Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-16
made his heart beat and sent the
color in his face.
CHAPTER IL.

luc BIONcii hao oNNh "N"N NV
years. His son viii, intent on a
literary career, has gone to Lon
don. John has remained in the
village.
Miss Dnlcie Sykes, now a lady OF
the mature age of twenty.eight, is
sitting in asplendid drawing-room
in Cromwell Road, KensingtOn.
But these splendid drawing.rooms
are little better than splendid pris-
ons for many young ladies. Dul-
Gle had been sitting here for the
best part of three days, for her
aunt wanted the carriage, and 1t
was "not proper" for a young lady
to 90 out alone.
She was envying with all her
heart the middle class girls who
walked along the causeway quite
free and happily Indifferent to
"society," when she saw a hanson
pull up at the door, and n hnc-
looking man &c about thirty-five
get ont. gentleman to see
her uncle, no uOubt; but in a min
ute or two the footman threw open
the drawing.room door and an
nounced "Nlr. GOss ~
She came forward, bowed, and
said she was sorry neither her un.
Gle nor aunt was at home then
stopped perplexed. There was
something oddly familiar about
him.
81 am afraid you don't remember
me, Miss Dulcie," he said; at is a
long time since you were at Hep
burn"
"Surely-surely, you are not
John GOss-I mean Mr.. GOss y
hastily correcting herself. lie look
ed such a gentleman!
He laughed pleasantly. 81 am
glad you remembrance, Miss Dulcie."
"And | am glad-nay, delighted
to see you, Mr.. Goss. | am
longing to hear some news Of dear
old Hepburn. Since my father
died | seem to have been quite cut
off from it; my brother is a shock
ing correspondent. How is every
body, and what is all the place
like"
"Well,r | am sorry to say-at
least, of course, am not exactly
sorry either-but the place is not
nearly so pretty as it used to be,
and it is my fault; but ! really
i
couldn't help it,
"YOu have an immense manu-
factory, | hear"
"Well, yes, it Is a good size, and
/ | have had to build great many
workmen's cottages; in fact, the
place is quite n town.
al hear it is beautifully clean
and orderly town, too, and that
you do great deal Of good, Mr..
Goss," with a kindly smile. She
felt she had been a little hard on
him.
"GOod7 Oh, dear no you are
quite mistaken . OF course, ! built
the schools and theworkmen's club
and the cottage hospital; but they
were almost matters Of necessity
lie said it in all simplicity.
81 wish | lived down at the Hal
again; l might do something fol
your workpeople, even if it was
only the hackneyed round of cloth
ing clubs and mothers meetings.
ado you really wish to live a
the Hall, Miss Dulcie am Sc
glad that is Just what | came
about
"Indeed ~ Privately, she hat
rather wondered what he haC
come for but she had been so dul
the visit was an agreeable interrup
ton and John was not the sort o
man she could, even if she ha'
wished, either snub or patronlze.
81 don't know whether YOU ar,
aware that-that-l bought the ole
Hall ?"
"You bought it, Mr.. Goss p Ger
tainly there was touch OF hau
teur. She was shocked. TIL
preiudices of life are not over
come in half an hour.
at was merely as an investment
Miss Dulcie, | assure you.
, shouldn't think of living there my
0 self-at least, not at present. Wha
/ should like better than anythin
would be for you to take the place
f am very old-fashioned in som
| things. | like old families bette
I than ! do new ones"
t "Thank you all the same, but
O could not possibly afford it. 1t
r quite out of the question:
Y "But the rent or purchase money
| whichever you preferred, woul
I not be considered at all. 1t coul
@ stand over indefinitely, and ther
r.; is plenty of furniture there"
@ "You are exceedingly kind t
give me the first refusal, and
= would take it gladly if | could
t but it is quite out of my power"
e John was silent. He leant TO
n ward, biting his lip, and there va
a line between his eyes as he stare
hard at the carpet. 1t was a cruci'
! moment in his life, and he knew
o He had been working all these yea
II with one object in view at first
d faint far.off star, lately nearel
IT this morning apparently almo