Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-01-22
Christmas Eve.
CHAPTER H.-ContInued.

CHAPTER u.-COntlnueQ.
Thus engaged, the hour very rapidly
slipped away, and then she went down
to the river to meet the man with
whom she had once believed it was her
fate to spend the rest of her life.
They were both of them very silent
after they had begun their journey, and
were gliding upon the smooth surface
of the frozen river, \ strange disin.
clination TO talk had come over them
and for fully half-an-hour they scarcely
uttered dozen words.
where are we goiug?" asked Rose al
length.
Il thought of going up as far as
Eagles Glen" he replied.
She gave little gasp, then she said
I'VE won't stop at the Glen, but go a
little higher up the river, don't want
to be obliged to speak to any OF the
people with whom my aunt is gone"
Nor do l." he responded dryly, lin
deed, we won't go near them at all if
you prefer it."
ooh, don't mind, | am not afraid OF
their seeing me-"
Then they relapSed again into silence
while Captain Calvert skated steadily
on, and Rose Thornbury did her utmost
to keep up with his long swinging
strides.
She knew past all doubling that she
was doing suicidal thing, and that
unless she meant to marry this man,
she was guilty Of as great piece OF
folly as it was possible for any girl To
commit. 1t was quite certain that her
aunt's house would be no longer ahome
for her, and she would have, hemcefOr-
ward, to shift for herself.
1t is true that she was not in Deepen.
dent position, for she had some fom
hundred a-year of her own, but re-
spectabiIity and social position though
lightly lost cannot be easily regained,
and as George Eliot forcibly expressed
it
Having tasted stolen honey,
You cant buy innocence for money"
And yet she went on, careless and
defiant, and paying no heed to the GU
riOus glances cast upon her by those
whom they passed on their way.
But no one spoke to them, and when
they passed Eagles Glen, they were
not recognized by any of the other
party Of whom they could just catch a
glimpse through the trees, sitting about
in groups eating luncheon, and evident
ly too intent on their own amusement
to pay any heed TO any passing Stran-
gers.
Rose felt relieved at not being seen
by her aunt, and she was not sorry to
escape the looks of panied surprise
which she knew would have come over
the faces Of many Of her friends if they
had seen who the passing strangers
really were, but for all this she was
vexcd, she had wanted to mOrtify Ralph
Pastcn and Mr. Danycrs, and she now
began to realize that she had placed
herself III this false position i'll vain.
Captain Calvert, however, was not a
man to DC used simply as convenience.
lie was not spending this day on the
river merely for the pleasure of the
moment, nor simply with the intention
of gratifying the spleen and vanity of
his fair companion, for he was very
sincerely in love with Rose, and he did
not mean if he could help it to leave
England without her.
So he skatcd on some quarter of a
mile higher up the river than Eagles
Glen, and stopped on the opposite bank,
apparently taking no notice of the APP
parent indifference with which Rose
listened to his warm protestatiOnS of
devotion
Undauntcd by her reserved and I'M
gracious dcmcanOr, Calvert having
taken off her skates and his own began
to spread the materials for luncheon
which the landlady of his hotel had
rrc";lcd.
lie was SO gentle and tender, SO soliC-
itous for her comfort, that she could
not help responding little, and very
soon they We're laughing and testing to-
gethcr and eating cold chicken and
drinking champagne as though life
were one long holiday, and they neither
of them had Il thought or Il care beyond
the present moment.
Indeed as the afternoon wore ON,
Rose ThOrnhury yielded herself mp to
the influence of the old spell which this
mans presence had once cast upon her,
and for the time she forgot Ralph, and
her aunt and the opinion of the small
world in which she lived forgot every
thing but that he loved her, and that
She had once loved him.
Together they strollcd along the
wooded bank of the stream, talking of
the present and of some things that
happened in the past, but steadily
avoiding anything that could open old
wounds or rake up memories that were
alike painful and useless.
They had come To- an old oak tree
from which he had pluckcd Il piece of
mistlctoc, and holding it overherkisSed
her paSsionately again and again. She
resisted vigorously, but he was not to
he denied, and to escape she had to run
down to the riverside. lie followed,
and rs they reached the bank they
noticed the sun was setting, warning
them that it would soon be time 10 re
turn.
Il will make Il cup of tea first" said
Calvert; Il brought materials with me"
Then he lighted a spirit lamp, while
Rose laughed and said he would he in
valuable to anybody as Il travelling
companion, since he seemed to remem-
Der everything.
Yes, you might safely trust yourself
with me" he replied earnestly. What
do you say, Rose, will you come to
China with ne? start at the end of
the week; there is just enough time for
us to get married, and You are your
own mistress; your aunt cannot control
you if you like to take the bit between
your teeth"
Il am afraid have taken The bit be-
tween my teeth to-day, and that shall
suffer for it, she replied seriously:
but China is n long way off, and-I-be-
SideS-l don't think we should behappv
together, Willie"
Il am sure l shall never he happy
without you, Rose" he said tenderly;
"and believe | can make you happier
than you ever will be in this place. The
people yeu live with don't understand
or appreciate you; and it cannot be
true that You are engaged to bemarried
TO that fellow, Pasten, whom saw this
morning Spooning Miss Dauvers."
1t was true" she replied reckleSsly;
but l shall never marry anybody, and