The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-23

They both laughed and Biddulph went
step nearer Nora's couch.
Il wanted to hear how you were every
day. had to make some excuse, you
know"
"Yes; it was very kind of you"
"And how are you, now, when see you
face to face?" said Biddulph slowly. II
| have heard of you every day, as / have
told you-heard of your heroic endurance
OF the cruelest pain"
al am afraid the doctor has exaggerated.
I really bear pain very badly"
"You have the sensitive organization
which feels it acutely; but we won't talk
OF il. Has our good friend, Mrs. Jock,
! left you?"
"0nlv for a few hours. 1t seems"
| added Nora, with a smile, "that the pretty
Minniesis not such good housekeeper as
| her mother, so my cousin Jock sent for
his wife to look after her"
'I like both your cousin Jock and his
wife, but not Alick Fraser, If he is cous-
| il, too"
"Oh, don't regard Alick Fraser as
cousin"
~ am glad of that. How is it, now,
have an instructive dislike to that man,
vet he has done me no harm ?"
sour likes and dislikes are unaccount-
able things"
"But are they?' said Biddulph, looking
fxedly at Nora perhaps there are laws
in these things like the laws OF storms,
whose effects we feel, though we cannot
see them. Our dislikes may be sent as
warnings to avoid the people who cause
them in our minds. There is look in
Alick Fraser's hard brown eyes l abso-
lutely hate"
81 never think of him enough to hate
him." laughed Nora.
''Yet believe he thinks very often OF
YOU Inotice he watches you"
ooh no; believe he thinks OF nothing
but his money-bags."
''Oh yes, but he does; he's a money
grubber, no doubt, but he is also ambitious.
1 expect he wishes to become very great
man indeed; to found family to whom to
beaueath his ancestral acres In lnismore;"
and Biddulph laughed.
Nora laughed too, and blushed little.
"He will leave his money TO Malcolm
and Minnie, 1 should think. Why, he is
quite an old man. But talking of Inismore
reminds me of Lord Glendoyne; how do
you like him?"
every well. He is very gentlemanly
man in manner"
'In manner?" said Nora, looking up
smilingly.
al mean / am not quite sure whether
But first tell me your definition OF gentle
mani
81 think it should mean one who is gen
tie and true in every Decd" answered
Nora. looking at Biddulph with her large
dark eyes, and his fell as she did so.
ITS a hard title to rightly win, then,
he said, in n low tone.
Nora moved uneasily, and her face
flushed. 1t crossed her mind again at
that moment, the strange warning she had
received not to trust Biddulph.
"SOmeday," he said, the next minute,
II will tell you a story, and you must tell
me if the hero has any right to be called
a gentleman STILL"
'Very well"
"But not to-day. What were we talking
Of? Oh, yes-Glendoyne."
"Yes; you said he had good manner"
"And a good appearance altogether;
but now am going to make you laugh;
to point out truer gentleman, TO my
mind, than Glendoyne. Guess who it is
"JOck Fraser"
"No. The worthy Jock is an excellent
fellow; a gentleman according to your
definition also, for l dare say he is gentle
and true in word and deed But the lines
have fallen for Jock in pleasant places.
He married good woman in his youth;
the good woman is by his side still 10
cheer and comfort him, and help him over
lifes stony places. Jock Fraser has been
n lucky man. and never been tried in the
cruel crucible of n spoilt life. The man
mean has, and came out OF il sad, but not
sour. What do YOU say to your rough
Scotch doctor?"
"You mean DIR. Alexander" p" said Nora,
thoughtiully.
81 mean DIR. Alexander, with his ugly
face, with his lingo of mixed English and
Scotch, and his whisky like the man.
lie is humorous, but never coarse. He
would share his last penny, or his last
bawbee. as in his genial hours he would
no doubt call it, with friend. And do
not suppose he has one in the wide world.
/ mean friend whose mind is close akin
90 his-one whom no time can change"
"And you think there are such ?" said
Nora, her white eyelids, with their
long thick lashes, dropping over her dark
eyes.
"Yes, but few and far between; n man
makes but one in lifetime"
Nora did not speak for q moment or two;
her breath came little quicker. Then
she said softly, still without looking up.
81 have never thanked you for saving
my life. That should be n strong bond OF
friendship between us."
Biddulph bit his lips under his brown
moustache, and forced back some words
he knew he had no right 10 speak.
"Did il need this bondP ho said In n
low tone, after a little pause. "a High
land gilie would have done what did as
we'll and better
"Bnt there was no Highland gillic there.
shudder still when think Of that awful
moment
al, too, shudder when I think Of IL;
but, Miss Stewart, II you will permit this
30 be bond between U.S.
At this moment the drawing-room door
opened, and "Mr. Malcolm Fraser was
announced.
And the young mans brown face grew
absolutely pale with anger as his eyes fell
ON Biddulph. He shook hands with Nora,
but only acknowledged Biddulph's saluta-
ton with naughty, distant bow. II was
impossible, indeed, 10 mistake his man
ner, and Biddulph drew himself up and
looked steadily in Malcolm's face, whose
blue eyes were glaring with defiance.
"My mother told me / could see you.
Nora" said Malcolm.
"Yes; am very pleased 10 see my
friends again." she answered, with ready
tact.
my mother will be here shortly" con-
tinued Malcolm, pointedly, neither look
ing at, nor speaking 20 Biddulph.