The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-02

1ercy Is all she says; uub HeI ldCe
turns ashy pale, and she trembles violently
The shock is too much for her, and she
would fall did he not catch her in his arms.
He half leads, half carries her to seat
that is close by, and placing her on it, fans
her with his fat until she RECEIVERS little
"My poor darling, can you ever forgive
me all the pain and misery I have caused
you?" he asks "What must you have
thought of me; never having been near you
all this time"
'sOh, Percy, papa He'll see you. He's
in the drawing-room. You shouldn't have
come
'Never mind papa, darling; leave him
to me- He'll be glad enough to see me,
I'm sure. But are you? 1 must know
that first"
''There is no need to ask, is there, Per-
cy ?" And her rosy cheeks and smiling
eyes speak more eloquent than her lips,
those lips which are Immediately silenced
after lovers fashion.
''But stay, before [ say another word,
tell me is this true I hear of you-are you
engaged to Lord Iyor Tell me plainly,
child. If it is as they say, it is only just
punishment on me, and l must bear it. 4"
''I engaged to Lord Ivor? No, never
could be engaged to any one"
Except me" he interrupts. "Thank
God for that I might have known it all
along, and so should have done if | had
only seen your letter"
! nSeen nv letter p
eyes, the one inside the parcel of pres
ents The one you sent separately never
can call yours. 1t was your fathers"
''But didn't you see the other ?"
"Never until last night. put the par
Gel away on shelf unopened, where it
would have been now had it not been for
an accident. Can you forgive my conduct,
knowing this p
Forgive? Aye, freely, if I had any
thing to forgive. At first 1 thought there
must be some mistake, and then remem-
bered what took place at the ball, and I
thought then that you were angry, and
that you intended everything should be
over between us, for did try you, 1 know,
that evening. At first it was not my fault.
Lord Ivor was papa's friend, and it was my
duty to dance with him, more especially as
papa had told me to do SO. And then
when | saw you were angry, and little
unreasonable-and you must admit that,
dear-I determined to punish you for a
time, but only for dance or two. never
intended we should part that night any
thing but friends. And then, when l saw
you with that lady in blue, I was a little
angry and hurt and [ went on all the
more. So you see, dear, you have to for
give as well as l.
"Whatever there may be, darling, it is
forgiven long ago, and as for the lady in
blue, she was my cousin, onl ly took care
you should not know it at the time, and |
have never seen her from that evening.
Let us blot that miserable time out of our
midst at once and forever And now tell
me about Lord Ivor."
II have little to tell you, except that he
was kind enough to ask me to marry him,
and have said no. He is gentleman in
every sense of the word, and took my an
swer at once, and I don't suppose l shall
ever see him again. We said goodbye at
Brighton, so | think, dear, we may blot him
out too, as he has indirectly been the cause
of all we have suffered Have you suffer
ed, Percy? But, there, [ won't tease you.
1 have no wish to lose you again now that
l."
$50, Sir Perhaps you'll have the
goodness to tell me what all this means p
And Mr.. Linton suddenly stands before
the astonished lovers, almost bursting with
suppressed Indignation and rage. His
face is purple, his eyes starting out of his
head, and his fingers nervously clasping a
thick oak stick, as if he meditated an i'm
mediate attack on the object of his wrath
He had approached round the bushes un-
observed by either of them. II have an
idea that my daughter wrote you letter
some months since returning you the pres
ents you had done her the honor to give
her, and at the same time putting an end
to your engagement; also intimating that
your future presence at this house was
neither expected nor desired. Was that
not so? If am wrong, pray correct me-
And yet now find you with my daughter
in position that demands an instant ex-
PLANTATION. :"
For when Mr.. Linton appeared so sud
denly Percy's arm was round Mabels
waist, his disengaged hand had made close
prisoners of both of hers, and the two were
sitting rather closer together than the size
of the garden seat led one to suppose was
actually necessary.
"Sir," commenced Percy, rising and
standing totally unabashed by the little
mans virtuous indignation, while the
laughter that sparkles in his eyes shows
that he feels himself master of the situa-
ton, and is meditating some prank-"al
that you have stated is perfectly correct
but there are times when it is every man S
duty to lay aside all personal feelings, anC
undertake duty, however disagreeable il
may be, in order to benefit his fellowman
Such is my case at the present moment. "
"Pray, Sir, have the goodness to cease
this tomfoolery, and leave my garden thii
instant. How you entered am not in ;
position to say, but strongly suspect you
climbed over the fence, in which case you
have laid yourself open to criminal pros
ecution. But let that pass, and leave my
premises this instant. Do you hear me
Sir?"
II do, Sir, and if I follow your instrIc
tions you would regret this moment to thu
end of your life repeat, Sir, that there
are times when it"
"Will you leave my grounds, Sir ?"
"No l will not, until you have hearc
what | have come to tell you,'
'Then will have you turned out"
"Excuse me, Sir, but | don't think yor
will. It's all right, darling turning t.
Mabel, who is pulling his coat tails, en-
deavoring to induce him to stop. "Mr
Linton is naturally little surprised a
seeing me so unexpectedly, and can quite
understand his irritation and overlook it
but can assure you, dear, we shall no
part until we are the best of friends posi-
! ble"
"Sirl' yells the little man, almost whit
with passion, "you had the impertinence-
the gross impertinence- address my
daughted as your darling and your dear"
, Il did so, Sir, and I am proud and de
lighted to feel l have warrant for 81
doing. But, as l said before, it is my duty
to put all personal feelings aside, and come