The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-04-19


her. but said nothing. The tender
arms about his ne k frightened fondly.
II could not help IL. dear" the girl
whispered couldn't father!
4 / did not mean 10 love him never
thought OF it-but IL came somehow"
There was silence again. But
presently Aaron kissed her and
smoothed her fair hair gently.
"You think you do love him. my
grip You think you do. eh?" he
said.
Think. father? All. don't think
/ knowi"
He put his hand under her chin and
raised her face. 1t had never
seemed TO him so fair as now, aglow
and radiant with innocent newly
awakened passion. which until now
had been hardly confessed TO herself.
Aaron Blair bit his lip and beat his
foot upon the ground.
YOU'RE like your mother. Lily he
said. in tone OF strangely bitter and
hopeless tenderness. Just now you
are terribly like your mother
She made no reply, partly because
she was awed by his tone. and partly
because she rejoiced In his restored
genlleness. She withdrew from him
a little. and for few moments stood
clasping his arm. Then an awful
thought presented itself, and she
looked up.
"Father-Lady Elizabeth! II she
says MOP | never thought OF her
before; but now feel sure she will
say No. What Shall we do thenpr
She clasped her tender hands TO.
geher. and looked with dilating eyes
into tho sad stolid face before her.
''Oh, father. what shall we do? She
can make Owen poor--he has told me
so; he has nothing but what she gives
him. oh, father. should ruin him
then. shouldn't /? And I'll neyer do
that couldn't, cohld ~
"No, | don't think you could do
that. my dear Aaron Blairs face
lighted up for moment; he laised his
head and breathed more easily. "You
would not like 10 do that, Lily?n he
said gently.
"Oh. no---no. no no,n She shool;
her head; her radiant face grew sud-
denly pale. al couldn't do that-I'll
never do that. I'll neyer marry Owen
TO burden him. father!n
She turned away. and went slowly
across the grass 20 the house. her
head dropping, her hands linked loose
ly before her.
''She will never marry him at all, >
muttered Aaron Blair looking after
her.
There was a short, angry, and bitter
scene between Lady Elizabeth and her
son In The drawing OF The Cot
a scene 10 which MillIcent Heath lis
tened in fear and trembling. She
had been quite right. Lady Elizabeth
listened with Intense scorn and in
credulous contempt TO Owens story OF
his love for Aaron Blair's daughter
There was no installing the decided
negative with which she met hint
left no hope OF future relenting. The
cold passionless anger o her face, her
voice, her eyes. was more hopeless
than any impetuous outbreak. Let
him marry Lily Blair. she told him.
looking straight into his eyes--lct
him for the second time in her life
dash down her hopes and disappoint
her In her old age-and from that day
he and the wife he had chosen would
be strangers To her, as utterly sepa-
rated as though they dwelt in different
spheres. Let him weigh that aud re-
member II. and, as he knew her. be-
liese that her decision was irrevo-
cable.
With that she would have left the
room, had not Milly sprung after her
and essayed some eager words OF
pleading and entreaty. With her
thin white hand closing like "A spring
upon the girls arm. Lady Elizabeth
silenced her.
''Be silent, Millicent! | refuse 20
hear word OF extenuation from you
or from any onel | am sorry that
you have allowed yourself TO be in
volved in this most dIstasteful bust
ness. You will withdraw II you are
wise. Owen has heard my reply 10
his prepostcr0us demand, and will do
AS he pleases. have been a mother
10 him for fifteen years; he has asked
me nothing that / have not granted.
as he knows. Now. II he chooses TO !
repay my affection In such fashion.
let him do IT, He knows the conse-
quences; he has heard me state them.
will never have anything TO do
either with this low-born girl. who
has infatuated him. or with her
scheming father II he throws me
over for her. he does so forever; for