The Magnolia gazette., 1884-10-16
CHAPTER IV.-coNrrvrrn.


CHAPTER Iv..-coNrrNunp.
81 Ito not know what color you
blush, said Mr. WhittIcstan.
81 dare say not.
"But when it does come am con
scous OF the sweetest color that ever
came upon a lady cheek. And | tell
myself that another grace has been
added 70 the face which OF all faces in
the world is to my eyes the most beautiyl
ful. " What was she 10 say im answer
to q compliment 50 high-llown as this
to one from whose mouth compliments
were so uncommon She knew that he
could not have 50 spoken withouta pur-
pose, declared ut any rate to his own
heart. lie still held her BY the arm.
but did not progress with his speech,
while She sat silent by his side, and
bu,hing with that dark ruby streak
across her checks which herstcpmother
had intended to yilify when she said
that she had blushed black. "Mary,n
ho continued, after pause, "can you
endure the thought Of becoming my
wleP" Now she drew her arm away,
aud turned her face, and compressed
her lips, and sat without uttering
word. "Of course, am an old man.
1T is not that Size muttered.
"But think that can love YOU rs
honestly and rs firmly as Younger one.
! think that if you could bring Yourself
to be my wife You would find that YOU
would not be treated badly"
"Oh, no, no, nol' she exclaimed
"Nothng, at any rate, would be kept
from YOU When have thought on u
feeling, hope ora fear you shall share
il. As to money 3"
"Dont do that. There should be no
talk OF money from you to me.
"Perhaps not 1t would be best that
] should be left to do as | may think
most lifting for you. have one Incl
dent in my life which / would wish to
tell yon. | loved girl, many years
since, and she ill-uscd me. ] continued
TO love her long, hut that image has
passed from my mind. He was think
ing, MS he said this, of Mrs. Compass
and her large family. 'It will not be
necessary that | should refer to this
again, because the subject is very pain
full; but il was essential that | should
tieil you. And now, Mary, how shall it
be?' he added, after a pause.
She sat listening to all that he had to
say, but without speaking word. He,
too. had his John Gordon;' but in
his case the Girl he had loved had treat
ed him badly. She had received no
bad treatment There had been love
between them, ample love, love enough
TO break their hearts. AZ least she had
found it So But there had been no
outspoken speech of love Because of
that the wound made, now that it had
been in some sort healed, had not with
her been so cruel as with Mr.. Whittle-
staff John Gordon had come to her
on the eve Of his going, and had told
her that he was about to start for some
distant land. There had been loud
words between him and her step.moth-
or, and Mrs Lawrie had told him that
he was pauper, and was doing no good
about the house; and Mary had heard
the words spoken. She asked him
whittier he was going, but he did not
reply Your mother is right. | am
NJ any rate doing no good here, - he had
sald, but had not answered her question
ihrther Then Mary had given him her
hand, and had whispered, Good-bye
Ii l return, he added. the first
place Will come to shall be Norwich
Ihen without further farewell he had
gone. From that day to this she had
had his form before her ewes; but now.
II she accepted Mr.. Whittlestali, il must
be banished. No one knew of her
wound. She must tell him, should She
accept him. it might be that he would
reject her after such telling. If so. it
would be well. But, in that case. what
would be her future? Would it not be
necessary that she should return 10 that
idea Of q governess which had been so
dlstasteful 70 herp
Mary, can you say that it shall be
SOP he asked quietly after having re-
NAMED silent for some ten minutes.
Could il be that all her fate must be
resolved In so short timer Since first
the notion that Mr. Whttlestafl had
asked her TO be his wife had come upon
her, she had thought of il dav and ni6bt
But She had thought altogether of the
past, and not of the future. Mary had.
~ truth, not thought of her answer
though she had said TO herself over and
over again why il should not be so.
he said.
"0h, Mr.. WhittlestaT, YOU have 50
startled me!' This was hardly true
he had not startled her. but bad brought |