The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-08-14

), wood than that her own feelings mus
have undergone a similar change.
: 81 am relieved to hear it," SAID Lad
Mary. II had really begun to won
der-absurd as it seems-if there coul'
have been anything between you AM
| RObin-o
, ''No! oh mol" cried Meta vehement
' ly. "How could you think so, mann
ma, when he has never" She stop
} ped, afraid OF her own voice. Wha
was she going to doP To falter anG
break down before her mother-to be-
tray the weakness that had robbed heI
girlhood of its brightness, and that
instead of being conquered as she had
believed, seemed ready to overwhelm
her now with sudden despairing
shamep She paused a moment, steady
ing herself against the garden seat,
and then she said with nervous little
laugh-"How could you be so absurd,
mammal l should have thought you
knew me better than that" The two
women were both too much excited to
notice outside things. 1t came upon
them both with a little shock, when a
page appeared before them and an
nounced that Lord Castleman was in
the drawing room.
81 will come" said Lady Mary ner-
vously, and then she looked at her
daughter.
'.My dear, what shall say. You
will not sacrifice your prospects
your happinesss-"
''My happiness is not in question,
mamma" said Meta proudly. "You
can send Lord Castleman to me-" /;
Lady Mary did not venture to ask
any more. She kissed her daughter,
and went off to her guests, rejoicing.
Meta would not have sent for him
only to reject him, she felt sure. And
as for the doubts which the daisies
had suggested, if Lady Mary did not
believe her daughters protestations
as entirely as Meta would have wished,
she believed in the healing power of
time and the evanescent nature of
human emotions, with a fullness of
conviction that Meta herself would
probably never attain to. She turned
for a moment and looked at the girl s
white clad figure with tender ma
ternal pride, and then she went on to
the house and into the drawing room,
glowing with satisfaction and good
will.
Lord Castleman was standing by
the table with face tina was becoming
anxious and grave, but he flushed into
eager anticipation as Lady Mary came |
into the room.
"You bring me good tidings,
he cried joyfully. 81 see it in your
eyes" Il
''She will see you," said Lady Mary,
,iv,<r q :
her in her favorite corner by the con-
He pressed her hand, and went, see
ing everything little mistily
through the sudden dazzle of new
hope; but pleading his cause with as
much humility as though he had not
just seen Lady Mary, and drawn his
own deductions from the encouraging
interview.
And Meta sat with downcast eyes, and !
listened to his tale in silence he felt
% be still more encouraging; but when !
ie would have taken her hand she drew ..
t back.
"Wait," she said; 'there is some
hing. l should like to show you I
irst.'' 0
She took from her pocket faded
Gather case, and opened it with fin b
,ers that trembled a little in spite of P
Ter efforts to keep them still. Inside T.
we're the Christmas cards with the
retty frosted daisies, and the robins 8.
hat used to be so seldom absent "
rom Christmas cards, but that it
ad. perhaps a special reference b.
4 these, and with them a letter a.
hat was little frayed about the G
dyes now.
Lord Castleman stared, as he might A
erhaps be excused for doing. 10
"What are thesep" he said. '.Par- RI
on me; l don't understand HI
ut was very foolish-and it was all AZ
We years ago." faltered Meta, "but | f,
fought you ought to know" sb
He understood now, and his brow he
'wered ominously. He was all Lady hi
AIRY had called him-he was we'll
orn and distinguished, a polished =.
,ntleman, and an upright man, but ~
, was not large souled. The confes- a.
on that Meta had made, with pain IN j.,
could not even understand, moved 70,
m to no generous sympathetic only FL
ounded his vanity and stung his w., uI
1de. He took the cards and the let 70,
lIOlu ucis anu TORE lnem into br
ousand pieces, and then he turned ''
ION his heel.
"Miss Lakewood, l have the honor Tie
wish you good morning." he said, VIC
tn stiff little bow 81 appreciate
ur candor, but you will understand sol
at Castleman does not care to be I"
,ond to any other man."
He went away with his head in the lnee
:. knocking over his chair in his ag- GIL
ton, and Meta was conscious of a SIN
ry unheroic feeling of relief. To lor
'ase her mother, and to save her chi
n pride. she had brought herself to l
nix that she might accept Lord Cas- leo
man, but the sense of relief showed to
: how great an escape she had had. the
W long she sat where he had left to {
: she never quite knew. Her eyes des
re on the torn and scattered frag- bin
nts that were all that remained to live
of her girlhood's dream, and as exis
sat and unused her face was grave of
sad-but it was sadness in pra
lch Lord Castleman had neither the