Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-04-01

brother l should have called you Robert -
she said ''and no brother could have been
more devoted to me than you are"
He looked eagerly at her bright face turned
mp to his MAY l never hope to be some
thing nearer and dearer to you than a
brother!' be asked. timidly.
She hung her head and said nothing.
Moody's memory recalled Sharon's coarse
reference to her sweetheart" She had
blushed when he put the question. What
had she done when Moody put his question!
Her face answered for her-she had turned
pale; she was looking more serious than
usual Ignorant as he was of the ways of
women, his instinct told him that this was a
bad sign. Surely her rising color would
have confessed it. if time and gratitude to-
gether were teaching her to love him' He
sighed as the inevitable conclusion forced it.
self on his mind.
81 hope have not offended your he said,
sadly.
ooh, no."
~ wish I had not spoken. Pray don't
think that l am serving you with any selfish
motive"
81 don't think that, Robert. I never
could think it of you."
He was not quite satisfied yet Gwen if
you were to marry some other man." he
went on, earnestly, "it would make no differ
ence in what 1 am trying to do for you. No
matter what might suffer, l should still go
on-for your sake"
"Why do you talk so?' she burst out, pas
sionately ''No other man has such claim
as yours to my gratitude and regard. How
can you let such thoughts come to you? l
have done nothing in secret. l have no
friends who are not known to you. Be salts
fled with that, Robert, and let us drop the
subject"
''Never to take it up again?" he asked
with the infatuated pertinacity of a man
clinging to his last hope.
At other times and under other circum-
stances Isabel might have answered him
sharply. She spoke with perfect gentleness
now.
'Not for the present." she said 81 don't
know my own heart. Give me time"
His gratitude caught at those words, as
the drowning man is said to catch at the pro-
verbal straw He lifted her hand, and
suddenly and fondly pressed his lips on it.
She showed no confusion. Was she sorry
for him, poor wretch!-and was that ala
They walked on arm in arm, in silence.
Crossing the last field, they entered again
on the high road leading to the row of villas
in which Miss Pink lived The minds of
both were preoccupied. Neither of them
noticed gentleman approaching on horse
back, followed by mounted groom. He
was advancing slowly, at the walking pace
of his horse and he only observed the two
foot passengers when he Sas-elese to them.
Miss Isabella
She started, looked up, and discovered
Alfred Hardyman.
He was dressed in perfectly made travel
ing suit of light brown, with peaked felt
hat of a darker shade of the same color
which, in a picturesque sense greatly i'm
proved his personal appearance. His pleasure
at discovering g Isabel gave the animation to
his features which they wanted on ordinary
occasions. He sat his horse, a superb hunter,
easily and gracefully. His light, amber-col-
ored gloves fitted him perfectly. His obe-
dent servant, on another magnificent horse.
waited behind him. He looked the imper-
sonation Of rank and breeding, of wealth
and prosperity What a contrast, in a
woman's eyes, to the shy, pale, melancholy
man in the ill-ftting black Clothes with the
wandering. uneasy glance, who stood beneath
him and felt, and showed that he felt, his in
ferior position keenly! In spite of herself,
the treacherous blush FEW over Isabel's face,
in Moodys presence, and with Moody's eyes
distrustfully watching her.
"This is a piece OF good fortune that
hardly hoped for" said Hardyman, his cool,
quiet, dreary way Of speaking quickened, as
usual, in Isabels presence. Il only got back
from France this morning, and l called on
Lady Lydiard in the hope of seeing you She
was not at home, and you were in the coun-
try, and the servants didn't know the address.
could get nothing out of them, except that
you were on visit to relation" He looked
at Moody while he was speaking Haven't
seen you befores' he said, carelessly. Eyes;
at Lady Lydiard's. You're her steward are
you not? How dye do?' Moody, with his
eyes on the ground, answered silently by q
bow. Hardyman, perfectly Indifferent
whether Lady Lydiard's steward spoke or
not, turned on his saddle and looked admir-
ingly at Isabel 81 begin to think my luck
has turned at last" he went on, with a smile.
81 was jogging along to my farm and d.
spairing of ever seeing Miss Isabel again.
and MISS Isabel herself meets me at the road
sidel l wonder whether you are as glad to
see me as l am to see you! You won't tell
me, eh? May ask you something else!-are
you staying in our neighborhood!'
There was no alternative before Isabel but
to answer this last question. Hardyman had
Uet her out walking, and had no doubt
drawn the inevitable inference, although be
was too polite to say so in plain words.
''Yes, SIR" she answered, shyly; II am
staying in this neighborhood.
ana who IS your relationT Hardyman
proceeded, in his easy, matter-of-course way.
LADY Lydiard told me. when l had the
pleasure of meeting you at her house that
you had an aunt living in the country. I
have good memory, Miss Isabel, for any
thing that hear about YOU It's your aunt,
isn't it, Yes! l know everybody about
here. What is your aunt's name"