American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-07-02

Ross had been delighted to meet Lady
| Viola again. OF the sweet, passionate
| love buried while the Christmas snow
| lay upon the ground he knew nothing.
In the full security of his own happy
| love he had laughed a little ut the hand
some Neapolitan.
lie will be like many Others" he
said, "a wiser man for loving Lady
| Viola"
Ross and Lady Viola had met with
| all the old affection on his side; on hers
there was trembling agitation, which she
tried TO mask with Indifference.
..How YOU have altered, Ross." she
said, looking with shy eyes into the dark,
handsome face. You are bronzed and
sunburnt."
$50 would you be, Viola. after three
years under a Spanish sum-
You look older. You have grown {
beard and mustache! You are not like
the Ross who went away"
| You do not seem to think l have
improved" he said.
.Yes, l do; but YOU are SO much more
little brother!f'
AS she spoke child lovely as cher
ub ran up to Ross and sprang into his
arms
..Do you love him so much?" asked
Lady Viola. wonderingly.
Indeed l do answered Ross; 1--WE
love each other dearly. But 1 never
show any fondness tor him before Lady
| Cumnor; if l did, she would contrive tc
make the child dislike me. We man,
age to do all our love- making when nc
one is near"
She laughed, and said. carelessly-
.One can see the child loves YOU well
>nough;' for the little pink arms
We're clasped around his neck, while
the child kissed him with passionate
affection.
..Would you like to go out on the
lake, Hugh?' he asked. And the child
cried in his glee:
Yes, yes; with you in boatr'
Ross prom sed to take him. Holding
the little one by the hand, Ross made
his way to the great armchair under
the cedar, where Lady Cumnor sat in
state.
MAY take Hugh on the mere. Lady
Cumnor?" he asked; and she looked
up with a cold. cruel smile.
eff you will promise to bring him
back safely" she replied; and some OF
the group round her were surprised at
the words.
"Why should not?' he asked.
She laughed an insolent laugh that
brought hot flush to his face.
"Why should you? You know best
because he will be heir of Larchton
Mere, probably"
He wondered at her bad taste in
speaking thus publicly. But he con-
soled himself with the thought that her
ill-breeding could not hurt him.
81 a., NOT think ha will ha hair IF
Larchton Mere. madam he said.
"You forget that have an equal-right
to it."
81 forget nothing. l wonder Sir
Austen has not told you before now. Is
it possible that you do not know? Sir
Austen drew up a will some months
since, making my boy, the son of an
Englishwoman, heir to these English
lands"
There was stir in the little group,
partly caused by surprise at the news
and partly owing to the way in which
she told it. But Lady Cumnor's desire
to triumph over him overcame all her
shame. Ross was for few moments
rendered speechless by the blow. Then
the hot blood rushed to his face, and he
muttered some words that sounded like
threat to Lady Cumnor.
do you threaten me, Mr.. Ross''
she asked. calmly.
He turned on his heel and left her.
He could never remember in the after
years what those murmured words were.
He forgot that he still held the chilTs
hand, and he walked on in his excite
ment until they were at some distance
from the crowd-alone, in fact; and
then he saw that the child was crying.
81 want the boat, Ross" he said.
You shall have it, my darling; it is
no fault of yours" replied Ross. Quite
by chance, John Gotham, who had
charge of the little pleasure boat and
the boat-house, came up at that mo-
ment.
81 want the boat, john" said Ross.
"I am going to take the child on the
mere"
John thought his young master looked
strange; but he made no remark. He
helped to get out the boat; and the last
he heard of them was the child's cry OF
delight as Ross rowed towards the white
water lilies.