Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-28
Ozark DarreIPs Bride.
CHAPTER DISCONTINUED.

al cannot help it," said lima. "Wby,
Sir Philip, look rs much q country gem
| tleman ms you do.
Miss Durnford glanced hastily at her
niece; her Transatlantic freedom of man
ner somewhat disturbed the good lady's
equanimity; but IL was so free from
Transatlantic forwardness, so child-like
and charming, that no one could misintcr-
pref it; and Sir Philip Darrell was the
last man to be anything but pleased by 1t.
lie laughed and said
"No, no, Miss Durnford, rather for me
"Finy years of Europe, then cyclic of
Cathayi"
$50 Cumberland Is Cathay, and your
splendid ancestral home "a PRISON."
"Ah," said Darrell, carelessly, though
! again with the tone OF bitterness lima had
noticed before--s.a short life and merry
one"
81 should say long life and good
one" replied Miss Durnford.
"Long life? Defend me from ii" As
| he said the words he caught u ilceting look
from llma's brown eyes, a look so full of
pain and unconscious pleading that u
quick flush crossed his cheeks, and he bit
| his lip; but, recovering himself, and with
total change of manner, rs Ii to dismiss
an Improbable subject, he asked lima If
she would like to go over the Court.
"Oh, so much" she said eagerly. only
cousins say it has such lovely pictures,
and all sorts of beautifui things"
"You must honor me then, and your
aunt and cousins will, l hope, favor my
poor house also. You will hear some dis
mai stories of the cavaliers aud ladies you
will see in the picture-gallery. We have
always been u turbulent set, and"
He stopped abruptly, and added, turning
to Miss Durnford, "Pcrhaps you would
kindly let me know in a day or two, what
day would suit you-all days are alike TO
me-"
"But indeed, Sir Philip, you must not
make me fix day" was the reply.
"You will, am sure; it would be SO
kind of you"-and he spoke in his most
winning manner. "rhanks. One of the
gardeners has been raying over some rare
sxotics. | forgot what he called them
You must please choose rs many OF them
as you like. ! remember your old weak
uess for out-of-thc-way flowers"
"You left orders with your head-gar-
dener for my fancy TO be gratifed," said
the old lady. mo, no, Sir Philip; cam
not encroach any more on your kindness.
Why | have whole range Of flowers that
are admired by all whca came from your
| lighthouses !"
"liave you? / am so glad. l wish you
had dollhouse full. must see TO 1.-THE
more the merrier. Why should the flow-
ers waste their sweetness Oh the desert
lir:'
There were tears in Miss Durnford's
! eyes us she thanked her guest; but more
! than one cause made the tears rise. 10
was not that in any case Sir Philip would
not have been equally lavish; but there
always seemed lack OF that interest
in anything belonging to him which u
man would feel in what lac looked TO ell
! 10y for u lifetime; he always spoke rs "a
mere wanderer through tins brief exist
ence. There was always that under-cur-
rent of feeling which, put into words,
would have been, Nv hat are these things
TO me' / have no hold on them. l do not
care for them; let me give them while
they are mine TO give"
"W ould any day this week suit you, Sir
Philip" asked Miss Durniord, rising from
The table.
"Certainly, and the earlier the better
for my pleasure, l mean, not my conyen-
ience."
"Friday:" Darrell bowed.
"Thcn," he said, IL will call at the
Larches aud pay my devoirs; they will not
mind the forenoon-but will they have
breakfasted:"
"Oh, yes,'
will walk up, if you will allow me TO
leave llassan with you little longer.'
"With the greatest pleasure; and hope
you will give us some more of your compa-
ny when YOU return for him."
alt is very good of you TO tolerate such
q scapegrace as am" replied DARRELL
I'll shall De most happy
lima had intended to run over 20 the
Larches that morning, having been re-
quested TO do so by her cousins; but now
she must give that up, rs she could not in
trudc on sir Philip--it would be rude,
though size was sure he would not mind
Miss Durniord however who was "A wo-
man OF great common sense, came TO the
rescue. She regretted that lima would
have to meet Sir Philip Darrell at all;
but, rs il was impossible to prevent this,
she would not run the risk of some blunt
remark from Roland or Rose, betrayinS
that Ilma as expected, and thus giving
the impression that she wished to keep
Darrell and lima apart.
"Ilma." she said. al have asked You 10
20 to the Larchcs this morning. Sir Phil
Up will, | am sure, be happy To escort
YOU"
Sir Philip bowed, and said he should he
indeed happy; but the troubled look in his
eyes deepened a. lima hurried away for
her hat; and, though the next moment
he turned to Miss Durnford with some or
binary remark. he was saying 10 himself:
IL must he true-true too the vow
whatever the cost. Heaven knows what
1t may be"
CHAPTER V.
Goldeu-haIred lima, walked by Sir Phil
Ups side through the sunny village and in
the shade of the tall trees of Aunt Sa-
bne's pleasure grounds. lima thought
that brief passage through the village was
"great fun:" it was like II royal progress.
Old men, and grandmothcrs and young
women and children all turned out and
curtseyed TO the lord of the soil, and some
blessed him in their broad dialect. lie
was most gentle and affiblc to all, and
scattered silver among the people with IL
freedom that was more reckless than jul
dicious; but il struck lima, though he
showeli rothing of this in his manner at
al. 10