The Penn's Grove record., 1885-07-18

1.-THE Duke can offer you strawberry
leaves; and, though ! don't wish you
to accept them, it would be Impossible
for you to think seriously for a moment
of Captain BrabasOn. l snail give or
ders to be not at home when he calls
and you must discourage him as much
~ possible, "
81 shall do nothing of the sort, re-
piled Lady wilful; land, if | am at
home when he comes, | shall see him "
"A mere fortune-hunterl sneered
Mrs, Stamer.
"And SO is the Duke" laughed lady
wilful. ut is rather early TO be troub-
ling yourself about a man whom dld
not know three hours ago. Why, for
anything ne can tell, he may think me
perfectly hideous."
His whole conduct looked like itP'
cried Mrs. Stamer ~furiously.
''If you think that" sand Lady Will
fui innoeently; II wonder that you suf-
fer yourself 10 be 20 terribly disturbed
Aunt Stamer."
The BrabasOn family were proud as
well as poor. This characteristic was
strongly shown in the sbrug with which
darcy greeted the news of the Earl's
engagement to Miss Cobb, the rich city
helress. His brother might raise his
lowered fortunes and build up the fall
ing house with his wife's money; but
in darcy eyes, he had cast a blot on
the e%scutcheon which could never be
effaced.
Pride was darcy Brabasor's great
failing; and, although he had indeed
fallen hopelessly and honestly in love
with Lady Wilful, her half-million of
money kept him at arms length. Day
after day throughout the whole season
did Lady Wilful expect to hear the old
story-the story which, although the
oldest in the world, sounds fresh and
new with each repetition.
Whenever her aunt suggested a re-
moval to Whimple Friers, Lady Wilful
persuaded her TO remain in town; and
Mrs. Stamer, believing and hoping that
Hugh was the attraction, consented
gladly. Day after day Lady Wilful
met darcy BrabasOn at the hundred
and one entertainments to which both
were hidden; but most frequently she
saw him at the house of her cousin
Margaret Discount, whittier she used
to 90 in the drowSy summer afternoons
for five o'clock tea. The torture OF UNI
certainty went on until the House"
was %prorogued aud the whole family
went down to Whimple Friars without
Darcy Brabason having made a sign.
All last Lady Wilful felt that she
must face the truth that she, who from
earliest childhood had never known
what 1t was to be denied anything,
must forego the only thing she really
desired. Evidently Captain Brabason
cared no more for her than she did for
her cousin Hugh so she told herself.
And yet how was it that a few words
he had let fall one sultry afternoon,
when she had g ne across the square to
her Cousins, and Mrs. Discount had
left them alone together, kept coming
back to her mind " and over againp
Its an awful thing, Lady Wilful,"
he had said, speaking of his brothers
marriage, "for a man to be dependent
on his wife, even if he does not care
much about her-though then it be-
comes more or less a business transac-
ton. But, if he chances to care for
her, why, he must be afraid to make
the least demonstration of affection lest
she should think the earesS or kind
word was bought with her gold"
"You don't seem to consider" she
had answered in a choking voice, show
very hard your theory is with respect to
the unfortunate rich woman. If such
a one married a man she loved who held
such notions as these, then Heaven help
her, for she would sorely need it,"
Soon afterwards Lady Wilful had
gone home, understanding some Of the
scruples which had prevented Darcy
Brabason from asking her to be his
wife.
After their little passage-at-arms,
D'Arcy was colder to her than he had
ever been before. Lady Wilful's voice
with the Ominous sound of tears there
in, haunted him for many a day; but so
rigid and stern were his notions OF
honour that the fear of being termed
%'fortune hunter" kept him from own
ing, even to himself. that for him dear
Lady WIlful was the one woman the
world contained.
Although Lady Wilful was doubtful,
she felt much happier after this.
81 will wait until my birthday" she
told herself; ''then | shall be quite sure;
ard | will let the world see that | was
not called Lady Wilful for nothing"
She waited patiently and bravely all
through the dreary autumn and winter
months, having in addition to her other
troubles, to parry the advances of Hugh
Stamer; for that gentleman was quite
of his mothers opinion that Katherine's
money should stay in the family, though
he did not care much about Lady Will
full herself, Still he knew that she
would be a wife whom a rising politi-
clan might be proud of, and that she
would help to make his house one of the
most attractive in London.
During these months Lady Wilful's
one consolation was the news which
she received of darcy through Mrs.
Discount. From her she learned that
his regiment had been removed In the
autumn from Aldershot to Norwich,
near which town their country-house
was. Mrs. Discount told her that they
had seer a good deal of him, but that
he seemed dull and distract. and that
she feared his affairs were more hope
lessly involved than ever.
Amongst the packets and notes with
which Lady Wilful's plate was heaped
on her birthday was a morocco case
containing a diamond star, aocompani.
ed by a note from darcy Brabason,
saying that it had belonged TO his moth
er, and had for that reason additional
value IN his eyes.
Some months previously she aud Cap
tain Brabason had had a dispute about
some triAing matter, and a bet was
made. If Lady Wilful lost she was to
forward darcy her photograph; if
darcy, he was to send her a present
on her birthday, darcy did lose and
the diamond star was the article with
which be discharged his debt. The
present was the subject of much discus
sion, not to say quarreling, at Whimple
Frlars.
You must not keep it, Katharine"
said Mrs. Stamer decisiyely.
81 certainly shall do So" answered
Lady Wilful.
"You shall not" said Mrs. Stamer.
tsI shall - was adv W iifnlis aauallv