The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-04-13

"Oh, my dear said the old lady, mucl
pleased, ''but-Mr. Lorimer? VIII he lik
that p
"Oh, yes 'Ive told him all about you
and how cery good You have been to me.
So Miss Hardwicke put on her spectacle
and read Diana's love letter. Itwas tender
manly epistle, and sensible withal. Mis-
Hardwicke felt sure she should like the writer
"You sly little puss, she said, as she folded
it up. $50 that was the reason you always
met the postman.' Then after a minute
''Diana, do you think Mr.. Lorimer would
care to come here for little time? He would
find it quiet, of course, for Chester leaves us
in few days; but" mischievously, ''perhaps
you could manage to amuse him, eh?''
! Diana face flushed with pleasure.
''0h, auntie, do you mean it p
"0f course, my dear. You are my child
now; and where should you receive your
affianced husband if not here? He is in
Liverpool, he says, does he not? / shall
write little note for you TO enclose in yours.
My dear, dear child, l trust you may be very
happy" And the old lady drew the girl Into
her arms and kissed her.
Diana's .faRce wrote to say he would be
delighted to visit Dimsford Manor, and he
arrived within 24 hours after his letter. He
was tall, powerfully built man of about 40,
dark, and of rather coarse expression of
countenance. Lennox mentally set him down
a cad, and even Miss Hardwicke felt strong
shock of disappointment, and sighed as she
eontrasted him with her distinguished looking
godson | may as well acknowledge, by the
way, that the latter made himself as disagree
able to the newcomer as a gentleman can be
without ceasing to be a gentleman. But Mr..
Lorimer did not seem to resent this at all;
indeed, it appeared to amuse him rather than
otherwise He had an oily, suaye manner,
too, peculiarly aggravating TO Chester, who,
for his part, wondered what any girl could see
in the fellow. Not that he had the slightest
feeling of jealousy in the matter; on the con
trary, in spite of his late efforts to do the
polite to Diana, he felt himself more unac-
couniahly repelled by that young lady than
ever Nor did the following little scene tend
to increase his respect for her. One warm,
sunny afternoon he came upon the engaged
pair in a lonely part Of the wood. They did
not see him. and continued their conversation
uninterrupted He observed, to his disgust,
that Diana was smoking-not cigarette, as
he knew she frequently did, sub rosa-but a
very well favored cigar. She was apparently
enjoying it, too, as, seated on the grass,
she leaned against a tree, with her arms
folded. and her hat tilted over her eyes, ap-
parently listening attentively to what her
snRcc was saying. Suddenly she removed
the cigar from her rosy lips, and made some
remark. Of course inaudible to Chester, which
seemed to amuse Mr.. Lorimer nightly. He
burst into a roar Of laughter, and, slapping
his future bride heartily on the shoulder,
exclaimed in tones expressive of keen enjoy
meui. GOOD for You. little one By Jove-
good for you -
The unseen spectator Of this lover-like
earess curled his lip coutemptuously. f
Diana had been easy going and fast before
Mr. Lorrimer's arrival, she was ten times
worse now. Nay, at times she positively
seemed 10 go out of the way TO do and say the
most aBladylike things. For Instance, ia com
ing down stairs that very morning. Chesteter
had seen her chuck Eliza Jane, the pretty wait
ing maid, under the chin, with sly wink which
would not have done diseredit to q British
dragoon, much to that damsel's indignation.
Poor Diana, by the way, was not favorite
with the servants AT the Manor, who consid.
cred her no lady, principally because she
seofFed at the idea Of iady's maid, and kept
all her belongings serupnlously under lock
and key. The fast young lady was just coming
into vogue at the time of which write, and
the type had always aroused Chester supreme
and anmitgated contempt. But Diana
carried it shade farther than any woman be
knew. Even this cad it appeared, did nos
respect her, Lenuox thought scornfally. He
was turning away in naughty disgust, wonder
ing how his gentle, refined godmother could
be so infatuated with her very proaoReee niece,
when a remark in Diana's clear, distinct tones
arrested him. II vas only the first words he
heard the rest were in low, rapid under
tone. Whatever their import was, it drove
the blood from Chester Lennox' S face, and he
deliberately leaned against tree and listened.
That night at dinner Lennox said earelessly,
addressing his gOdmother:
II have to 20 up 10 town IN the morning,
Have you any commissions for me?''
''Ies. my dear, think so. will make
out little list of some things l want, if you
will be so good as to get them for me. When
shall you return p she went on.
"Ob, the day after tomorrow, be answered,
81 have rather a peFticHlar engagement to-
morrow night.
''It will be horribly slow without you, "
said Diana, with little shake of her close
cropped head.
"Will is?' said Mr.. LennOx, disagreeably
and curtly. IL must hope to make il more
lively for you on my return.
Next morning Lennox took his departure
by the carly train. Diana, having got up an
hour earlier than her want, poured out his
coffee for him, and waved her handkerchief
from the door step as he drove down the
avenue. The first of which attentions the re-
cipient acknowledged very ungraeiously, and
the last, not at all.
The day passed as usual. Miss Hard
wicke retired early, having a slight cold, and
Diana brought her u tumber of hot port wine
negus, after the old lady was in bed. She
iancied her niece looked pale and tired.
Certainly she was unusually silent,
Shortly after two o'clock, when the old
house was wrapped in sleep and silence, a
little group of four men quietly skirted the
laurels on the east side of the house, and took
up their position in shadowed corner of a
heavy buttress, near the window of the morn
ing. room.
The watch dog, which was always loosed at
night, began to bark wildly, then became
suddenly silent. In the hnsh that followed,
one of the men COVE low, peculiar whistle.
He was standing just under the morning room
window, his figure but dimly visible in the
pale starlight. His companions remained like
statues in the deep shadow. In few mo-
ments the window was cautiously opeued-it
was low, barely four feet from the ground
and hoarse voice whispered: