Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-02-25

blue ones.
81 hope you will enjoy your visit, Mr.
Colewood, :" she said, to change the subject.
81 know Mrs Thurston and Ethel will do
all they can to make your stay pleasant"
Thank you; I've no doubt shall find it
pleasant,n returned Hugh. "You, too, are
one of Mrs. Thurstons summer household,
/ supposed"
Eyes" with n smile. you see I am n
distant relative to Mrs. Thurston; then
Miss Wayne is my cousin and exercises
kind of cousinly guardianship over me,
which no doubt is very necessary.
80 you are Miss Wayne's cotsin' l do
not remem Der hearing MIR. Cranston men,
ton you. | did not expect to have the
pleasure of meeting any Indies but Mrs.
Thurston and Miss Wayne"
"How unkiud in Mr. Cranston not to
prepare you for this meeting" and there
was roguish CLEAN in her eyes which
Hugh did not see ~ had up to date re-
parded Mr. Cranston rs one of my very
best friends, but to ignore me so utterly,
when he knew / would accompany Cousin
Ethel here looks like downright inten-
tional neglect"
"You have not given me the pleasure of
knowing your name" said Hugh, both
amused and pleased with his.pretty driver.
"Oh. I'm a Wayne, too" she answered
laughingly. ETHEL Estella Wayne, vari-
ously nicknamed, as you will observe
later on"
Two Ethel Waynes! Here was n real
surprise for Colcwood Why had Cranstou
not mentioned that strange fact to him?
If the Ethel Wayne referred to in the
will was only half a animated and gen
orally captivating as the one by his side
Hugh thought it might be an easy matter
after all to obey that condition which had
SO vexed him.
Colewood received a cordial welcome Mt
Mrs Thurston's pleasant nome. He found
Miss Wayne to De a tall, dignitied girl Of
about twenty-three, with coal black hair
and deep gray eyes. She was a9unlike her
little merry hearted cousin as 1t was pos
sible to be-
Yes, Hugh decided she was just such a
woman as his eccentric aunt would be
likely to select rs the wife of her heir.
In the weeks which followed Hugh's ar
rival he saw a great deal of Miss Wayne,
although much of her iue was divided be-
tween her taste for literature and in re-
monstrating against the innocent pranks
of her cousin
1t did not require long time for the
young man to realize that he could never
love Miss Wayne as the man should love
the girl whom he intends to marry.
He made another Important discovery
that his life would Toe Il failure without the
little cousin to FURNISH daily sunshine and
wifely cheer for his own home.
He resolved to let Miss Wayne have one
half of his aunt's estates and the orphan
asylum the other He would marry the
girl of his own choice, provided he coulc
win her, and boldly fight his own way
through life.
Having so decided, Hugh set out for
stroll along the river, feeling more manly
for his resolve.
He came suddenly upon a little figure il
white reading, in a little whey nook 10y
the rivers side.
"Wait, Estelle," he called, for she ha,
started to run away; Il shall leave tomor
row, and l have something to say to yol
which you must hear"
The telltale flush which swept over fac
and neck at his words might have give
some hint of an easy surrender However
in n moment she had reganed that custom
airy piquancy which had more than one
eXasperated Hugh.
! I'D be sorry to have you leave us wit
any burden on your mind" she said pr,
; vokingly.
1T is needless for me to tell You why
was arranged for me to meet Miss Wayn
here" he said, unheeding her light word
, You know, suppose"
Some slight idea, / believe" she r.
turned, lingering her book.
"Well, / may as well tell you that tbs
condition in my late aunt's will can nevt
be fulfilled"
"And why not?"
because love another" he cried pa
sionately. "Oh, Estelle! can you not st
how tenderly, how ardently love you
Without you shall make failure OF lif
Won't you show mercy, E,telle?'
"Oh, Hugh! would you marry a poor gil
when you have Il chance to win a dignilie
: bride and retain those princely estates?
she asked.
eyes, darling. prefer you with love i
a cottage to the wealthiest woman with a
the estate in the world"
Rash statement, young man"
: at is true. Do not torture me longe
1 Estelle. Can you not love me a little."
{ NO"
! "Then you do not love me'"
:. ppm afraid do"
-, 'Do not mock me- Estclle."
i 81 am not hooking you, Hugh" in
e very sweet voice
"Then you do love me little'"
"No, not a little, but very much"
. He would have caught her 10 his breas
but she eluded his arms, crying:
"Oh, there's Uncle Cranstonw and 81
. rushed forward to greet the little lawye
+ who had approached them unseen.
at ia useless for me to ignore facts
said Mr.. Cranston pleasantly. 81 did NJ
o mean to overhear your conversation, but
y arrived unexpectedly and thought I'd hui
up my sprite here and surprise her / s.
U you understand each other pretty clearly
Z Eyes, sir" said Hugh bravely; Il ha'
- decided to enjoy love in a cottage vii
4 this dear girl rather than keep the esta
with Miss Wayne"
9 Love in a cottagel Oh that's t.
l. good"
% And Mr. Cranston broke into a hear
laugh. in which the girl finally join
= him.
Twill you have the goodness to cXpla
u what amuses you so much in my stat
:, ment?" asked Hugh, not little nettled.
Pardon me, Colewood. But, reall
You are the victim of your own blundcr
y "RlundarS | don't uuQerstaul yO