The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-30
CHAPTER XVII.
LOVERS QUARRELs.

protecting his child like an eagle: Bart
ley cooled in moment, and hanging
his head apart, gloomy and alarmed at
the mad blunder rage had betrayed him
into; Colonel Clifford amazed and puz-
zled, and beginning to see the cOnse-
quences of all this; Julia clasping her
hands in rapture and thrilling interest
ut so romantic an incident; Fitzroy
beaming with delight at his sweetheart
being cleared; and, to complete the pic
ture, the. villainous face of Leonard
Monckton, disguised as an old man,
showed itself for "a moment sinister and
gloomy; for now all hope of pecuniary
advantage To him was gone, and moth
ing but revenge was on the cards, and
he could not see his way clear to that.
But Hope was no posture-maker; he
turned the next moment and said
word or two to all present.
~ es. this is Grace Hope, my daugh-
ter. We were very poor and her life
was in danger; saw nothing else but
that; my love was stronger than my
conscience; gave her to that man up
on acondition which he has now broken.
He saved her life and was kind to her.
l thanked him; l thank him still, and
did my best to repay him. But now he
has trusted to appearances, and not to
her; he has befied and outraged her
publicly. But l am as proud of her as
ever, and don't believe appearances
against her character and her angel face
and"
NO more do L." cried Julia Clifford,
eagerly. 81 know her. She's purity
itself, and better woman than l shall
ever be-"
"Thank you, Miss Clifford" said Hope,
in a broken voice; God bless you.
Come, Grace, and share my humble
home, At all events, it will shelter you
from insult"
And so the pair went lovingly away,
Grace clinging to her father, cOmfOrted
for the moment, but unable to speak,
was but stones throw from where
they stood.
This broke up the party.
And my house is yours" said Colo
mel Clifford to Julia. III did not believe
appearances against Clifford" With
| these words he took two steps toward
his niece and held out his arm. She
moved toward him. Percy came for:
ward radiant to congratulate her. She
drew UP with look of furious scOrn
that made him recoil, and she marched
proudly away with her uncle. He be-
slowed one parting glance OF contempt
|
marched his niece proudly off, more de-
termined than ever that she should be
his daughter. But for once he was wise
enough not to press that topic; he let
| her Indignation work alone. Moreover,
though he was a little wrong-headed
and not little pfg-headed, he was
undetermined man, and nothing noble
passed him unobseyed or unappreci-
ated.
THAT Bartley's daughter" said he to
Julia. "Ay, when roses spring from
dunghilIs, and eagles are born Of spar
row-hawks. Brave girl!-braye grill"
"Oh, uncle" said Julia, 81 am 50 glad
you appreciate her"
appreciate her!" said the Colonel;
"wbat should be worth if did not?
Why, these are the women that win
Waterloo in the persons of their sons.
| That girl could never breed q coward
nor a cheat" Then his incisive voice
mellowed suddenly. "Pooryoung thing"
said he, with manly emotion, Il saw her
come out Of that room pale as death to
do another woman justice. She's no
fool, though that ruflian called her one.
She knew what she was doing, yet for
all her woman heart she faced disgrace
as unilinchingly as if it was only death.
| 1t was a great action, u noble action, q
just action, and a manly action. but
done like n very woman. Where the
| two sexes meet like that one brave deed
it's grand. ] declare it warns an old
soldiers heart, and makes him thank
God there are few creatures i'll the
world that do humanity honor"
AS the Colonel was man that stuck
to q topic when he got upon it, this was
the main of his talk all the way to Cliff
ford Hall. He even remarked to his
niece that, so far as his observations of
the sex extended, great love of justice
was not the leading feature of the fe-
male mind; other virtues he ventured
to think were more prominent.
$50 everybody says" was Julia's adj
mission.
Everybody is right for once" said the
Colonel.
They entered the house together, and
Miss Clifford went up to her room;
there she put on a new bonnet and q
lovely shawl, recently imported from
Paris. Who could this be fOrp She
sauntered upon the lawn till she found
herself somehow near the outward
boundary, where there was gate lead
ing into the Park. AS she walked TO
and fro by this gate she observed, out
of the tail Of her eye of course, the fig
ure of devoted lover creeping toward
her. Whether this took her by surprise,
or whether the lovely creature was play
ing the part of beautiful striped spider
waiting for her fly, the reader must
judge for himself.
Percy came to the gate; she walked
past him twice, coming and going with
her eyes fixed upon vacancy. She pass
ed him third time. He murmnred i'm
a pleading voice;
"Julia!"
She neither saw nor heard, so attrac-
tive had the distant horizon become.
Percy opened the gate, and came in
side, and stood before her the next time
she passed. She started with surprise.
"What do you want hereT said She.
"To speak to YOU"
"How dare yon speak 10 me after
your vile suspiciOnsw
"Well, but, Julia"
slow dare you call me JuliaY"
swell, Miss Clifford, won't you even
hear me?"
mot a word. It's through you poor
| dear Mary and have both been insult