The midland journal., 1886-05-28


Low did you get on at your examination
Every we'll. 'Hereward answers, smiling.
81 am SO glad Did you see many of your
friends :"
Hereward knows perfectly we'll what she
wants to lind out, D0G he Will not crafty her.
Gan my College friends, of course"
els Mr.. BlounCs regiment still there y
'No. He is in country quarters Just
now.
Does he like that?"
''He says he finds it rather dull"
$50 snouid imagine. Do you know that
q very stirring event has occurred since YOU
left Aingscourt :"
"Whar event?" Hereward asks quickly.
"Ah, you are SO communitive yourself!"
Miss Middleton laugA, mischievously. Il
snail let you find out-lf you can"
''Yery we'll. L dare sly | can guess"
'Oh, do guess !"
"You are engaged to Lord TTcriot"
Miss Middleton s4lakca lad with a
very decided gesture.
''What on earth made you fancy such a
thing No, that's not it. But, talking of
Lord Heriot it is high time you We're here to
look after him. Lord Heriot likes you, and
would be more amendable to advice from
you tllln IrOln DOctOf zones.
advice from mel" Hereward repeats
puzzled
''Yes. I assure you it is time for some
body to speak to him. But it is not nv blsi-
ness, SO [ don't trouble my head about ic
We see Mr.. Cartwright very often now"
Hereward's face clouds ominously. Miss
Middleton sees the shadow and, with the
true instinct of her SEX guesses the reason OF
in Tn hot Oh.
out more about Hereward than he has us vet
found out about himself. But tue entrance
OF the rest of the party prevents her prosecu-
ting her discovery any further at present
Lady Gladys gives Hereward one cold
touch of her hand, and he does not perceive
the great diamond which scintillates on its
fellow. She looks just as she looked on tie
morning when he had first seen her-she
even wears bunch of violets. Bat the
snow has gone, and i'll place of the snow
there is the wild freshness of the spring
about her and in her eyes.
She addresses Hereward once or twice,
haughtily, yet with high bred courtesy, almost
cordial, yet wholly unfamiliar. He answers
her, perhaps as haughtily, certainly with less
cordiality. He imagines the reason of her
condescension. No doubt she wishes to COZ
ciuate him, if by so doing she can benefit
herself, or those for whom she cares. She
wishes him to use his influence with Lord
Heriot, perhaps, for some purpose yet ul-
known to him. He is quite willing to serve
her, but he wants no bribing of this kind.
How quickly she can come down from the
icy heights of her reserve when it suits her
purpose so to do. They are all the same, he
thinks bitterly. They will all take the praise,
and care no more.
E,
within Hereward's and draws him out to the
terrace. Lord Heriot, who appears in bois-
ferrous spirits, would have followed them had
not the little Doctor distinctly requested him
not to do so.
':Have you any idea what I am going to
say to 2" the Doctor asks
''None, except that it is about Lord Heriot.
SIT is do not like the way he is carry
ing on with this girl.
''What girl" Hereward asks.
''This Anne Grace Trathaway."
''Why, you don't mean to say he is paying
her any serious attention J"
81 don't know"-and DR.. Jones shakes his
head very gravely. ''He is notoverburdened
with wisdom, as we all know, and the girl is
as cunning as a fox"
'.But she surely cannot imagine for mo-
mcnt-"
''That he will marry her? Well, cannot
of course answer that question. But she
knows what he can do for herself and her
family, and she is not such fool as to throw
away such an opportunity.
'But how do you know there is any dan
ger of his coming under her influence :"
because he is always down there. The
carpenters are at work at the roof of the MILL
ana he rides or walks down there every day,
ostensibly to see how they get on. He has
pulled down the old wooden bridge and is
putting up a new one, and | believe he has
done this merely as an excuse for being con-
tlnually i'll the vincinity of the mill. L have
gone down with him there myself more than
once, but lie does not seem to like it. Now,
L think he would be more likely to listen to
You than to me, if you would Just speak to
ki,n in an off hand way"
Il shall most decidedly do no such thing"
HereWard answers coldly. sit would come
particularly badly from me. l have no au-
rnority over him whatever, and he would
have good cause to resent any interference
on my part. Does the Countess know"
"Indeed she does not-it would kill her
outright But you know there is no actual
certainty of his being in love with the girl.
lie may only be amusing himself But she |
is just the kind of woman who would take
his fancy-I don't think his ideal is very
high. The danger is that lie may get the blt
between his teeth and then nothing will stop
Aln.'
Lady Gladys knows, l suppose?"
''No, size does not. Miss Middleton found |
it out through her maid, L fancy-but l
,,,,l la,. To