The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-09-12

menf against him. She knew that he
was doipg that which he believed would
be the best for her welfare. She, over
whelmed by the debt of her gratitude.
had acceded to his request, and had
been unable afterwards 10 depart from
her word She had said that it should
be so, and she could not then turn upon
him and declare that when she had given
him her hand, she had been unaware of
the presence of another lover. There
was an injustice. an unkindness, an in
gratitude, selfishness in this, which
forbade her TO think of it as being done
to herself. 1t was better for her that
she should suffer, though the suffering
should be through her whole life, than
that be should be disappointed. No
doubt the man would suffer, too-her
hero, her lover-he with whom she
would so willingly have risked every
thing. either with or without diamonds.
She could not. however. bear to think
that Mr.. Whittlestaff should be so very
prudent and so very wise solely on her
behalf. She would go to him, but for
other reasons than that. As she walked
about the place half the day, up and
down tie long walk. she told herself
that it was useless to contend with her
love. She did love John Gordon; she
knew that she loved him with her whole
heart: she knew that she must be true
| to him-but still she would marry Mr..
Whittlestaff, and do her duty in that
state of life to which it had pleased God
to call her. There would be sacrifice
sacrifice of two-still it was justice.
Had she not consented to take every
thing from MIR. Whittlestaff; her bread,
her meat, her raiment, the shelter I'M
der which she lived, and the position in
the world which she now enjoyed? Had
| the man come but day earlier it would
all have been well. She would have
told her love before Mr.. Whittlestaf
had spoken of his wants. Circum-
stances had been arranged differently,
aud she must bear it. But she knew
that it would be better for her that she
should see John Gordon no more Had
he started at once to London and gone
thence TO the diamosd-f fields without
seeing her again there would be feel
ing that she had become the creature
of stern necessity: there would have
been no hope for her. as, also, no fear.
Had he started n second time for South
Africa, she would have looked upon
his further return with any reference to
her wants as thing impossible. But
now how would it be with her? Mr.. Whit
tlestaff had told her with stern indif-
ference that she must again meet this
man, sit at the table with him as an old
friend, and be again subject to his intiu-
ence. 1T will be better that YOU should
meet" he had said, without the
necessity of making a scene" How
could she assure him that there would
be no scene"
Then she thought she would have re-
course to that ordinary feminine excuse,
a headache; but were she to do so, she
would own the whole truth to her mas
ter; she would have declared that she
so loved the man that she could not en-
.dure to be in his presence. She must
now let the matter pass as he had in
tended. She must go to Mr.. Halls
house. and there encounter him she
loved with what show of GOODNESS she
might be able TO assume.
But the worst of it all lay in this
that she could not but think that he had
been induced to remain in the neighbour
hood in order that he might again try
to gain his point. She had told herself
again and again that it was impossible,
that she must decide as she had de-
cided, and that MIR. Whittlestatf had
decided so also. He had used what
eloquence was within his reach. and it
had been all in vain, He could now
appeal only to herself, and to such APP
peal there could be but one answer.
And how was such appeal to be made
in Mr.. Halls drawing-room Surely
John Gordon had been foolish in re-
manning in the neighborhood Nothing
but trouble could come of it.
80 you are going to see this young
man AGAIN. This came from Mrs.
Bsggett, who had been in great per-
turbation all the morning. The Ser
geant had slept in the stables through
the night, and had his breakfast brought
to him warm by his own wife: but he
had sat up among the straw, and had
winked at her, and had asked her to
give him threepence of gin with the
cat-lap. To this she had acceded.
thinking probably that she could not
altogether deprive him of the food 10
which he was accustomed without in
jury. Then, under the influence of the
gin and the promise of a ticket to
Portsmouth, which she undertook to
get for him at the station, he was in
duced to 90 down with her, and was
absolutely dispatched. Her own box
was still locked up, and she had slept
with one of the two maids. All this
had not happened without great dis
turbance in the household. She her.
self was very angry with her master,
because of the box; she was very angry
thought, averse to her old lover; she
was very angry with Mr.. Gordon, be-
cause she well understood that Mr..
Gordon was anxious to disturb the ar
rangement which had been made for the
family. She was very angry with her
husband, not because he was generally
a drunken old reprobate, but because
he had especially disgraced her on the
present occasion by the noise which he
had made in the road. No doubt she
had been treated unfairly in the matter
OF the box, and could have succeeded in
getting the law of her master. But she
could not turn against her master in
that way. She could give him bit of
her own mind, and that she did very
freely; but she could not bring herself
to break the lock of his door. And
then, as things went now, she did think
it well that she should remain few
days longer at Cookers Hall. The oc-
casion of her masters marriage was to
be the cause of her going away. She
could not endure to be foremost among
all the women at Cookers Hall. But