Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-01-01


stood before her too agitatsd to sit dow
How long bss this affair with Colon,
Butler'be6n going ONT" he almost rouRhl
heked.
"What do you mean :" asked Lut
Indignantly.
"Yon know what I mean Lutte" b
said, "You know have sought the sma
honor and distinction have won entirel
for your sake and when /, come to otfe
them to you l find an old man, you
fathers friend, who happens to be
handsome man, and q distinguishe
statesman, occupy ing almost the sttitud
Of an accepted lover toward you, while
an treated with neglect and contempt.
The young man, excited, worried an
sore after his sleepless night had made
bad beginning.
Crank Brou hton," said Lutte will
flashing eyes as she arose from the benol
'you surely must know that you presum
greatly on your oousinly rights when yol
speak to me In that fashion,"
at seems to me that we might as vel
drop that wretohed pretepoe Of cousin
ship 2" said Frank sullenly.
$50 let II bs then Mr.. Broughton," sh,
replied starting TO 60.
"0h Lutte, don't CO." he cried II
alarm, ~ did not ask you to @. me here t.
quarrel with you"
81 supposed" said Lutte gravely
"thAt you brought me here to tell me o.
yenr-eAeseemen TO MFs. GEAntley and
came to tfsv you my congratulations az
your oousin in so wise choice"
"Oh Lutte how can you torture me
l xptth fhaf % h.a0 0rfad ttXnu
must knop that l am only 4 friend Of
Msggie's. You cannot help knowing
that never loved anyone but you How
could you imagine any thing else : What
was Or could be Margaret GrAntley TO me
except aH old friend kind enough to
listen to my talk about you and to wish
me success and happiness 7"
Lutte was 80 surprised that she invol-
unfairly sat down again. She had si2cs
her return heard q most positive declara-
tion OF Franks engagement to Margaret
and she had fully accepted 1t as true.
Daring the scene that had Just passed
che had attributed his mAnifeet resent
ment OF Col. Buffers attentions TO her.
self as arising out of old habit and q
remnant Of his former regard and she
had therefore been honestly angry at the
manner In which he had begun the oor-
versation. On receiving now his almost
indignant disclaimer Of any engagement
with Margaret and his declaration Of un.
changed love for herself Lutie's predomi-
nant feeling was one Of surprise but
beneath 1t lay another Of sweet and
sudden Joy. She sat In silence for q little
while but thought rapidly as people do
Ia moments Of excitement, and with the
recovery Of her sense Of power over Frank
returned her doubts as to whether she
was willing to accept him "a her husband.
She remembered too tha, during the past
week she had given Col. Butler some
encouragement and she was not indifferent
to the position she would take as his
wife. She was always pleased with his
courtesy of manner aud there flashed
through her mind the thought that hewould
never have attempted to WOO her In the
rough manner Frank had just displayed,
and she even found time to remember the
excuse Of friend Of hers for refusing .
man, which was-''he did not WOO me
prettily." Frank certainly had not
wooed her tprettily" that morning. Out
Of all this confusion OF thought and feel.
ing she grasped clearly but one idea, she
somehow must have time. Presently she
raised her eyes to Franks face and felt
half disposed to laugh at the woe begone
appearance OF the great Fix foot man be-
fore her. She had 80 often CURED his grief
with word or cslmsd his auger with .
smile that she WAS not much impressed
by either 80 long as she was sure Of her
power over him.
HWsll ?n he asked.
"0h Frank why could you not let
things remain as they wefef" she replied,
lyon have been the best and dearest OF
COUSINS" she added.
"Beoause l do 70, love you as q
oousin," he replied. 81 love you as q
man loves only one woman, the one he
vans for his wife and cannot 60 on In
the old way any longer, even II that were
possible after last night.
Lutte WINGED. She had In her anxiety
to prove to Frank in advance that she
was fully rsoonoiled TO his engagement
with Margaret shown moro kindness Of
the encouraging kind toward the colonel
than she would otherwise have done. Still
she had not yet given Frank Bfoughton
auy right to question her attitude toward
othsr men, aud she Was not quite sure
In her heart that she ever meant to do
so. 'I do met know that did anything
so remarkable last night" she finally
said with some irritation. ....-.
"Certainly not, II you mean TO marry
Col. Butler, but you certainly did by
look and manner give to a man who
evidently fanoies you the right to expect
a favorable answer when he Rsks you to
marry him." answered BroughtOn In an
angry tone.
"Frank BrOuShton | have certainly
never encouraged you to think you have
the right to .soture ms in this fashion,"
hotly retorted Lutte.
"Forgive me, Lutte. Oh God, know
II. But l have loved you SOL have
loved you so long that the idea OF losing
you sets me villa. l have thought only
OF you. have tried to make myself
worthy Of you. have sought honor for
your sake, and deserved 1t for that alone.
Lutte, my darling, will you Low oruoh
all my hopes and wreck my liie."
Lutte was deeply moved 'You are
worthy Of far better woman than l ("
she answered, "and l thought you had
won such. Oh Frank, forgive me for
being the cause Of SORROW to you. fear
4 oAh AONCA AOAkANO NY b0Ats
"But Lutte" he persisted, "that is no
answer"
son, Frank let things bs as they are"
she cried, ''let me continue 10 be your
loving cousin" Her heart prompted her
to yield but habit and some lingering
doubt as TO herself made her shrink from
immediate surrender. Frank had seated
himself on the bench beside her and had
he but stretched forth his arms and
drawn her to him she might then and
there have been his. Had he been .
little less in love, q trife less in awe Of
his divinity he would have done so, bat
he was big, foolish man, desperately In
love and probably Just now even more
foolish than ever before, because he had
made up his mind TO "be a man" this
time, so instead Of reaohing forth and
taking the prize within his grasp he
sprAng TO his feet and in determined
voice said, There must be An end to this,
Lutte, now and here. You know love
you and must have known II all along. l
have some selfrespeOt, and will not be
trifisd with longer. Will you be my
wife Yes OF no 10
"Was ever woman in this humor woo'd2
Was ever woman in this humor won?"
Yes, says tradition, and even In rougher
humor for did not William the Conquerer
beat naughty Matilda Of Flanders soundly
for declaring she would ''liefsr be yelled
nun than given in marriage" to such ss
he, and then win her easily at his next
asking But in these times women worth
the winning are not thus won. Broueh-
toms tone and manner Jared on Lutte
and rising suddenly to her feet she simply
said emo" and straightwsy turned aside