The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-05-26

Peggy didn't trust herself to speak, but
her head nodded assent.
"Let me tell a secret to you. Peggy
he quite unconsciously called her by her
name. "Do' you know that I mean to run
away too?"
"You'
eyes; only want somebody to run away
with me. Can you guess who?"
"No."
Somebody I've seen to-day"
To-day"
The eyes of each looked into the others
questionly
Cant you guess who?"
Lord Glencore's voice came tremu-
lously.
"0h, you know" he said, aI see you
do"
"Me" Peggy spoke this word breath
lessly.
"Yes, you. You will go, won't you?
You've no one to care for you, and have
nobody to care for me. Why shouldn't
we care for each other? I'd try to make
you happy, and I'd certainly be good to
you, and in time you might get to-well,
to like me, you know"
I'm time! why, I like you now"
"You do. Oh, Peggyl"
aSayl what's up with you two?'' 1t was
Freddy speaking - Freddy, whose very
existence they had forgotten, but who, in
common with all sleepers, awoke at the
very moment he was not wanted to.
"What do you think?" said Glencore in
a whisper; chad we better tell him."
eyes, said Peggy; Cup to now my only
friend has been Freddy"
So Freddy, thoroughly wide awake now,
was desired to lean forward, and between
them the two conveyed what it was their
intention to do.
81 say, what chouse for Adda'' roared
Freddy delightedly; 'but here, you know,
you'll have to marry Peggy"
Certainly; of course; that's what we
mean to do"
"Do WEI" said Peggy. ''Oh my Why,
| never thought of that!'
"Didn't you?" said Freddy, assuming the
air of a Mentor; "but l did though. You
must be Lady Glencore before I see the last
of you"
"But, Freddy, think of grandmamma;
you would get into the most awful trouble
No; it would never do"
''Stuff and rubbish and Freddy snapp-
ed his fingers; "what, l should like to
know, can a couple of women DO? Besides
I'm not going to blab on myself-never
fear How can help it if, while I'm ru-
ralizing with my tutor, you choose to bolt
with Glencore?"
Arrived at Thorndean, happy and unsus-
pocting, Lady Jane and her daughter wait
ed for Lord Glencore in vain. Even to
''dear Lady Somerton" not a line had come
from him. As every one said, it was so
strange, so incomprehensihle, "You don't
think anything could have happened to
him, Lady Jane?'
With brave spirit worthy of better
woman Lady Jane answered that she did
not feel anxious in the least. Lord Glen
core had spoken to her of having several
most important things to settle, and natur-
ally at times such as these-Lady Jane was
forced into little vagueness of speech-a
thousand things cropped up which one
had never dreamed of before. Still her
heart began to have misgivings, and her
courage to sink little lower, when all was
revived by paragraph in one of the pa
pers informing all whom it did not concern
that Messrs. Bullion & Gold had been in
trusted with the family jewels by Lord
Glencore with the view of ascertaining
which had best be reset to suit their future
lovely owner.
"AddaW Lady Jane signalled to her
daughter to follow her, and in their own
room she pointed out the notice.
"Mother! oh, am so glad. kept on
thinking of those jewels. Everybody says
the diamonds are more than lovely"
"What a droll creature though" ex-
claimed Lady Jane, "without saying word
to you. wonder whether he fancies we
are getting the trousseau ready"
81 shan't do that; it's so unlucky. l
wish he would settle it, though. want it
settled now. Couldn't you write, mammal"
"My dear, have written.
"And had no answer?"
"Not line. Colonel Gossett called, as
he was asked, at the house in town, and
was told that Lord Glencore was away, his
address not known, nor when he would re-
turn"
"Extraordinaryp
at is, but we must remember he is a
very extraordinary young man."
II don't want reminding of that, and
AIDA sighed lugubriously, eff he wasn't an
Earl"
"No, no, no, dear. Never mind. Things
of that sort are better not said, even to me.
In this world we must not expect to have
everything, you know; and women are spared
great deal by not being too infatuated
with the man they are going to marry"
"Only this is such an awkward position
to be placed in don't mind so much
here, but we are due at the Fallow6elds on
Tuesday, and if he does not turn up there,
what then?"
"Oh, l don't mean to wait longer.
shall 90 to town myself-that is, if we DOM
hear-and question his major-domo. If
there is anything to find out you may safely
trust to me-"
"It's more than a fortnight now," said
AIDA, discontentedly.
Lady Jane sighed @There seems to be
nothing else for me than worry"
"What more p
"0h, well, I didn't want to bother you,
and if everything else was going right l
shouldn't let this trouble me, It'sa letter
|, | had from Harris. She says that Peggy