The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-14

clever German doctor, have regained health
and strength enough 10 mix with my leilow-
men,
.'Tnpn why are you in such haste to leave
us? Why not stay till mamma return?
"Becau>e|; and then he stopped alb
ruptly; but there was significance In ms
look that embarrassed Meta and made her
heart beat as it had never beat before,
"Why do you call Mr. Evans old ana
plain ~ she said to her father the hrst tlme
she was alone with him..
AIR. Raeburn raised his eyebrows.
MY dear, can't remember ever saying
that lie was either the one or the otner. An'
YES. | believe | have a way OF calling him
Poor old Eyanr | fell Tito it at school,
when he came there delicate, quaint nttle
chan. much too young TO rough 1t among
bevy Of tall, strong fellows like myself. 1
used TO interfere i'll his behalf when he was
unki dIy treated, and that's how our TREND
ship hogan. In reality, he is t, n years my
iunA and don't call myself an old man
A fter all. Mr.. Evans did not stay to be in
troduced to Mrs. Raebum, for business
called him away, but ere lie quilted his
friends house he sought Meta.
Dare L ask you to think OF me kindly?
You have made these last TWO weeks sueh
happy ones that dread the lonely life to
which ! must now look forward!
And I-shall l not be lonely! she fai.
tered. Shall y1u never come back 10 us :,
81 dare not unless you give me the sweet
hope that in spite of the disparity. OF our
years, | may win your affections! Meta,
dearest Meta, if you knew how precious
your love would be to me, l don't think you
would withhold it.
How could she. when it was already his?
Their parting was not very s0rroWful
one after al, forit was Softenei by his PROM
ise TO return in the course OF a few weeks at
fuIthest
What have YOU been doing to yourself,
child?' Queried Mrs. Rae5urn, when Meta
rap into her arms. " declare you are
growing as gond-looking as Nina! 1t must
be your sweet temper that makes you so
pretty"
But Metals sisters were too much absorbed
in their own affairs to notice her happy lace.
She was expected to listen to all HattIe,S
tales of her harUn-Scarum expeditions Win
Tom Hislop to all the compliments Nina
had received on her beauty, and to Sara's
satisfaction IN her new prospects. The
heir to q dukedom had declared himself, and
was 10 call on Mr.. Raeburn Oh the morrow
and arrange with him the preliminarles of
the marriage.
But with Captain Dasent came Mrs. HiSop
10 carry off her granddaughter.
ut is your turn now, Meta my love, and
l want you so particularly that l shall not
be put off with excuses, SO fetch your hat,
and brbs Mansy with kiss to pack your
trunks and send them after YOU
Meta was nOlNlIlS IOll, lOE INC frivolous
chatter of her sisters sounded extremely
distasteful after the scholarly and refined
conversation of Mr.. Evans and she went
away undaunted by the plying remark of
Hattie that she would BIZ bored 10 death now
the boys were off TO college, and she would
be shut up day alter day with prosy old
woman.
But Hattie was mistaken. Mr.. Raeburn
calling enc day to see how his pet was get
ting on, found Mrs HiSlOpS house full Of
guests, ana little Meta so cUurted and fiat
tered and feted that she told her father,
gayly, she thought every one was consplring
to oil ler, aud she should require Il sharp
course of hume-snuLbing to sober her again.
"a ball last night at which you danced
every dance; lcnic the day before; ten
MS party tomorrow; and Mrs. HlSlUp show
etin5 down gifts upon You like a airy god
mother! Why, Meta, such eayety will
Danish all thought OF poor Old Evans from
your young neart.'
"Never!" she answered, clasping her
bands round her fathers arm. DON
wrong me by limiting at such thing. Il is
very pleasant to be treated with such kind
ness; but if | had reason 10 think that it
would unfit me for the happiness OF being
his helpmeet, his companion, would 60
home with you, papa, at once
Pooh, pooh, my dear, | was only jeSting;
and yet have heard little bird whisper
that certain young Baronet i paying my
Mtld great zeal Oh attention..
Only because | remind him of Nina. l
hope she does not appreciate his admiration,
for lie is very silly; but then there are few
men so wise and good as Mr.. Eyans-are
there, papa?"
Mr.. Raeburn laughed as he kissed her and
babe her stay where she was and enjoy her
self as long as Mrs. HiSlop liked to keep
her; but Meta brooded over his remarks Tor
the rest of the day, and when she came in
from the conservatory 10 dress for dinner she
had resolved that on the morrow she would
go home.
If Mr.. Evans should hear what butter
fly she had become wha; would he think of
her ? aud If he were III or solitary
But here Meta came to a full stop; for
crossing the hall to meet her was the objecI
of ner thoughts.
Glow glad.-how very glad l ami" she
murmured, as, seeing that they were quite
alone, he folded her in a tender embrace.
How good of Mrs. Hi>l0p 10 invite you'll
but does she know our secret? Yes? Then
she approves! Delightful. But it was for
tunate that you came to-day, Tor tomorrow
you would not have found me"
Half dozen kisses were stolen from her
lips when she confessed why she had ill.,
tended 10 take flight; and then the bluShng
Meta protested that she must follow the eX-
ample of the other ladies and dress, or she
should be late for dinner.
''One moment, Lowell Why Lave you
y
Is it not your right name? Papa always
spoke Of you by it.
Yes, it is my Christian name; but [ am
the Duke of Harlesden. Don't start and
look SO very much ast0nished. | should
have set you right long since if there had
been any necessity for il; but your father
thought you would be more at your ease
with me while You knew me only as his
friend and SchoOlfellow."
But Sara-what will Sara say?" burst
from the perpleXed Meta.
My dearest, if she has accepted Maurice
Dasent solely because she believed him To
be the heir to a dukedom, neither you nor |
need regret her disappointment. If not, |
will take care TO settle upon my sisters son
a sufficient income to enable him to support
his wife properly"
"But--but, Evan, you ought to marry a
person of higher rank than your little Meta"
she murmured. What Will the world say
to such misallanceY
You did not ask yourself that question
when you consented TO accept the hand of
the plain, middle-aged man whom YOU be-
leved to be as poor as he was shabby |
found treasure, Meta, when | won you.
Do You think | would let the cold, heartless
world rob me of my darling? No, no; you
are mine, and | thank heaven daily for the
blessing OF your love"
The Stiffness Of the young Baronet did not
prevent Nina from accepting hin: aud after
struggle with her vexatiOu, Sara consented
to wed Captain Dasent. Both have left off
snubbing Meta, and talk in the most affec-
tionate terms of the once tyrannizsd-over
drudge of the family as my sister, the
Duchess; and Hattie las eschewed the
society of Tom Hislop, and is striving 10
appear as ladylike and refined as her Grace
of Harlesden; but it is doubtful whether
either of them have quite forgiven her for
wearing ducal coronet and expanding into
one of the happiest and most charming
peereSses at the court Of Queen Victoria.
l.. c. n.