The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-05-29
PRIDE'S CONFLICT.
A STORY OF CASTE.
CONTINUED From Last Sundays Daily

ktcftl lFoiti HE ohly w coiiucihn inc III cN-
cry way"
''And are you sure you cannot tell my
reason, Florencey Or Is 1t that you wiful-
ly ignore It: But forgive me-" he pleaded
again. "You have given me so much pleas.
ure night--do not undo 1t all. | was
wrong In all | thought Of you just now /;
but YOU cannot realize what felt at stake.
Forgive mc,'' he said for the third time,
"liis "Reminiscences was very sweet to
her, his pleading very difficult TO resist
but pride aud the pleasure she felt in tor
turing the man she loved were all-power-
full
81 will do better than forgive-I will try
TO forget Tonight, and all the folies 1t has
brought" she answered coldly.
Ethel was coming near her on Mr.. Hast
ing's arm. Florence rose quickly to meet
her, followed by q glance OF keen reproach
from her cousin.
"Ethel, am tired after my folly in dane.
ing-did you see mes But it was all your
brothers fault. VIII you forgive me If
l steal away to bed. II must be very
late"
GAS youlike, dear,' her cousin answer
ed; sbut your face looks too bright for
much fatigue, does 1t not, John?" she said,
turning TO her companions; but he had
glanced towards Philip and had discovered
hidden meaning or trouble in his face,
and he drew Ethel gently from them.
Florence gathered her bouquet and fan
from the littlc table by her side, and, with
her trailing velvet skirt falling round her,
passed her cousin Philip without a glance
,,I ,un.nnInI AT, -, 10.
room. She heard him sigh heavily, but
he made no effort to restrain her; and, as
she turned on the stairs, and gave another
look back, she saw him pass his hand wea-
rily over his face and then re-enter the
nearly empty ballroom, where she soon
heard his voice in lively conversation with
some one still there. And she, although
the aggressor, felt aggrieved. Her pride
was not subdued, though her love burned
brightly.
She stood now before her glass in her
comfortable freight room. Was her love
deep enough, and all.powerful enough, she
wondered, to compensate her for the sac
rifce she must make, or thought she must
make, were she to yield to it, or did the
world promise her morey Would she not
hhN NV huHPluNoo luOlC tulll Ill lIt hulIlI-
ration her beauty might win for her in the
splendid home which might be hers once
again, on Lady Ravens return? She could
not tell, but she doubted; and the doubt
made her very sick at heart and weary with
her indecison.
There was as least the charm Of rest in
the home-life which she knew now was
within her grasp, and she felt glow Of
rapture when she pictured herself always
cheered by the tender tones Of voice so
sweet to her, the presence she loved so
well, and the heart anticipating, she knew
well, her every thought and wish. But
then she knew she would be for ever ex-
cluded from her old sphere, and costly
dress and jewels would be at her command
no more. She hesitated, was lost. Her
baneful tempter was even now by her side.
YEARLY she opened her dressing case to
return the few trinkets she had worn that
evening, when her eyes fell upon her aunts
last letter, unopened and, until that mo-
ment, forgotten. II had arrived late that
day, and determined that her pleasure
should not be undimmed, at least for the
evening, she had left It unread; but now
she threw herself into the easy chair and
perused it, All the tide Of tenderness
that had been rising within her was now
turned aside. 70
The letter was worthy of the writer
When once the Countess Raven desired to
accomplish any object she had in view,
she left but few means untried TO attain
success. Her love for her niece, small
though 1t might be, had wonderfully reyiy-
we'd Of late; and her ladyship's pride too
was hurt that her dead brothers only child
the reigning beauty of two seasons, who
had let a coronct slip through her hands
should be allowed to throw herself away
In sphere far below her. Her conscience
too was touched, for she knew the real
blame must lie at her own door.
But there might yet be time to retrieve
her fault, and experience had taught her
that Miss Worthington might be led or
tempted but not coerced; so she would
now try earnestly, with all the tact she
possessed, to fulfil her own wishes and pro.
vide brilliant future for her niece She
would hold out the most tempting lures
her brain suggested, and Florence found
herself apparently, and for the first time,
Of great importance In her aunt's estma-
tion. Lady Raven would return to Lon
don with Sir John Meddowes in months
time, when she earnestly desired her niece
TO be In readiness TO join her In Charges
Street for an unlimited visit at least
which was saving clause for her ladyship,
In case that Visit proved irksome; nor need
the arrangement preclude return to Flor.
enee's present home II she proved intracta-
Die or difficult to manage. lt
Lady Raven was counting the days, she
told her niece, to see her again. Her cous-
In, Lady Margaret, would be in England
two months later, when the weather would
be more settled and Lady Raven looked
forward to a brilliant season for them all
her own Importance enhanced by her
niece's beauty. The last piece of news in
her aunts letter made Florencc's lip curl,
and M old defiant light CLEAN In her eyes.
~ was that Lady Margaret had lately met
Lord Harcourt Vernon at Nice, ut the
Duchess Martor's reception, and that his
lordship had asked with great emprcsse.
incnt, for news Of his ex.haneee, Florence.
"Who knows, my dearest girl, what the fu.
ture may bring forth, and especially now
that you have gained 20 much sad expcri.
ence and are older and wisers'' her lady.
ship wrote playfully, In conclusion. Tho
postscript added that Lord Vernon would
bs almost Immediately IN town again for
the whole season, aad had declared his in.
tention Of making y speedy appearance in
Charges street.
Thil wus tho ylat NJ ths vxhnlo lettor