The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-08-15
know; and you are looking remarkably

mo, answered Lazy Dad nOoulnB ner
head; "that girl has a wonderful amount
of-what shall l call it-faith? Some
thing that makes the things Of this world
seem of secondary importance"
II wish / had" said Biddulph, darkly.
'To me these things become daily more
dim-more unknown and unknowable.
"Many people feel thus when things 60
wrong with them"
"But why should my life be cursed?"
answered Biddulph, with quick passion.
"What have l done that everything
should be made bitter TO me~
"And what have any OF us done that
our lives should be made quite pleasant to
usP / don't want to preach, but have you
deserved this?"
Biddulph made no answer; he began
IAN old habit Of his) to walk slowly up and
down the room, and Lady Barbara's eyes
followed him with some pity.
"Aunt Barbara" he said presently,
twill you write to me when / am away%
"Yes, of course shall, if you wish me
TO do So"
"And tell me how everything goes on ~
"You mean everything about Miss Nora
Stewart, suppose?'
"Yes-tell me if she seems happy-if-
1 am forgotten"
81 would not; yet, for her sake, I think
it would be well"
''There is one man am certain means
to propose to her."
"Who is that?" asked Biddulph,
sharply.
"Mr. Fraser, of Inismore; rich man,
I'm told"
"Alick Fraser-impossible! said Bid
| dulph, angrily.
quite possible, assure Won. He was
at the station to see us off this morning,
and as that pretty little niece of his is
with Nora Stewart he will, of course
make her the excuse TO run up TO town
| constantly; in fact, heard something of
| this"
eff l thought" began Biddulph, and
then he paused. What right had he, he
told himself bitterly, to interfere with
Nora's life, or stand between her and any
other man? Not that he believed for one
moment that she would marry Alick
Fraser, though he had noticed that Alick
admired her, and believed the antagonism
he had shown toward himself had sprung
from this cause.
"Will you see Nora tomorrow" pres
emily said Biddulph, resuming his slow
walk up and down the room.
Yes; we settled L had to 90 there to
lunch tomorrow"
"Then / want you to tell her the reason
am leaving England is that have not
strength TO stay-will you tell her this to-
morrow after l am gomez"
"And are you really going tomorrow?
Does your father know this2'
eyes, dined with him yesterday; he
thinks / am on my way TO Liverpool now,
which l shall be in few hours, and there
shall start for New York"
'Well, think you are wise, James"
l. 81 g.. i
then he held out his hand.
Goodbye, then, Aunt Barbara; l shall
write TO you when 1 reach New York"
They shook hands and parted, and after
Biddulph left her, he drove to South
Kensington, alighting ra1r the street
where Morals house was situated. lie
knew the number, and stood there out
side, watching the lights in the windows,
and thinking of the fair woman within,
his heart racked by the contending emo
tons which struggled in his breast.
1t was starlight, and suddenly, Bid
| dulph looking upwards at the wondrous
sight which dwarfs all others, wave of
purer thoughts swept through his mind.
He remembered lingering hand-in-hand
with Nora on such a night as this, and
how they had talked OF hopes and aspira-
tons not bounded by mortal span. Would
he drag her down even il he could, he
now asked himself. And what was best
in his nature answered no. He turned
away with something like a blessing on
his lips, and returned to his hotel, and
when he reached it he sat down TO write
to Nora TO bid her farewell.
Ny dear dear Nora, he began, when this let
| ter reaches your hands, shall have left town
| and started for America, where l propose TO
| make a heightened tour. Dear Nora, you
know xVhv | Il Ia in frug
proposed that we should resume our old friend
| ship, and forget alike our days of grief and
| Joy, and, on my part at least, OF passionate
| despair But, Nora, | cannot do this. My
| nature is not as yours, and my strength is but
weakness. Ny aunt tells me that your strong
faith has brldged over for you the terrible grief
which has literally struck me to the earth. l
| / should but disturb your peace, my dear one,
| by the sight OF my restless misery. am better
| away. But will you write TO me sometimes,
! and tell me all about your daily life? These
| letters will be my consolation IN my long exile.
| And believe that shall remain always
Faithfully yours, JAMES BIDDULPH.
He did not post this letter, intending to
do so after he reached Liverpool on the
following day. And he did this; Nora in
the meantime, listening during the whole
OF the next morning with beating heart
and flushed cheeks tie every ring that came
| to the house door-bell.
She felt so sure that Biddulph would
not delay in calling to see her; and when
he came not during the early hours of the
morning she decided that he meant TO
come to lunch with his aunt. Lady Bar
bara.
But Lady Bah arrived alone at two
o'clock, looking very erect and grim. She
kissed Nora, and patted Minnie Fraser's
| fair.cheek with one of her bUny fingers,
regarding them both at the same time
critically.
'You girls look very well after your
| Journey" she said; "but my poor old
| bones have a hundred aches, of course"
"Is James coming TO lunch?" asked
Nora, with sudden blush.
''Not that l know Of" replied Lady
| Bah, who did not think that this was
! quite the time TO break her news to Nora,
and also reflected that she might as we'll
| have her lunch first.
To lunch accordingly they went, and
Lady Bab's shrewd eyes noticed how
| Nora was listening and watching for
visitor that Lady Bah knew would not
come. But she said nothing about her
nephew James until the meal was over,
| and the three ladies had returned to the
! drawing-room.
Then she said TO Nora she should like to
see over the house, and Nora accordinly
led her upstairs.
'Tet us 90 into your room for few
minutes and have a chat, suggested Lady
Bah.
Thus they went together into Nora's
| bedroom, and presently Lady Bah, after