The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-02-01

tS,-tt pea All tiA4 tlsd hettef- 2st- - w
her proud head alott. the full lips trem-
bled and her soft dark eyes met hel
companion's without wayering unless
we liked each other
1T would be impossible for us even to
know whether we--liked each other OF
not, Miss Dane, meeting under such pre-
arranged conditions You are very
young
Il am twenty
ssYon might make fatal mistake. Il
is far better thatwe each retain our free
dom. and in order that we may 10
nounce all such claim as the Will gives
me to the property"
The conditions are too severe she
said with irony
Pardon me. They looked at each
other s'You are the most beautiful
woman have ever KNOWN he re-
marked frankly.
.sBut, she interposed, 81 felt it from
the first you are not free.
Il am Free Miss Dane ut is not Of
myself am thinking, but of you. /
must spare you the embarrassment OF
this position, and to do this must leave
you at tonight"
81 shall not attempt to influence you,s
she said coldly, further than to say
that the only train making connections
for the north leaves Queenstown at
noon, and should be glad to have you
remain till morning.
Under the circumstances ] viii ac-
cept your invitation with gratitude" he
replied.
Vincent continued his walk alone after
visiting Gideon Danes grave, Miss Dane
excusing herself and returning to the
house lie ate hissupper also in solitary
state with Miss Chatworth, who invited
him to play cribbage afterward. At 10
o'clock he yentured to ask il Gwendoline
were not at home. Miss Chatworth
opened her mild eyes and explained that
Miss Dane had ridden to Queenstown
during the afternoon, and would not re-
turn till morning.
She means to avoid seeing me again"
thought Vincent, with annoyance, and
strange to say the annoyance was keener
than that he felt in the determination to
give up nice property to which he had
SO unexpectedly acquired a title.
He was wrong, however, in regard to
Gwendoline's intention. The following
morning was rainy, and when he de-
scended to tho breakfast room Miss Dane
was standing before the fire. In her new
black gown, with the white hound stand
ing close beside her, she looked imperi-
ally calm and handsomer than ever.
vincent's own fine face frightened. 81
was afraid you did not mean to see me
again" he said frankly. II feared you
were disgusted with your new found
cousin.
You were wrong" she said gravely.
II went to Queenstown in your interest.
have destroyed the viii. AS the only
surviving members Of the Dane family
the property belongs to Us jointly by
law. As for the few requests, thought
you would not object to carrying out
grandpa's wishes. For the rest, we
stand as though the viii had never been
made"
lyon have destroyed the will!'' ex-
claimed Vincent, "but''
What is done can't be undone," she
said, unmoved.
"And what shall you do nowY' he
asked with uncomfortable surprise.
"If it seems to you worth while, I
shall advise you TO stay and get the
property appraised and things in shape
/ should like to keep the place, if there
is any way of arranging it,
But surely You will not live here.
You must see the world
''Oh, have seen it the world Of Lon
don and Paris and Washington l have
been grown up these FIVE years"
Vincent gave up his proposed journey
for that day. He set to work with
Gwendoline examining accounts. The
morning passed and other mornings in
the same fashion. In the afternoon the
thoroughbred horses were brought to
the door and he and Miss Dane, followed
by a party of dogs, went galloping over
the country.
A good many Of these April days went
by in this fashion. Gwendoline took
him over the landmarks of her life.
Here was hollow tree where she spent
the night once-she was lost in fog ON
the mountain.
"Were you alonef"
"Oh, no; Blanche was with me-"
Gould she have protected your
Certainly. Do you doubt" She look
ed at the dog, who felt herself the OBJ
ject of conversation, and posed for or
ders. The delicate limbed, pink nosed
creature was transformed She glared
at Vincent, whom she had never taken
to, and showed the fine, fierce pointed
teeth, every limb stiffened; the brown
fecks in her eyes flashed like fakes of
fire. She uttered an almost inaudible
growl. Gwendoline had to kneel down
before the creature to pacify her.
You can fancy what she would do at
the word of command, said Miss Dane,
rising. ~
YES" said the young man, with
something like shiver running down
his backbone.
One day they went higher up the
mountain than ever before.
''This is where shot wildcat once"
said Gwendoline. "That pleased grand
pa. How the creature looked at mel
But sometimes have thought / could
feel just as she looked, if had occasion"
-. IL e l.