The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-04-08

year 10y dIlt oA NY p''Oht 40 AohS oo
they use (which, if it don't turn out
poorer thing than | believe, will be for
ever and ever.
.'Oh, Paulr' cried Verona, breath
lessly.
Il am very glad of this, Verona" he
said. DO you know why?"
Il can guess"
No, don't believe you can quite
guess he said, gently. 1T is because
this has prompted me 10 speak out what
has long been on my mind-to ask you
to be my wife. You are one of the wo-
men, dear, who should be born prin-
cess, instead of a post-offlce clerk,
drudging all the day long behind desk.
l want to put you on your throne
again.
Dear Paul!'' she whispered, softly.
and Just for the fraction of a moment
her little black straw bonnet crushed its
cluster of scarlet poppies against his
waterproof shoulder-''only put me on
the throne of your heart and keep me
there, and that is all | want As for my
kingdom, why, Westerndale-"
"What about Westerndale?"
perhaps one day we may be rich
enough to buy it back. Not just yet,
Paul, we are only beginning the world
as vet; but some day"
.'Westerndale then be it, said Paul,
in his dreamy, far-oif way. Suppose,
Verona, that you and | and my mother
make a holiday OF tomorrow, and go up
and see what this imaginary place is
like"
But it isn't imaginary; and l
wouldn't for the world have the heir
suppose that we are prying about the
premises that are lawfully his
.'Oh, hang the fellow!' said Paul. -
suppose he can't forbid us the privilege
of looking. can hep"
Paul ROthermel had his way. He al
ways did have his way, in soft, imper-
turbable fashion, which you never fully
comprehc led until it had got the better
of you past all recovery.
They took the train the next morning,
all three of them-Verona having gone
to the office and easily obtained leave
from her kind-hearted chief, and went
up to Eastport, which was the little vii
lage about mile from where the salt
waves were curling in foamy fringes to
the very foundations of Westerndale
Hall.
isn't it a sweet old place?n cried
Verona. "Ohi how | long to be here
once ae>lin-to be at home here!'
at isn't bad" said Paul, meditatively
surveying its grey stone towers and case
ments of stained glass, the old sun-dial
at the south end Of the house, and the
group Of cedars opposite, while Old Mrs.
Rothermel boldly assended the flight of
stone steps and rang the bell.
Out came Mr.. Pepperton, the lawyer,
smiling and bowing ike an amiable
Jack-in-the-box,
Happy TO see you, Mr.. Rothermel!'
said he, most happy, / am sure! Would
you be SO kind as 10 step in-yourself
and these ladies? I've had fires lighted
in all the rooms Ga stone house like this
is apt to be damp if it isn't kept we'll
aired) and a lunch has been sent up
from the hotel in the village. Pray
walk in, Miss Gordon; your most obedi-
ent! l am exceedingly glad to see that
you have been able to arrive at a salts
factory arrangement with your cousin,
the heir. :"
'My cousin, the heir? l think, Mr.
Popperton, that you must have gone out
of your mindm said Verona, drawing
herself up after most stately manner.
But Paul Rothermel turned to her with
a smile.
His mind is all right, Verona" said
he. Il am your cousin, two or three
times removed, instead of your poor first
cousin-am | not? As for being the
heir, that isn't my fault, is it? The law
suit was begun before | was born"
paul, you have deceived men' cried
Verona, with flashing eyes
But the next instant they softened into
liquid light; her color rose beneath his
tender glance
Have /. dearest?n he said 'Not
when told you that loved you. That
is the main thing-isn't it, dearest? We
were going to be happy without Western
dale Hall; cannot we be happier still
with it?''
And Fanny Tullan and Ella Hay came
to the wedding, and helped the bride re-
joice.
The story has ended exactly as it
ought to- said Fanny, ''as foretold it
would
And now we know that novels aren't
| bit more romantic than in real life,"
| asserted Miss Hay.