The Red Cloud chief., 1884-08-08
CHAPTER vIL-Corrryrvn.

CHATTER vIL-CoSTryryp.
al am the gentleman" said Mr..
Whittlestaf, holding himself somewhat
more erect as he spoke. The position
was difficult. He cousi see that John
Gordon looked upon him, William
Whittlestaff, to be an unit person TO
TAX Mary Lawric for his wife. BY the
tom in which he asked the question,
and by his look Of surprise when he re-
sccived the answer. Gordon showed that
he had not expected such a reply.
"'What. In old man like you to become
the husband Of Mary Lawrie! Is this
the purpose for which you have taken
her into your house, and given her
those good things Of which you have
boastedr' Thus Mr.. Whittlestaff
read the look and interpreted the speech
conveyed in GordoD's eve. Not that
Mr.. " hittlestaff had boosted, but thus
he read the look. He knew that he had
assumed a special dignity as he made
his answer.
..Oh, indecd!'' said John Gordon.
And DOW he turned altogether round,
with his full frOwning eyes fixed upon
poor Mary.
''If you knew it all. you would feel
that i could not help myself" Thus
Mary would have spoken if she could
have given vent to the thoughts within
her bosom.
".Ies, sir. II is / who thihk myself SO
happy "a To have gained the affections
of the young lady. She is 10 be my wife,
and il is she who must name the lay
when she shall become 30. repeat the
invitation which | gave you before. /
shall be most happy TO see you at my
wedding. If, as may be the case. you
shall not be in the country when the
time comes; and if. now that YOU are
here. You will give Miss Lawrie and
myself some token Of your renewed
friendship, we shall be happy TO see
you if you will come at once TO the
house, during such time as it may suit
you to remain in the neighbOrhood."
Considering the difficulty of the posi-
ton, Mr.. Whittlestaif carried himself as
well as might have been expected.
Under such circumstances" said
Gordon, IL can not be a guest. in your
house" Thereupon Mr.. Whittlcstaff
bowed ''But | hope that ! may be al
lowed to speak a few words 10 the
Young lady, not in your presence
Certainly, if the young lady wishes
it"
Il had better not" said Mary.
"Are you afraid of me-"
Il am afraid of myself. 1t had better
not be SO. Mr.. Whittlestaff has told
you the truth. L am to be his vile;
and, in offering me his hand, he has
added much TO the infinite kindaesscs
which he has bestowed upon me-
''Oh, ii you think So
81 do think SO. Ii YOU only knew il
all, o would think 5 % o.
How long has this engagement ex-
isted?" asked Gordon. But Mary
Lawr:e could mol bring herself to give
an answer.
Iii you are not afraid of what he
NAV say TO you?'- said Mr.. Whittlc-
-staff.
81 am certainly afraid of nothing
that Mr.. Gordon may say"
Then | would accede to his wishes.
1t Will he better TO have it over" MIR.
Wnitticstail, in giving this advice, had
thought much as to what the world
would saw of him. lie had done nothing
of which he was ashamed-nor had
Marv,> She had @iven him her promise,
and he was sure she would not depart
from it. 1t would, he thought, be i'll
fini;ely better for her, for many reasons,
that she should be married to him than
to this wild Young man, who had Just
returned from the diamond mines, and
wou!d soon. he imagined. go back there
again. But the young man had asked
to see the giSl whom he was about to
marry, alone. and it would not suit him
to be afraid TO allow her SO much lib
segty.
Il shall not hurt you, Mary" said
John Gordon.
81 am sure you would not hurt me. "
Nor say an unkind word"
s.Oh. no, You could do nothing un-
kind, / know. But you might spare
me and yourself some pain"
Il can not do H." he said. al can
not bring myself to 60 back at once
after this long voyage, instantly, as
should do, without having spoken one
word to YOU. | have come to England on
urpos I O see YOU. Nothing shall in
drce me to abandon my intention of
doing so but your refusal. l have re-
ceived u great blow and it is You who
must tell me that there is certainly no
cure Tor the wound"
There is certainly nonc," said
Mary.
..Perhaps had better leave you to.
gether," said Mr.. Whittlestaff, as he
got up and left the room.
CHAPTER VIII.
JoHN GORDON AND MARY LAwRIE.
Tie door was closed, and John Cor.
don and Mary were alone together. She
was still seated, and he, coming for.
ward, stood in front of her. Mary
he said and he put out his right hand,
rs though to take hers. But she sat
still. making no motion to give him hel
hand. Nor did she say a word. IC
her her promise TO Mir. " hittleslaff was
Binding the less binding because i,
had only been made on this very day.
She had already acknowledged to this
other man that the promise had beer
made. and she had asked him to spare
her this interview. He had not spared
her, and it was for him now to sa,
what there was to be said. She had set
lieu the matter in her own mind, AND
had made him understand that it wa:
so settled. There was nothing further
that she could tell him. ".Mary, now
that we are alone, will you speak TO me?'
II have nothing TO say"
..Shvuld L not have come to you?"
..You should not have stayed wheI
you found that L had promised myself
to another
'.Is there nothing else that 1 ma,
wish to say to you??"
There is nothing else that You should