Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-08-05
THE ATHELSTONS:
VICTOR AND vANQUIsHED.
BY MARY CECIL HAY.

even colder and more harsh to her now
than she had ever been beforeP
What could it be2 Often and often
Lima wondered, as she was wondering
now, sitting and Watching Marjorie in
the sunshine. Often and often Neil
wondered, recalling the bright laughter
and needless raillerY which for all her
life had belonged to her. Often and
often Mrs. Esdaile wondered, looking in
vain for an answer either from Neil OF
from Marjorie herself Often and often
Col. Stuart wondered, lettering alone
about his pleasant garden, in the dusk
of these calm spring evenings, and let
ting the thoughts crowd thick and fast
upon him then, which he had put aside
all day, and which (unshared) must
slowly do their part in making the grave
and thoughtful soldier older than his
years.
But the question was answered to
none. Did even Marjorie herself know
exactly what it was which made her
step slow, and her eyes SO often fan
eyes? Sometimes, Watching anxiously
and vainly for the return of strength in
Lina's frail form, she fancied that she
understood it Sometimes, watchine
Neil hurrying up that sunny gravel
path, she fancied again that she under.
stood it. But never, except when she
was quite alone, and recalling grave,
kind, helpful words she always seemed
to disregard, did she approach the truth.
Lima, do you notice how naturally
it comes to one to watch the entrance
gate from this open Window" said
Marjorie, turning to look into her COM
panion's face with startled look, as if
conscious Of having boon watching for
rather noticcahly long time.
ait comes sadly natural to me now"
said Lima. her own eyes coming slowly
home from their distant gaze. "Are
you very tired of seeing me do it, Miss
Mariorie?"
al spoke because I fancied you would
notice me-" answered Marjorie, leaning
her head against the window and look
ing Mt Lima with smile. at cannot
think why do il either, for Neil's re-
ceding figure has been invisible for half
an hour At least. Don't you think that
Neil looked dreadfully harassed to day,
Lina?"
IL hardly saw him for one minute"
replied Lima, with n sudden WEAKNESS in
her tone.
proves IOf Nell GIlAG
there Is one thing he tries to do which
is not for his own pleasure. He will
not force his presence where he knows
it is not welcomed. In that he is
strangely altered. In one or two
other respects he is altered, too, added
Marjorie, her eyes filled with bright ten
derness rs they met Lina's. You would
hardly notice the change, dear, as 1
should who have known him so
long-but one year has changed him
more than could ten such years as those
he spent before last spring; and the
change is plainly written in his face
He Looks ten years older than he looked
that day, among the fallen leaves, when
he asked me so complacently to be his
wife. He looks n man of six and-thirty
now, yet he is only six-and-twenty.
mo; only six and-twenty, just six
and-twenty," said Lima, absently, think!
ing of her own age and Gerard's, and
of how soon after her fathers death his
widow had married Neils father.
Zone thing that tells upon him is the
constant worrying of his mother" re-
sumed Marjorie, curiously Watching
Lina's face. Continual dropping will
wear away stone, they tell us and
the continual dropping of Lady Athels-
tons fretfuiness will, of course, wear
away Neils comfort and good looks.
Nothing pleases her now nothing seems
to her fancy to go rightly at High
Adhesion nothing will please her again
until you go back to her. I never saw
rudderless vessel" concluded Marjorie,
with the old swift brightness of laughter
in her eyes, "but should fancy Lady
Adhesion looks as like one as-as she
feels"
but is not Sir Neil her rudder now,
as he always has been ?" inquired Lima,
seeing that Miss Castillain waited for her
reply.
"No, she feels that he has failed her.
She began to think it when he took it
upon himself to make her dismiss Fetch
er for the tales she had been in the habit
eff composing about you. She went on
thinking it when he got this new sort of
quiet determined way about him; and
she finished thinking it when she found
he had some purpose of his own and
kept to it. One thing upholds her,
though ; that is the cessation of hostili.
ties between Neil and myself. Mario
RE, my dear, she says to me, plaintive-
ly, you have learned at last, as always
prognosticated you would, how much
more indulgent Neil is when you let him
have entirely his own way. knew you
would learn this before your marriage
and now feel sure you will be the hap
piest wife i'll Highshire + Poor old lady |
l could heartily laugh, if it were not that
she is as much in earnest over this idea
as she can be over anything. Her man.
agement of her only son has not been
Unsuccessful, has it? Poor Neill Poor
Neil !"
Again Marjorie's eyes turned to the
scene beyond the open window, and lin
gered far off again, with that gentleness
which was utterly sad in the girl whose
every glance had used to be armed with
fun and raillery.
"Ah, Lima, look There is curious
sight. Mrs. Cheere coming through
the gate; coming up to the house, de-
clare. should like to run and meet
her; I should if-this were my own
house."
A sudden movement Marjorie made.
Clasping one of the rose-sprays in her