The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-24

ward-a short run-a scramble, and he is
standing on the path in front of her.
PERCY" is all she says; but her face turns
ashy pale aad she trembles violently. The
shock is too much for her. and she would
fall did he not catch her in his arms. He
half leads, half carries her to a seat that is
close by, and, placing her on it, fans her
with mis- hat until she RECEIVERS little.
"My poor darling, you ever forgive
me all the pain and misery / have caused
youl" he asks; "what must you have thought
Of me, never having been near you all this
timer
"Oh Percy, papai He'll see you. He's in
the drawing room You shouldn't have
come"
"Never mind papa, darling; leave him to
me. He'll be glad enough to see me, I'm
sure. But are youl I mu,t know that first"
"There is no need to ask, is there, Percyp
And her rosy cheeks and smiling eyes speak
more eloquently than her lips, those lips
which are Immediately silenced after
lovers fashion
"But stay, before say anothel word, tell
me is this true l hear of you-are you en-
gagged to Lord Ivorl Tell me plainly, child.
Ii it is as they say. it is only just punish
ment on me, and / must bear it"
IL engaged to Lord Ivor? No, never
could be engaged to any one"
Except me-" he interrupts. Thank God
for that l might have known it all along,
and so | should have done if had only seen
your letter"
"Seen my letter"
eyes, the one inside the parce! Of presents.
The one you sent separately l never can call
yours. 1t was your fathers.
"But didn't you see the other?"
"Never until last night. / put the parcel
away on a shelf unopened, where it would
have been now had it not been for an acci-
dent Can you forgive my conduct, know
ing thiss"
"Forgive! Ayel freely, if / have any
thing to forgive At first thought there
must be some mistake, and then l remem-
bered what took place at the ball, and |
thought then that you were angry, and that
you intended everything should be over be-
tween u.s. for | did try you know that even.
ing. At first it not my fault Lord
Ivor was papa's friend, and it was my duty to
dance with him, more especially as papa had
told me to do so. And then when | saw you
were angry, and little unreasonable-and
you must admit that, dear-I determined to
punish you for a time, but only for dance
or two. 1 never intended we should part
that night anything but friends. And then
when l you with that lady in blue l
was little angry and hurt, and l went on
all the more. So you see, dear, you have to
forgive well as /.
"Whatever there may be, darling, it is
forgiven long ago. and az !or the la " in
blue, she was my cousin, only took care
you should not know 1t at the time, and l
have never seen her from that evening. Let
us blot that miserable time out of our minds
at once and forever. And now tell me
about Lord Iyor."
Il have little to tell you, except that he
was kind enough to ask me to marry him,
and have said no. He is a gentleman in
every sense Of the word and took my answer
at once, and don't suppose shall ever see
him again. We said goodbye at Brighton,
so think, dear, we may blot him out too,
as be has indirectly been the cause of all we
have suffered Have you suffered, Percya
But, there, / won't tease you. have no
wish to lose you again now that L"
49, sirl Perhaps you'll have the goodness
to tell me what all this means" And Mr..
Linton suddenly stands before the astonished
lovers, almo,t bursting with suppressed in
dignation and rage. His face Is purple, his
eyes starting out of his head. and his fingers
nervously clasping thick oak stick, as If he
meditated an immediate attack On the SUBJ
ject of his wrath. He had approached round
The bushes unobserved by either Of them.
II have idea that my daughter wrote you
a letter some months since, returning you
the presents you had done her the honor to
give her, and at the same time putting an
end to your engagement; also intimating
that your future presence at this house was
neither expected nor desired Was that not
oct Av.1
vet now find you with my daughter in a
position that demands an instant explana-
tion."
For when Mr. Linton appeared sosuddenly
Percy's arm was around Mabers waist, his
disengaged hand had made close prisoners
Of both of hers, and the two sitting
rather closer together than the size of the
garden-seat led one to suppose was actually
necessary.
"Sir," commenced Percy rising and stand
ing totally unabashed by the little mans
virtuous indignation, while the laughter
that sparkles in his eyes shows that he feels
himself master of the situation, and is medi-
tating some prank-"all that you have stated
| is perfectly correct but there are times when
| it is every mans duty to lay aside all per-
sonal feelings, and undertake duty how
ever disagreeable it may be, in order to
benefit his fellow-man. Such is my case at
the present moment"
"Pray, sir, have the goodness to cease this
tomfoolery, and leave my garden this In
slant. How you entered it / am not in a
position to say, but l strongly suspect you
clambered over the fence. in which case
you have laid yourself open to a criminal
prosecution. But let that pass, and leave
my premises this Instant Do you hear me,
| sirlp
II do, sir; and IL followed your instruo.
tions you would regret this moment to the
end Of your life l repeat, sir, that there
| are times when it"
"Will you leave my grounds sirp
| "No, will not until you have heard what
| have come to tell you"
"Then will have you turned out"
Excuse me, sir, but / don't think you
will It's oil right, darling" turning to
Mabel, who is pulling his coat-tails, endeavor-
ing to induce him TO stop "Mr. Linton Is
naturally little bit surprised ut seeing me
4 a.xA 4 Ia raj nd hta