Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-22


passing and repassing on the walks,
which had been swept.
'There are your children, Lady Gil
MORE, she said, land who is that
pretty girl walking with them?"
''That is their young governess, Miss
LOTUS, replied Lady Gilmore.
'She seems a handsome girl?''
''She is good-looking; she was recon-
mended by Lady Blenkensop, the gen.
eral g wife, you know
FAh,' answered Miss Butler,
thoughtfully, and she said nothing more.
She was Watching the slender girlish
figure in black on the terrace below,
noting the blooming complexion and the
1.-THE light footsteps. Other eyes also were
watching that slight form. Gilmore,
impatient of restraint, always felt angry
when he saw Nancy Lotus and his little
sisters, that he was bound by his promise
to Nancy not to join them, and his fancy
grew stronger and stronger for the dark
eyed governess.
After luncheon he went down to chat
with Miss Butler, and at his mother
suggestion walked out with her for half
an hour on the terrace also in the frosty
air. The Hon. Kate was charming and
lively as usual, and her laugh rang clear
and shrill. She amused Gilmore with
society gossip and bright sayings, but he
gave little SILVER when the blast grew
stronger, and a faint shower of snow be-
gan to fall, and said it was TOO chill for
him to dare to remain out any longer.
81 have to wrap myself up like an old
woman, you know now" ne said smil-
ing, 81 am always freezing.''
bye and by you will be quite well
and strong again.
~ hope so, but do not feel up to
much now
He accompanied her back to his moth
er IS room, and talked to her a little
while there, but when Lady Gilmore said
she would send for the children to have
tea in the boudoir, so that Miss Butler
might be introduced to them, Gilmore
made an excuse that he was going to
smoke, and so again left the two ladies
to themselves. But Gilmore was not GO
ing to smoke; be had head his mother
request the footman to bring the chill
dren to her room, and he meant to seize
this opportunity to have another inter-
view with Nancy Lotus.
quarter of an hour later Nancy heard
a light rap at the schoolroom door, as
She sat alone there, and when che said
"come in, - Gilmore's smiling face ap-
peared.
''May 1 enter?'' he asked.
"Oh, no, no, - said Nancy, rising in
quick alarm, ''the children are only gone
for q few minutes, you must not come in
here
"Come and walk in the corridor then
for little while. it seems an age since
saw you last
and as she stood moment there, he took
her hand, and drew her gently into the
corridor.
''Let US go to the other end, he said
in low tone, "and when they come
back we shall hear them, and can es-
cape by the staircase.
''But this is wrong, l am sure it is
wroug,'' half-whispered Nancy, who
felt afraid.
eyes, wrong that we can't walk and
talk openly together--not wrong that
should wish to seee you.
"And Miss Butler-I saw you walking
on the terrace with her this morning?'
Eyes l have just come IN from duty
walk that my mother forced upon me,
but all the time was wishing was here,
and when she sent for the children
"Miss Butler seems very handsome?"
"She' n fine snowy sort of girl, and
oh, doesn t she talk. -
s'Well, do you mean?h
"Rathcr amusingly, but felt intense
" bored, as all the time was wishing
to be with you.
1t must be admitted that these words
were very pleasant to Nancy's ears. She
liked Gilmore, and felt naturally flattered
that he so greatly admired her. Yet she
always felt half-guilty when she was
talking to him, and when she had met
him at the end of the corridor to receive
the books he had promised her, she had
told him that she really dare not do SO
again.
But Gilmore would not listen.
"'Did you shut the children into the
school room?, he asked.
eyes, but l cannot tell they will stay
there, you know
"But surely you can have few mo-
ments to yourself-a few moments for
me?''
''But just think, Lord Gilmore
''Will you not risk something for my
sake2 1 know 1 would risk much for
yours.
Nancy's heart beat very fast at these
words, and though she only stayed few
minutes with Gilmore, she admitted to
herself when she req ohed her own bed
room carrying the packet of books
that he had brought her, that these
stolen interviews were very sweet. Yet
the next morning she felt very repentent,
for the post brought her long and low
ing letter from her dear mother.
Mrs. LOTUS had felt Nancy's loss at
home even more keenly than she had ex-
pected. And they had had sickness in
the little house, for Mrs. Barclay (Aunt
Fannie) had been seized with SO severe
an attack of bronchitis that she had
never been able TO leave her sister-in-
law, and had felt so alarmed about her
own health that she was afraid to go
abroad alone, according to her usual
custom, in the winter.
All this home news-the little strug-
giles and trials-seemed sort of reproaoh
to Nancy, when she reflected that she
was certainly Tisking her chance of help
ing her mother by her imprudence in
meeting Lord Gilmore. Still she was but
girl. And her life at Wrotbsley had
certainly been dull one before her. &C.
qusintanoe with Gilmore commenced.
But she made up her mind to be very
careful, and Gilmore did not see her for