasant one {:
at least. he Certainly made no attempt to al.
ter it. He had returned from India in the
summer; and during the autumn and win
ter ~ seemed las as if he was irving to make up
for the society he had missed during his
soionrp in the East The family at Cleye
saw but little of him until Christmas. when
he remained at home whole fortnight. At
the end Of that time he went northward to
paw long promised visit at the house of q
man who was in the cuirassiers when he
first ioined the regiment. He had a long
and cold Journey. arriving about an hour be-
fore dinner. Mai Holroyd went out to the
door to meet him. with a thousand apolo-
gies for not having met him at the station,
three miles away.
ssThe fact was, my bailiff came in just as
I was starting; and as his business was urg-
ent-roof of cottage tumbled in, worse
lucki-whv. was Obliged to 90 round and
make some arrangements for the family un-
till it can be attended to- he explained
aIt really did not matter.' Jack answered.
sHow is Mrs. Holroyd? o, there you arel''
as he followed his host into the inner ball.
s.How are youp And how's our old fuiend
Ethel?''
aGrown a monster Mrs. Holroyd
laughed. s'You'll see her presently, no
doubt. You'll have cap of toa, Capt.
Sinclair? I remember yonr old weakness
for it. think YOU must know everyone
here. excepting, perhaps, Lady Beauri-
vaoe' >,
greeting him effusively with great start
Yes. there she was! The one love Of his
life No longer pale. no longer with that
look of hunted pain in her great azure ewes:
but calm. smiling. self-possessed; and sit
finc near to her was BRYAN Montaqu. Jack
determined. as he held out his hand with a
orave how that his visit at Iark's Nest
wonld he cut short on the following day by
a nlea of ssurgent private affairs.''
ssThen YOU do know her?' Mrs. Holroyd
cried seeing the friendly yet half-distant
salutation.
Il used to know Capt. Sinclair" answer
ed Lady Beaurivage distinctly" "very well
indeed; but for some reason or other. he cut
me-"
sDead as door-nail," Montagu affirm
ed.
81 cannot believe that" cried Mrs. Hol-
royd emphatically.
''It is quite true," answered Lady Beau
rivage calmly; "ask him if it is not So"
81 won't ask you, Capt. Sinclair, because
have too much faith in you to believe it,"
said the hostess.
"Unfortunately it is perfectly true" Jack
returned gravely.
''Why?" some one asked thoughtlessly.
"Wby?" he repeated. 20, you must get
Lady Beaurivage to tell you thatw at which
the young Countess blushed so vividly Grim
son that every one laughed; and Mrs. Hol-
royd, to spare her further confusion, made
a move and carried her off to dress.
'Of course there's no truth in all that
nonsense about your cutting her? Major
Holroyd asked, when he and Jack were left
in possession of the hall.
30 yes, it's true enough" Jack answered
bitterly. "If I'd known she was staying here
shouldn't have come, and as it is think
had better leave you tomorrow"
"But what on earth has she done?''
"It was lust this way. LADY Beaurivage
-. o,,~o res5 ~ no .,d ;;ltod n,a-foy Mon