The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-08-16

LnOuRn COlln was lnWaTuly uellEnteu al
Betty's frankness-the more 30 because
he was undoubtedly good looking.
Presently another appeal WAS made to
Betty by the fond aunt,
Do you know, dear, Colin was placed
first in every examination that he went
in for when he was walking the hospi-
tails?
Really said Betty incredulously, rails
ing to Colin the frankest, most innocent
of eyes. thought clever people became
doctors sometimes,
For moment Colin suspected that she
was trying to snub him but Miss Cam
pion attributed Betty's rudeness TO ia
tigue and sent her off to bed very soon
soon after dinner.
During the next few Gays Betty found
numberless opportunities of sighting
Colin, but she was so gentle and aifec-
tionate to her godmother that he retained
his first opinion as t. her sweetness of
character. He accepted her sights with
SO much good temper and received his
aunt's praises with such genuine amuse-
menJ that Betty was at last compelled
to confess to herself that her estimate Of
him had been altogether wrong. She
felt that she could not respect him very
much, for a man who would marry any
girl for expediency's sake was not wor-
thy of much honor but she would be
more polite to him, az his conduct would
not IN any way affect her.
Colin, was very grateful for this change
in her attitude toward him, and a friend
ship sprang up between them which ON
his side deepened into love- OF her feel
ings he could guess little. She was in
variably sweet and frank; but the fear
of losing her friendship by attempting
to gain her love for some time prevented
hun from putting his fate in her hands.
On the last day of her visit the longing
of his heart overcame his fear and he
poured out all his soul to her, not notlc-
ing that her face was hardening at his
words.
Tell me, Betty Give me one word
of hope Have any chance he plead
ed.
She turned toward him then, her face
white and stern, her mouth wearing
faint bitter smile.
How well you do it she said in
harsh voice.
DO it | What do you mean he asked,
his voice changing too. Don't you un-
derstand? l love you. Betty
Hush she interrupted harshly. That
is quite enough. No, can give you no
hope you have no chance. Never
speak to me of this again land rising
from her garden seat she went into the
house and up to her own room.
This was what it all meant then How
blind she had been She was the sweet
girl whom Miss Campion thought a suit
able wife for Colin. She had been in
vIted here IN order that Colin might zee
if she would do How grateful she
ought to feel
She went down stairs presently, feel
ing glad that this was her last day at
Forde. She found Miss CampIon sitting
alone in the drawing room, looking
little displeased.
am 30 cross, my dear, said the old
lady drawing Betty to seat by her side.
Colin has ridden over to the LadbroOks'
for dinner. 1t was very thOughtIess for
him not To remember that this was your
last evening.
1t does not matter, godmother, said
Betty, with gentle ooljness. l would
rather spend it alone with you.
Would you, dear? l thought you and
Colin had got on more comfortably of
late.
1t was only surface agreement, an
swered Betty rather proudly. We are
too opposed in characIIr to be really
friends.
You will hardly believe it, Betty, but
had planned match between you Two.
| thought you were so well suited to each
other and it would have been so nice for
me to think of your living here together
after my death
And you spoke to him about it7 ques-
toned Betty, without raising her eyes.
Yes; on the evening you came told
him what wished, But | was to meet
the fate of all match makers, you see.
she added signing. Colin said he would
never marry unless he were in love-that
he must reserve to himself the right OF
choosing his wife. And as you say dear,
you and he were very far from falling
IN love.
Did he say that asked Betty e'gcrly.
Wouldn't he agree to what you wished ?
Then have wronged him terribly he
is ever so much nicer than thought.
You thought! questioned Miss Cam
| DlOu slO"l1. hIls lO" j
told you that | was going to speak to
HIM and you believed that he would
marry anyone | suggestedI How fool.
ish and wrong have been ! You might
have liked him il you had not been SO
prejudiced beforehand, and everything
might have been 80 different
Do not grieve, godmother, said Betty
gently. If we have not been friends it
is quite my own fault had no right
to Judge him before knew him.
But in spite OF her brave words her
heart sunk strangely. She knew that
she would have accepted Collins love had
she understood what he was offering
her-for her belief in his unworthiness
though il had destroyed her trust in him
had not been strong enough to kill heI
love for him. And now her life would
be one long sorrow for that mistake
Colin would never speak to her Of his
love again-had she not peremptorily
forbidden himY He had gone away tC
avoid her now and after TO morrow she
would never see HIM again, But at an!
rate she would see him once more anc
then Oh surely he would see that sh,
was sorry fer having misjudged him so
for the night and had not returned IC
Forde when she left it the next morninI
for home.
Betty had been right when she as
sumed that Colin had gone away on tn,
previous afternoon to avoid her. He
harsh rejection of his proposal haC
aroused his anger and he felt too hurt /,
bid her goodby. But on his return t,
London his anger grew less as tim
passed on, though his love for Betty ii,
not dim nish. As h thoughts dwelt ol
: her 80 constantly he began to seek 70
some reason for her unkindness; and tn
more he considered the matter the NOR
incxplcable did her conduct appear
: Her harshnCss and anger the day tha
he proposed to her were so at varanc
with her character that he at last con
cluded that some misunderstandin
must exist in her mind which he ough
to explain away.
This idea led him to make a journe
!, to Devonshire few days later, thoug
= his hopes OF winning Bettys love wrr
small.
@ He walked over 10 the rectory on III
| morning after his arrival, and wa
: shown into the empty drawing room b
a neat maid servant, who told him thu
d Betty would be there in few minute
i as she said she could easily be sent fo
to the church, whittier she had gone
practice. Colin. however, decided to 2
~ himself. aud had no difficulty in findin
L the sacred edifice, which was close 4
G hand.
K he seated himself just inside the doc
>. struck by the beauty of the picture be
~ fora him The old church vyas conl an