The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-22

/ her" said Lady Ennismore, In a broken
/ voice.
Something must have happened to her
Lady Ennismore, or the police for the sake
Of the reward would have fsrretted her out
before this. Lord Ennismore offered a
handsome reward, / understand, aud my
Johnny has too, know, and he tells me
there is another gentleman seeking her
also. No, depend upon IL, the poor lassie is
not in this world to find; and l am sure
visa Johnny would take up with some one
else.n
And this was very terrible Tor Lady En-
nismore to listen to, and conceded only too
nearly with her own secret fears. She rose
hastily and left Ardleigh Lodge, moved to
the very soul. Old days and old memories
came back TO her with extraordinary vivid
ness as she walked back to Ardleigh House
by the picturesque pass among the nils. 1t
was the springtIme now, aud the loch lay
blue below her, and the sky was blue
above. A still and pleasant day, with the
air and the earth full Of the gracious prom
ises Of the coming year.
But Lady Ennismore glanced not at bud,
nor green, half-opened leaf. She was think
ing of the wretched lives of two young
creatures, whose fates bad so intimately
been connected with her own. She felt
weary aud i'll, for the overpowering emo
tions of her heart affected her strength, and
| almost in a fainting condition.
Elizabeth May ran to her assistance as
she sank YEARLY down on a couch in the
parlor. but the old servant had but cold
! comfort TO pour in her ears, for Elizabeth
also believed that poor Helen had. as she
and Mrs. Campbell expressed it, "made
away with herself"
''She left all her jewellery behind, my
| lady, and her books, and everything except
small hnw "a tonE
with her-well. that's some comfort, but
still my heart misgives me-"
With these dismal forebodings ringing in
her ears, Lady Ennismore left Scotland, and
on her return to Brackenford she was pros
trated with illness. 1t was a severe
nervous attack, the doctor said. and
Lord Ennismore blamed the strain
and anxiety she had undergone on Helen
Drummond's account, and urged that the
whole family should 90 earlier than usual up
to town for the season, as he believed the
change would do his wife good.
They left Brackenford, therefore, early in
April. Miss Sinclair, the handsome COVER
ness, accompanying them. Miss Sinclair
did not leave the north, however, without a
very serious attempt to gain the hand-the
heart she had already won-of the gentle
rector of Mortanbury. She used to walk
past the pretty gateway of the rectory
sometimes with her pupils, some-
times without them, and think PEN
sively of the comforts OF good income aud
a settled home She knew very we'll that
the Rev. Peter had avoided her Of late, but
she knew very we'll too that he admired her,
and was no doubt acting under the influence
OF his sisters.
Peter was not acting under the influence
OF any one, but of his own good heart. To
GUST his poor, faded old sisters from their
comfortable home, for the sake OF any
| selfish feelings OF his own, was impossible to
Peter. He had made up his mind therefore
to remain a lonely man, but none the less
| did he cherish the one romantic attachment
of his life.
He worshipped Miss Sinclair, however, at
at a distance, and would wander forth, on
! many fair spring eve, to gaze at the sun
sinking behind the granite bills Of Bracken-
| ford, or to sigh beneath the budding oaks
which grew with their great gnarled
| trunks in great beauty and luxuriance up
the country lane which led to the peaceful
rectory.
A thoughtful man, too, was Peter, who
could find beauty in the blue-eyed speed
well, and the ground ivy at his feet, as we'll
as in the mightier things of earth. He
loved, also, the winged creatures and the
creeping ones, and everything with the
breath of life had friend in this kindly,
Renbl6 servant OF Jnelr MAKER.
Thus, on one lovely evening, in the first
days of April, when the sun had just
dipped behind the hills, leaving the refec-
lions of his glory in the glowing rose-tints
on the sky, Peter opened the rectoTy gates
grtes and stood looking gravely upward.
Thea, with a sigh, his eyes fell, and he
walked on a few steps along the lane, and
presently saw poor, manned worm,
crushed by cart wheel, lying writhing on
the roadway.
Peter stopped down and lifted it gently
up, and carried it to a cool, messy knoll be-
meath g branching oak, out OF the way of
further mischance. He stood looking at it
contemplatively, thinking of many things
beside the worm which had met 50 dire
fate. He could not have put his thoughts
In words-they were too vague and uucer-
tain-but the inequalities Of life, its strange
accidents and vicissitudes, were the leading
ideas in bis mind. and perhaps the misfor-
tunes of the poor worm has something TO do
with them.
But he was reused from his reverie by
hearing light footstep behind him on the
road.
The Rev. Peter turned round, and as he
did so his somewhat gray-tinted skin
flushed deeply. In a moment he had recog-
niZed the pretty woman who was advancing
with a smile toward him. 1t was Miss Sin
clair, and Peter made haste to leave the lit
tie bank where he was standing, and went
forward to meet her,
"What lovely evening this is, Mr.. Pres
cott," she said, holding out her small, we'll
gloved hand. Il am SO glad I have met
you, for, suppose, you have heard tia
newsP'
NO." stammered Peter.
1--WE all start for town the day after to-
morrow; do 50 hate the idea, for like the
country 50 much better"
''Still it is change"
''For the worse, smiled Caroline Sinclair;
show envy you, remaining among these
peaceful scenes.n
Poor Peterl He sighed, and thought If
this fair creature knew all the struggles in
his own breast, all his unsatisfied yearnings,
aud wasted love, that she would not envy
him.
"There are troubles and temptations
everywh here he said moment later.
"But some people seemed raised above
them-I think you are, Mr.. Prescott"
mo-" said Peter, with sharp pang of
pain.
"But you have such happy lott Confess,
now, would you like to change itl"
"The heart knoweth its own bitterness,
Miss Sinclair"
but yours has no bitterness; you live
among friends and are every ones friend
and yet"
And Caroline Sinclair paused abruptly
and cast down her bright eyes.
You mean there is always some cross in
every human life p said the rector, also look
ing down