The Wilmingtonian., 1885-03-07

"Pray, take my arm," he said kindly.
~ know you are very tired and upset by
the fright that ruffian gave you"
''But you have the parcel to carry" re-
turned Eveline.
~ can manage both you and the parcel," "
he told her with laugh.
''You never carried parcel before in
yous life," observed Eveine, as she accept
ed his arm.
"How do you know tbat?" lie asked good
humoredly. "Well, if have never made
myself useful before, it is high time that l
began now."
highroad. Strange to say, the walk, which
at the commencement seemed to be intoler-
able to Evcline, now appeared marvelously
short.
Il shall never see him again." she
thought, with faint sigh, as they parted at
the gates of North Lodge, and it was with a
weary little face that she entered the pres
ence of the lady of the house.
| He had told her that Mrs Thursby was
very amiable woman, but still Eveline was
sgreeably surprised at the kindness of her
reception. She had been to many houses on
the same errand before, but nowhere had
she been treated with such consideration.
She was at North Lodge for several days,
working away as if life had depended on it,
and, as she worked, her thoughts were of
the handsome stranger who had rescued her
from the brutality ofthe tramp.
Once Ralph came up the carriage-drive,
and peering from the window, she looked at
his frank face and stalwart figure with
queer little ache ut her heart.
He was making call on the ladies of the
house, and, no doubt was a lover of-an ac-
cepted lover of-one of Mrs. Thursby's
daughters, those graceful, fair-haired ladies
who were SO dignifed in their grief at the
loss of their father
She felt relieved when her business was
over, and she stood waiting in the little rail
way station for the train that was to carry
her to London. There is no place under the
sun more depressing than a country railway
station, and our little heroine had repeatedly
glanced at the clock, when tall form dark
ened the doorway, and she looked up to see
Ralph Vernon standing before her.
$50 you are going back TO town." he
said, shaking hands with her as if they had
been old friends. 81 thought would like
to come and say good-by."
"How did you know ?" she asked in sur
prise.
"oh, Grace Thursby told me-" he ans
wered carlessly, 'she is one of the best girls
in the world.'
''She seems very nice to her interiors;"
observed Eveline, little bitterly. II can
imagine how charming she can be to her
equals"
"Who is her inferior 2" asked Ralph Yer
non, quickly. mot you, by Jove! She
was saying to me that you were perfect
lady"
Every kind of her. am sure,n said Eve
line. haughtily; ''only am at loss to un-
derstand how such a discovery came
| about"
"There, now, have offended you," said
Ralph, cont itely; Shut am such clumsy
fellow"
'Not at all, returned EveliLe, huskily.
SIT is very kind of your affianced wife to
take such an interest i'll me. )"
"My afianced wifep' aid with hear
ty laugh. 81 should like my brother John
to hear you say that" He was very close
to her now, as they say on the hard bench.
'Don't you know that fell desperately in
love with you that night when rescued you
from the tramp-at least, think l did, al
though it was not till saw you peep at me,
through the window that knew how ex-
quisitely pretty you were? Be my wife,
and let me take care of you not only on
dark nights, but all your life."
But Eveline shook her head, for, al
| though her heart prompted her TO saw "yes''
she felt that she had no right to accept the
sacrifice her impulsive aud hot-headtd lover
was willing to make for her sake.
at cannot be-" she said, mournfully.
SIT is mad, Quixotic idea. l know, from
what haze heard Mrs. Thursby say that
you are wealthy
'Hang the moneyr' exclaimed Ralph.
''If you don't say yes rll-rll go lion
hunting in Africa, and get torn to pieces by
Wild animals"
But even this terrible threat had no eff
feet upon Eveline; she was firm in her de-
termination to do right at any cost; she
would not even tell him where she lived.
And so they parted at the little railway sta
tion, and Eveline went back to London
with less color in her cheeks than when she
had left it, and a strange gloomy look in hel
beautiful eyes.
'Itis all for the besr," she thought but