The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-08-06

quivered in spite Of myself.
"Reika." he repeated, putting his
arm round my waist, you shall not
marry NY father, for you love me"
let me 90" ] cried. struggling 10
free myself from his embrace.
You know that what say is true, "
ne said, still holding me tightly.
True or false, | have given my
word, and cannot break it, Ireturned.
"Oh. Cuthbert, let me 60"
lie withdrew his arm and looked at
me moodily, gnawing his long NOUS
tache.
'.Reika.' lie said, why are you go
ing to marry that old man? You don't
love him and you DO love me. Why
ruin your own life-and D.ine?'
''He has trusted me-" ] replied;
chow can tel him | am unworthy of
his esteem?n
You would make any sacrifice for
my sake if you loved me-" said Cuth-
bert. My father is not hot-headed
boy''-sneeringly; ''he would soon get
over his disappointment
"Probably," | returned; "but | can
not break my word. y
You would rather break my heart"
resentfully.
Il would rather do what | think is
right, | said, looking away from his
panied, handsome face
just then we heard q rustling in the
ferns, ana Lord Airline grew pale.
Someone has overheard our CONVEX
sation,'' he said.
ooh, no, it is only Rover" | said,
STOPPING to stroke the great mastiff.
Don't you know that you have no
business here. old fellow?'
But my father must be somewhere
about" cried Cuthbert Rover is
always at his heels.''
At this moment we saw Lord Standi-
land advancing towards us with a
smile on his face.
Would he have looked like that if he
had overheard our conversation? OF
course not, l told myself with sigh of
relief as slipped my hand through his
arm.
If Cuthbert had been a poor man |
might have yielded to the dictations of
my heart; but he was rich, and would
some day inherit Lord Standiland' S
mean trick to give up the earl because
he was old and grey and marry his son,
even though | did love Cuthbert with
all my heart.
You look pale, little girl said
Lord Standiland, glancing at my face,
which instantly became suffused with
scarlet; and without glancing at his
son he led me out of the conservatory.
"My dear" he said that evening,
Il should like if you had no objection,
to hasten our marriage, and as | am
not very we'll | should like it to take
place III my own drawing-room.
As | had no objection to offer, every
thing was arranged as he wished, and
mother came over to be present at the
ceremony.
Lord Airline had left the house, and
was glad of it.
did not want to meet him again be-
fore our marriage.
1t was to be quite private wedding,
with Grace as my only bridesmaid; and
mother grumbled at the absence of dis
play; bat | was all the better pleased,
for felt sick at my heart, and did not
want to be stared at by q gaping
crowd.
Grace was very kind and affectionate;
two or three times | caught her in the
act OF looking at me, and she hastily
averted her eyes.
Mother, too, seemed to have some
thing on her mind; but was too mis-
cradle to be curious on this or any
other subject.
My heart was very heavy on the night
before my wedding. | meant to do
what was right, but it was cruelty hard
to fight against my love for Cuthbert.
AS sat alone i'll my dressing-room,
my thoughts went back to my first
meeting with Lord Standiland.
Mother and l had been for walk,
and mother had sprained her ankle.
The pain was 50 intense that she faint
ed, and l was bending over her anx-
iously, when carriage came along the
road with a gentleman in il.
1t was Lord Standiland, who ordered
the coachman to bring the horses to a
standstill, and handed me a flask of
wine. This speedily restored mother
to consciousness, and then he offered
her a seat in the carriage with the
greatest kindness imaginable, and
drove us right up to the door of our
cottage, to the intense wOnderment of
the neiohboTs.
From that dav he was always call
ING to inquire after mothers health,
and | soon began to see that | was the
attraction.
This pleased my vanity of course,
and raised ambitious hopes. All, was
] not suffering for my ambition now.
should be Lady Standiland indeed, but
what pleasure could my title and high
position give to me?
| looked at myself in the mirror on
my dressing-table, and beheld a fair,
girlish face, framed in masses of chest
nut hair. How pretty | was, even
when grave and sad. This thought
gave me no pleasure, however. | was
too wretched to feel grateful at my
beauty as reflected in the mirror, with
its two wax candles, that also reflected
the luxurious room in which l sat.
On the morrow | should be mistress
of the Hall. the most envied, the most
unhappy, woman in the country.
What, not in bed yet?' cried
mother, peerlng in upon me. do you
forget what tomorrow isP'
Her words made me smile bitterly.
As if | could forget!
l scarcely slept that night, but the
want of rest did not spoil my beauty.
] had never looked better than when |
went down to the drawing-room where
the clergyman was waiting to perform
the ceremony which would make me
Lord Standiland's wife.
There was a little hustle as | en-
tered the room with mother and Grace,
and, looking neither to the right or
left. walked up to where the clergy
man stood. my heart beating painfully,
and my throat so dry that | wondered
how I should ever be able to say Il
will
did not lift my eyes to look at my
bridegroom, but listened as one in q
dream, until the time came for the
clergyman to ask who gave me away.
Il do" said the voice OF Lord Stan
diland, and looking up in bewildermen'