Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-09-03

ering contempt at the young gentleman
of the house opposite.
"Lord Ravenscliffe ~ came in much
astonishment FROM Lady Townley,
while
"Ravenscliffe, what do you mean ~
broke from Reginald, who half rose
from his chair, in mingled anger and
surprise.
Excuse me; it is a rule OF mine
never to discuss any young lady in pub
lie. and especially one for whom | en-
tertain such warm admiration and re-
spect," answered his lordship, with per-
haps more warmth in his manner than
he had INTENDED to display. Then, turn
ing to Lady Townley, he continued
more quietly, in his usual tone, Il have
been enjoying your beautiful park since
| five o'clock this morning. The views
i'll 1t are exquisite ! All L had heard of
Irish scenery had not led me to expect
half its actual charms. You have some
good hotels in Oldfairs, suppose, have
you not, Townley? L am so infatuated
with the place that | have made up my
mind to stay here for few weeks"
When it became generally known
among his friends and acquaintances
that Lord RavenScliffe-the fiattered,
the admired, and most popular Lord
| RaveDscliffe-waSp positively determined
to give up all his English engagements
and to bury himself alive, as they ex-
pressed 1t, for an indefinite period in an
Irish county, this sudden freak of the
pet pdrti of the season proved quite a
nine days wonder in his own ''set."
"He must have fallen in with some
wild Irish girl ~ declared the young la
dies who had tried so hard and SO vainly
to win the best match in London during
the foregoing season.
Nonsense Ravenscliffe is no fool !"
those of his own sex averred. Its
some fishing caprice he has taken up !;
| he'll soon tire of it,"
But, whatever the ''caprice" was
that held him captive in Ireland, Lord
Ravenscliffe did not tire of ii. His
servants, by his orders, engaged the
best rooms for HIM that the best hotel
could offer in Oldfairs and here the
Earl took up his residence, TO the min
gled surprise and annoyance of Lady
Townley and her son, and 10 the unmit-
| igated delight and curiosity of the in
habitants of the town itself and of every
one, gentle and simple, " within ra-
dius of ten miles. His lordship's horses
and grOoms, the princely manner i'll
which he returned the entertainments
given for him by the garrison and the
neighbOring gentry, Won for him golden
opinions.
As for the trout-fiShing, which, with
comical smile, he had allowed Lady
Townley and her friends to believe was
his chief object for remaining in Ire
land, it was plain that it was angling
of an altogether different description
that the young nobleman found so at
| tractive-and after very few weeks
not the gossipsof Oldfalrs only but Lady
Townley and Reginald discovered this.
at is impossible : he is only amusing
himself with a pretty face ~ her lady,
ship at first declared, when Reginald
informed ner one day that every one
had it that Ravenscliffe was in love
with Ada Gascoyne, adding, with much
chagrin-
There is nothing else talked of
wherever go, and he makes no at
tempt to conceal it himself, the officers
tell me, Captain Vllliars of the Bays, ,
you know, is his cousin; and he spoke
to him about it. and asked if they were
to congratulate him, for at the barracks
| Ada is no end of a fayOrite and Ra-
venscliffe said he only wished there was
occasion for congratulations. VilliarS
declares he never saw man 50 deSper-
ately in love. He is alway at the Gas
coyneS', and he has brought beautiful
thoroughbred over expressly for Ada to
ride L met them out yesterday to-
gether, and, by Jove, he hardly saw me
passing, he was so wrapped up in her
| And she gave me the coolest little nod
imaginable; but she looked most radi-
ant. l never saw her look so lovely.
| Well, if she becomes Countess, sup
pose she will be very glad size did not
accept me-"
but the difference in our rank is not
my only objection. There is another
obstacle, one more terrible. have once
already told you what it Is, Lord Ra-
venscliffe. Spare me the repetition I
You know to what L allude. How
could a man in your position contem-
plate marrying woman whose name Is
stained as mine Is ? No,I must not be
selfish: and l have learned SO much of
the worlds pride within these last few
weeks Go away and forget me! Be-
lleve HE, it Is far wiser and safer to do
so."
WISER aud safer to give up the
woman [ Ioye-whOm indeed l loved
before | ever saw her? / do not unier-
stand that philosophy, Miss Gascoyne.
Love me and marry me-that is my
prayer and hope. If you order me from
your presence now, and tell me In your
truthful voice you cannot love me, then
l will go-but only then. No other
reason on earth will ever separate us.
Ii is the only obstacle l bow before.
And even then, warn you, shall go
only to return again and again, to try
my fate. Ada, dearest Ada, you won
nv heart before ever l saw your sweet
face and every day and hour that
have spent In your company since have
but served to strengthen the CHAINS
which hold me captive. L am an oD-
stinate man, warn you. You are the
only woman have ever loved and de-
sired to make my wife, and, unless you
can positively assert that your affections
are another's, L shall not rehnqulsh
hope"
mo. no, YOU must not think 1t Is
that''-and Ada Gascoyne met his gaze
fearlessIy, tears shining in her bright
truthful eyes, while her cheeks flushed
brilliantly pink as she continued softly,
and with timIdity that was wonder
fully bewitchlng-''I do love you, more
than any one in the world-eyen papa.
You overheard my parting with Mr.
Townley and do not deny it was my
pride that suffered that day and not my
heart. l liked him very much, but that
was all, and l never knew how slight
and perishable thing was that liking
until came TO know you, and-and-
to-love youP'
Lady Townley received an invitation
| to the wedding of the Earl OF Ravens
cliffe and Miss GascOyne without ex-
pressing any wonder her bewilderment
over THAT poor young mans lntatua-
tion' had well-nigh exhausted itself.
| But her ladyship still cherishes 6er an