Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-04-17
CHAPTER TX
III AF TER IA.
ON THE SITUATION.

but it had pursued an even way, as
yet arrested neither by rocks nor rapids.
Philip had told Grace what had passed
between him and Angela, including the
VOW of secrecy.
Has she not given any final answer?'
asked his sister, sharply.
+" No; is it likely?'s
1.-The most likely thing in the world,
should have supposed"
- How can she know, or decide any
| thing, upon so short notice?"
Anything! She ought to be able to
say whether she loves you or not, and
whether she intends to marry you OF
not.'
"You forget, Grace, that until !
told her she had no idea of anything
of the kind. 1t took her by surprise. y
1T was ON the tip of Grace's tongue
to say: How can you talk or believe
such nonsense?" but she restrained her
lips.
Philip went on to plead with his sister
to be kind to his sweetheart.
IS don't understand you," he said.
"You seem jealous. or as if you disliked
her, or something; it is so unlike you;
and l should have thought that 4 girl
in her helpless and triendless position
would naturally appeal to your kindest
feelings, fatherless. motherless and
brotherlesS as she is.
II should not think about her in any
way if you had not chosen to fall in
love with her. When it comes to YOUR
wanting 10 marry her, naturally begin
to criticise her, and the more I see of
her the more / feel that she is not half
good enough for you, and does not APP
preciate YOU"
"That is nonsense-and worse than
nonsense said he, gravely, almost Sc
verely, land must beg of you not to
say anything of the kind again"
So the discussion went on, Grace
holding out at first, and saying many Bit
ter things. line of argument she MAIN
tanned SO long as Philip continued cold
and severe: but as soon as he tried the
weapons of tenderness and persuasion,
kiss anu whisper of entreaty, melt
ing into tears, and abiectly promising
to do anything he liked rather than
grieve him. d
"Only, Philip" she said, putting her
arm round his neck, and speaking in a
whisper, " know some one else worth
ten thousand Miss Fairfaxes-so good,
and with such true heart, and / had
so hoped she would be the wife whom
you would choose"
Don't, Grace! You don't know
what you are saying. You will say
something dsloval to some friend if
you don't take CARE he said, hastily,
but Grace saw a deep flush across his
face, and wondered if he had guessed.
If he would only have seen in their
proper light the different hearts of
Thekla Berghaus and Angela Fairfax,
how happy she would have been! But
brothers, she reflected, were proverbi-
ally perverse in such matters.
Nevertheless, she braced herself to
make the best of it, and to do the will
of this mistaken man, since she loved
him tenderly, and desired his happi-
ness. She was therefore portentously
amiable to Angela; called upon her, sat
with her, invited her to spend the even
ing with them, and always ended by
finding that there was apparently no
single topic which she and Miss Fairfax
could discuss with mutual satisfaction;
so in despair she at last turned to Ma
belle. and petted and made much of
her, wondering what made her so thin
and detected. In private, she had con-
fided the awful secret to Thekla. from
whom, indeed, she could with difficulty
have concealed it, and Grace, in her
chagrin, could hardly be expected to de-
ny herself the exquisite luxury of open
ing out in private to her friend the
thoughts which elsewhere she was
obliged to keep locked within her own
breast.
MARK my words,'' she said, at what
\ LII
opportunity, lit will end in disaster.
Philip is bewitched. Thekla-bewitched
as Merlin was with Vivien-only Vivien
had brains and she has none. You may
see it by the very glance of his eyes, and
hear it in the rubbish he condescends to
talk with her. Or else he sits staring
at her, and she looks at him now and
then, and smiles. How 1 detest that
smile of hers! Sweet it may be, but it
is as utterly imbecile as smile can be.
As if two human beings could go ON
living on looks and smiles! DO you
know what they ought to be talking
about. if there was any seriousness or
possibility about the thing? Why, about
ways and means, and his position, and
their future prospects, and how she
could help him, and how they are to
start In NE. anu instead OF ludt, when
they do talk, it is idiotic stuff about
music and sentiment and singing.
Pshawr'
She paced about Thekla's bedroom, in
which these disclosures took place,
while Thekla herself sat, her lips set,
her fingers apparently engrossed with
her embroidery
''It haunts me. and makes me
went on Grace. (Which
ever way look, can see nothing but
misery. If she jilts him 1 believe he
will break his heart. or go mad, or
He is such fool-such a
dear old fool. And if she marries
him.
For Heavens sake talk of some
thing else! l can not bear-I am
wearied of it! WHAT do / care?" said
Thekla, sharply
And Grace, silenced in her TRADE, and
confirmed in her suspicious, fell 10
weeping.
Despite her wretchedness she was
able to face the prospect of going with
L. L,lI ;.h To-.