The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-12-08
" ONE OF THREE"
BY JEssK FoTHzRGHL,
author of Probation" the welfe,ds," BIC


Rupert held out his hand to his
friend. asking him without words to
come nearer. Margaret sat silent, un-
willing for some reason to he the first to
speak. Baldwin seen by daylight, she
found, was much the same as Baldwin
seen by lamplight Margaret found
that her first impression had been a toll
erably correct one. He had absolutely
no pretensions to good looks His face
was pale, his features blunt and almost
plain. He had a good, intellectual fore
head, and a pair of hazel eyes, of no
particular force or brilliance of express
sion, but calm, clear and somewhat
critical. His figure, though tall, was
somewhat clumsy, and his movements
devoid of any special grace. One
would feel inclined to trust in him-to
believe what he said. One felt that his
reservations would always be true, his
course of action conscientious-perha
painfully so. Whether there were in
his character any traits of profound no
bi1ity, generosity, capacity of self-sacri-
flee, chivalrousness, none unacquainted
with him could possibly infer from any
study of his countenance, which had no
marked expression except one of
marked neutrality. In those days Mar
garet did not understand the crushing
power of negative kind possessed by
some of these Insignificant looking men
with neutral expression. Still, she
comprehended at glance certain
points; she fully understood, for in
stance, that John Mallabarr and this
young medical man were characters
..h oh "a.
can be. In the presence of John MALTA
barr she had experienced no sensation
of anxiety, and now, in the presence of
Louis Baldwin, she did experience such
a sensation. While walking about the
garden with Mr.. Mallabarr she had
been quite conscious that they got on
very well together, and that it depend
ed entirely on her will and pleasure as
to the terms which were to exist be-
tween them. Now she wondered
whether she and Louis Baldwin would
get on, and she had an uneasy, but dis
tinct consciousness that that would be
as he chose-not as she did-which
consciousness urged her to put on an
outward semblance of indifference,
while yet another emotion vaguely sug-
gested that sometimes discretion is the
better part of valor, and ever in the
background was the disagreeable con-
seriousness that she was where she was,
and what she was, under false pre-
lenses.
as she thought thus, she heard
voice saying:
81 hope you do not object to my hav-
ing listened along with the rest of the
audience"
alt is matter of complete indiffer-
ence to me-" she answered. | have
sung to audiences before now without
/ sang to please Rupert. Do you often
find time to take walks on the pier in
the afternoon"
II might almost say never" said he,
regarding her, as she felt with annoy
ance, scrutinizingly. "But called at
Blackford Grange to see our friend here
you look wonderful, Rupert, old fell
low!-and when Mrs. Lascelles found l
could not come again in the evening,
she desired me to come down here, as
she did not wish me to miss seeing him
altogether. To that behest you owe the
pleasure of my company at the present
moment | felt bound not to interrupt
when L found you singing, with an
audience behind you. 1t would not
have done to interrupt Carlisle Wall
with a request to feel Rupert's pulse
which please let Inc do now, my boy"
he added, taking Rupert's hand.
Margaret was forced to sit still while
ne counted the lads pulse, and she
pondered on the situation.
"Did you rest last night, Miss Perci-
val, after saw youp" he asked, put
ting his watch in his pocket, without
further remark.
mo; at least not until long after
daylight. 1t was, as you said, the first
time. was somewhat agitated and
excited"
mo doubt. For me, fell asleep in
the arm chair by Rupert's bedside, and
never woke till heard the servants
stirring. Then l departed
"Yss."