The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-09
CHAPTER VII.
AN OCTORER DONG.

The sun and the sky alike smiled upon
LeonOra Stewart on the morning of her
picnic, and the blue loch lay in summer
blueness, though the mighty mountain
beyond, whose shadow slept upon its
breast, was crowned with snow.
Leonora awoke in the early morning
when the pink cloudlets of dawn still
streaked the eastern sky. She went to
the window, and looked out from her
''wild eyrie" as Biddulph had called Ross
more, upon a scene more beautiful than
the dreams of true poets heart. How
dull our pens are, how cold and flat our
paint, to picture the grand realities OF the
Makers hand! LeOnOra stood there rapt,
almost awestruck, at the vastness, the
sublimity, of these everlasting hills,
which seemed merging into the sky.
This girl had that intense, passionate
love of nature which is almost pain, for
are not all deep feelings akin to it? We
grow sad, or at least thoughtful, at the
wondrous sights unfolded to us when we
behold them for the first tipe, or after
long absence. Who has notffelt this on
the shores of the deep sea, or looking up
ward on a starlit night, at yon luminous
vault above?
And as Leonora stood gazing into the
blue distance, or on the dark storm-rent
frs, which grew thick and strong up the
steep sides OF the tall headland on which
Rossmore stands, there curiously and sub
tly stole into her heart another feeling,
another thought, which also was deep and
strong, and which seemed to mingle as in
a dream with her love for the mountains
and the braes of her mothers land.
She began thinking of James Biddulph.
She could plainly see, across the loch, the
trees and grey roof of the house at Dun
baan, for every object stood out distinct
in the clear air. And she would see him
to-day. This was a sweet thought, and
made her sigh softly, and pink wave
steal to her white skin.
But there was haunting shadow still.
Nora could never quite forget the strange
words that had warned her not to trust in
the man to whom she was so strongly at
tracted. This message might mean moth
ing, and might mean so much. 1t had left
a vague uneasiness in her mind, and she
now began wondering if to-day would cast
any light on this unsolved enigma.
And across the'water at Dunbaan, the
master was at this moment tossing rest
leSsly, thinking of this same question.
Biddulph felt he had no right any longer
to deceive Leonora as to his true position.
He was trying to find courage to nip in the
bud what was sweet to him; TO lay what
might have been the best hopes of his
manhood low.
But how could he tell her this shameful,
degrading story? How say, "When boy
/ was tricked and deceived intOa marriage
with woman / blush to name?' Such
words could not be spoken easily and Bid
dulph at last decided to leave them to
chance.
81 shall go away" he told himself, "and
she will forget me-" and this idea did not
make him feel happier.
And when, some hours later, he met
her again, his task seemed no lighter.
Leonora, fair and gracious, dressed in
white serge and otter, with little fur cap
to match, beneath which her bright hair
curled around her smooth brow, was
standing at the hall door when Biddulph
arrived at Rossmore, smiling and talking
to her guests.
Mrs. Jock Fraser was here, attired (sen-
sible woman) in warm striped homespun,
while her pretty daughter Minnie wore a
blue and white boating-dress, and her tall
handsome Malcolm of Highland garb.
Alick Frasher had also arrived, and was
joking with the young people after his
usual fashion, when Mr.. Biddulph walked
in amonst them, and Alexis brown eyes
followed him when he went up to ex-
change greetings with their young hostess.
And other eyes beside Aiick Fraser's
did this also. Malcolm's blue eyes, and