Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-08-27
ENGAGED IN HASTE.
BY MISS VI. T.. BRADDON.
Continued hom last re,h.l
CHAPTER ".

neartn, ana lghted thclr cigarettes, anu
then came the hour of confidence
81 dare say you all wondered what took
us up to town in such hurry this morn
ing" said Allan.
"Grace has an active Imagination, and
she exercised it vigorously between lunch
con and o'clock tea" answered the colo.
mel, laughing; but my sluggish old brain
has not been much disturbed by the mys-
terry People think nothing of an eighty
mile journey to and fro by express. 1t
would have been different if you had had
to go III dhak'
81 took Clare to see Sir Clarkson An.
drews'
"Indeed"
eyes, have been anxious about her for
a long time; and in spite of our family
doctors assurance that there was no cause
for alarm, | determined to consult a first
rate physician So, this morning was par
ticularly fine and | had no work to do at
home, persuaded her to go to Cavendish
square with me. telegraphed for an APP
pointment from Scadleigh, SO there was no
time lost. Sir Clarkson was kindness it
self had long talk with my wife, as
sured me that there was nothing organ
ically wrong, only tendency to languor
and low spirits, which might develop into
something worse if we were not careful
He strongly recommended me to take
Lady Darncl to Italy for the winter l
am to move her from place to place, give
her plenty of change of scene in a word,
to do all in my power to amusc and inter
est her. Take her along the Riviera, let
ting her see every place that is worth see
ing, and then drop quietly down into
Italy for the winter. You can take her
back t. Darnel when the prmroses are in
bloom, said he, and pledge my honor
she viii be n new creature.
"Well. my dear Allan, this was rather
cheering than otherwise.
at was comforting to know what was
wrong. Poor dear Clare do not think
1t is the dizziness Of Darnel park she has
felt half as much as the want of sociabil-
ity upon the part of my old country
friends That has wounded her deeply
"Have they been more unsociable than
county people usually are?" asked the
colonel, with pardonable hypocrisy.
He was very well aware of the fact both
from Miss Darne's innuendoes and his
own personal observation. The county
had given Sir Allan's second wife the
Coolest reception compatible with civility.
"They are no; absolutely uncivil; they
would not dare to be that to my wife, u
dial There has been no real frendliness.
They take every occasion to let my wife
feel that she is not in their particular set;
and she does feel it, more, believe for my
sake than her own. She is too proud to
court anybodys friendship. The people
all made their duty calls when we came
home from our honeymoon; but there was
a flavor of duty about the thing which
was unpleasant. Then came three or fouI
state dinners to which my wife went, anc
where she was made to feel somehow by
the feminine portion of the party that she
was received on sufierance. We gave two
or three dinners that winter, at which
some of my old friends were present; bu
there was a suspicious numbered previous
engagements, and knew poor Glare Eel
Inundated at finding it sch difiicul
matter to make up party OF twenty
Since then we have fallen into the way o.
living almost entire alone. In fact, salt
Sir Allan. waxing savage, as was ms won
when he touched ON this topic, Il shall b'
very glad to get Lady Darnel away IRON
this accurscd hole"
Grace will go with you, of course OF
served the colonel
II had not been thinking of taking her.
"Mv dear Allan, she would eat her hear
out if you left her alone with Miss Oar
mel"
Those two do not get on together, Gel
tainlv. And Grace adores my wife. We
it seems pity to take her away Just a
the beginning of the fOX-hunting, an
after had bought her that new mare
Grace is so fond of hunting; and youn
Ted Colchester-'
as so fond of Grace. Is that what 20
were going to say"
at is pretty near the truth, | think. An
Colchester is a thoroughly good fellow tn
only mnn in the neighborhood who ha
shown himself thoroughly stanch and co
dial since my marriage. He belongs to
good cd family, and he has fine estat
should be proud of such a son-in-law."
"And you may have him for a son-in-lay
If you play your cards properly. Take a
old bachelors advice, Allan. | don
think Grace cares much for Edward CO
chester now. He has been too attentiv
too devoted is too obviously IA good mate
The first idea of high-spiritcd, romant
girl ! ke Grace is generally to throw he
self way on some pauper. If Colchest
were a penniless nobody, and could on
approach her by stealth, | have no dou
she would adore him. But as he is we
off. and You have broadly limited that V
would like her to marry him, the natur
result is that she despises him Take h
to Italy with you, keep her closely und
Lady Darnels eye, and when she com
back to Darnel the odds are that she W
like young Colchester ever so much bett
than when she went away. She has Sc
har ly any other eligible young man
the last year and a half, and he has pail
upon her in consequence. Distance W
lend enchantment to the view
"What an old fox you are, Weldon
said Sir Allan, smiling Yes | belle
you are right. Grace shall go with
even if the new mare and old Blackie LA
to eat their heads off while she is aw,
Perhaps you will winter at Darnel a
keep the stud in good working order
us"
"You are too good, my dear fellow"
piled the colonel, inwardly shuddering
the idea of a winter spent with Dora. -
shall stay in town, if fail in finding
place down here; and after nearly I
months | am as far from realizing