Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-08-23
CHAPTER vi.

WALTER is ASToNISHED AT HIS COUSINS Gu
RIoUs RECEPTION OF A DECLARATION OF
LOVE.
From the time of the first visit of Mrs.
Markham to the studio of Miss Dillon, q
great change had taken place in her hab-
| its and demeanor. Thenceforth the house.
keeper was a constant attendant on her
young mistress, and she waited on her
with assiduous attention. Her visits were
always welcome, and poor guileless Kate
sremed to take great delight in them.
She no longer confined herself to her
room, but at all hours she wandered in
company with Mrs. Markham through the
beautiful grounds of the mansion but at
no time was she invited to ride, and in
deed gave no sign that she ever expert
enced desire to.
She seemed to have forgotten all about
horses or drives; or, in fact, anything
else. Her painting was neglected, her
piano was closed and silent, and her whole
wish and desire seemed to be for the COM
pany of the woman who was doing her so
deadly an injury.
OF her own free will she now often went
to the library, and entered into senseless
conversations with old Mr.. Dillon who
treated her with peculiar kindness.
She had grown into the habit of encoun-
tering her cousin Walter, and that young
gentleman was thunderstruck at the sud-
den prediction she exhibited for his So
ciety.
He often sauntered among the flowers
| with her. and rowed her upon the little
| lake until Walter Dillon actually came to
think that his cousin Kate was actually
| in love with him.
Kate seemed to have forgotten all dis
| likes. She seemed now to hate what here
tofore was her love and her solace-her
paintings and her pictures. She could
| hardly endure to be alone in her room for
moment. She neglected her toilette; be-
came careless in her dress, and wandered
around vaguelessly and without an aim.
The color had entirely left her cheeks.
! She was thin and white; the bright ex-
preston had vanished from her eyes, and
| she went quietly where she was Leland
when Mrs. Markham wished to expert
ment did exactly as she was told. She
seemed to have no will of her own; no de-
| sire to act upon her own responsibility
She even seemed contented and happy.
Yet, when Kate Dillon was alone, she
| seemed for time to shake off this strange
lethargy, but resumed it like garment
when Mrs Markham, and indeed, when
| anybody else was with her.
One beautiful afternoon she was arrang-
ing some flowers in the conservatory, and
singing softly to herself, n habit, which of
late, she had indulgcd in much more than
formerly.
She was singing as she deity arranged
Iher bouquet, when her attention was at
tracted TO the footsteps of some one enter
ing the conservatory by the window which
opened from the ground.
She turned her head and beheld Walter
smilingly advancing towards her.
She closed her singing. and turning
round to him said in tone of pleasure:
"Why, Walter, where have you becn3 l
have not seen your since-since-
"Since this morning. coz-when j rowed
you out upon the lake. You haven't for
gotten that hope" he answered in an in
jured tone.
IL had indeed forgotten i'll thought
II was yesterday you sailed me ON the
lake; but l am getting very absent-mind
ed cousin Walter. and you must forgive
me-"
"Indeed will forgive you a thousand
times-only do wish you would think OF
me more than you do"
"Oh, / think of you very often-but
why should / think Of you more than any
one else cousin sec isn't that a pretty BIOS
soml" she suddenly exclaimed. holding VI
to his nose beautiful pink she had just
plucked.
Thus suddenly in conversation she flew
from one subject to another, grave or gay
il mattered not, and this course had eel
her down in Walters mind, for confirmed
coquette; for, to do the man justice, nc
did not know that there was any reason
why her mind should be affected, as 1t I'M
doubtedly was.
He had no knowledge of the diabolica
Vaccinations of Mrs. Markham ana ms
father, though Il is impossible TO say II nc