The morning news., 1889-03-24
LALL RIGHTS RESERVEDl


Sha was thinking of Arthur Beaton and
the wild, passionate, reproacaful words he
had given Seaforth to convey to her. Sea-
forth had inclosed these to Frances before
he left Headfort, bus Frances hal said moth
ing about this to Ruth. But they had made
her feel a little impatient with her gray
haired lover. There was a certain vein of
reckleSsuess about her, curiously inter
mixed with worldliness and Self-seeking.
And personal beauty was powerful infu
elce with her, and she admired Arthur
Beaton's handsome features and gray, sonl-
lit. passionate eyes.
''Ah, why is he not rich, i" she had thought;
and she had also thought that the two
hours which Col Ke yon had spent during
the afternoon before in the drawing room
had seemed very long.
II believe he will turn out very tiresome,n
she had reflected, with sgh after he was
gone; "he wants me to interest myself in
things in which l have no interest-but L
suppose he will tire Of 1t by-and- by"
And Beatons letter had increased this
feeling. This deep love, strong as death,
which had made the young mans life seem
a burden to him, was worth having,
Frances thought, and she began specializing
about the time Beaton would probably re-
turn to Headfort if he went on sick leave
now, and wondering il he would com to
Sudley Park when she was mistress there.
The -efore, when she was railing against
the Inconsistency of men to Ruth, she
thought of Beaton, and how she had
blighted his young life. 1t pleased her to
think this, though she had been truly sorry
about his accident" and the suffering he
had gone through. But she did not mention
his name to Ruth. She went on talking of
what she would say to Audley, and settled
in her own mind that it would be far the
best arrangement for them both to be mar
ried on the same day.
And she carried out her intention when
Audley rived on the following afternoon.
She felt rather afraid to face him, but she
had promised Ruth to ask him to defer his
marriage for little while, and she meant to
keep her word.
Thus, when Audley expected his young
betrothed to enter the dra wing room, to his
surprise the beautiful FIR lnces came in.
She held out her hand to him with smile
and as Audley took it he smiled too; but it
was not pleasant smile.
well, | hear | must congratulate you,n
said Frances, feeling rather uneasy be-
meath the bold, light, prominent eyes fixed
on her face; that you are to be my brother
in-lawn
"lt is a great honor to me-" answered
Audley, and something in his tone, In his
gaze, made Fra ices vince afresh.
Il supp 50 you mean the other way" she
said, trying to assume her ordinary coquet-
tish manner; "but we need not pay each
other compliments. | am sure you are a
very lucky man to have won Ruth, and l
need not say | hope you will both be very
happy. But about the time of your mar
ri age2 Ruth says you wish it to be very
soon, but | want her to be married on the
same day that l am, and l hope you will
consent to thisF'
"For certain reasons, Miss Forth, l wish
to be married before Col. Kenyon
Audley said this with cool dsliberateness,
and Frances felt the blood rush to her face
in surging tide, but dared not say "But
WINS"
But we both wish it so much,n she
faltered, with her eyes cast on the carpet.
u am, of course, very sorry to disap-
point your Wishes especially when know
there is such a sIro & oond between you,
but upon this point you must excuse me,
Miss Forth, if am firm. Ruth agreed to
marry me in fortnight, and shall expect
her to keep her word"
And you won't be er-persuadedF'
Certainly not"
II an afraid you are a very obstinate
man" )" said Frances, endeavoring to smile.
II am determined one, at all events"
he answered, adding a moment later, land
am sure you, who understand my motive
for this decision so we'll. will make no fur
ther effort to change it."
Very well" and again Frances tried to
smile, but 1t was very poor effort. 81 had
better send Ruth to you,n she went on, feel
ing that she could no longer endure his
steady half-scornful gaze; and as she left
the room, Audley shrugged his broad shoul-
ders, and his smile deepened.
"Ah my fair Jezebel, he was thinking,
''you must not forget l have the whip
hand of you; you must not try to manage
me-"
And at this moment, with keen sense
of humiliation aud suppressed rage in her
heart, the woman he thought of as "Jeze-
bel, was speak ng to her sister upstairs.
ITS no use, Ruth, she was saying impa-
tiently, and the pale face she was almost
ashamed to look at grew a little paler, and
that was all.
81 did not expect it would be-" answered
Ruth, in low, paine1 tone; and yet it was
really bitter blow, for how of en- do we
caildreu Of trouble hope against hopei If
an evil thing be looming in the distance,
we cling vaguely to he idea that something
may happen to prevent its close approach,
even though, huma llY speaking, ws know
there will not. And this feeling had fingered
in Rutn's heart regarding & toe biief fourteen
days beyond whicn she had hoped her hated
might be deferred
"He wishes to see you, went on Frances,
still impatiently. 81 told him | thought
he was very obstinate man, and 50 he is.n
Ruth made no reply to this. She drew
long, quivering breath, and slowly left
the room, and moment or two later en-
tered the drawing room, where Maj. Aud
ley was.
He shook hands with her, and then said
not uukindly:
80 you sent your sister down TO me, to |
try TO put off our marriage for fortnightF
ave wish to be married on the same |
day." replied Ruth, without raising her
eyes.
"And don't wish to be married on the
same day, )" said Audley; ''and, Ruth, il you |
ever have another request to make to me, |
i1n't send your sister to make it; you |
would have far more chance IL you came |
Yourself"
"Will you now, then"
mot about this,n interrupted Audley. |
"Our dding day is fxed-yesterday
there can be no change |
about that; but do not say that shall al
ways say no to what you ask me. 1t will
depend on yourself, little woman, to make
me a good husband or a bad one"
Ruth said nothing; she moved away from
him and at down on a chair by the win.
dow, and Audey followed her, and laid his
hand on her shrinking shoulder.
~ think you ought to be a little more
agreeable to me when we are TO be married
70 soOa, A." he said.
"You have chosen your own fate" an
'wered Ruth.
81 know that very well, but it rests with
you whether it be = pleasant or a.p unpleas-
ant fate; do not always wish to Feel as il