The morning news., 1889-03-31
CHAPTER XIX.
LEFT ALONE.

the brl1o'S uepdI buLS' sh0 AOuAiA IVA 49,
Won by her side, who, not reading Alright the
crave expression of her face, thought she
was grieving for the loss of her sister,
oYou must let me be all in all to you
now dearest" he said to her in low tone
and Frances looked up in his face and
smiled.
.Yes,n she answered, softly, and then
went back among the wedding guests, de-
lighting everyone with the bright courtesy
of her manner, even while she was wishing
them all out of the house.
And at last they went away.
"Delightful people!n said the vicar, with
unction. as he tucked his tall lady's long
paunt arm through his short fat one.
Miss Forth certainly is handsome" y"
grudgingly admitted Mrs. Appleby.
''No doubt of it, my dear; and her LOOKS
have gained her splendid position. How
did Won think put that little allusion to
Col. Kenyon's engagementl Not bad was
it. and it evidently pleased him"
II scarcely call it an 'allusion,' replied
Mrs. Appleby, who liked to find fault.
"W ell, whatever it was, think hit the
right nail on the head" smiled the Vicar,
pleased at his own wit; land it's always
we'll to keep on good terms with wealthy
and intend asking Col. Kenyon to sub
scribe to the repairs of the church and other
little things besides.
II did not think the bride looked particu-
Iarly happy, ," suggested Mrs. Appleby, but
of course this is between ourselves"
"Ollv the natural modesty Of young
creature taking so serious a step, think.
Yes. nv dear, | consider Col. Forth and
his daughters a decided addition to our lit
Il society here, and am glad tat we al
wavs treated them with proper considera-
ton, for see how well they have done"
And as the vicar thou hit, so now thought
the other inhabitants of Headfort They
had done well, and all the rest-tteir pow
ertv, the scandals about Frances Forth,
were forgotten or spoken of only with bated
breath.
And as the days went on after Ruth's
marriage, there we're rumOrs in the village
of the splendid gifts that Col Kenyon hal
given his promised wife; of the new fur
pishng of the drawing room at Sudlev
Park, and the new carriage which had
come down from town, ordered expressly
for Frances. She had plenty of money now
at her command, and spent it with lavish
hand even among the village tradespeople,
and they naturally spoke well of her. She
liked, in fact, to spend money and to be
thought great lady, and was generous
enough to give, if it cost her nothing
These were days of triumph, and she liked
the court paid to her and the dresses
that made her more beautif /, and
all the good things that Col. Kenyon's love
had given her. Only the man himself did
not suit her, for between their natures was
a great gulf fixed, which it took all Frances
clervernesS not to show.
Her marriage had been settled to take
place exactly one fortnight after Ruth's,
and Ruth bad naturally expected to be pres
H
found that Maj. Audley declined to return
to Headfort 50 ,oon. The newly-married
psir were in Paris, and Ruth wrote from
thence to tell Frances she could not come
"My dearest Frances" (wrote the bride),
81 received your letter telling me about
your wedding and all the beautiful thing,
wh1ch Col. Kenyon has given you. But
am sorry, very sorry to tell you that if you
are to be married on the 10th, shall not be
alb to be present. Maj. Audey will not
hear Of returning to Headfort until his
leave is up. which will not be until the first
week in September, and there ore you see
have no CHOICE. AN forwarding my we'd
ding present to you to-day, and 1 hope you
will like it. We are going on TO Trouville
tomorrow, and shall write to you from
there. With kind love to my father and
yourself, affectionately yours,
ruth AUDLEY."
Frances read these few cold. guarded
lines, ard flung Ruth's letter passionately
on the floor.
"Horrid, selfish man p she exclaimed, and
she could not even hide her indignation
against Audley from her lover.
Would you believe it possible, - she said
to him few hours later, that Mai. Aud
ley will not allow Ruth to return in time
for our wedding! 1t is too disgusting, isn't
itp
at seems rather odd, certainly, " ans wered
Col. KeIyon. Il thought il was settled
when they went away that they were to be
back by then"
so did l, of course; but it is just like
Audley; he is odiously selfish"
Col, Kenyon gave little shrug and
smiled.
Yet you consented to his marriage with
your young sister, Frances"
YES" said Frances, hastily, who saw
she had made a mistake, because Ruth
seemed to wish it..
We'll, to tell the truth, never thought
Ruth did particularly wish it. l always
fanc!ed she liked young Seaforth."
Perhaps they quarreled Ruth was very
reticent about some things; ut all events, it
was her own choice to marry Maj. Audley,
so suppose snail Just have to make the
best OF him; but 1 am feeling very cross
with him to-day, so that made me abuse
him. and Frances smiled and changed the
conversation.
And if she was indignant about Mai.
Audley's conduct, Col. Forth was even
more so.
Il don't like such behavior at al, ~ he said,
angrlly. Il fully expected that Ruth ami
he would have stayed on here with me
after you were gone, until they got a house
Of their own, aud now l shall be left alonel
Extremely selfish Of Audley, must say;
aud 1t augurs very badly to my mind for
huth's future happiness"
Frances gave little sneering laugh
'Selhshness is a general characteristic Of
the nObler sex, you know" soc said, "but |
must say it is highly developed in Maj
Audley. However, what's the good Of
talkiug of itl l should write TO him il
did not know it would be of no use he Is 50
obstinate; and as Col. Kenyon does not wish
to put off our wedding, must Just be mar
r1ed without Ruth"
And perhaps after all she was not sorry
that Audley's cold, sarcastic eyes would not
be liked upon her as she plighted her troth
TO Col. Kenyon. As it was, there would be
no one present to remind her Of a bitter
past I erefore, after her first disappOint-
ment was over, Frances went on with her
preparations without wasting any further
time III abusing her brother-in law.
her marriage, like Ruth's, had to be q ;,
quiet one, but Frances could not resist
with that taste for magDificence which
was natural to herr decking herself out to
the utmost advantage. She chose we'd
eng dress OF white velvet, knowing well
mat straight, sweeping lines of rich mate