The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-07-18

the acceptance or pain and the doing or
duty. But for you l should never have
had courage to 60 back to England"
lie laughed harshly and mirthlessly.
Then have sent you away"
81 think so."
"That is so like my fate"
"What do you mean?"
"When you go away my sun will have
set; all my future will be spent in dark
ness then"
She shrank away from him. and the
sweet roses in her cheeks paled a little.
II did not mean to tell you" he went
on. The knowledge will pain you,
and do me no good. But you have come
to me in my weakest hour, and so
must speak. love you, have loved you
always since knew you. 1t seemed to
me once that Heaven had sent you here,
being satisfied with all / had tried to
do, 80 threw the reins on the neck of
my heart and let it go, but question if
l could have restrained 1t In any case.
There, now, the murder is out. Think
! shall die when you have left me-"
"Oh, no, you will not, M. de la Roche;
there Is much OF life left when love is
over. But, all the same, am very sor-
~ that have brought you pain like
this"
Her lips quivered as she spoke, and
two tears fell slowly down her face.
'Do not weep. Where there Is no
self-reprOach there should be no sorrow.
l never thought that you would learn
to love me. All that did hope and be-
lieve was that you would be near me
always, and that might, unhindered,
see your face at times"
"And / would stay if could, for the
thought of England Is a load on my
heart; but there are other girls at home,
and my brothers, and it seems wrong
that should chain my mother here be-
cause / am a coward"
He did not say that there was way
out of her difficulty, that IL she could
stay for him she could stay with him;
having no hope, he had no holiness.
"Yon believe l am sorry, don't you?".
she said, looking up at him with wet
eyes; "you believe that if 1 had dream
ed of this should have avoided you, as
you have avoided me; and you will say
you forgive me before we part, and you
will come and see us at times till l
leave; and you will write to me and let
me know when you are happy again?"
"Oh, yes, if you W Jh.''
"Then good-by for to-day"
"Good-by; forgive me If let you go
down to the chateau alone. feel as if
l could not be in your presence and re-
frain from pleading"
He held both her hands, looking down
on her, and then he said huskily: Twill
you kiss me? / never thought to kiss
a woman till you came. NOw-well, l
think have right to that at least"
She raised her sweet face to his,
trembling, and he kissed her, as we kiss
the dead.
Al tbo,, ba t,,rnad ond ,yon< olou,l,,
up the hillside alone.
CHAPTER II.
"Mother, I have something so odd,
and strange. and sorrowful to tell YOU"
what is it., dear?"
Mrs. Darlington lifted her eyes from
the TauchnitZ novel she was reading,
and looked at her daughter standing in
the circle of the freight on the hearth.
1T is something that makes me feel
at once honored and ashamed, proud
and sorrowful."
''Well, what is itp"
The girl came close to the chintz-cov-
cred couch on which her mother lay
with a colored Afghan rug over her
knees-for to Mrs. Darlington the
mountain air was always chill--and
stood there hesitating.
is III news lTOIH llOUle! .
"Oh, no; it is only this: M. de la Roche
loves me-"
"Daar Connie. am so glad"
"Why. mother?"
because he is good man and gen.
tleman. and am sure he will make you
happy"
Darling mother, you surely have not
forgotten?"
mo, but think it is quite time you
had, Connie. l am ashamed to think
that you should ever cast backward
thought on Frank Daily, shamefully
as he behaved. lie is not worth re-
membering."
Perhaps not; but still I cannot for
get him." the girl answered, crying
softly, with her hands clasped about her
knees and her fair hair tumbled over
her forehead.
Mrs. Darlington rose and came over
beside her daughter, and drew the fair,
troubled face on to her breast. "You
were. always my favorite child" she
said huskily, "the first and the dearest,
and 1 have tried always to do for you
the best that 1 knew. have no inter-
est in life that is not bound up with
your happiness. have been your slave
and servant ever since your undeserved
SOITOW CAME. 10 nOl, IHeTeIOTe, IleTlb
little thanks and considerations"
you do, and L am trying all can to
please you; is it not for your sake that
l have consented to go back to Farm
leighp"
Yes; but now 1 want something
more of YOU"
what is it?" There came the hunt
ed look of brave animal into the girls
blue eyes as she spoke.
1T is that you try to love M. 10 Pas
teur. Oh, indeed, it will not be diff
cult, Connie, if you only try. He is so
good, so true gentleman, so grand a
Christian; and then you would make
him so happy"
ut would seem like sacrilege, and it
would not be fair to him." the girl an
swered below her breath.
"Quite fair when he knows ALL" She
rested her face against her mothers
knee for an instant, and then she look
ed up, smiling sadly through her tears.
1.-Two years ago. had loved M. le
Pasteur and desired to marry him, you
would have thought me mad"
"Yes; because two years ago 1 was
proud and foolish;" but in her heart the
mother was thinking: 1.-Two years ago
your life was unspoiled; now there are
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