Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-01-28

|, Co." She ended with q sigh, tha'
broke, q moment after, into a half
contemptuous laugh.
: "What do you think / heard 2
said Mrs. Leigh TO her husband, the
next day, at luncheon. ut is thai
young Stuyyesant Mortimer is tc
marry Miss Marlton."
"What! the daughter of the great
railroad operatori" replied Mr.. Leigh
"Well, it's a great catch, even for her
Railroad shares, you know, my dear,
have a queer habit, often, of becoming
next-door TO worthless but the Nor
timer fortune, made in railroads, ha'
been transferred to Government bonds
and other first-class securities, and is
safe as gold itself"
"They say" retortcd his wife, "that
this young Mortimer is one of the
handsomest Of men and great swell. f"
"Ah," replied her husband. "Well
| don't know him, even in business .
In fact. socially, tho Mortimers had
always moved in higher sphere than
tho Leighs. "IIo's been in Europe,
you know. for year and more-hand
in glove. I'm told, with the best peo'
pie there"
Grace heard this conversation with
a beating heart, for she always lunch
cd with Mr.. and Mrs. Leigh; their
lunch, in fact, was her dinner. She
had not heard, before, of her old
lovers absence in Europe, and only
knew of his fathers death from a
paragraph in the newspaper. Natural
ly, she could not help being moved at
this news. But her lip curled with
contempt as she recalled the fact that
he had deserted her the moment she
became poor.
She slept but little, that night, nat
urally. The children we're especially
trying all that day, for the prolonged
heat was telling on their tempers. So,
after lessons were over, Grace started
for a walk, following the little brook,
on its shady side, as it wound to the
sea. 1t was pretty streamlet: wild
ening, at places, to quite small river
and in places full of water-lilies
Turning corner, Grace came sudden
!, ly on Miss Marlton, sitting in boat
, pretending to fish, but looking up
every moment, as if she expected
someone.
A pet dog was in the front of the
boat. Hearing Grace's step, the pam
: pered plaything sprang up and began
to bark furiously at her. At the
same instant, Miss Marlton detected
our heroine, and, opening her large
lazy eyes, stared again, this time even
more superciliously than the day be-
fore. Grace hurried on as fast as she
), could, her cheeks hot with mortifica
ton and anger. But her haste wa
not sufficient to carry her out of sigh
and hearing, before she saw a manly
form-which she knew only too wei
and heard voice that made every
pulse of her body thrill. 1t wa
Stuyvesant Mortimer, who had sud
denly appeared from grove on thu
other side of the stream, and to whom
. Miss Marlton called to come and row
her home, turning her boat, as sh'
spoke, toward him.
How Grace got back to the house
that afternoon, she never knew. Sh'
must have almost flown, for she wa
. out of breath when she arrived. Sh
!, was glad when night enabled her t.
escape from the children again. Sh
), spent long hours fighting down he
misery. eyes, there was no doubt,
Z she said to herself. "Only the closes
intimacy, only an approaching mar
riage, could explain her tone ant
manner: it was that of ownership
, and his was that of only too willing
:, service" And again she said to her
self: "Oh, how l despise him ?
!, And then: "How l despise myself
for being affected by it at ALL"
The next day broke more sultr,
= than ever. Mrs. Leigh who was
', kind-hearted woman in her way
: noticed Grace's exhausted air, and
attributing it to the heat and the con
= fined school-room, suggested that tn
children should take holiday.
" "They look little peaked, poo
. things, themselves" she said. 81 hav
:, = been promising them a picnic, al
, = summer, down on Briery Beach
Suppose you all bundle off together
, in the donkey. cart, and spend the da
= there. Twill have nice lunch pu
= up for you. The road, for most c
:. the way, lies through the shady lanes
% You will be the better for it, my deal
= yourself"
:, They had gone about mile, an
y were slowly climbing a sandy hill
- Grace driving, and the two little Cir
and their brother chattering away j
!" the highest spirits. when suddenly
= pedestrian came out from the wood
- on the right, and, springing nimbl