Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-10-04

had been misanthrOpe and a miSer-
no one had known anything as to the
state of her finances. Dim rumOrs
were afoat that she was rich, but these
again seemed cOntradicted by the penu-
~ in which she lived. She died unla-
mented, and as she left no will, Charles
Douglas, her only near relative, found
himself in possession of fortune eX-
ceeding ten thousand pounds. He at
tended the funeral, as in duty bound,
but was absent only two days. and then
he came back radiant. 1t would have
been sheer hypocrisy on his part to
pretend to any feelings of regret for a
kinSWOman he scarcely knew. and one
who had never made herself respected.
A pleasant intimacy had sprung up
between the Dalton family and the two
young artists. Finding that both the
Misses Dalton had practiced sketching
from nature before they came to reside
in London, the young men tempted
Mrs. Dalton to accompany them with
her daughters in various country eXcur-
siOnS. under pretense of giving Lena
and Bertha instructions in Sketchlng,
these excursions being always planned
for such afternoons as Bertha CHANGED
to be at liberty Rowing on the river
above Richmond. wandering amongst
the glades of Windsor Forest, or the
pleasant country scenes about Ethan,
Chigwel, and other places at an easy
railway distance from London, free in
terchange of thought and feeling natu-
rally followed: and thus it came about
that Douglas fancy for Bertha ripen-
ed into a warm attachment, and that
her sweet. UnSpOiled, truthful character
revealed itself more and more fully to
both her self-cOnStituted instructors.
St. Lawrence still considered Lena
Dalton tire most beautiful woman he
had ever seen, but her faults were Just
those that were to him most ENJOYABLE.
Perhaps the rural background in which
he 50 often saw her was not suited to
her, perhaps the struggle going on in
her own mind made her increasingly
petuIant and disobliging; whatever it
was, St. Lawrence did not find himself
drawn toward her. Her smiles failed
to cause any acCeleratiOn of pulse, nor
did her COldneSS, when that seized her,
throw him into dependency. For
Bertha, on the contrary, he felt the
most sincere regard. ''BrOtherly affec-
ton" was the name he gave his feel
ings for hcr-fOr what else could he
allow himself TO entertain without turn
ing traitor to his friend2
dlCbAIJ was dlSU al lltIutHG NlSIJOI
at Ivy Cottage; nor could the object of
his visits be now mistaken-indeed he
made no secret of his Infections,
though he had not as yet declared him
self. 1t so happened that he had never
met st. Lawrence and Douglas. His
visits We're always made i'll the day
time, his evenings being otherwise and
too frequently less reputabIy employed,
while ST. Lawrence, at any rate, worked
hard at his easel during the morning
hours and consequently had only the
late afternoons and evenings at his
command. Douglas openly confessed
that it was Bertha who attracted him
to Ivy Cottage. and Bertha was never
at home excepting i'll the evening.
Lord Alphington and st. Lawrence
received occasional communications
from Mr.. Riggs. the former through his
solicitor, Mr.. Thompson, but nothing
had yet been heard of the opal ring. st.
LawrenCe's was a different quest, and,
as regarded it, the detective still kept
urging him to remain quiet and be 81
lent.
II believe we shall be able to unravel
vour affair but the greatest caution
must be used, or we may fail, " wrote
this funCtiOnary in the last miSsive st.
Lawrence received from him. st. Law
renee felt he could do nothing but wait
and trust, though there were certain
circumstances that made this waiting
very terrible to him, and at times
caused him to fear that he would be
obliged for conscience sake to break
through the trammeIs Mr.. Riggs i'm
posed upon him, even at the risk of
running his own prospects.
douglas s accession to wealth greatly
changed Mrs. DaltOn's views. She had
always made up her mind that Lena
was to make her fortune" by mar
riage; and then. with some help from
her, Mrs. Dalton told herself, she would
be able to get on comfortably with her
little income. But, in that case, what
was to be done with Bertha? OF course,
if Lena married a man of rank, as
seemed now almost certain, her sister
should not continue to teach music
such an occupation for an EarI's sister,
ln-laW would be quite out of character.
Now the problem was solved. Doug
lass falling in love with Bertha was
something quite DrOvidGntial, Mrs
Dalton observed to ma. Such match
for her elder daughter would not have
been entertained for a moment; but, for
Bertha, moderate income with man
of uneXceptiOnable appearance and
manners, a man who would be quite
presentable amongst his future aristo-
cratic connections, was all that could
be reasonably looked for.
Thus Mrs. Dalton settled the pros
poets of her two daughters quite to her
satisfaction, and plumcd herself upon
the Happy turn of events, as if it had
been all her own doing. The only one
quite ignorant of Douglass intention
was Bertha herself. She had always
liked him, and, now that they had be-
come intimate, was thoroughly friendly
with him and at her eaSe-tOO much so,
Douglas sometimes feared. lie would
fam have detected some change of color
when they met, some shade of embar-
raSSment or shyneSS in her manner.
He was far from despairing, however;
Bertha at any rate took pleasure in his
society, and Mrs. Dalton gave him en-
cOuragement by many little signs that
he understood, though not actually by
words. lie persuaded himself She
would not have done this had there
been no hope for him, so he determined
to take heart of grace and press his
suit.
Since Douglas had been in position
to come forward, st. Lawrence's visits
to Ivy Cottage had become much more
rare. He still made one in the sketch
ing parties, but on such occasions he
now attached himself to Mrs. Dalton
and Lena, leaving Douglas free to de-
vote himself To Bertha. This change
was not unnOticed by Lena. who did
not doubt but that at last her charms
had touched his unimpreSSionable
heart; and her own throbbed only too
wildly as she whispered to herself that
the only love she could have returned
was his.
While st. Lawrence appeared indif-
ferent to Lena. and while her love for
him seemed even to her, to be in vain,
fierce conflict had been going on: she
sometimes thought she was capable of
casting aside ambition, if only she
could hear him say he loved her. But,
now that he was again ut her side, now
that, blinded by vanity, she believed
that she had to give only the slightest
token of favor to bring him to her
feet, she reCOlled from Surrendering
the aim of her life. The prospect of
wealth and rank again allured her. and
she lOnged to be able to hold both Fan
court and st. Lawrence captive, so
that, while she mounted to the height
of her desires by the aid of one, she
could keep the Othe~ in her train, and
at least prevent the beStOwal of his at
teCtiOnS elsewhere.
1t never entered st. LawrenCe'S head
that Lena Dalton cared for him: he
gave her no real reason to suppose that
he regarded her with any warmer feel
ing than that of friendship: he would
have been shocked and distressed could
he have looked into her heart As it