The Penn's Grove record., 1886-03-06

ing him down"
Certainly, as long as Mrs. Lord was
in the house, it was a hopeless task, for
nobody got a chance of speaking to the
Captain, but whether this was the re-
suit of his admiration or her skilful
pertInacity it is not easy to say. But
Mrs. Lord went away on the Monday,
her last words being addressed to Cap
tain Crawford.
"You will be sure to come and see
me in London?"
"Oh, certainly, if l happen to find
myself therel' he replied; and then, as
she drove away, he SAID to Ethel, who
who had come out with the rest to see
her depart
81 wonder how much she spends on
her clothes2"
But Ethel would not be betrayed into
spitefulness.
"a good deal, l dare say-and quite
right, if she has it. So much beauty
deserves a fine setting. How shall we
console you for her departureP" she
added saucily.
'If l tell you, will you undertake the
task?"
But he received no answer, for Ethel
had followed the others in doors. The
house was full again the next day for
the shooting; but Captain Crawford did
not seem to find any OF the ladies suf-
iclently amusing to replace Mrs. Lord.
So the days slipped by. On Thursday
night Mrs. Layton, being late, sent
down a message that they were not to
| wait dinner for her. Mr.. Layton CIV
ing his arm to a dowager, requested the
others to follow as they pleased. Cap
tain Crawford, with more alarcrity
than was usual with him, Immediately
offered his arm to Ethel, and even went
so far as to eXerthimselft to be agreeable
during dinner; and Ethel made no sar-
castle remarks on the honor done her,
but listened to him with a happy smile.
81 am going away o.morrow after
noon,' he said presently. MAY l call
on Mr.. Raine when | am in London?"
"He would be very glad to see you"
Ethel replied quietly.
Later in the evening she happened to
be alone in the inner drawing-roora,
looking for some prints that somebody
wanted, when Captain Crawford fol-
lowed her thither.
Don't look for those things now,
Miss Raine. l say; you said L might
come and sea you in London"
Il said you might come and see
grandpapa," Ethel corrected demurely.
81 have known you only for ten days
but ten days in the same house together
constitutes a much more intimate ac-
guardianship than ten years spent
within half a mile Of each other. So
there's no good my waiting to speak.
You know me as well now as you would
after twenty years. l can't make 6ne
speeches; but l love you, Ethel. WIN
you be my wifeP"
1t ought to have touched her, a dec
laration of love SO simple and straight
forward, and from a man that more
than one charming woman had tried to
captivate in vain. For the few seconds
that he was speaking a struggle was
raging in her breast, though she stood
so quietly with downcast eyes. The
demons of vanity and mischief con-
quered. Raising her blue eyes won
deringly to his face, she said
81 am so sorryl How could L know
you were IN earnest? | have always
heard-indeed have seen for myself
you were such a hlrt that it never oc-
Cured to me that your attentions were
| serious"
He looked at her for a moment thun
Gerstruck, and then walked quietly out
of the room. A minute after she rush
ed out by another door, and escaped to
her room by q slde-staircase, 1t was
late then, and everybody was saying
good night in the drawing-room; so
Ethel was not missed till Flora and
Alice, passing the door, bethought
themselves of her and went in. She
was sitting on the hearthrug, with a
very woeful countenance, and was by
no mean glad to see them.
"What do you want? l have a head
ACHE" she said petulantly,
"Have you, dear? You had better
go to bed quickly then," Flora said
kindly.
81 believe you are thinking of Cap.
tain Crawford, and your failure with
regard to him." Alice laughed.
"I'm thinking of my success" Ethel
retorted, rejecting that, if she had paid
dearly for her triumph, she might as
well make the most Of it. HE has
proposed to me, and 1 have refused
him."
But she rather spoilt the effect of the
announcement by bursting into tears.
Flora, who prided herself on having a
we'll balanced mind and eve allowing
her clear Judgment to be dimmed by
foolish sentimentality, Observed
"You had better have accepted him;
you would have had your triumph just
the same-in fact, a greater one; for,
asi is, l don't see how people are to
know anything about it,"
Ethel continued crying, and said
nothing,
~ wouldn't distress myself about
it," said Alice s%oothingly. "He will
very soon get over it,"
But this piece of consolation quite
failed.
81 dare say he WILL" walled Ethel.
"But it isn't that. Oh, l am ashamed
of myself Why did l ever make that
foolish, unwomanly resolve? Oh, why
| did you allow meP What shall L doP
What shall l do?"
"You see, wrong-doing always brings
its own punishment" said Flora SEN
~tentiously, thinking 1t an excellent op.
portunity for a moral lesson.
But Ethel, far from showing herself
inclined to profit by it, stopped crying
and turned on her iiercely.
II wish you would 90 away; l hate
you'll You are so self-righteous. You
are only fit to be the matron of a re-
formatory. Do you never, neye do
anything wrongf"
Alice, who was beginning to see how
the matter stood, went on another tack.
"If yon knew Captain Crawford as
we'll as I do, you would know that if
he had had the remotest suspicion that
you were running after him, he would
never have cared for you. Besides,
though you talked so grandly, l have
never observed that you put your
schemes into practice. You were al
ways as meek as a mouse in lis pres.
| ence, exactly like yourself"
sob, but | had the intention; it was
just as badl"
And on this point Ethel took her
stand, and would not be cOmforted; 50
/ fhoE AIiaa ruoo ohlina1 or loct 10 laava