The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-10-20
CHAPTER v.


"a very correct way when she Is en-
gagged TO the wrong man..
"Do Won think you are the right one"
demands she saucily
II don't think il, know it, says lie.
"Such know Wedge H., no doubt, full OF
comfort retorts she.
Drip-drip-go the fountains indoors,
where they are sitting. behind the cool
evergreens In the largest conservatory.
Plash-plash--go the larger ones in the
| Illuminated gardens outside. From some
where beyond comes To them the last
dying bars OF a dreamy waltz-all around
them the mir is heavy with the breath Of
sleeping flowers. Massareene, leaning
forward, lays his hand on hers.
/ wish you would think of il, MILF
cent" he says, in n low tone.
"Of WHAT Ny aunt's indignation' my
uncle's contempt the combined wrath Of
my entire family"
| mo. OF hinging OH the bands that
now bind you, and Of love and happiness
with me-"
"Would II be happiness" she signs
irnpafiently. and then shuts up her large
| fan with an angry CLICK. zen -" -
Is not TO be thought of. - she says pres
entity. Things have gone too far for any
change 10 be now made. My marriage
with my cousin Grant Boyle is as much
n fait accompli as if we had stood, he and
|, before my Lord Bishop.
"You can talk very coolly Of il. 1t
cant. after all, be 50 very displeasing TO
you. this idea OF marrying 4 man you
profess not 10 love-" says the young man
beside her. regarding her with afTronted
eyes. lie rises quickly from his seat and
goes good way from her, leaning against
a marble pedestal Chat stand, in one cor
ner.
"Don't pose" says Miss GREY calmly;
SIN not photographer. And don't talk
nonsense either. 1 RIM not one Of the
historical sort and can certainly talk
cOOlly Of this marriage that is being
forced upon me. have had time 10 grow
calm over IT, you must remember as We
were betrothed 10 each other when
was almost little baby in white muslin
and blue ribbons. IL was in white MUS
lin then" says she with a little curious
laugh: "now ought TO be in sackcloth
and ashes feel 50 bad. -
"And hef' demands her companion
with an effort
Wears mis- sacrificiai wreaths with
quite n iaunty air. | am an heiress.
would have you remember. my good sir.
Grant Boyle is wise in his own genera
ton.
"Ho's a mighty poor lot, TO my way Of
thinking" says Mr. Massaroenc. in high
disgust. Sometimes his Irish breeding
makes a breach through his English edu-
cation. Don't mention his name to me
i can't bear 10 hear it.
Il don't believe il would cause me
much Of . pang were never ag2in To-
hear il myself, - returns Miss Grey. who.
if candor be virtue. is poss ssscd of il TO
an extraordinary degree.
After this a little silence reigns be-
tween them then:
"Surely you are not mad enough to
think You will be happ' with him.
says Massareene oNciteJly. Hell lie
the death Of YOU. LOWS like n man who
would break wor,an's heart After
all, surprising you no quarrel with your
peOple-Nhat thcn:'
Then ! should not only forfeit their
esteem, which, after all'-with swift
glance N him from under her long
lashes-'means n good deal TO me. but
! should cease to be- auntie's heiress and
have my name struck ont Of Uncle limo
thy's will. All that, my dear Gerald
would mean that | should be--still
lovely girl, no doubt''-with a rather
constrained laugh-"but as certainly
penniless one
she lifts her eyes resOlutely rs she
says this, though II costs her something
10 do IL, and looks keenly at him. II she
had expected any disappointment, or
blank, or awkwardness on his decidedly
ugly face, she is mistaken. Gerald
Massareene looks, il anything. relieved.
in that now hope seems TO have entered
into him.
MY dearest girl. try to face that
thought he says, leaving his distant
position, and once more dropping into the
sea, near her-mnch nearer this time.
I'm not Crpsus; but il you could
make up your mind 10 it, we might be
able 10 make both ends meet
"You have exactly seven hundred q
year. says Miss Grey. who disdains
subterfuge. Il found that OFT long ago
by making inquiries
Massareene laughs.
"You are worth dozen 81 your sex
in every way, but especially in one
way lie says-''you never 20 in for de-
ceit. however harmless. and You seldom
beat about the bush. Yet sD doesn't
exaggerate il. and-ahcm there is A.
ways, you know, the chance of the title
when my uncle-I.Ord Ballymoc"
"Pouf.' interrupts MSlicent, con
temptuously. when yOu have slain
your uncle, you mean. who is almost a,
young as yourself. and who il as likely
as not to have an heir at any moment
Not at any moment. my dear girl
The last-a third girls only fortnight
old, and several moments. at all events,
must elapse before the arrival OF the
heir. And If it shouldn't come'--
But Miss Grey declines 10 listen to any
such weak imagininC-. and Mr.. Masse-
reene, q little crushed, rather falls out II
the conversation.
Being a young man, however. Of in
domitable courage, and an unbounded
supply of perseverance. he presently re-
covers himself, and returns to the charge
yaliantly.
~ can see am hateful TO You, says
he.
"oh, no. Certainly'-politely--"you
are not that"
"You can't endure me.
~ can, indeed, without the slightest |
trouble.
I'm an ugly fellow. know"
Every one can't be as handsome as |
Grant" dcmurely
"Oh. 10 the devil with Granitr' says
Mr.. Massarccne, losing his patience.
with all my heart replies She,
amiably.
Il don't believe he cares FOR you.
"My dear Gerald What very rude
speech."
"Well, I cant help ii II thought
otherwise, even though / worship the
ground You walk on, | would say moth
ing
do you really think thatTr
THAT he doesn't value you properly,
Faith do"
mo. That a time could ever arrive
when you could say nothing? Ali
consider the cruelty Of the priyation."
'There. now You are laughing at me as
usual, says Massareene, and for fear
she'd be lonely, perhaps he breaks into