The Monmouth inquirer., 1889-12-12

time. Two out of the trio certainly
thought SO whether they said 1t or not,
and these two were walking together one
hot afternoon towards the cathedral.
ITO think that have only known yon
fortnight" Mr.. Vanbruton was saying.
II feel as if we had been friends for
months, and yet the days fly by"
'Then you have not been bored?' OBJ
served his companion. "Yet we have
spent a very idle life. | should have
fancied that young man like you would
have begun to find time dragging some
what
How could II" he answered ear
nestly. Yesterday you allowed me to
row you on The lake. the day before we
went for drive the day before that we
lunched at Weggis', you and alone; the
day before We
''Stopl stop" cried Anna, laughing.
Il begin to feel quite ashamed of having
inflicted my company upon you SO much
1t was too bad of Alice going off on ex-
cursions with her friends and leaving us
behind"
II feel very grateful towards her" he
said quietly. 81 shall always think of
Lucerne as one of the most delightful
spots on earth. Have you enjoyed this
fortnight, Miss Rogers, wonder?"
She turned her face away SO as to hide
the rich color which had stolen to her
pale cheeks "Lucerne will always live
in my memory as the one pleasant ex-
perience in my life, she answered softly.
"You talk very bitterly sometimes"
he said. Il often wonder if you really
mean it.
Lam afraid do" Anna sadly replied
Would you care to hear my history, Mr.
Vanbruton? 1t is not a particularly inter-
esting or cheerful one, and am very
commonplace heroine: but still it will
show you that | have little excuse to
grlmble.
Indeed, should like to hear it," he
q scented eagerly Let us rest here on
this bench"
They sat down, and Anna proceeded
with her story, gazing dreanily at the
lake as she told it, and never suffering
her eyes to meet his.
I'VE were never very we'll off. she
began But | remember time when
We lived happily enough in small sub
urban villa at Norwood Ny mother
died when was quite Young; she had
been great singer, and her death made
good deal of difference to us, as it
was her earnings which had enabled us
to live fairly comfortably. My father
wrote for the papers and some periodi-
Gals, and know now must have been a
l. h.,+ l,ox-n II
was his constant companion, and would
sit up with him night after night, quietly
reading while he wrote; he used to say
that it inspired him to have me in the
room with him. so there | used to sit,
when other girls of my age were in bed
and asleep hours before. When | was
16 received my first blow. My father
married again His second wife was
widow with small property, but obi a
fearful temper. think he married her,
hoping she would retrieve our fallen
fortunes, instead of which she dragged
us down deeper and more hope
Iessy into the mire than we had
ever been before Poor old Dad he
saw his mistake too late, and think
he fretted for our old happy days Be
fore long his health began to fail, and a
cold settling on his lungs killed him, and
| was left desolate-so very desolate!
My only brother was ranching in Amer
ica. but had bare pittance to live
upon, and at once left my step-mother
andsought for situation was lucky,
as thought, and became companion to
an invalid lady, whose husband was in
India We began to be sincerely at
tached to one another, and for year
was very happy. Then, one black day.
the husband returned He was brute,
and treated her badly, but she loved him
devotedly, and never owned he could do
wrong How can | tell you what next
happened? He turned his odious atten-
tions towards the humble companion,
and tried to make love 10 her almost be-
fore his sick wife's eyes. How hated
himl and one fine morning told him
So He was mean and revengeful. and
made out to his wife many wicked lies
not listen to anything l had to say, SO
was dismissed with ignominy. What
was | to do then? Fortunately Dick,
my brother, in the mean time, had
returned from America | went to
him. and he gave me shelter until
had found another engagement. This
time was with lady had known in
the days of my comparative prosperity;
she was kind, but had many hardships
TO put up with. I remained with her
until was four-and-twenty, when be-
came engaged to be married to a man
who was frequent visitor at the house.
He was well off, young, and not bad
looking, and thought at the time thatI
loved him very much A month before
our wedding day, / threw up my 'situa-
ton" and went home Ito my brother's)
to make preparations and get ready my
small trousseau Everything was ar
ranged, even to the minutest detail of
our wedding tour; when, just week
before the auspicious event was to take
place, my adorer disappeared. leaving
me polite little note saying that he
feared he should never make me happy,
and that he was on his way to Australia,