Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-04-14
A STORY OF CASTE.

ou hho" L 10 not mean llat: out you
| can imagine nv real motive, Miss Worth.
ington, am sure,'' his lordsh1p sald.
s'1ou give me credit for understanding
intuitively then? 1 may be very clever,
Lord Harcourt, but my talent falls short o.
that. L understand what you say, scarcely
what you may intend.
There was tenderness lacking in her
manner which his lordship did not like
but her beauty was still all-powerful-he
could not resist its charm.
81 must try to make myself more intelii-
gible then, Florence" And as he spoke
be drew her farther into the conseryato-
~.
The girl was inwardly trembling and
shud3oring. Could he only have known.
There was little inner room, Florcncc's
own sanctUln. where her piano and birds
were, and which was rarely entered by any
save herself; but his lordship seemed to
think already that he had the right of en-
trance he was leading her towards it.
81 thought you said those chairs were
tempting? We are passing Them" she
said.
because L see a safer haven" he return
ed. You see l know your bower, Flor
ence.''
eyes, but never grant admission there
W '''' O'N saw papa LSiu haICouIG /, sHC
SAID.
Ills lordship however seemed to imagine
that admittance to Miss WorthingtOn's
bower was his by right.
Florence felt that the fates were holding
out TO her what She must at once accept or
resign for ever. She knew Lord Harcourt
well enough to feel sure that the priyi-
iege W"uid never again be accorded to her.
The ruT0uet is i'm his O1ItStrptcbad hand for
her to take or leave. Oh that she could
cast u down! But she dared not,
iney were nor ;'i' e after all, and she
caught at Straw ''-h carleton was d.
sesIlnS hl> grievance, ana also trying to
liho oIcaIh q cod'T ar amongst the
i7i n>-"o' !" io'','''.r D)'i""if-thaJ lie
"oFei """l" l"Nt CURED 30 eHtrf without
peIAlisS'o"' tAoli2i ne f!34 occh there many
LINES. a. 'h'I' iop'Nf|I - approached, MT
E"lleIo!' @"I. up fuchll. ana Was passing
'iol I "iIh1", " word
~ n.y. l0' Us scare you away hugh
we are, IKE EourSei1' dare say, only try
ing W Hhu coolef place., MISS ofthlng-
UoIl e"It' WIN uh"ehteo nervousness IN her
'iiaiILel'
al ~ IoH li!It'C0l Gu Ae" sc@lcely III
1oIitole NoIuS' s,lil trying eagerly as lar as
po-l1oues' Nouio aunt 70 pass tieih III Inc
toiy h"lIo" space between Ihe mowers ana
themselves.
LOOK, Hugh; now beautifully the or
ahse-Cree you orouSht me from Neither
"ooo - progressing. fosltlYely Chere are
some llUCle oranges on IT," Florence said
nerFouSly' sClIl preventing MS es5ress, LORD
harcourC Inc WhlIe looking very olack'
nave seen IL many times, Miss Worth
hSCoi' y! uay-i9hI' am glad IL thrlVes
wen, MT. carleton answered; and with a
desperate eifort he passed them, striding
4ulckly from the spot, MS white plumed
""t III MS n''iio' MS H''huSoli!e head erect,
anu g." p"hs passing through MISS "orthlng-
IONS heart the While.
She dld not care very much for Hugh
carleton, but thought she cared more than
she really did; her heart however was as
yet untouched, and all her sorrow was for
hersel1-there was little for him; and with
OUT sympathy there cannot be much love.
Florence was alone now, she thought,
with her 1ate-and her fate apparently in
no very enVlaDle temper.
"Nr. carleton seemed as much dlsln-
cllned Tor our society, Florence, as must
confess L did for his. He might have pass
ed you Httle more courteously though"
Lord Harcourt declared.
"Hugh Carleton can rarely be accused
OF dlscourtesy, think,' Miss Worthing-
ton answered, true to her woman's instinct
to defend at any risk any one she liked.
"Oh, no, can well imagine that. Be-
heVe me, intended no reproach. But,
Florence, allow me to ask you to what eX-
traordlnary privilege does he owe the ia
Vor OF your calling him by his chistian
name"
HIS lordshIp's tones were angry. He had
hau VIII enough 10 see the effort That MISS
NorthlngtOn had made III order that their
tete-a-tete should be disturbed, and it was
not soothing to his amour propre; still it
might have been only girlishness, he
thought, though Miss WOrthingtOn was
not often troubled with such gaucherie; it
was her proud self-possession combined
with beauty, which attracted his lordship's
admiration. The present little hindrance
however only added zest to Lord Har-
courts desire. He leant down towards
Medora's face, and looked searchingly into
her eyes for the truth he had not the wit
to find or ignore.
"Why is Mr.. Carleton Hugh to you,
FlOrcuce?" his lOrdship asked.
"By the right Of old friendship only, l
suppose, Lord Harcourt, if you care to
know" she answered carelessly EIIis
sisters are amongst my greatest friends;
and for many years we have stayed fire.
quently at Motherhood his fathers place.
We have known each other almost from
childhood. Are YOU content"
Scarcely yet, Florence. Are you sure
there is no nearer and dearer tie than old
friendship" Lord Hareourt pursued.
Miss Worthington's fair face turned
scarlet; her pride was aroused at his pre-
Stunning to question her iii such fashion,
and she tried almost vainly TO control herself
"Lord Harcourt l do not acknowledge
riObt TO mn SIIch q ppinf -