New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-31

strikes IL finds me settled In the drawng-room ana
day by day at the same honr and rn nen has to work
late into the night. but he never iais 10 az
this hour. Sometimes we talk, oftener we slt ,eaa-
ing. at any rate we are always there. i nave
DEVELOPED an invincibe objection to dinner engage,
ments which perpexes and annoys mamma Dut
y don't think it is quite-quite nice for q girl
who Is engaged to 90 out so much" say. ~ think
Glen might not like it, and my mother rclnct,
antly gives in Philip, too, seems to have knocked
oil dinner engagements. As TO Clem he often, very
often, dimes with us-he Is q Government clerk ana
engaged all day-but cohtriye that he snail not
too early, and as he has the whole evening 10
himself my mother gong to sleep, ana I'M ln, w
Invariably tramping of to tho library as soon as
dinner Is over, he is fain to be content. tor my,
self to my own irritation, nay, ;ternation.i9i
had never meant 1t to go so far nnG that .nls
balfhour is becoming the one event o. my da y,
Once or twice, it is true make an attempt TO
break through my bondage, but ANONYMOUSLY
fail Once when Philip had beencrosser and more
taciturn than usual give III to request Oh Ciehls
and LEFT him take me to see some old friends OF bis
who are living at Richmond. They are overnow,hg
in their kindness and cordiality. bnt am bored 10
DEATH even to the point of being almost uncivii.
am thinking all the time that il viii be nearly hall
past by the time reach home. and when we 90
dismiss Glen cprtly at the door. without the
upstairs at once to the drawing-ro0in.
Yes, Philip is there. He looks. up as / enter;
q Ho,c cross Philip can look" / say to myse 1
that he has evidently been sharing my discomfort
came in all wrapped in f9rs as ! am, ana kneei
my hands at the fire. have performed my act Oh
virtue and am in the dangerous mood OF reaction
natural under the circumstances.
"Cold 7" asks Philip laconically
"Very."I say-it must be true, for my lips are
trembling. .,
Philips tone is disagreeable in the extreme. look
up at him from my position on tho rug.
aYou are unkind,' / say. u.
the face. His head is on level with mine and very
close to this cross datk eyes look into mine.
Suddenly realize as catch the ezpTBs Ss am
reckless just now. In two months more shall he
Clem's Wife; till thenf life has no better gifts in
store for me than what Philips brotherly affection
is willing to bestow-well, i will not churlishly
refuse what it offers, from cowardy fear OF con
sequences. do not move, only drop my eyelas
ago lat my mothers instance and with manifest
reuctance) he bestowed upon mo brotherly salute
he has kissed me. When / lift my eyes he has
already drawn back, curious expression OF shame
flashing across his face.
beg your pardon" he begins ,t hastily but
al know say gently. "Never mind -you had
gone back had you not, to old times, brother
Philip /" am looking at HIM steadily, and see his
face change. | wonder vaguely whether what l
have wished is beginning to come 10 pass, aud am
sensible, though indstinctly, thai am not enjoy
ing it as much as might have been expected, and
then start, for the door has opened, and Glenn
q Are Won there Innocentin he says stopping
suddenly short the next moment confess the
scene that meets his eyes before stumble hastily
to my feet is calculated to be slightly startling TO
my lover. | am apparently kneelIng on the ground
at Philips feet while his handsome face is suggest
ively near my own, as he leans forward wonder
whether Glenn too, had seen the look in his eyes
Philip has risen-mrtteIing something as he does
so-and has left the room, taking no notice of Mr;
move and not calculated to allay any suspicious
which may have been excited in the latter; but Tor
my own part by the time Glenn has come forward
looking black as thunder, have recovered myself
and am ready to parry any amount OF questions. L
even begin the conversation myself
al was cold" | say confdingly Sand came in
here 10 get warm before went up TO dress. Come
closer to the fire, Glenn Glenn advances-l perceive
that he is already beginning TO feel ashamed OF his
pcsformanGe-but he makes no immediate response,
and 1a go O Won come to dinner, fanced you said
you had an engagement for tonight" fanced
nothing of the kind, but the occasion Is too grave
to allow me to give much attention 70 such trivial
matters as facts. "Can you stay aud dinep
"No, j only came In for moment 10 arrange
about to-morrow,'-we were to 90 to winter OK;
hibrtion of pictures the day. forgot TO tell
When do you breakfast ~ 1 hesitate. The fact is
have takenl to early hours Of late as Philip has 70
breakfast and start for his chambers by 81 o'clock
al could be ready by TO-" say.
"By 10, then. But, Innocent, have something
ment, but refuse TO assist him imagine the In
curing eyes lift IL his do not facilitate language
ait is about Dugdale. know you mean no
harm but don't like it,"
att him, you mean correct kindly "Nof
s@ 80 m sSrT{ you II aG been sPe s 70 F
father or grandfather, my tone would have been
precisely the same but Glenn Is not moll
Good to youw he exclaims scOTnfully. "LOok
here Innocent. this sort of thing can't 70 in he's
no more your brother than am"
aOh, Glenn" ! exclalm responsibility,
swell, he isn't One must speak plainly. There
is nothing to prevent your marrying him to-
morrow" sharp thrill shoots through me-then
collect myself
should have thou git that was enough"
You know what J mean says Gem severely
q And tell You what it Is. Innocent ] wouldn't
have pnt mp with it so long from any other girl,
but You are so Innocent aud young poor Glenn =
Sand now that have explained II 10 you, am sure
il viii he all light"
al will tell Philip what you say reply meckly.
"You will do no snch thing" says Mr.. Ross. hotiy;
" Don't talk 10 Dugdale about ne at all Good
heavens, Innocent! even you must know u little
more the ways Of the world by this time Glenn ~
growing excited. but continue To look gently and
calmly up at him. "There. never mnd.' he gays;
81 know you mean no ham, only you shouldn't
let him-J'
@Whatf r. ask again meekly, as Glenn pauscs at
al don't know" I don't think ho does quite.
"Jhere, it will be III right now" think he im-
a a- am gong to cry' must CO. G9oI-by
Der. That is, Glenn holds my hand a long time,
sometimes he goes so far as to kiss IT, lie doesn't
kiss me. ] have explained from the FIST that
would rather he didn't do soyet and though Glenn
regrets my decision he is young man who gives
in TO the egitahle and, like others not all others,
respects my childisEness.
III.
aGive me the Peerage, Innocent. / want to look
out Lady Beckwith and her family. 1t il such All
advantage to be we'll up in the people you are going
TO dine with" 1t is about a week after my cxpcdl-
ton TO Richmond, and my mother and are sitting
together after tea Philip, too, is present having
come home earlier than usual bat he is immersed
In n book, and Is taking part in the converse
t0D. He has been more disagreeabe than usual
since the little scene that Glenn had interrupted,
aud my temper too has not been uniformly serene
~ usual HE weather has been perslstenty foggy
and life in general unpleasant My mother goes