The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-10-15

all trace. Then she went downstairs
again, entering the library with a light,
soft step.
swell" ahe said, coming to Philips
side as he stood reading by the mantel-
piece, what does Walter say?'
Philip laughed; yet she fancied he
looked a little troubled too.
Poor lad, " he said, zone Of the bur-
dens Of his letter is money | am
afraid | shall have to hint to him that
there is limit to my purse He con-
fesses, with n penitence which is anus
ing, that he has been doing The swell a
little too much with the fellows of his
regiment. Champagne breakfasts and
dinners at Richmond, he says, naiyely,
do walk into lot of money, Philip,
and you know all the fellows do it, and
it looks so mean not to go in for the
same STYLE
rs that the height of his Offences"
said Erica, with a smile that was fllll
of pain. you cannot refuse him,
Philip; the lad has temptations, no
doubt, and the I4ancers are expensive"
TOO expensive said st. John; "and
! scarcely know how to refuse him.
suppose ! shall have to run up to town
and look into it. Perhaps he does not
tell me ALL
"Oh, Philip you are so cynical"
"And you, my dear child" and st
John smiled half sadly, you are so in
nocent DO you think younger broth
ers always make father COnfesSorS Of
their eldersYn
II trow not they are young men still"
But mere money spending or vast
ing be added, after pause, docs not
trouble me. You can't make a grave
man out of lad of twenty. If Walter
keeps clear of anything ungentlemanly
shall not look too closely into his ac-
counts
And what is your estimate Of 'un-
gentlemanly?' Erica said, listening
eagerly for the answer, she knew it
could only crush her with pain.
A difficult question to answer. Bet
ting and gambling, though not general
~ counted as degrading for a gentle
man, in my code Of honor are wrong,
and there are other ways Of staining
honor, to which | don't think Walter
would be tempted, for, whatever his
failings, he is st, John, lie speaks IN
his letter. Philip added, glancing at
the letter, "of young fellow he seems
TO be a good deal with. He says: I've
lately cottoned with fellow, who's
really awfuIly nice, but awfully fast;
not one Of your sort. Philip-not that |
accuse you of being anything so dreadful
as straight laCed-but he bets and plays
like lone O'Clock" and goes ahead gen
orally He's got some money, but not
enough for all he does and the devil
knows how he lives But tell you he
goes the pace, and don't know how it's
one gets drawn on with him. He's so
confOundedly jolly and winning, you
know"
His name--he doesn't say his name"
said Erica, and all her control could not
prevent her voice from trembling lit
tie, for her heart seemed to he crying
out but one nanle-a name she dreaded
to hear,
mo, lie does not mention his name;
he says he has come doWntO Ringt0n,
where there are races coming Off
Ringto is not far from here, is it!o
mo, not far, the girl said, mechani-
cally-"not far
And then Philip turned again to his
writing, glancing at her from under his
long, dark eyelashes.
She puzzled him a little Tonight; she
was clearly not herself. Perhaps she
was oppressed with the nervousness
that must come about her these first
days at the Old house of her childhood,
or she was not well, or mayhap-that
dark cloud Of thought would sweep up
she was beginning to find her life
with him dull and drcary.
The minutes slipped by fast to him;
slowly, each one laden with anxious
thought. to her; till at length he rose,
having finished the work he had to do.
ELEVEN o'clock, he said, looking at
his watch. 81 am going to take this up
to the postoAiCe, You will not mind
being alone for little time, Erica, will
youW
lie half smiled as he said it, for she
had fearless spirit and was used to be-
ing alone.
So he went out, and she heard his
light step on the grayel-path, stood
listening to the recedng sound till it
ceased altogether ana she knew he had
passed out into the road that led down
the clitfside into the Iligh-street. The
postotlice was quite at the other end Of
Grayle, and some twenty minutes must
elapse before he could return.
Then Erica stood up, pale and anX-
ious, yet resolute.
For moment she paused, and sigh
Of utter despair and anguish escaped
her.
"Shall 60" she murmmed.
Then as the remembrance Of her oath,
sworn by the bedside of her dying
mother, required to her, she shuddered
and clasped her hands together pite-
ously.
81 must, must" she whispered to
herself with white lips, and pushing
her hand through her hair, she threw
light shawl over her shoulders and
stepped out of the window into the soft
chill air.
She hurried on with every sense on
the alert to catch the faintest sound.
She sped down the damp walks across
the lawn, behind u belt Of thick trees
that shut out the view of the house,
then stopped, her heart throbbing, wild
ly, heavily, at the little white gate that
gave access to an unfrequented road
winding drearily oyer the hills inland,
paused as mans figure came to the
gate and swinging il open, stood before
her and clasped her hands in his.
She trembled as she felt the clasp
that closed round her neryeless fingers
--trembed with vague sense Of fear
she could not control.