Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-01-23
CHAPTER III.

w hdb ~ RASy ~ 10 bhte JOh Nohh1e
prolong your stay, Mr.. Alleyn l
am sure we are all exceedingly sorry
to lose you'll" said Lady Elizabeth
Ormiston graciously.
Lady Elizabeth was by no means
given to the delivery OF kindly
speeches, as a glance at her face
mighthave told any one skilled enough
TO read its expression. She was a
handsome woman still, although
sixty-five years of age. She was tall
and upright; her figure was some
what thin and spare; but she carried
herself with an air of dignity and
dressed with richness which moro
than atoned for that deficiency. Her
face, with its straight rather sharp
/ features, had none OF the gentleness
and yielding softness which advanc-
her tinely-cut lips, were as a rule,
firmly compressed, her gray eyes hard
and bright; her abundant and very
fair hair, coiled up under little lace
cap, had hardly streak OF gray. To
the very few people whom she cared
to charm, she was charming; to the
far greater number about whom she
was absolutely Indifferent, she was al
most repulsive. She was n proud,
cool and self-contained woman, and
yet at times strangely capricious and
changeable. 1t had been one OF her
caprices to take liking to George
Alleyn. although he was nobody and
had no more money than young man
trying to make his way at the bar US
ually possesses. So it was with a
! feeling perfectly sincere, and in a
manner unusually gracious and kindly
that she expressed her regret at his de-
parture from The Cot. 1t was just a
fortnight since he and Owen had lost
their way and wandered 10 the
Thatched Cottage, and George could
not take longer holiday. Now the dog
cart was at the door, and Owen was
waiting to drive his friend to the sta
ton, which was some four miles from
Upper Catching, and in the drawing
room George was saying goodbye TO
Lady Elizabeth and Millicent Heath.
"Perhaps before we leave The Cot
you may be able to spare us another
week. said the elder lady.
you are very good, Lady Elizabeth,
but l am afraid not. answered Alleyn.
Il must be very busy as it is to make
up for my holiday. Perhaps l may
call upon you when you return TO
town.
I'VE shall be very pleased TO sec
YOU" said her ladyship graciously.
Goodbye, Mr.. Alleyn, A pleasant
journey
George would not have had very
pleasant journey had those been the
last and only words of farewell which
he was TO hear at The Cot. But Mil
ly. instead OF giving him merely cold
little hand and colder little bow, as
she might have done, chose rather 10
follow him out into the hall. She was
perhaps a little paler than usual; but
she looked very pretty in her white
dress. with half-blown rose at her
neck.
"Good-bye," she said, and put her
hand into his with touch very diff
ferent from that of Lady Elizabeth
cold, thin fingers. Shall we see you
againP"
IF can possibly get away shall
come down"
"Do! Owen will miss yon so much
II almost wish he were going with
you instead of staying down here with
nothing TO do but get through the
time as pleasantly as he can"
Alleyn's eyes Intercepted the brown
ones raised to his and understood
them. She saw that he did; for she
added at once
Have you spoken to himP Have
you cautioned him?"
"As much as / could. He did moi
take what did say too kindly"
II know. He has been veXed at one
or two hints OF mine. And he has
been there since that first visit-hov
oftenp"
"Six or seven times, l think"
And now, when you are gone, hi
will go oftener."
TO BE CONTINUED.