Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-30
(copyrighs, 1897, by the Authoral
CHAPTER VII.

So fresh and radiant OF joy 20 all The
world. He sprang from delightful dream
into . cold bath that could not chill hi,
ardor. and he sang songs and only laughed
ct tho remonstrant knock Of his father on
the partition. Come" he shouted, .ge'
ne hadn't thought Of foregoing the trip,
hut nov he viewed it gaily as a blind
He would 60. OF course, Just 70 keel
his word: besides. he had not tn
courage al this early stage OF the at
fair 10 take the Colonel into MS CON
adcnce. But he'd cut il short: he'd SC
from Boston 10 Baltimore, and TINS macn'
three days Of il. he felt he might oven en-.
soy. The yacht would hug the jersey
ehorc; he wondered If he could spy oprlns
lake. "Gad," he gasped. pausing. towe
In hand and gazing reproachfully at the
mirror. why didn't tell her was going
hvi" They could not see each othcr, OF
courxe. but each would know the other
was there. Suppose the steamer was ou'
~ s;ght Of land or passed by at night;
No matter. She ought TO know ~. nee
write and tell her. OF would shc De o. we
station BY accident to. SEQ him on nc ne
fetched q breath and custied hope'ul'
about, eagcr TO be of at once. ,s
A. breakfast Colonel Denslow looked
unusually "seedy" beside his son. ne
rrsuonded with such grim and uncommon
hyeyitv 70 the anxious solicitations OF tne
vs;ter that for the first time that panpcI-
I'd nerson made en- invidious end palpanrlc
dis,inction between father and son. 10
D,ck. however, the Colonel was more va"
himself. Hc ventured dolorous specuh' :.
ton as 10 what he should 90 now .nas
he was left alone. lie even ven.mis.
wiscarried. tits all right. he sad;
"for Won 10 go to Baltimore, bns
Jon,t ace how can bless you IT you de,
eide 10 90 any further with Davidson"
n,ck colored and grinned with plessnIe.
oDon,t worry.n he said: Its likely III De
h.ci before YOU know it," He was Wild TO
Sst 70 the station. He was so sure win :
lovers prescience she wouid De tneIe .n" .
o. the hotel coach swung away he dld not
"ysn try TO catch glimpse OF the cottage.
BIT tha Colonel did. She was not visible
;ndeed and TO Colonel Denslow ii was Just
ss veil that she was not. He did not
dream of her being at the station.
Ruf there she was, sure enough. .When
he tn~ned about from the coachman,
;inrling silver change in his hand. Dlcx !;
vas not to be seen. Getting bis ticket"
thought the Colonel; 80 10 stroiied pen
siyelr along the platform.
aigtant shrek of the coming train and
still mo- Dick; then the rumble OF ITS rapid
APPROACH. and when with vexed brow ne
fn,ned to tho waiting-room, there in the
donrwav ne saw them. II was ali over in
a n;nnte. and he ran up to them with o
smilc on his lips. and it was only they who
looked red and uneasy.
az was so anxious to get letter on,
she exclaimed, THAT hurried down with
it Myself"
"pm Of" said Dick. With hilarious
light in bis eyes. but not for long: Take
care Of Yourself" he added, wringing his
Have a good time. my boy" responded
the Colonel in O smooth. cordial tone.
you've got your ticket?"
cad, mol"
Better run for It."
lips stood waving his hat on the lowest
step of the last car until il swept around
the curve and ont OF sight.
She had walked to the station; she in.
tended to walk back, and she permitted
him TO accompany her. He talked at first
caiIy and eagerly Of Dicks trip and she
jistened politely. smiling and nodding
with lsnguid interest. Then they came to
the end of tho lake, and with start he
suddenly asked her: Would you Ike
some water-lilics
"Yes. indeed: but the walk"
"Oh, I'll row you TO them If Won like"
She seated herself in the skiff with a
dubious smile. 1t made HIM uncomforta'
bic. for. even with her, he was ever sensi.
tive of his size. But no rowed well and
with perfect ease in the narrow boat. and
was sure she could hnd nothing 70 criticist
even in the bend OF his body or the reach
olung 70 her lips he cast about for its cause
and found it instantly. 1t was not only
Dick of whom she was thinking. The
Colonel was all at once angry with her
n her smile had puzzled him the express
sion that now came over his face was ut
ferly inscrutable 70 her. She did not like
it, and surely it BODIED her no good.
The boat slides over the lilies with q
rustlIng sound and thrusts is painted
nose among the thick grass. Then the
Colonel drops the oars and mops his brow
Calls Cayety is now unconstrained; with 6
pang he studies her beautiful face anc
chances with a thrill at the pretty little
slippered foot beating TO the waltz she II
humming.
"You are happy"
Il ann she says; thcn adds. You arr
not. suppose. How could you be' You've
lost . son.
uneasily; but she looks at him calmly anc
waits. As he is 10th to finish the sentence
she thrusts the iron into his soul.
AZ am waiting to hear you cry ont, On
Absalom. Absalon, my son. my son!' o.
words to that effect"
.Dick is glad to CO." he says in low
voice but with blazing eyes. 1890
"Of course he Is" she replies, lifting
her brows; and there seems to be no toucf
of malice in the question that follows
a. " h q for hio haaltb rN
al lid not send him away"
"No?"
"No."
He feels certain now that nothing car
aver melt the ice between them.
But the lilies" she cries, reaching fol
one.
"Yes.n he says absently, there's plenty
of them. Miss Penrith, ] want to ask yor
something"
"There was once woman about forty
years old--a widow. with daughter about
half her age. They both loved the same
nah"
How preposterous
Ridiculous, no doubt. but not prepos
ferrous. The man came 10 see it"
II should say he would; it was sight
10 see."
e lie was not particularly fond of either
but he was only twenty five years old. II
was natural. don't you think. that he
should belong TO the daughter?"
Il can't see that be should belong to
either"
Probably not But consider. He
wanted to marry one Of the two"
She burst into peals OF laughter. II did
not ring altogether true. but 1t disconcert.
ed hun.
$50 absurd" she explained, touching
her filmy handkerchief to her red lips.
Yes; but hear me out. The mother af.
ter many DAYS saw the situation. She
thought of 1t q good deal. She did not
like to think that the young man had first
received-made advances to her because OF
her money. She felt at length that he
really cared for her and that all would
have gone well had the youth and better
looks of her daughter not oclipsed her. And
abe said TO herself, no. wholly from sell
fshness: My daughter ia not yet ready TO
marry; It. indeed. rests with me whether
in this instance she could marry and pros.
per; or. again. how terrible - would be
for her 70 marry o man who had made love
to her mother. and il She"
Tho mother was foolr" cried Gail.
She had listened to him with blanching
face. and as he leaned forward with in
ereasing yehcmence the life seemed to leave
her cheeks and fash in fro from her eyes.
Tho mother wss fool"
Just what 1 thought" he said. Gather.
inc IN the oars and backing water.