Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-12-02
Heron's Nest
BY BERTHA NJ. CLAY.
CHAPTER vIII-cOSrrSuED.

Slue the WILLOW listening 10 tue
strains of waltz ! could see the elegantly
furnished room, with It's pictures its flowers.
could see Sir Adrian Waiting with Lady
Aditha. A more graceful, handsomer pair
could not be imagined. / saw Lady Caryl
watching them with delight In her face Lady
Aditha waltzed TO perfection. She wore a dress
Of dead-white silk with parure or rubes.
Her fair face was flushed, her eyes shone star
like. AS they passed, his arm round her grace
full figure, her hair all but touching his cheek,
felt that just to have stood so for one mo
ment would have given my life.
could not bear the sight Of my rival In his
arms, and l turned away with low despair
Ing cry. i ran to the white gate by the river.
The grass grew tall just there, and flung my
self down to weep out the bitter pain at my
heart There was no one 10 see me, no one TO
hear me; was alone under the broad night
sky. could hear the bitter sound Of my own
sobs die away; and, as / lay there, thought
of the light of the Christmas star. All,
whittier had It led met What should dol
"Gracian said voice the sound Of which
made my heart leap-"Gracia, my poor child
what are you doing here! What Is wrongl"
sprang to my feet in an instant.
Everything is wrongl" I answered passion
ately. GLOW did you know that was herel"
~ heard that little cry of yours at the win
dow" he replied. NAY, do not be alarmed !;
no one else heard It, No one else saw you ;
but / did, and followed YOU Oh, Gracia,
how wish that you could be with usi How
hate to see you shut out as you are! 1t shall
not bel" Ha M
But an angry spirit of opposition and sullen-
ness came over me. Why should he care for
me when the beautiful heiress whom he was
going to marry was therel
''You cannot miss me-" | said defanty,
when you have all those pretty girls there"
There is no face in the room one half so
beautiful as yours, Gracia," he said earnestly
THAT is treason to Lady Aditha," returned
eoldly.
Lady Aditha, contrasted with you, is like
white rose by the side of queenly damask, 4"
he said .
"Then why" i began, but hestated.
"Why, whatlr he asked with a smile.
had been on the point of saying, 'Why do
you love her best thenl' but | checked the
words
"Gracia," he went on, "do you not see
want to bring about complete change of af-
fairsl My mother must" lie paused,
and then said abruptly, 'why, child, your face
is all wet with tears!"
He caught me in his arms and kissed me,
with passionate murmurel worGs-kissed me,
he, the man whom ! worshpped, he the man
who was TO marry Lady Aditha / tore my
self away from him
"How-how dare youi" cried.
i was thinking of Lady Adtha. He be-
heved was angry with him.
II could not help It. Gracia, he said ten.
derly-'I could not indeed Those dark eyes
of yours looked SO beautiful half blinded by
tears"
"Let him kiss the tears from Lady Aditha's
eyes," l thought; and | hardened myself
against him.
His handsome face grew pale and sad.
"Gracia," he said sorrowfully, ~ thought
you cared for me-"
Once more ] ran away from him because
could not control myself. II had remained,
i must have cried out that loved him
After that, life became positive torture TO
me. Everyone talked about Sir Adrian and
Lady Aditha-how rich he was, how beautiful
she was, and how graceful, what grand mar
rage it would be.
One morning Mrs. Paterson the house
keeper, gave me the keeuest pleasure had
known for some time.
"Ah Gracs," she said, LADY Aditha is
beautiful; but she cannot compare with you
II you we're lady born, she would be no
where" rg-E .tt
And managed to extract some little COM
tort from that.
August had passed, September was come
and the harvestmoon was shining The visit
ors had been in the house some weeks, and
there was no sign of their going Since the
night when he had found me weeping by the
white gate Sir Adrian and had been strang-
ers. j avoided him, and was most miserable
in consequence. l knew that he wanted to
speak to me; but ] would not give him a
chance TO do so.
One fatal morning was told that every one
had gone out. | had heard Sir Adrian ride
of and naturally concluded that Lady Aditha
was Of the party. resolved, while they were
all away and / had the opportunity to
go TO the library to obtain fresh supply Of
books. Great was my CONSERVATION, when
entered, to find Lady Aditha sitting there
writingl She had declined going out at the
last moment / would have gone back at
once; but It was too late.
'Come in" she said; ''you will not disturb
me-"
entered. She kept her eyes fixed upon my
abruptly
"Who are you!"
| had but the old answer TO give; but this
time 1 varied it. E5~ff
Il am Lady Caryl's companion replied.
She smiled graciously; and, when saw how
her smile enhanced her beauty, asked myself
in bitterness of spirit what chance had II
~ did not know Lady Caryl had a compan-
Ion" she observed
She never removed her eyes from my face
the whole time that / was in the room, and
she persisted in talking to me. i wanted to
go; but she asked me so many questions that
could not leave her
My impression Of her character from that
interview was that she was proud, selfish, and
liked money What she thought of me / did
not know, but know the result OF our meet
ing. know that she must have spoken dis
paragingly Of me TO Lady Caryl, must have
poisoned her mind against me, must have told
her that was dangerous person to have In
the house; for Lady Caryl sent for me, and,
in her coolest haughtiest manner, said
81 thought / gave you instructions that,
while our visitors remained here, you were to
keep out OF sightf'
81 have done so as much as possible" re-
turned bitterly.
"Yet hear that you have intruded upon
Lady Aditha Glynn. Mrs. Roper says 1t is a
most ndecorous thing. However, IT shall not