Daily Republican., 1884-10-16

ny CATHERINE Il. LESHER.

AfHk n a LII.
ny CATHERINE Il. LESHER.
Vivacious little Rhoda Carlton, halt
swinging herself on the old rustic gate
that led out into the wide, dusty road,
looked as sweet and pretty as could be,
with her straw hat thrown back from
her forehead, her long, jet,black carls
waving In the gentle breeze, and her
dark eyes sparkling mischievously.
4" Isn't 1t delightfully."- romantic,
Osy th?" she said, with q merry, rip.
ping laugh, as she looked at her com
panion, who stood beside the gnarled
trunk Of grand old oak. cit sounds.
for all the world like plot In a novel
Oh, do tell me all about It,"
Osyth Merle smilei at bewitching
Rhoda's enthusiasm.
Well, then, IL am candid, you
really must not ieel angry with me-"
she said. III not have visited
you this summer IL l had wan
ted TO meet the man / am to marry.
You 500, Rhoda, when my uncle, old
John Milton, died end left me, poor
young orphan, his immense fortune, 1t
was on only one condition that I should
retain his wealth, and that was to be.
come the wife Of Edgar Darrell, the
on ~ sou Of his most intimate friend.
To tell you the truth, 40 not-Uh, l
r eally do not want 70 marry him, for l
know l shall never be happy then. And
when he wrote TO me that he was coming
70 MerlthorPe Hall I-now don't laugh
when admit it packed my trunks
and came here to visit you, because
did not want to meet Edgar, whom
I'm quite sure | shall never love. The
man who marries me must prove that
he loves me, and not my money. How
I'd like to put Edgar TO the test.
Rhoda laughed delightejly.
But how on eirth can you do that
now that you have come here ?" she
asked, a mischievous twinkle in her
black eyes, AZ she tossed back = stray
curl from her forehead.
"That can be easily accomplished, I"
Osyth answered "He will hear that
AIN on q visit here, and will, perhaps,
| write for permission TO call on me. 1t will
be our first meeting, and, Rhoda,
want yen to personate me, and meet
him as your future lord and master"
RhOda looked at her in amaZement.
"Why, Osyth, l could never think
of committing such an act. Sailing
under false colors. Oh, dear me, he
would never forgive me"
But you must for this once only, !"
she said, twining her arms about her
pretty companions slender waist in her
girlish impulsiveness. He has never
seen me, and 50, II he really loves me.
he will be willing to give up old John
Millions heiress to marry me. Now.
you dear little creature, you won't re-
fuse me, will you?"
~ suppose I must submit to 1t,
Rhoda said, Struggling her shoulders,
and smiling mischitvously. You
always did have your own way when
we were at school, and now, II l refuse
you will never forgive me. l declare
you deserve to have your lover stoler
from you.
i And Rhoda glided up the garden
path, and disappeared within the
house while our heroine stepped out
Into the wide country road, aud walkes
Islow!y along until she came to th'
lovely, silent woods attached to grand
old Chetwynd Court, her straw ha
swinging from her arm, when she wa
suddenly startled by the rushing of {
monstrous dog through the underbusi
and coming straight toward her, bark
ing loudly, and she shrank back, utter
ing wild cry of alright, just AS i
young man sprung out from the same
underbush with an authoratat i've shou
of E" Down, SIR" to the dog, and doffed
his cap to frightened, bewildered LITTLE
osyth;; J.. -. s.,on :. =. ..,, =, !,
her heart beat faster thar its won't o,
she looked up almost timidly into hi
frank, handsome face. :" WAS DO
aware that you were 80 near, or else
should not have allowed Prince sucl
uutrammeled liberty"
A tinge of warm color swept over hel
face as she smiled despite herself, max
ing her eyes flash, and the dimple
co uette in cheek and chin.
!; "Oh, dear me-" -he said, claspin
her tiny hands, az was 80 awful,
frightened. l was in such deep thought
J and 1t came 30 suddenly. am ashane
do-perfectly-hat dogs, and-and-
I'm sure beg your pardon, sir -
The sweet frankness of her words, til
delightful naivete of her manner lei
their charming impression on Edga
!. Darrell and Osyth, with q heal
curiously stirred, continued her wall
but with thoughts and emotions that, fc
the first time In her life, were new an
!, strangely sweet to her
. "The fairest face ever saw" Edga
/ Darrell thought, as he went back
t Chetwynd Manor. Scan it be poss
BILE, In trying TO evsde old John Mi
Z toms heiress, whom am certain ca
i never learn to love, although fate ha
i determined shall marry her, that
:. have come here to fall in love with tn
first little country girl l happen
: meet? wonder what O,yth Merl
would tn ink If she knew how l dres
a to meet her ? Ten to one she's GIG
Hing, pert, consequential creature, VIII
thinks she has but to speak to Edwar
l Darrell to overwhelm him."
! On h IL arrival at the manor he rel;
ted to handsome young Roy Chetwyn
= and his pretty blue-eyed sister b
J, meeting in the woods with charmin
= little Osyth.
81 must admit l cannot Danish ht
Ipretty face from my mind" he sal,
U lcandidly, after he had informed then
3 to their surprise, of the cause OF h
Visit at Chstwynd Manor. Yes, 20
D lmay laugh, but the truth is am real
o running away from an heiress. Lo'
must 60 where IL is sont, they say. al
= lso really believe it has already Rol
!, with that lovely young girl who
!" visiting Miss Carlton. Will You >te
me who she is?"
Jessie Chetwynd looked up laughin
Z =" When have gained that inform
tion certainly shall" she answers