The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-08-27

she love MIN Lne DeSt! Inere was NC
doubt certain cautious selfishness in
the way in which he had gone to work.
And yet OF general seliishness it wal
impossible to accuse him. He was will.
ing to give her everything to do all for
her. And he had first asked her to be
his wife, with every o. ervance. And
then he could always protect himself on
the plea that he was doing the best he
could for her. Ills property was as.
sured-ih the three per cents, as Mrs.
Baggett had suggested; whereas John
Gordon's was all in diamonds. How
frequently do diamonds melt and come
to nothingP They are things which a
man can carry in his pocket, and lose
or give away. They can not-so
thought Mr.. Whittlestaff-be settled in
the hands of trustees, or left to the
charge Of an executor They can moi
be substantiated. Who can say that,
when looking to lady's interest, this
bit of glass may not come up instead
of that precious stone? John Gordon
might be a very steady fellow; but we
have only his own word for that"-as
Mr.. Whittlcstalf observed to himself.
There could not be u doubt but that
Mr.. Whittlcstaf himself was the safer
staff of the two on which a young lady
might lean. He did make all these ex-
cuses for himself, and determined that
they were OF such Il nature that he
might rely upon them with safety.
But still there was paDg in his bosom
"a silent secret which kept on whis'
pering to him that he was not the best
beloved. He had, however resolved
steadlastly that he would not put that
question to Mary. If she did not wish
to declare her love, neither did he. II
was pity, thousand pties, that il
should be so. A change in her heart
might, however, take place. 1t would
come TO pass that she would learn that
he was the superior staff on which to
lean. John Gordon might disappear
among the diamond-felds, and no more
be heard of. He, at any rate, would do
his best for her, so that she should not
repent her bargain. But he was deter
mined that the bargain, rs it had been
struck. should be carried out. There
fore, in communicating to Mary the in.
vitation which he had received IRON
Little Arlesford, he did not find ii
necessary to make any special speech
in answer to her inquiry about John
Gordon.
She understood it all, and could not
in her very heart pronounce judg-
ment against him. She knew that he
was doirg 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 TO 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, selfshness 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 he 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 the 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..
WhittlestafT, and do her duty in that
state of life TO which it had pleased God
to call ler. There would be a sacrifice
"a sacrifice of two-but still it was
justice.
Had she not consented to take every
thing from Mr.. Whittlestaff; her bread,
her meat, her raiment, the shelter un-
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,
and she must bear il. 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 diamond-iields 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 second time for South
Africa, she would have looked upon
his further return with any reference TO
her wants as a thing impossible. But
now how would il 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 inhu-
ence. ut 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,
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 60 to MIR. Halls