The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-27

and were promised each other before all
this was ever dreamed of, | don't think
Wen let it make much difference be-
tween us--only II rather had my little
lassc all penniless rs she was"
"You don't mean TO say you don't see
that now that nonsense must endP'
questioned Mrs. Fame in harsh, abrupt
tones. when gave my consent to
your marriage with Nora, ! gave it re-
luctantly enough as things were then;
as they are now, it's simply an absurd
impossipility, and if you're a sensible
fellow, rs | take you to be, Arthur Nor
ton, youth persuade Nora of this
Doubtless shell fret for time, but once
away from these surroundings she'll
soon learn to forget YOU
"Learn to forget metz mechanically
echoed the man, with white lips.
Don't believe her, Arthur-don't be-
lieve herr' pleaded the voice, which to
his ears was sweetest music; and now
two clinging arms stole about his neck,
the little nervous fingers tightly inter-
lacing in their grasp, rs though in that
instant she was to be torn from him.
"l'll not give her up easily, Mrs.
Fame; / promise you that. | know my
little girl better than you know her." he
went on, nerved by the contact OF those
warm, loving arms; "and | know that
she loves me too well to be readily
taught the lesson Of forgetfulness."
Again the elder woman laughed-a
bitter. scornful laugh.
"Do you think any man knows a
womanp" she questioned. 81 looked
for more sense from you, Arthur. But
listen-what has the child seen of the
world? Is she capable of judgingP If
YOU are so sure of her, let me take her
away for two years. At the end of that
time, if she's fool enough to want to
come back to the old life, | wipe my
hands of her. But she comes back pen
niless; remember that"
80 much the better, Mrs. Fame.
Give her to me now, penniless. Didn't
| think she was penniless when she
made me the richest, happiest man in
all the world, by her sweet promise?
But don't separate US for two years. 1t
would be crueln'
"You think so? Well, / would have
talked Just so when | was married. |
have lived to see the day when | knew
it would have saved me utter misery.
At least, give Nora the chance | have
missed.
She had inserted the blade in the
weak portion of his armor. Perhaps it
was true what she said; perhaps, one
day, Nora might awaken from her
dream and blame him.
You may be right, Mrs. Fame" he
answered, and in his tone there was
strange quiet "rll give her the chance
YOU speak of. But my little girl here
knows that when her wings are weary,
be it in two years, two months, ten
years, or twenty, / am here, and | am
waiting for her"
"Arthur, Arthur! don't give me up!'
she sobbed, as he uncasped his arms
from about her.
II must go, darlingN he answered
at is for YOU now to return to me.
And with one last, long, lingering
kiss upon the sweet, trcmulous lips, he
turned away and left her in the bitter
mockely of the June sunshine flooding
through the doorway.
"I's all nonsense, Nora! Anyone
would suppose, now that you had seen
something of the world, you'd have
learned little common sense. There's
not another girl in England would re-
fuse the chance of being peers wife. "
Mrs. Fanes voice had lost none of its
harshness, her face none of its hardness,
though twelve long months had come
and gone since wealth had come TO her
SO unexpectedly.
But if with her Time bad wrought no
change, not so was it with the girl, who
sat tightly locking her fingers, her
great brown eyes resting not on the
speakers face, but out away through
the open window, even to the little cot
tage which the thought of home ever
brought TO her mental vision the cot
tagc where now was only lonely man,
waiting and watching
Yet, was it as hard for him as for her?
He at least might be. left in silence,
thought, and prayer. She was dragged
into the whirl which was wearing her
out body and soul. The tire was in her
voice as she answered;
"Why will you persist, motherP
tell you there is but one man | will
marry. His name you already know"
and, with quiet dignity, she rose and
left the room.
No need of further argument, it could
only bring pain. A fierce anger darted
into the elder womans eyes. Words
circumstances, she could have met and
might have hoped to overcome, but this
quiet, resolute firmness batlled her.
"She drives me TO itn' she muttereC
to herself, in reference to some bidder
thought. "Shc drives me to it! But on,
day she'll thank me--one day, when
she's Lord Eresmere's wife"
The next few weeks were strangely
undisturbed to Nora. She even founc
some pleasure in Lord Erlesmeres so
ciety, since he no longer pressed hi
suit, and her mother seemed grown more
tender, and once even had spoken tc
her Of Arthur, and kindly, too.
Poor child! 1t was the calm proceed
ing the storm.
She entered the breakfast-room on
morning, to find her mother reading al