The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-08-08
AStra2eeMessa9e
DORA RUSSELL
Author of FOOTPRINTS IN THE SSow,"
"THE BROKEN SEAL" "THE Wears
GovERNEss." "ANNABEL's RIVAL"
CHAPTER XXXV.
NO MARRIAGE.

II ACk FRASEB has summoned Mrs.
Conway Hope to him and impaired
his grievous news, that lady felt no
- small satisfaction in repeating to
Jock that she had had presentiment of
81 ever since the question OF this marriage
was mooted.
''I was sure something would happen" J"
she said, ''from the day when poor Nora
came to my sick-room, unduly elated
thought, TO announce to me that she was
engaged to Mr.. Biddulph. shall have a
dread OF my inward warnings again, Mr.
Fraser, for this one was so distinct and
vivid; though, indeed, the terrible reality
surpasses my expectations"
There was a time when this speech
would have tickled poor Jock Fraser's
sense OF humor; but now, so overwhelm-
ing to him was the memory of the posi-
ton OF his son that no gleam stole into his
brown eyes.
"Will you tell the people then, Mrs.
Conway-Hope, that there is to be no mar
riage, and get them away?" he said; "and
I'll take Minnie home. AS for poor Nora
Stewart, it's too dreadful to think OF it."
TOO dreadful" echoed Mrs. Conway
Hope, with sigh, raising her eyebrows
and her angular shoulders at the same
time. "But you must have some lunch
before you 60, Mr.. Fraser; with all the
marriage preparations in the house, it is
no use wasting good food"
But the kindly Jock shook his head.
''rhis story has taken away my appe-
tite, Mrs. Conway-Hope," he said, "and
thinking of yon poor girl. I'll just go
home and take Minnie along with me;
thank you all the same"
"Have some wine in any case. And we
must try to get that dreadful person, Lady
Barbara Biddulph, out OF the house first.
Jock made no answer. He took up his
hat in the hall and went outside, walking
up and down the terrace in front OF the
house sadly enough for he was fond of
Norah Stewart, and was grieving very sin
cerely for her grief And as he walked
thus, the Rev. Andrew Macdonald was
seen approaching up the avenue, and pres
emily joined Jock, full, we may be sure, OF
the grim scene which had taken place
short while ago in the kirk at Balla.
"My dear sir" said the Rev. Andrew,
81 have not been so upset since | entered
the ministry. The likeness between the
living and the dead was ghastly and over
whelming in the extreme. But | conceive
there is no reason to doubt; Mr.. Biddulph
has been made the subject of a most cruel
deception"
And my cousin, Miss Stewart, is the
VICTIM" answered Jock, with some anger
in his tone.
at is most unfortunate, most disastrous
from first TO last" said the Rev. Andrew;
and then he gave little cough, and
blush rose on his fresh-colOred, not un-
cOmely visage. He had forgotten for mo-
ment the miserable connection of Malcolm
Fraser with the whole terrible affair, until
the spasm OF pain that passed over Jack
Fraser's face recalled it to his recollec-
ton.
In the meanwhile Mrs. Conway-Hope
was telling the same sad story in the
drawingroom to the assembled guests.
She had hurried away from Jack Fraser
brimful OF her news. No human heart,
let us hope at least, is entirely evil. Some
good, the love for a dead mother, for
wife or child, turks surely in the most de-
graded breast. Therefore it seems hard
to write that Mrs Conway-Hope enjoyed
relating how a death-blow had fallen on
her young cousins happiness. 1t is i'm
possible that she could really do this; but
the excitement of being the first to tell a
dreadful tale, to have her presentiment
against this marriage verified, made her
almost appear to do so; and Lord Glen
doyne, a gentleman and man of some
refinement, listened completely disgusted,
regarding the grey-tinted face OF Mrs.
Conway-Hope, to whose faded cheeks an
unwonted flush had risen, with scarcely
veiled contempt.
The deepest sympathy can only be felt
for Mr.. Biddulph," he said, as Mrs Con-
Wav-Hope paused to breathe
81 feel sympathy for him, ofcourse," she
answered; sympathy, however, ! must
admit, considerably lessened by my knowl-
edge OF his conduct. And | warned my
cousin, Lord Glendoyne, that | had no
trust in him. Poor girl, she has found my
words come true too late!"
81 always liked him." said Glendoyne,
"and feel for him most deeply; ana, if
/ may be permitted 10 say SO, for Miss
Nora Stewart also, for whom | have the
highest admiration and regard"
"Poor darling Norap cried Maud Lee
''It is a dreadful thing to have hap
pened, said her young sister Alice, in
pensive undertone.
Glendoyne looked from one girl to the
other, and then at the fair face of Minnie
Fraser, who had listened to Mrs. Conway
Hopes news with such emotion that her
face had flushed strangely, and her blue
eyes were full of tears.
''I see you feel this very much" said
Glendoyne to her, few moments later.
"Will you tell Miss Stewart for me, when
you see her, how truly sorry am also
As TO that detestable old woman, should
like to throw her out OF the window"
Minnie smiled family, and glanced tim
idly up in the good-lcoking Anglo-Indian's
face.
'T-think it will just break Nora's
heart" said Minnie, in tremulous little
voice; "and-they seemed so happy last
night"
"Happiness somehow does not flourish
in this sublunary scene, have frequently
remarked" answered Glendoyne. "If we
are only miserable enough, or worried
enough, length OF days is mostly given us
wherewithal to enjoy these luxuries in
full. But il man gets his hearts desire
If he is rich enough, shall we say2 to
indulge in that hearts desire-ten to one
it is snatched away, when sweetest, from
his grasp"
This speech brought a brighter rose
bloom TO the young girls cheeks TO whom
it was addressed, and dangerous throb
TO her heart. She did not think exactly,
Was she his ''heart's desire?" but it was
vague Joy to her that he should talk to
her thus. And in truth Glendoyne, look
ing at her at this moment in her white
bridesmaids dress, was thinking how fair
Ehe was, and that her character was very
sweet and lovable one.