The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-06
10 do it, and he and his bride will ieer

10 do it. and he and his bride will ieer
at me all the more"
Stuyvesant Mortimer turned ut |
Mays call and. coming up to thecart,
with quick impulsiveness, cried, hold.
in. his hand out to the child:
why, so it is, absolutely my little
fairy, but disronsoate 10 longer. We
are going on quite an expedition, too,
aren't we? a picnic, or something
like it?"
Grace's whole body was q CULVER OF
nerves. She sat with her eyes down.
cast and her face half averted, appar.
entity absorbed in >tudyin. her risnt
hand, which held the reins.
"Oh, yes" answered May, "on a
picnic. Aud we're going to have such
aiolly time. Don't you wish yon were
coming too?"
"Of course l do" with hearty
sympathetic laugh. "Jolly times are
not so frequent with me, | assure you,
that can afford TO miss u chance OF
one. But will -Aliss-I beg par.
don for not knowing her name--iLllow
mcleod God it is Grace herself"
Up to this moment he had been so
cngrosscd with the child that he had
only a vague idea that there was q
gorcrness sitting next to her; but who
the uovcrness was, or even il she were
pretty he hla no thought. But now,
as no looked np. rather expecting
TO see some sour vi>a.cl, middle aged
spinster, he beheld the sweet, down
cast profile OF the only woman who
had ever touched his heart. and who
was looking ;ll the more lovely, be.
cause OF her half mourning dress and
the traces OF sorrow and suffering on
her face. Hence the broken ejacua-
tons with which he checked the
request he had been about half spor-
lively to prolFer
His hat. too, w;ts oil in q moment.
lie looked so eager. so astonished, SO
uiad, so rHptlrotlS. all in succession,
that Grace, who had turned to him
colilv at first, w;,S herself astOnishcd,
ah,l--shall We say it?-stirred to her
inmost heart.
FOr MnaI Uuu'u IL .,n.... .Su., 4,
possible that there had been some
terrible mistake? Surely that look,
the passionate emotion oil the voice.
were not counterfeit! Her head
swan, and she thought she would
faint.
"Aliss Courtrnay," said Mortimer,
observing her agitation, and MASTER
in: his own emotion with great effort,
~ nave been soaking you for months
ever since my return from Europe
indeed May u" and the pleading
tones OF his voice were elogucnce it,
sell do in earnest what ! propos-
ed ius, now in jest May join your
little narty? see that you think
hardly Of me. Perhaps | deserve it..
Blu; oh. give me a chance at least TO
explain. The vilest criminal is al.
lowed that. Aiterward ii you say so,
| will 20 ;tway--fo.ever-
lie did not wait ior u reply in
words. liz had always been MASTER
full, aId Grace felt the old
spell! on her. She made no
objection. therefore, when he
went to the donkcy's hent, and NUT.
tsrinE something about 'helpng it III,
the NH" took it by the bride and
,ed IT to the top OF the ascent. Her
heart was in such q hutter that she
could not have spoken il she tried,
vi course he found his opportunity
ant: that before long. The beach was
only "a short quarter OF u mile off on
the decilrity OF the hill below. and
when The children. shoeless and stock.
ln"less. AMI with many u merry shout
We're dnhbling in the water, he drew
1'rhre's arm within his own, and told
his story, rs he paced to and fro on
the sands with her by his side.
AT first she had been cold. even
naughty; for, after her SURPRISE was
over, she told herself there could
nave been no mistake. that he was
ia'so TO the rore-tliat he was only,
even now. seeking to amuse MIN.
sell. But when he drew her
arm within his own, when
he looked into her eyes with his fear
less look OF innocence. and when he
told his story i'll his frank, manly, vet
imprisoned way, she broke utterly
down and would have fallen into his
arms ii it had not been for the child
rem playing so near. As it was, tho
tears rolled down her cheeks, and he,
eyes emphasized the low whisper in
which she teGged forgiveness for hay.
ing wronsed Inn, even when things
seemed pronounced against him.
"When your father failed and died,,''
he sad, tor we tell the story in our
words, though less disjiointedly by far,
my impulse was TO lily ut once. But
as ! was not ln accepted lover-as
'lld not know, indeed, whether I ever
would bt-your manner now makes
me fear ] have, and ever h~-o mad,
but little to holm tori had to wait
| the customary conventional period
lciorc calling ON you Meanwhile
thought it my duty to tell my father
that ] loved you and that | intended
TO tell you so tho first moment
| saw you. had expected
some opposition. My father, alas!
good as he w;,s to me. worthy as he
WAS in some respects, had that excess
sive love OF money which so many
successful bankers acquire. He was
DESTROYS that should marry m heir.
ess, Hlmor had once linked my name
with that OF Miss Marlton. but l had
never seriously thought OF her. In
Tact, after ! saw you, at the first PA.
trarchs' ball oh, shall ever forget
lts-l knew there was but one woman
in h" world that could ever love.
Stay do not shake your head. Hear
me out. owed something even you
must admit, 10 my father. | was
bound hy duty-in some degree. at
least. Well. my father, after n stormy
interview, proposed n compromise.
ii went to you, lie said, lie would
never forgive me. He did not believe
in my aifcction;it WAS only a youthful
fancy, were his words; as for you, he
had understood, from your father,
that an alliance had been settled else
where. False. you say? Thank
you for the words. They are the frs t
kind oncs-tlo you know?-you have
| spoken to me. My father then had
been misinformed. But it staggered
me. All! you say there was some
ground for it. us your father had real.
iy wished such Il match. And you
would have nothing TO do with it?
Bless you again. Oh. had l only
known that. Finally my father, as I
have said, promised that if | would 20
abroad two years, giving my word of
honor not to see or write to you. he
would. at the end OF that period con-
sent to my wish, if still said loved
you. lie urged that this was not
much for him to ask, us he had al
ways been u good parent to me, which
God knows, he was. Thus entreated.
for he fairly begged now, with tears
in his eyes. consented. Per-
haps l did wrong. have
often thought that did. No?
iOI never would hova married ma