The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-05

am rea1y 20 marry your peotega3 a 500.
as she Will have m and vill call upon yol
on the evening OF the day Yo1 receive thi
letter II Is snort and TO the point. He ha
plenty OF strong. gool sense, this dea
sboczbroker cousin, YOU may be surs
NV solicitor tells ms hs is not rich. Stock
broking has not fiourished with him
seemi But with my forCIus-miue that
snail forfeit TO marry the mani love-yol
viii make qaite grant match, my chill
Stand up aud let me toox at you, littl,
bride elect
Mechanically, at her bid ling stood up
What else was there for m but to obey,
What a poor little trembling mouse i
is! How white and scared you look On
but you will be very happy with you
stOckbroker-far happier than painting
pots and plates, my dear. He will be hers
ton ight--and my lover too,
l was still standing in front of her and
she was looking at Ine with her b.autifu
eyes and smiling red lips. tried to spsal
| 5I. k--3T .;Ot wa. to say. In my agony
! my ri ii; II clutch II Little co-I abou,
my throat. 50 strong was the gasp thai
! the threat snapped sll1e7iy, and a large
medallion. till then concealed, fell tt tn;
grounl at Mrs. DalyePs feet She saw a
a glance it was miniature of Horace, aud
looked ut it closely as she took it in he!
! hantS then from it to me.
| How cam, you by this" she asked, in q
tone in which pri lie wa; strangely mingled
with surprise.
Mrs. DIIyel, Ipain ted it from m ,m ory.'
You! Is it possible you know Mr..
Lorcuzol Why are you so slow in an
sweriIg: Speak, Lucy
Il knsw him many years ago" replied,
in voice l did not recognize as my own
''He Tod I'd in our house. We were always
| poor. you know. He lodged with Us in
London before he won't to Rome. L was a
child then"
But this is a picture fhim as he is now.
It is like, wonderfully like" sue said, LOOK
ing at it ab'entlv. then suddenly up at me.
But, child. child, why do you look like
that! There Is something more. Tell me,
for heavens sake tell nj" Sho caught
my hands and held them SO tightly that
she hurt while her eyes scanned to barn like
fire into mine. Tell me-wlat is this man
to your
''To me. To me"" IgaSped, all thu sup
pres 'ed passion in me rising at her words
Mrs. Dalyel, how can YOU suppose that
he is any thing to me. Have you not said
he is-your loyer.'
And snatching my hand away, fed
swiftly to my room. On reaching my own
little chamber l SAL down at the toilettable
dazed and helpless. 4 long time must have
passed for it was dark when some one
knocked at nv bedroom doo-. 1t was Mrs.
DafyeI's maid.
Twill you please go to the sitting room
Miss Vane," she said. And the next moment,
without a pause for Thought, l was turning
the handle of that door
The bright light dazzled me at first. but
was able to perceive that tn ere were two
persons in tho room-MrS. Dalyel and Il
gentleman. He had his face turned from
me; he was partly hidden by the window
curtains.
Mrs. Dalyel TO So. She was deadly pale;
her lips compre SSed aud bloodle IS; her head
was thrown. back proudly She scarcely
ca IN I'm tha lnntr in hoy.
was terrible.
Lucy Vane she said in a hard, set
voice out of which all the old music had
departed: Il told you that was interested
in your welfare, and that in accordance
with the custom of my country, was ar
ranging a marriage for you. You are
aware that my late husbands cousin is
ready TO marry you. He is here. and de-
SireS that present him to you. Miss Vane
Mr.. Horace Dalyel."
SO saying, and drawing herself up to her
full height. she swept proudly from the
room Horace l started at the mama
then rais,d my eyes to the man who, after
she had pronounced his name-lnd not BE-
fore-turned and came few steps towards
ms. Ny heart gave a bound and then stood
still AZ sight OF him.
'.Ah, what a charming little comedy this
has bsenr' he exclaim I'd, laughing, as he
came forward eagerly with outStretched
harris; bnt claSpsd mine behind me and
drew back.
Lucy. won't you speak to me till l ex-
plain. Well, then, my darling, sit down
mere while tell YOU my story as short as |
can make it, for | want to seq you your
own dear, smiling self again"
sank M echauically into the chair he
placed for me, and he continued:
''You know when lodged with you that
was bent upon being an artist but did
not tell you my real name or that my
any years my senior aud my
GU lrd an-did all he could to dissIade ms
from my intention. Idstsrmin id to be tho
master of my own destiny, however, and.
without informing anyone keeps vour
father | went to tom, AMI studied there
under the name you know NJ by-Lorenzo.
In order to enjoy my FIRE edOn t. ths fullest
aud to snap all LINKS of hab t gave out
that had gone upon thu Stock Exchfn &c.
1t was Il happy thou sh5. for by tdat III eanS
| completely oStracis I'd myself from my
cousin and his set"
H9 paused a m )mont, then went on moro
rapidly:
in Roma, many years afterwards, by
ms wi low, anil do not deny-feil des
psrately in love with her. She gave me
every encOurag smsnt, and it did not ap-
p ear to me- pr5SumpSuouS to believe hsr
pa Ssion real, knowing "a dill, tha5 accord
ing to my cousins will, if she married
mine. But she behaved UNANIMOUSLY: re-
fused ma with tbs utm)s AFRO yanoe call
ing me adventurer fortune hunt 1r. l know
not what; little thinking that marriage
with mo wa' the sole way to keep az
wealth. inst sad of FORGETTING it. You may
b. sure l did not emil yhten her on the
point; but l swore to be revenged. A rare
opportunity presented itself on discover
ing you to bs her protegee. Another,
still moro unique, occurred when, n few
days since, she wrote to her lawyer to
negotiate a marriage between the poor,
plebeian Stockbroker cousin and
b ar dear protsgee, Lucy Vaue. The letter
was forwarded to IN, here aud IN ade q,
draft of the answer to be copie1 by the
lawyers clerk and re-inclosei to Mrs.
Dalyel.
Lucy, the little comsdy is ended. The
d3noIe neut came about most satiSfac-
torily, an behold ms. your true lover, here
by Nh lln,, my cousins orders, to make
love to your'
He lsu yaed out n,rrily, but stopping
suddenly: you scarcely seem to-1uder-
stan i!' he quest onsl. in an al-erel tone.
'You-you expect me ID e1ioy the little
aslsi with hall sob which
l in vain tried to sIopreSs.
why not." and he sought to take my
hand
Because to me it is more tragedy than
come iy," anSwere |, striving t. b-lce
every nerve to caimnesS, AMI succeeding
to all outward show.
I'VE view the matter through different |
lights, it appears, Lucy. An it i harl- |
just little hard on ma. l think, to take il |
as you do. You are 50 utterly unlike YoIr
old dear sslf-is it Mrs.. Dalyeps banefal
influenced You know l strongly objscta
to this visit bat You were perfectly in
fatuste with the woman"
Mr.. ID ilyel. L m ISt leave You. ALI is a
an en- bstSaen Us" sail, getting up and
going towards the door.
But. Lucy, my own darling this is
simply madness, Wlatsv ,r Is com over
you! You surely ara satisfied that DO
not love that womanr'
= / can not arrus~ But I have nv own