Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-01-30
CHAPTER XXI.


CHAPTER xxi.
Tt is the morning after Lady Chef
WOode'S ball. Every one has got down
to breakfast. Every one is in excellent
spirits, in spite of the fact that the rain
is racing down the wiHdoW-paueS in
torrents, and that the post is late.
Il am always 50 glad when the post
doesn't arrive in time for breakfast"
Doatie is saying, gayly. "Once those
horrid papers come, every one gets stu
pid and engroSSed. and thinks it posi-
tive injury to have to say even yes or
no to a civil question. Now see how
S0ciabe we have been this morning, be-
cause that dear Jacob is late again. Ali
! spoke too SOON" as the door opens
and a servant enters with most im-
posing pIIr OF IeIuers anupap-TS.
Don't throw me over that blue en-
velope, Nick,n says Molly; II don't
seem to care about it. | know it, l
think; it seems familiar. You may
have it, with my love. Mrs. Godfrey,
be so good as to tear it in two
Jack is laughing over letter written
by one of the fellows in India; all are
deep i'll their own correspondence.
Sir Nicholas, having gone leisurely
through two of his letters, opens q
third, and begins to peruse it rather
careleSSly. But hardly has he gone
half way down the first page when his
face changes: inyOluntariv his fingers
tighten over the luCkleSs letter, crimp-
ing it out of all shape. BY a supreme
effort he suppresscs an exclamation. 1t
is all over III a moment. Then he raises
his head, and the color comes back to
his lips. He smiles family, and. saying
something about having many things to
do this morning, and that therefore he
hopes they will forgive him for running
away from them in such Il hurry, he
rises and walks slowly from the room.
Nobody has noticed that anything is
wrong. Only DOatie turns very pale,
and chances neTyouSly at Godfrey, who
answers her frightened look with a per-
picked one of his own.
Then, as breakfast was virtually over
before the letters came, they all rise,
and dispense themselves as fancy die
tateS. But GeOitreV GOES alone In
where ne Knows ne snall ma NIcnOlaS
in his own den.
An hour later, coming out of it again.
feeling haraSSCd and anxious, he finds
Dorothy walking TpstlesSIy up and
down the corridor outside, as though
listening for some sound she pines to
hear Her pretty face, usually so bright
and deboRadjrc, is pale and sad. Her
lips are trembling.
May | not see Nicholas, if only for
a moment" she says, plaintively, gaz-
ing with entreaty at GeotfreY. At
which Nicholas, hearing from within
the voice that rings its changes on his
heart from morn till eve, calls aloud to
her
Come in, Dorothy. WANT to speak
to yOn."
So she goes in, and Godfrey, closing
the door behind her, leaves them to
gether.
She would have gone to him then. and
tried to console him in her own pretty
fashion, but he motions her to stay
where she is.
"Do not come any nearer" he saws,
hastily. IT can tell it all to You better,
more easily, when | cannot see YOU.
They-they have found that fellow
Old ElSpcth'S nephew" he says, in
husky tone.
Where" asks Doatie, eagerly.
I'm sydney. In Paul Rodney'S en-
ploy. In his very house."
"Ah!" SAYS Doatte, clasping her
He says he knows nothing about any
WILL
Another pause, longer than the last.
lie denies all knowledge of it. |
suppose he has been bought up by the
other side And now what remains for
us to do? Parkins writes TO me in de-
Spair"
This is dreadful!'' says Doatie.-
But frightening surely it is not
SO bad as death or disgrace. is it?"
1t means death to me-" replies he,
in a low tone. 1T means that | shall
lose YOU"
Nicholas, = cries she. a little sharply,
what are You Sayiug?"
Hear me, ne says. paSSioratClv: "if
l am Worsted in this light-a and | see no
ray of hope anywhcre-I am ruined
man. l shall then have literally only
five hundred year | can call my own.
No home: no title. And such an income
as that, to people bred as YOU and |
have been, means simply perjury. All
must be at an end between US. Dorothy.
We must try to forget that we have
ever been more than ordinary friends"
= GU may try just as hard as ever
you Ike" she says, with dignity; II
SbGntin
80 you think now; but by and by
you will find the pressure too great. and
You Will go with the tide. If | were to
work for years, could scarcely at the
end achieve position fit to offer YOU.
Some other man, some one more fortu-
nate. may perhaps"
You insult me " saws Dornthv GROW
my even Winter imam she was before
when you speak to me of-of-''
Then she breaks down. and. going
over to him, deliberately lifts one of his
arms and lays it round her neck. after
which she places both hers gently round
his, and so, having comfortably arranged
herself, proceeds to indulge in a hearty
burst of tears. This is. without exceD-
ton, the very wiSeSt course she could
have taken, as it frightens the life olt
of Nicholas, and brings him to a more
proper frame of mind in no time.
oh, Dorothy, don't do that! Don't.
my dearest, my pet!'' he entreats. 81
won't say another word, not one, if YOU
Will only stop"
You have said too much already.
and there S3GRt be an end of it, as YOU
declared Just now, protests Doatie. We
hementIy. who declines to be cOmforted
Just yet, and Is perhaps finding some
powerful enjoyment in the situation.
Il II take very good care that there
shant. And won't let you give me
up. | don't care how poor YOU ara.
And | must say think it is very ruoe
and heartleSs of you, Nicholas, to want
to hand me over to some other man. as
if l was book or q parcel! Some
other man. indeedi'' winds up Miss
Darling, with a final sob and a he.yy
increase of righteous wrath.
But what is TO be done:' asks Mich
olaS, distractedly, though inexpressibly
cheered by these professions OF LOYALTY
and devotion. our people won't
hear of it."
''Oh. YES. they Will" returns Doatie