The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-07-25
A FAMILY AFFAIR
BY HUGH CONW AY,
Author of"Callsd Back" and "Dork Days
CHAPTER XIV.
'UoPE SPRINGS ETERNAL"

mighty cnailSe MS lhliuTe ibuat Hlaho III HE
life, but he absolutely shrank from calling VI
finished picture of what he fancied his fu
.ure life must be, uncolored by the love which
40 had by now learned to look upon rs indis
oensable to making the picture pleasing
me
He could not understand it. He could not
oeleveit Frank Cairuthers, although per-
'ectly able to value himself fairly, was no
,oxcomb, ready to fancy every little act OF
Kind ers or polite attention on the part Of a
woman an evidence of a consuming passion
or himself. Although for weeks he had
oeen making yelled love to Beatrice, there
vas no action OF hers to which he could point
nd say: "That gave me hope and lei me on"
10 had not felt her hand linger in his own.
lie had not seen sudden blush dye her cheek
Is he drew near He had not caught those
,arnest gray eyes fixed upon him with mean
ng which lovers readily guess. 1t was per-
,aps the very absence of anything approach
ny coquetiy and encouraging whichto Frank
lad made the girl so well worth the winning
Nevertheless, there was something-ho
ould not, dared not Notwithstanding
her manner, moro especially during the
asst few days, which had, well, TO say the
east been of great comfort TO him. He
hncied, it may have been but fancy, there
vas change in the way in which she spoke
. him perhaps in tho way in which sho
gOked at him. Yes, there must have been
cmething, for, although he did not put the
bought into words, Carruthers knew that
md Beatrice been the same To him rs in the
srly DAYS of their acquaintance, no love Of
his, however uoninant, could have force.
him TO put tho question he had just put with
A L..
suit. The mans half cynical exterior hid a
proud and sensitive nature Had hope been
entirely absent he would not havo barred
MS heart to the woman no loved best in the
world.
Eveu In tho first bitterness OF defeat he did
not blame her. That all was ended ard over
he never doubted His feelings wcrc those of
bewilderment. He could not understand it
could see no reason for this summary and
without-appeal rejection of his love.
81 must go and think it all over he NUT
.ered. 81 can't think here, in this room where
the perfume of her dress still lingcrs.'
He stopped and picked up flower which
must have fallen from her dress. He took u
glove which was lying on tho piano
What levelcr love is, he said grirnly;
lone laughs at the idiotic proceedings of
others, and when ones own time comes does
just the same. A glove! A flowerl Convcn-
tional embems, lacking even originality.
What a fool l ami"
Nevertheless ho kept them both, and no
dou, i eiived as much comfort from them as
the possession OF such things is supposed to
give.
After this he took his hat, and forgetting
all about the dlnner-party, went out into the
garden to think. In spite of his assumed
calm he must have been strongly moved, for
no commenced his operation OF thinking by
digging his heel into tho immaculate gravel
path 50 viciously that tho large roller was
needed for half an hour the next morning in
order to smooth matters down Then,
ashamed Of this burst of passion, he walked
down to tho bottom Of the garden, and re-
gardless OF October dews and chilly air threw
himself ona seat and strove to account for
what had happened, and to determine its re-
suit so far as his own future was concerned.
But think as no would, and wo may pre-
sumo his brain was a clever and able one
Mr. Carruthcrs could only get to three con
clusions, unsatisfactory when taken singly,
and, OF course, trebly SO in tho aggregate
Firstly, he was more in love with Beatrice
than ever. Secondly, he could not under
stand why she had refused him. Thir dly
having once asked a woman IT, DO his wife,
nothing would induce him to repeat the
question.
''No, won't grovel, said Frank. "Most
fellows seem to grovel when they arc In love.
Hang it, l WON'T I'll be original in that
respect if hayo to cut my heart out"
These remarks were of course applicable to
conclusion number threoa conclusion at
which love always laughs Given prouder
man than Mr.. Carru,hers, and as hopelessly
N love with n woman, that woman, il she
wished, might have u fresh declaration Of uu-
dying passion every week il the year Oh,
yes all lovers can 'grovoI' if needs he.
BY and by a curious whim seized this par |
!icular lover. He would go down and see
SyIvanus Mordle. Not that he wished to un.
bosom his woes TO the curatc-that would he
grovcling with u vengeance - but there
seemed certain grim propriety in seeking
and sitting with tho other man who was row. |
ing in tho same boat, or, to put it POLITICALLY,
tho man whose bark of joy had been wrecked
upon tho same rock as his own. Besides,
Mordle would DO sure to talk about Miss |
Clauson-ho always did. "What fool |
ami" said Frank more bitterly than ever |
Nevertheless, he walked down to tho curate's !
lodgings.
Mr.. Mordle lodged in ono Of row OF new |
houses which n san3uine builder had erected |
on plot OF ground not far from the church |
When these houses were first built the villag- |
ers expressed their wonder us to who would |
inhabt them. They were red brick houses
with freestone dressing-the kind Of houses |
Classified as ''genteel" residences. AS SUCH |
they were a cut above the villagers, and |
many cuts-quite cash, In fact-below the |
families Of position AS half of tho houses
are empty to this day the builder has ceased |
10 wonder at the villagers wonder.
When Frank was shown into his room
Mordle jumpedupand greeted him cheerfully. |
'Hallo!" he jerked out. You herei Why,
what's upf'
81 only came for smoke and chat
Thought you had every one--all the swells
up at the house to might"
Frank started II quite forgot them,n he |
said with lack OF caution unusual TO him.
'Forgot theml How shocked Horace will |
be-how grieved Herbert. No matter. Here
you are"
Whilst speaking the curate hustled about. |
De opened a drawer, took out box OF cigars, |
then shut the drawer with bang. He opened |
. cupboard, took out q bottle of whisky, then |
Slammed the cupboard door He slapped the
cigars, the whisky, a water bottle and glass