The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-06-13

" Aok kOcCupatdOnt sue started when tho
door offhek lfont room opened and s
servant, who was to her invisible, an.
lnounced Mr.. Horace Freake.
Lydia rose and received her visitor,
meantime ordering the gas to be lighted.
Il was half-past eight. Why had he
called at That hourf Why had hs mot
come In the daytime, while abe vss @
dull. rather than Just whom she was
singing? But, upon the whole, .she
was glad TO see Horace, who, no doubt,
simply desired TO inquire how shs was
after the dance Of the previous evening,
and had not been able 70 do 20 earlier.
AZ he betrayed, nevertheless, . certain
hesitation In his manner, she led the
conversation, and asked him whether
he had enjoyed Lady Carnaby's ball.
He had, he said, pretty we'll; and then
ensned . pause. during which Horace
rather awkwardly took seat at Lydia's
side, on an ottoman, and gazed at the
carpet: Mr.. Freake was not altogether
stupid. but even wits often become rath-
Ter dull when they are meditating an
immediate proposal; and the aitnstion
is 30 trying to almost every man who
finds himself In il, that it.amply ex-
cuses The exhibition OF little uneasi-
ness and nervousness. Mr.. Freake GER
tainly was nervousness, but he soon re-
covered himself.
"Your father is at the meeting, I sup
pose. Don't you find it very dull all by
yourself here, Miss Lirripip?"
"Oh, mol Ihave been singing; and
all day I have been painting
"But dull, Imean, without society I
know that I do; and / have much more
society, suppose, than you have. Un-
less I go ont, the evenings, I find, pass
very slowly. I cannot get the excite
ment of work, for of course one c,.n't
paint by artificial light; and II I try to
read I generally 60 to sleep over my
book"
II think that you must be difficult to
please, Mr.. Freake. You have . lovely
studio, and you ought alwaysto b abls
to amuse yourself with such beautiful
things as you have in your house. !"
"No! Idon't think sbst i an ddidiSult
to please. Miss Lirripip, FOR I know sx-
actly what want. The fact h, that .
bachelor's existence is not suited TO :
man Of my feelings and sympAthies. I
have lived wrapped upin my selfishness
and feel my heart growing colder and
colder every day. I have beautiful
things in my house but they don't satis-
~ me. / want living beauty some
thing that / may really care for, do for
which shall make my life
complete. And II was to talk to you
about this. Miss Lirripip, that I came
to see you this evening.
Lydia experienced . curious sensation
which she had never felt before.
You know, I suppose, Miss Lirri-
pip, he continued, what I mean. You
know that since I first saw you, three
or four years ago, have loved ,you."
And Horace took Lydia's unwilling
hand. "Can you," he went on, "learn
to love me? Will you be my"
Ratatattatattatatt! There was Q knock
at the front door, and Lydia was greatly
relieved.
"Is somebody coming up?" asked
Horace, anxiously. "Oh, I 20 much
want to tell you all. Say you are not
in. Send them away. But let me stay. :"
A voice, evidently Mr.. Merton Muir
leys, was now audible from below, the
drawing-room windows being open and
the voice being loud.
'It is Mr.. Murley," said Lydia. I
expect tilat he only wants me to give
some message for him to my father. He
will not detain me. But If let you
stay you must not talk any more rs You
have been talking, Mr.. Freake.n
At this moment there waS footsteps
on the staircase, and Horace, without
another word, fed incontinently into
the back drawing-room and rapidly
drew the curtains behind him 80 as to
conceal himself from the newcomer,
who immediately afterward was an
nounced.
Mr.. Murley was not so nervous as
Mr.. Freake had been upon his first 'ap-
pearsnce. He shook hands with Lydia
in an easy and light-hearted manner,
paid her an airy compliment, seated
himself comfortably opposite her, and,
| without any preliminaries, revealed the
object Of his visit. "Iknow your father
is out. Miss Lirripip", he said, "and I
may as we'll confess at once that have
deliberately taken advantage of his
absence to come to see you upon sub
ject which nearly concerns my happi-
| ness. lshould have spoken about it
last night but that I could not command
your attention save for a few minutes ct
time. Now, however, we are safe
from interruption"
But, Mr.. Murley," said Lydia, "it
would he much better if you would cali
when my father is In"
"Oh, that is not important, my >re|ar
Miss Lirripip. It is subject thas. lay
be settled by yoa alone" 4
Please. Mr.. Murley, do not tel. ime
about it now," pleaded Lydia. "The
windows are open, you know, and there
are servants about the house and"
Ratatattatattattat!
K. This time Horace, as we'll as Lydia,
vas greatly relieved; but Mr.. Murley
Was furious. 'tLet me see you to-mor-
row, he said hastily.
Yes! no! mop returned Miss Lir-
ripip, thankful Of any opportunity of
getting rid Of him.. "Good.bye, Mr..
Murley, good bye!" And the same
servant who showed up Sir Pertinsx
Popinjay showed down Mr.. Merton
Murley, who glared at the baronet with
look which spoke volumes.
My dear Lydia" said Sir Pertinax
as he offered both hands to Miss Lir-
ripip; "you were really charming last
night. fnever saw such : perfect sylph
in my life. and many people agreed
with me. Youwere the belle Of the room.
There is no doubt about it,
I'm sure it is very good Of you, Sir
Pertinax, to say so," returned Lydia,
"But I thought that the countess her
self"
"oh, the countess! shsand You can
not be mentioned together, my dear.
Every one said so. She has met her
fate. Ha, ha! But you-you are still
my dear Miss Lydia. Imay bea fool;
but, upon my honor, / have come here
this evening with the determined inten-
tion Of asking you whether you will
have me. You know I worship the
very ground you walk on.m And to
Lydias great consternation, the old gem
tleman, ere she conld prevent him, gall
lantly knelt at her feet, and took her
hand, with the evident intention of
pressing it to his lips.
"DO get up, please, Sir Pertinax.n