Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-12-17

right bearing before the girl winch she,
In her innocence, might and did take
for outward evidence, of the mems con-
scia recti. Up to certain point, Ger
voise seemed to carry all before him.
The respectful admiration with which
he began his approaches soon gave way
to the less restr aimed intercourse OF
naturally agreeable intimacy, which, in
it's turn, drifted into the lively friendli-
ness possible between those whose
tastes in the less serious matters of life
are similar Gervoise was now keenly
anxious to advance still further; but
here he met with his first check.
To Miss Merriewether it was very
different matter to consider man as q
pleasant companion for day, and to al
low her mind to entertain for moment
the idea of that man as the prop and
mainstay of whole life. 1t was not
enough that the metal should appear SO
be gold-it must be hall-marked and
true to the core. Nevertheless, her
mind was often deeply moved by the
obvious advances of the man who knew,
in his worldly wisdom how to work up
on the sweet weakness of woman's
mind, and who did not fail to hint that,
| had he such one as guide and cOun-
sellor, his life might and should he more
useful in tue future, and all his forgot
ten yearnings after the good and noble
should revive within him. And all this
well-acted hum ,lity and delicate fattery,
applied to the point which was her
weakest, because she thought it was her
strongest, took more hold upon Miss
Merriewether than she dared to admit to
herself or he to hope. He looked capa-
BILE of great things. Strong, handsome,
genial, clever and well-connected, he
might be the very partner of whom she
had dreamed, who would aid her with
every gift belonging to him in the great
purposes of good which she had in her
mind. Why should she not be the
means of rousing him from the slum
brous frivolity of his present life? And
yet-her money. He was poor, she
knew. Was she never to be sure of be-
ing wooed for her own sake alone? She
must judge for herself, and it must be
no hasty Judgment. She would be
very circumspect, and yet as the ider of
cold calculation with regard to this man
passed through her mind, she felt a
pang at her heart which told her, I'M
willing though she might be to admit it,
that the poison had begun to work.
How is it possible that innocence and
truth should hold their own against
worldly wisdom and guile unless mir
acle should interpose on behalf of the
former.
A morning shooting party had ended
in lunch in a Observation-Disclosures
nook, at which the ladies had joined the
sportsmen, adding materially to the pic
turesqueness and vivacity of the scene,
but considerably interfering with the
continuance of the sport after lunch was
over, and eliciting sundry savage and
ungallant growls from certain old and
ardent sportsmeD, who considered wom-
en- utterly out Of place anywhere but in
a drawing room. Gervoise, however,
was not one of these, and he had will
ingly laid aside his gun and consented
to stroll home with some of the ladies,
the more readily as he seemed to see an
opportunity of pressing his suit to
successful issue. This, however, was
denied him; but when at last he parted
from his fair companion he left her in
little doubt as to his speedy intentions,
and IN great and conflicting state of
emotion as to the result of them. Moth
ing was said, however, that day, and,
after most pleasant evening, the gen
tlemen retired to billiards and cigars,
and the ladies to rest. or rather to those
mysterious rites which precede that
act. Like the others, Muriel retreated
to her room, and, without much delay
to bed; but, finding her mind unsettled
with the occurrences of the day, and
longing for sympathy and advice, she
at last rose hastily, and, donning her
dainty dressing-gown and slippers,
made her way to the room of her host
ess, with whom she often enjoyed late
chat, and in whom she was half inclined
to con6de her difficulties. This be-
stowal of confidence, however. was a
harder task than she had counted on
her friend was tired and sleepy, and
not by any means in good mood for re-
ceiving confidential utterances, and it is
only into real sympathetic ear that
such utterances can be poured; SO,
finding it getting late, Muriel said good
night, and, Selling her bedroom candle,
rushed off to her own room once more.
ASI very uaS6o, however,, leu uoF 1uGO
difficulties, for at the first corner she
came to a sudden blast blew out her
candle, and left her in absolute dark
ness. Never mind. She could find
her room in the dark; it was not very
far. She could hear the gentlemen still
making a noise over their pool; all
would be safe; and SO she CROPPED her
way along the passage, turned another
corner, hit upon the door of the room,
opened it. felt her way along the bed
to the dressing table for the matches,
and-found herself encircled by pair
of strong, warm, and evidently manly
arms, while voice said in surprise:
"Hullol Why, who the deuce ar e
your" adding as the sense of touch as
sured him that it was no robber, but
simply woman. "Don't be frightened,
my dear. What brings you here2"
"My DEAR" indeed! Did he take her
for one of the maidsp If he was the
man she thought him to be (for she
recognized Gervoise's voice in an in