Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-08-30
PRIDE, PASSION AND Gv'!l|7Y,
THE FORTUNES OF A HUNTED
HEIRESS.
OR 49,
CHAPTER VII.

SHOWING WHAT IIASDT THING IT Is TO
HAVE AN ANTE-RoOM TO A LIC-.a-.s.
Miss Dillon went about the house, as
was her habit Of late. singing softly to
herself
She didn't seem To comprehend the sud
den change in her relations to the family
of her uncle-nor indeed seem To have
the least idea that she was engaged To- her
cousin at all.
While she went about with him, and
they talked quietly together, the one SIM
gle subject in which he was most interest
ed, to-wit, his marriage to the beautiful
Kate, Walter could not bring her TO speak
of at all. She would say that that matter
was in the hands of Mrs. Markham-that
Mrs. Markham would do all that was nee
cssary in the premises. and that they
mustn't further concern themselves about
il.
In the meantime poor Kate would per-
NIT no familiarities whatever-the nearest
approach that her cousin could come to q
more afiectionate understanding between
them, was once when he kissed her small
white hand, and even that privilege was
reluctantly granted him.
Walter, of course, vainly conjectured as
to the cause of this strange conduct on
he would about it, he could find no salts
factory solution.
But Hates strange trust in Mrs. Mark
liam. puzzled and annoyed him more than
anything else.
The idea Of Martha having such power
and influence over Kate was something so
extraordinary that it bewildered him.
Such system of counting and engage
ment as he had gone through. did not
seem very flattering to his pride. Kate
had not even said 'yes" to his suit but
had incontinently turned him over to the
housekeeper-yes, to the housekeeper-
at this stage of his reflection, Walter Dill
Ion gnashed his teeth-and the house.
keeper had given her consent! The
housekeeper had accepted him for Kate!
Was there ever such style of counting
and acceptance before-no! not even in
the widest romance he ever read.
The more the young man reflected the
frmer became his conclusion that there
was something behind all this-there was
mystery somewhere. What caused this
sudden change in Hates manner toward
him. She knew his whole record almost
as well as he knew it himself She knew
that he was bad man and what his rep
utation was in the world.
him. Would hardly speak TO him=-had
appeared to him strong-minded and dig
nitied woman. Less than one month ago
she was regally handsome-the bloom of
health bright upon her rounded checks
and its genial sparkle in her glorious eyes.
To-day-Heavens, what q change-pale,
weak, mentally and physically-moving
about at the beck and call of the woman
she most had hated, as Walter knew
pleased and friendly with those whom she
had most detested-all this to young Dill
Ion was puzzle of extraordinary intrica-
.cy, and Il puzzle which he determined
to unravel-not ihdeed to the interest of
his unfortunate cousin--but TO satisfy his
own curiosity and to satisfy himself ex-
actly as to the nature of the ground on
which he was standing.
During these refiections--thc Shdcl0aO OF
a thought had passed through his mind;
and, though he would not look ut it men,
tally-still he was impressed with 1.-THE
would allow it no place in his thoughts
and he banished it, or thought he did-but
it only became mixed up with other rub
bish in his mind-it was there even il he
did not see it--and that thought was
III hardly think M0t girl IS in her right
mindr
There was the solution of the whole
mystery. il he had accepted that thought
and turned il ovcra few times in his mind,
he might have accounted in some degree
for the success--if success it. could bc
called of his peculiar courtship.
But as have said he cast the thought
aside; wouldn't look at it for the simple
reason that he feared to. Still he deter
mined TO have talk with his father and
with Mrs. Markham, for, he said to him.
self, ''if there is any mystery in this affair,
and / think there is, am determined to
know it, and who has better iighti"
Now this string Of reflections indicates
the mean and selfish nature of this man
he didn't care the weight Of q canary's
feather for the interest of the fair girl
whose life and happiness was being so cru
ely plotted against-what he cared for
was-seouring the fortune OF the girl, and
that could only be done by marriage; as
for the girl herself, he didn't care the snap
of his fingers about her.
In pursuance of this determination he
entered the library where his father was
usually found after dinner, and at once
opened up the subject.
"There is something about this engage
ment,. father, that I cannot understand,
some mystery desire to have explained
and for that matter, that / am determ-
ined shall he explained. / me why il
is that Kate would not accept me without
the consent of g0ur house-kecper-sh didn't
seem to care snap for gour consent
didn't even refer to il when / asked her
to marry me-and in fact treated the
whole affair more as a funny joke, than
the solemn, and serious thing it should
be-"
A grim smile came to the lips Of the old
man Mt his sons reference 90 the "solemni-