Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-12-26
CHAPTER XI

"Oh, how the spring Of love resemhleth
The uncertain glorJ of an April dayl''
1t is drawing toward evening, and though
the sun still rides triumphant in the heav-
ems long shadows are stretching themselves
here and there, and the voices of the birds
are growing faint and fainter. A little
wind has arisen that the languid morning
had not known, and now signs through the
trees and rustles the leaves as it rushes
through them. There is a great calm
everywhere, and a sense Of tranquility,
vague but strong, that has evidently com
':n.nicated itself to the breasts Of the two
now walking silently through the scented
wood
Side by side they move, but with closed
lips, the first mild attempts at conversation
having fallen away from them beneath the
languorous influence Of the dying noon.
All the sweet wild life Of nature seems in
deed to be dropping asleep, and scarcely a
sound disturbs the mystical quiet of the
early evening.
"Only the patti srinR aspen
Made a sound of growing rain,
That fell ever faster anc faster,
Then ialtered TO silence again"
The entrance into a broad bit of green
open, across which the tremulous sunbeams
are still wandering, restores the Duchess to
desire for speech-a desire never far from
her.
~ wonder how 1 shall feel this time to-
morrow" she says, with a little nervous
| laugh that shows where her thoughts have
been roaming. 1--WE shall be at the Castle
then, ehf''
"Yes. About FIVE or flve-fifteen. Did
you get my mothers last letter?''
Il had one this morning. Such a kind
latter. with l.. "a
for dad that it took my heart captive. As
for dad, it has quite turned his head.
There is no managing him ever since. Do
you know" glancing at him, "that am
going t. stay with you for very long
visity Months! Well, instead Of dads la
menting his fate over this last move which
will leave him of course by himself COR a
very mnch longer timo than he first antici-
pated-now what do you think is the new
role he has arranged for hmselsy"
"How could thinkY" laughing at the
pretended look OF disgust on the pretty,
piquants face.
"To be delighted then; charmed at the
prospect Of being let solitary until Christ
mas! Do you believe in him9 l don't!
am certain now that he is a dark schemer
Ind that there is more in this than we can
yet see! He declares that it is all for nv
good; that now at last an opening has been
made for me, and that am very likely to
make what he calls "A good match. )"
"You might 60 that without stirring,
perhaps" Delaney, slowly.
Has she forgotten all about that late pro-
posal? Has that unfortunate young mans
misery Cof course no is miserable) passed
from her mind9 Yet she had undoubtedly
ed him TO his doom. 1t had al come in
lis.tDelaney's) OPT from sticking straws
n his hair until he was mad as Uphelia.
Yet now here she was, apparently oblivious
II any straws, any broken spirited wooer.
The Duchess, indeed, has evidently for
moment forgotten the Kilgarrif affair al
jogether in her desire 10 annalyze her
.ather's motives.
"There Is something don't like about
lis manner" she goes on. Zone would
;hink he wanted TO get rid of me. OF me,
mind youl But II any such wild dream as
he hope of shaking me of has entered his
head can tell him he is making a grand
mistake; that's all. II ever / do marry
hall carry him along with me wherever
90, be it to the Sandwich Islands or the
lFery middle OF Central Africa"
LET us hope, for dads sake, that your
'uture husband will have no business on
,ither OF those delightful spots, " says Denis,
'ather heavily.