The morning call., 1890-06-11

know before shall be fit TO manage household
OF my own; and for Charles sake, you know,
must learn TO be economical
Charlie is lucky fellow"
"And so poor that he could not stay In Englandi
All, you don't know what II cost us TO part!
There were tears In the gray eyes, and Maurice,
ashamed of himself for having been the cause,
so earnest in bis Efforts to dry them that the
mercufial Eda was soon smiling again. and ready
TO respond to his challenge to game OF billiards.
As for Lady Groby, she smirked and smiled,
and nodded when she saw the young couple on
such familiar terms, and would have congratu-
lated Eda II she would have listened. She did
hint her qualification TO Maurice, who heard her
with contracted browS and a fierce pleasure in
the thought of The disappointment that awaited
her,
Silly old woman-what was 1t to her whether
he did or did not propose tor Eda Wlnton? And
II she had the little girls interest at heart, as
she was so fond OF averring, why had she not
asceltained WHO the fellow was by whom Eda
had been irepanned into an engagement? An
objectionable engagement, Maurice would an
grlly term 1t, seeing that this rash, selfish man
was not able TO make home for his betrothed
II there was name In the vocabulary that
Maurice Daylesford learned to detest while lie
was at Groby Hall, 1t was the name OF Charlie.
Not that he often heard 1t Oh Eda's lips; she
had grown much more retlcent OF late, but he
knew that she wore Charles photograph in her
lOcket, and too frequently she would excuse her
self from chess or music that she might work at
pair of slippers, which must be finished, she
said, before his birthday.
" l am stupid 10 stay here" he told himself
at last. "SomeimeS could fancy that she likes
ne-me-d llttle. but now cOulu ACT So us
bonorably as TO try and step In between her and
her first love? How act so meany by one who
may be more worthy OF her than l am? She
would deSpise me were l TO attempt II, and
value her good opinion TOO highly to do anything
that will deprive me Of It,"
81 have stayed too long. Brooke; you must let
me col" lie SAID, gloomly, TO his friend, who
stared at him in perpleXity.
"Dear me- dear mel Why, only yesterday
Lady 6. told my wife everything was going on
as smoothly as
"BahI" growled Maurice, strding away, out
OF humor with Himself aud every one else
Ii did not mend matters when he found Eda In
the librarY-whther lie had retreated-cOutem
plating the slippers, to which sheihad just put the
finishing stitches.
do come aud tell me what you think OF them,
Mr.. DayesIord. or course you Will regard them
with manly eyes; so do say If they are what you
would wear In Charles placer"
Anything your hands had touched -
which you had bent affecllonatey, as l have
seen you bending over these things-would be so
precious 10 me- that l-I-but what am l saying?
Miss Ninton must leave you. or shall lose
all self-cOntrol. But don't trembe / was a
brute 10 static you l did not mean TO do IL.
Forgive me? Let me hear You say you forgive
me-
eyes she slid her luttering fingers into his, land
now give me your Charles address; II lie Is dear
10 you Will be his friend as well as yours. l
have interest and will exert IL In his behalf. For
your sake, TO make you happy, what would l Iot
attempt?'
"Oh, MI Daylesford, this Is good OF you. in
deed - faltered Eda "Charlie thoroughly de-
serves it, for he has always been The best of
brothers."
brothers I"
"Yes; the Grobys ignore him because he was
my fathers son by his first wife, ana she was II
woman Of low birth; but Will never forget now
Charlie relinqulsled in my favor the few hun
dreds we had, and went abroad himself TO work
for both of US"
"Eda!" and somehow Maurice Daylesford's
face had lost It's melancholy look, and his arm
had stolen round slender waist. "Eda you
have been basely decelying me You know full
well that Imagined Charlie to be your Intended.
IL Is true that you said you were not actually
gagged but you implied II by your manner"
can plead lurisdictlOn-ls not that the WORD
Sealed III yODder window on the evening your
made your debut al Gr0by Hall, heard you tell
Ing Mr.. Brooke how Disguised you were with the
that you should never be able 10 say that was
maneuYerlng for you, or lending myself to the
match making OF mistaken friends, | made you
aware al the hrst opportunity Of certain Charlie
To whom proposed TO devote my life"
" Little hypOcrlte I" said Maurice, taking his
revenge on her Dlushng cheek; but she slrug-
9led out OF his embrace.
An, do not call me that, even In jest 1t was
no hypocrisy 10 defend myself with a haf-truth.
| should have goue to Charlie ere long, aud |
could not have degraded myself by schemng Tor
your love"
" What does this mean 7' queried Mr. Brooke,
putting his head in at the door. Z" thought you
were IN haste TO leave US, Daylesford. What
shall tell Lady GrOby?"
" hat We are not actually engaged" was the
laughing reply; for Eda had vanished by an-
other door, and what WAS SIN more provoking,
she insisted on waiting I'LL Charlie-feared no
lOnger-cOuld be present at her wedding.
But lie Is en- route for England, and before
long pretty Eda Wiuton VIII be The happy bride
Of Maurice Daylesiord OF Daylesiord Grange.