Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-05-15

| hau not forgotten them; and, when he hau
helped lima 10 alight, he turned back
with assumed carelessness, and catching
the mares bride from the hand of the
young groom who was holding it, took
out the flowers, and threw them upon the
ground.
lima saw the action, and such u blaze of
passion glowed in her eyes and flushed her
very brow that Roland recoiled, startled.
She sprang forward swiftly, and picked up
the flowers, her little hand trembling with
! the grief and anger which she yet contriv-
ed to keep from passing her lips. She felt
just then as if she hated Roland; she felt
1t seemed to flash upon her like sud-
den light-that he had thrown down the
| flowers because Sir Philip had given them
| to her; and there was enough childishness
in the woman's passion that shook her
| to make her wish that she had been boy,
| and so could have struck her insolent
| cousin.
"My dear girl" said Roland, seeing that
he had made grievous mistakc-Darrell
talking TO Rose, did not seem to have no.
ticed the episode-''pray forgive me! L
had no idea you wanted to keep the flow-
ers; you left them there yourself. They
are all dying"
of 1 did, what then. why did you go
out of your way to touch them" she an-
swered, and without another word walked
straight away and up the terrace-steps.
Roland stood still for few moments
with as black Il look on lli, face ~ eyer u
mans face wore but. rs he slowly follow
ed his cousin, his brow cleared somewhat.
After all, lie said TO HIMSELF, lima had Ell
Their forgotten the flowers or cared too lit
tie for them to take them from the horses
ear herself; and her sudden enthusiasm
for them was something very like an out
break of childish petulance ut what she
thought gratuitOus interference. Roland
Sabine understood much better the differ
ences between one soil and another and
the qualities that 60 to make good hunter
than the merest outlines of womaE's ma
turc.
Not one look or action of either person.
age had escaped Sir Philip Darrell; but
his delicacy Of feeling had forbidden him
To take any overt notice. Why should IL
ma be so angry with her Cousins act if she
had believed it what he tried 10 represent
il, simply the result of a passing thoughty
Besides, there was more than anger in the
brown eyes, more than she was conscious
of; and it made the blood Of the man who
loved her,course swiftly through his veins,
since was almost forgotten. She, poor
child, would doubtless think it would all
pass for girls impetuous pride, and
would cherish the flowers in defiance OF
Roland, and not for love of Philip. And
lac who had bestowed the simple gift drew
from it wild mad hope.
When lima reached her dressing-room,
she put the flowers cafefully i'm water; and
not u few burning tears fell upon the trem-
bling little hands that performed the task.
She felt Il good deal ashamed of herself,
though she scarcely knew why; for she
was not Il bit ashamed of her anger with
Roland; and some idea, too slight for def
mite thought was struggling in her sorely-
perpleXed mind that Roland did not think
of her as ''only a child" whatever Sir
Philip thought.
Justas she was ready 10 descend TO the
drawing-room, knock came at the door,
and, when she opened it, there was Ro-
land, looking very penitent and implor-
ing, and holding u beautiful half-opened
damask rose.
ado forgive me lima" lie said, "and
wear this rose, will you! 1 didn't mean
to veX you. You know ! couldn't have
meant that, lima
The appeal was we'll made to u generous
nature. The girl could not reject it; and
yet she felt her cousin was less grieved at
having offended her than afraid. She did
not really forgive him, because she was
sure that the feeling that had dictated mis-
conduct was still in his heart; and she
knew that he had spoken falsely when lie
owned only to thoughtlessness. She smiled
little, glanced keenly into Roland's face
from her long thick lashes, and took the
rose he offered.
"Never mind,' she said gently. 81 am
very impetuous, Roland. Thanks for the
rose. / will wear it,"
She took it and gave him her hand. He
drew her towards him and kissed her
check; and for the first time, lima colored
under her Cousins caress, and drew back
quickly from him.
"Come down soon," said Roland, with
inward citation noticing her confusion; and
lima promised.
She put the rose in her dress and went
down. Mrs. Sabine called her to her side
and complimented her on her leap, about
which, it seemed, Rose and jamie had been
"bragging."
lima laughed, and tried to turn the con-
versation from herself; and the announce
ment Of dinner came to her rescue. At
dinner she was placed next to Roland, Sir
Philip being opposite between Rose and
jamie. Suddenly, while Roland was say
ing something to her that she hardly heard,
for she was listening TO what Darrell was
saying TO her aunt about the opera in Flor
ence, Rose exclaimed
.Ilma, have you robbed my pet tree Of
that lovely damask rosew
"No," answered the girl, starting, but
laughing too; 81 did not take it. Roland
gave il TO me-"
"Then Roland is the thief; but you are
welcome, my dear"
al am sure she would have been equal
~ welcome il she had taken it," said Mrs.
Sabine, smiling. "You must treat this
like your own home, lima"
elbow good you are, aunt Sabinev' re-
turned lima gratefully, the quick color
flushing her cheek but the deeper because
she knew that Sir Philip had looked at
her.
Roland glanced ut his dark face, and
wondered whether his gift had thorn for
him. Sir Philip however read ali the sto-
ry OF the flower as plainly as IL 1t had BEEN
written on the table before him, and lie
smiled to himself os lie saw the young
Squire's look and OWNED what passed
within him. "He dare TO think of Offering
his love to Ilmaw was the naughty OAR
relps thought. Welded to him the girl
would indeed be "mated with clown"
Mrs. Sabine felt anxious on her sons
account. She could not help seeing that
Ilma's great beauty and fascination had
made deep impression OH Roland, and
she might we'll ask herself what the end OF
life was likely TO be, with such brilliant
counter-action as Sir Philip Darrell; ana,
even IL Darrell had not been on the scene,