The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-03
LOVE CONQUERS.
~ THE AUTHOR or "D0RA THoRNRS
"a ROSE IN THoRNs," ETC.
CHAPTER Y.

did not think Of the future. The present
vas so full of dazzling light 10 him that
he could not take his eyes from II.
LORD Audey was so delighted with his
visitor that he urged Vane to spend anoth-
or week at Ulverscroft; and 10 the young
engineer II seemed as though an eternity
of bliss were enrolled before him. With
the glowing warmth Of the sunlight OF love
In his heart, he did not stop to count the
cost. He knew only one thing, aud 1t was
that he worshippcd Lady Lilias. II was
as foolish a. If he had wished TO WOO the
moon and the stars. She was quite ~ Tar
out of his reach and as far above him.
Even to himself he dared not say that he
worshipped her; but his heart and the
strength Of his manhood had gone from
him. Away from her all was blank, dull,
and desolate. In the sunlight Of her pres
ence all was Of the brightest and fairest.
How he managed his work was puzzle
to him. He found himself compelled to
rise early in the morning and get through
il before he saw her. If he caught but one
glimpse Of her, if he heard only the sound
Of her voice, the blood coursed wildly
through his veins.
Certainly fate was good to him. He met
her always at the breakfast-table; and
from that hour he knew time no more I'M
ill he parted from her at night. DE had
noticed her great lovo for flowers, and he
rose An hour earlier that he might get the
most fragrant for her. At first the proud
young beauty did not know who it was
laid the bouquet every morning by her
plate. On the first day she hardly noticed
the flowers-touchcd them, and then for.
got them. On the second day she raised
them and looked round half-inquiringly.
The same evening she was in the con-
servatory, and found Vane there reading.
They began ~ talk asout flowers aud their
names.
"Doyou believe" said Lady Lilias. "that
che character Of people can be known by
the flowers they love best;'
UNo, | do not" he returned-''for this
reason, that, out of twenty people, eighteen
would prefer the rose or the lilly; and
eighteen characters can never be alike
1t seems to me no criterion whatever
What is your fayorite flower Lady Lii
las"
They had grown more familiar with each
other, aud frankly discussed each others
likes and dislikes. She answered him
readily
"According to you, /, being one Of TWEEN.
~, should say, 'The lily or 'rhe rose =;
but it il neither. l love the daphne best
and l think the word daphne is one of
the most beautiful and poetic In the Ian
guage. IIyacintl' ranks next; but
daphne sets me off dreaming"
The next morning the bouquet waiting
for her was made up entirely OF lovely fra
grant white daphnes, the finest she had
ever seen. Then she knew from whom the
daily offering came. She looked from the
flowers to the handsome face so anXi0usiy
watching her. Vane saw crimson flush
rise from the beautiful dimpled chin TO
the dead-gold hair, and his heart beat AS
il had never done before. Her eyes drOop-
ed from his, and something tender and
loving came into the exquisite face. Is
seemed to him as though the room swan
round him.
She was kinder to him than to any one
else; she talked to him, and their CONVEX.
sation was always interesting. lie had
lived in u world Of which she knew moth
ing aud desired 10 know something, and
she was Interested in every detail. She
hardly knew herself how much time she
spent in talking TO him, and would have
looked up in naughty surprise mad any one
mentioned IL TO her.
One morning she rose earlier than usual,
and, ON going out on the western terrace
for a breath OF the sweet morning air, she
saw him sitting At the farther end, where
the pasSion-ioWers grew. HIS lace was
turned towards the river, which looked
golden in the morning sunlight. She was
struck with the genius and passion winch
made it so different from ordinary faces,
with its innate nobility and refinement,
with the proud carriage OF the head, and
che erect graceful figure.
ono one can ever mistake gentIeman,"
che said to herself. "tIow different are
that face and figure from the faces and
figures of the sons Of the soiP"
She saw something too IN the expression
of his face which prevented her from go
ing to him, and sent her indoors with
burning cheeks and a beating heart. Ihe
bouquet that waited for her that morning
were composed Of the sweet flowers that
poets call Glove lies bleeding
"Papa," said Lady Lilias, AS she sat
with Lord Audley in the library, "have
you ever noticed what very handsome
face Mr.. Wharf hasi"
The Earl looked up quickly.
dyes; it has often struck mo- he re-
piled. 1t is not only handsome but dis
tinguished. He comes Of good family, L
should imagine. You would not find such
face as that among the crowd. The Vi
barts are a good family, believe, with no.
thing very particular about them. This
young man is only an adopted son Of Sir
Raye's, you remember"
ayes; but he must be a Wharf too
most likely a nephew, as he has the same
name. He is very unlike the men one gen.
orally meets"
"My dear, he is a genius. 1t is in that
that he differs from others. In the course
q my life | have met hundreds Of young
men, but never one like him. He has q
poets soul, as well as the keen intelligence
of a business man; he is a strange mixture.
l admire him so much that have real
affection for him. The day will come
when the whole world will do homage to
him, and he will be one Of the first men
N it,"
ado you really think so, papaT she
asked.
al am sure Of it, my dear Lilias." And
she looked very thoughtful at his words.