The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-08-20
at don't matter now Mr.. Payne

SAID, dreamy. III was you L cared
for. nv poor, motherless darling.
3 was heavily involved in the failure
of Vansant & Milligan. l shall no,
be able to keep my head above wa
! ter much longer"
More trouble of Burt Vansant's
making. 1 am glad that l refused
him Cousin Maude's address," Nora
said, as she stole caressing arm
about her fathers neck.
"Pavne on the eve of failure? p
Ralph Entresol had just happened
, on the vague rumor, and somehow
Mrs. Dusenbury's sneering words
, came back to him in the same
breath. And that is why she said
, yes SO readily" he thought, with q
sharp twinge in the region of the
heart, land l was fool enough tc
imagine the girl might love me as
her."
However, he called upon Payne
, at his counting-room that very even
ing, and offered him enough to
stave off ruin, if any reasonable sum
/, would do. Payne almost shed
tears as he accepted the kind
offer.
Don't tell Nora," Entresol stip-
ulated.
Ralph Entresol deserves you,
dear" Mr.. Payne said, as he gravely
kissed his daughter that even
ing. al hope you will love him,
Nora
Mr.. Entresol did not ask me to
love him: he asked me to marry
him." Nora said, chilly. az sup
pose he thought bis money would
supply all deficiencies of any kind
whatsoever.
Entresol deserves to be married
for himself" Mr.. Payne repeated,
but Nora made no reply.
| The engagement was short one
by EntresoPs own desire but, con-
siderably to Nora's astonishment, he
upon two distinct occasions offered
her the privilege of receding from
her promise to him, if she hesitated
any about fulfilling it. Each time
she looked straight at him, with
clear. honest eyes, and asked:
"Do you wish the engagement
broken, Mr.. Entresol?"
Certainly not; but | don't want
an unwilling wife,"
81 shall not be an unwilling
wife,"
And so the matter had ended.
The engagement days were oddly
formal. Ralph Entresol, though
undoubtedly very much in love and
reasonably prosperous in his wooing
did not seem happy, but quite the
contrary.
Mr.. Payne looked on and thought,
1t is his way, and Nora shut her
red lips very tightly and said to
herself, He don't deserve that any
woman should love him."
And so the wedding came, and a
lovelier bride never wore tulle and
orange-blossoms, or made the heart
of bridegroom thrill with solemn
happiness.
She looks happy" thought |
Ralph Entresol, as the little hand |
fluttered into his, and the sweet,
arch face lifted itself brightly toward /
him, an instant before entering the
waiting carriage. Is it possible
for woman to find happiness in
marrying SO selfishly? must teach |
her to love me, she is such a child |
yet" and he suppressed sigh.
The wealthy lawyer had prepared
a home befitting the lovely young
wife he was bringing to it.
If she marries me for my money |
she shall have her price"
Noras raptures, as he conducted
her over their home upon her return
from the wedding tour, would have
been sweet to the ears of most bride
grooms, but Ralph Entresol listened
with gloomy countenance, an un-
smiling face.
Nora was not unmindful, and
presently. when they had seen all,
she stopped beside her husband,
grave as be.
=" 1t is all very beautiful, she said,
= and | dare say | am a very unrea-
sonable woman to find any lack
amid such perfectness but |
do"
Ralph EDtresol stood with averted
face, but he turned swiftly as she
spoke, struck more by the tones
than the words.
7" Yes, Ralph, to my mind it all
lacks one thing. If l cannot have
that, it is all. beautiful as you have
made it, valueless in my eyes"
And what is that, Nora ~ he
asked, il a low voice
. 1t is the love and confidence of
my husband"
= Nora !" with a start and culver,
you have always had that"
Your love, perhaps ; but only
in such stinted fashion as your en-
tire failure of confidence prescribed.
There is something between us,
Ralph. What is it?"
Ch, Nora ~
=" Tell me, my husband, and
Nora dropped toward him as bios
SONS toward the sun. and lifted
eyes dewy and dark with emotion
to his.
" Do you love me, Nora?a Il
The sweet, tremulous lips quiyer-
ed into tender smiling.
"If you had ever asked me before,
| should have told you as | tell you
now, Yes, Ralph and Nora hid
herself in her husbands arms, and
the tears which would come now
he kissed away, while he pleaded,
not in vain, for forgiveness for the
long doubt.
Z