The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-29
CHAPTER III,

"Doris y called Lord Carew ; "Doris
where are your" There was disturbance
and a sort of excitement in his tone, and
as Doris opened the library door and
came into the wide, sun-lit hall, he look
ed at her with almost comical conster,
nation. 1t was the day before her we'd
ding, and Doris had been writing fare.
well letters all the morning, and looked
tired and pale, but Lord Carew was too
perturbed to notice his daughters looks.
"The strangest thing has happened !" he
said. You remember Wilfrid-Wilfrid
Lylel" .
eyes," said Doris, steadying herself
against marble table, and feeling that
she could not have uttered another word
to save herself.
HE has come into fortune it seems.
His father died last year, and an uncle
and cousin since, 80 Wilfrid has come
in for the Deerhust estate"
Eyes ?" said Doris in tones that tried
to be indifferent. Why should her
father tell her of Wilfrid's good fortune,
or assume that it could be of interest to
her ? She drew herself up, and her brows
contracted; but Lord Carew was more
embarrassed than herself.
"Well he is rich man now, and
and the long and the short of it is, Doris
that il must have been all moonshine
about his marriage. He can't be mar
ried, for he doesen't seem to have heard
OF your engagement, and he writes to
ask me for you hand he does, upon my
honor Poor fellow, I'd no idea he'd ever
| - ltrt ha hn haa
years, and didn't like to speak till he had
something TO offer you"
Doris did not speak. What was there
she could say But the table against
which she leant was hardly colder than
the hand that rested on it.
"The curious thing is that he doesn't
seem to have much doubt Of his answer" I"
pursued Lord Carew. HE says he is
coming for 1t himself, and will be with
us this evening. It's awkward to know
what to do-and Chisholm coming to
dinner, too Pom my life it's quite a
little comedy"
Doris set her teeth and her eyes flashed,
Eyes" she said al dare say that is
the best way of looking at it,"
"1t won't be Wilfrid' e way, I'm afraid, p"
said her father. "He seems desperately
hard hit"
docs he 2" said Doris, with curious
little smile. "He will get over it, That
sort OF thing doesn't kill people, papa. +"
She went away, with the young life
pulsating fiercely in her veins, girl
whom "that sort Of thing" bad not been
able to slay, and her father looked after
her in some perplexity.
"She takes it very coolly," he said /,
glancing again at the letter in his hand /;
"but Wilfred I'm afraid he'll feel it
very much. And the post gets in here
30 late there's no time to stop him not
even IL telegraphed. Poor fellow, |
shan't know what to say to him. lshall
have to break it to him as best as ! can,
but I'd rather face a cavalry charge"
And, indeed, Lord Carew felt tight
eninR of his throat and mistiness OF his
own eyes, as he told the disappointed
suitor he had come too late. Wilfrid
heard him with dreary patience, bear
ing II as such men bear adverse fate
composed enough to outward seeming.
but with bitterness In his heart that
was like the bitterness Of death. Lord
Carew seemed, indeed, the more moved
Of the two, but he understood the others
stern self-command, and when Mr.. Lyle
asked TO see Doris, be did not know how
TO refuse.
at can't hurt you to say civil word
to him." he said, when Doris shrank
back "it isn't as il you had cared for
him, yon know"
NO" said Doris. family.
Then go to him my deaf He will
say nothing to pain you he Is too much
! Of gentleman for that. And, after all,