The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-03-16

pause, You must really 0egln 10 study
your appearance. You ought to have
been better dressed for my sake. We
may meet some of the people know
Sometimes on Sundays have even run
up against Edward Battersby himself.
OF course he would expect me to intro
duce him to You, and what would he
think of that bonnet and gown?"
81 am sorry" poor Olive repeated,
''but you know, Michael, that you
wished me to come on Saturday. II |
had arrived early in the week ! could
have got some new things ready for Sun
day" aE W FFah hftffEf 4.
'sWhy not have bought some better
things before you started?" he asked ir'
ritably.
''Michael, have you forgotten what
kind Of place Eastmeon is?" His un
reasonable words provoked her. Have
you forgotten that have been living
miles away from any town?'
He had really forgotten it for the mo-
ment. They walked on together in
silence along the Strand, and when
they turned into Trafalgar square
Olive almost forgot her annoyance. She
stood still with frightening face to
look at the great stone lions asleep in
the sunlight, and the foam and sparkle
of the fountains. Other people looked
at her as they went by, and half smiled
at the fresh delight that shone in her
brown eyes. Michael hurried her on.
''Do try to take slings calmly" he
implored. "That brute who has just
passed us was actually laughing at you.
In London, people don't go into rap
lures in the streets"
There was no need for second warn
ing against raptures, With such wet
blanket hanging over her Olive was not
likely to enjoy any more sights that
| morning. She walked on dejectedly by
his side, and asked herself II this was
the life she had dreamed Of? Must she
always live in dreary state Of self-re-
preston, forbidden 10 rejoice? And
this was that first walk together which
she had longed Sor so blindly; this was
''the distant ard the dim" that she had
Deen 80 SICK 10 Breet9
It seemed TO her an interminabel
walk, and yet her limbs were not
weary. They got at last to the Marble
Arch, and her heart revived little at
the sight Of grass and trees. Michael
led her to a bench, and they sat down.
"We won't go to church this morn
ing" he said. II confess I'm not a
church-going man. like fresh air, 1t
clears my brain and strengthens me for
the weeks work; and now we can talk
quietly, Olive, and can tell you about
something which has been in my mind
for nearly two years. y ~ tc .9H
She prepared herself TO listen. After
all, II was silly Of her TO be unhappy
because he had found fault with her
rusticways She supposed that train
ing was always rather painful proc
ess. Here, with the tender green OF
the young foliage quivering overhead,
and the May sunshine resting on the
broad space Of sward in front of her,
she was feeling more like her old self.
And surely il Michael had not loved her
he would not have been so anxious 70
tell her everything!
"You know" he began, show rapid
ly have been rising ever since went
TO Battersby's works. Old Battersby Il
breaking down very fast; he has moi
been the same man since his brother
died. II was after the brothers death
that Edward Battersby was taken into
partnership, and when his father dies
he will be the sole representative Of the
fTp."
Olive was honestly trying 10 give him
her full attention, but all this was not
very interesting. Two girls went trip
ping by; they wore golden-brown froclrs
and straw bonnets adorned with but
tercups that looked as II they had
been freshly gathered from the water
meadow ut home She could not help
wondering how much their costumes
had cost and signing for n buttercup
bonnet. Then another girl came by
with her swain, and her dress was per.
fectly enchanting.
81 have made myself useful to Ed.
ward Battersby in a hundred ways,
Michael went on. There is no need
TO tell you how have managed TO slip
into his confidence. He is weak sort
Of fellow, and his brains are not half
as good as mine. lie is glad enough TO
use me and ! let myself be used, but
only to serve my own ends by and by"
Olive glanced at him and saw a smile
Of self-satisfaction lowering round his
mouth and n CLEAN of triumph in his
blue eyes And all at once she remem.
bered that Lucy Cromer had not ad.
mired Michael's eyes, although she had
admitted that their color was beauti-
full. Lucy had said that they were cold,
and the remark lnd made Olive quite
angry. She hardly knew why such
foolish words had como back 10 her at
this moment, but they panied her a
little.
II shall be able to wind him round
my finger soon," he continued. "You
see have always held myself well in
hand. Smiles says: 1t may be Of com
paratively little consequence how a
man is governed from without, whilst
everything depends upon how he gov
erns himself from within. The man
who rises is the man who has learned
the secret OF self.government. Now
Edward Battersby would never learn
that secret II he were TO live hundred
years. He lets himself be swayed by
every whim that seizes him. He graft
fies every passing. desire and runs after
everything that attracts his eyes. !
have a purpose, Olive, am treading
the road that leads up TO II, and never
turn aside from my path for single in