The Penn's Grove record., 1882-04-08

peoples expense suggested hat they
should accept it, Birdie had offered no
opposition.
When a woman allows herself to
love a married man, she may tell her
conscience that every fault from the
wife palliates ner guilt but she must
be morally blind indeed If she mag
ines that all the qualities of all the
angels centered in the wrong one
would yer have weighed with her in
the indulgence of her unlawful pas
sion.
There was something artless-an
evident desire TO like and be liked
about the woman in possession which
went straight TO Brides heart and
disarmed her of any i'll feeling against
Lucius's wife-that is to say-no more.
"This is the first time l have ever
met any really great friends of my
husb9nd," sid Amelia, pouring out
the tea, "and you don't know how l
have been looking forward to your
coming"
Lady Constantia declared herself
delighted to be there.
She was something Off rattle, was
her lady ship, and not over-particular
about being listened to. This Birdie
had long since a~scertained. At that
moment she was dreamily contempla-
ting Amelia.
"How a man might love that sweet
little woman if she had only got the
first chance of him ~ was the mental
ejaculation.
A week passed, and Birdie sug-
gested to Lady Constantine that it was
time they took their leave and went to
the house of some other friends but
Lady Constantia was comfortable and
contented in luxurious Abbotscraithie,
and she would not be hustled. Birdie
must endure her torture a little longer.
She had gone out alone n lovely
September afternoon, taking a vol
ume of Shelley TO dream over, not to
read. In BRIDES frame of mind all
liz lihCo NCIt OhC DlullSu hJdc5t OIL
the words were indistinct. She sat
down in a little arbor that had been
built at the edge of a wood. A quarter
of an hour had scarcely passed away
when she heard a mans footstep sp
preaching the arbor, and she almost
sprang up with a light frightened cry.
Not Lucius no, not Lucius there
alone; she could not bear it.
It was Percy, and she sank back
into her seat as though relieved from
a grea fear. Not that she wanted
Percy's companionship-far from
it; and had he been a mar of the
world and a gentleman her monosyl
Liable replies would speedily have
induced him to pursue his way 30 the
house, and he actually had the auda.
city, though he had never received at
any time the most remote encourage
ment, to make Miss Verulam a formal
tender of his hand and POSSESSIONS,
looking quite surprised, too, when she
got up and told him that she regretted
he had made so great a mistake, such
an alliance being impossible.
"Impossible!" he repeated Tim
possible that you can ever care for
me?n
And Percy, whose belief in himself
was immense, looked at her in abso-
lutte establishment.
Under happier auspices Birdie
would have laughed as it was, she
turned from him with a sort of dis.
gust, merely saying very quietly:
please leave me i would rather be
alone"
A hot flush rose into Percy's face as
she spoke. This son of the people
imagined that Birdie, being the
daughter of a great house, was fiouting
him, and he resolved to be revenged.
Poor Birdie! OF the social chasm
that lay between them she never
thought only of how utterly incapa-
BILE a man like Percy was to supplant
Lucius in her aching heart.
Bitterly angry with himself for
evoking it, and with Birdie for offer
ing what he was pleased 10 call an
insult, he left the arbor without an
other word, walking rapidly along
the path toward the1house. When he
was about halfway some s.1tnd at
tracted his attention, and he looked
around. Lucius, strolling back, gun
in hand and alone, had reached the
arbor and stopped another second
and he passed inside and out of view.
5000, my lady Please leave me;
I would rather be alone.' OF course
you would. But you will not carry
on your little games at Abbotscraithie
if I can prevent it,"
In less than five minutes Amelia, |
forewarned by Percy, was creeping
along through the brushwood to the
back of the arbor, to learn, If possible,
herself unheard, something of what
was going on between her husband
and Birdie VeTulam.
"I would never have come If / had
known but, oh, Lucius, | thought /
could have borne it. Why did you
let her invite us ?"
-"My darling, | did my utmost to
prevent it but she was very positive,
and I-well you babe nae marry her,
and I-well, you see, l did not think
you would care so very much.n
"Oh, Lucius, l should have made
no sacrifice for you if had not really
| cared, but l thought l was drawer. If
only Lady Constantine would be per-
suaded to AXE me homer
my poor, poor, sweet love, Birdie"
was all the mar could murmur.
There was no consolation to offer
now.
"You must not kiss me, Lucius-