The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-11
,locd of Shropshire; her father a wealthy

In the funds, so that, without reckoning
her personal charms, which were consider
able, she was we'll worth wooing and win
ming, and from the time she had made her
first public appearance at the Shrewsbury
hunt ball she had had wooerS in plenty.
Who the winner was to be was still a mat
ter of speculation. Miss Bellasys was not a
coquette, though. OF course, she was not
superior to a certain amount OF young
womanly pride in the number of her con-
quests, but she felt herself ''owre young to
marry yet." and she preferred the admira-
ton of men in general to the devotion Of
any one man In particular. So she was
impartially affable and impartially reserved,
and the most conceited man of her ac-
quaintance could not boast of any special
ioyed life immensely; but her fashion OF
enjoying it caused her mother some uneasi-
ness.
81 hope she won't get the reputation Of
being fast or fighty," Mrs. Bellasys some
times said anxiousIy to her brother. the
guardian. Lady Prymme was asking me
the other day whether there was any prob
ability of her marriage. | said, TO whom p
and she said, oh, there are so many, how
can | say to whom? / know" she gen.
orally concluded, shat in my young days
it wasn't considered good form for girl to
have so many men dangling after her."
'Fiddlededeel Lady Prymcle be hanged"
the Squire would answer-his language was
generally more expressive than polite-'all
girls like admiration, and the handsome
ones get it. Let her have her fling and the
next time her ladyship makes lmpertinent
remarks tell her that your daughter will
make the finest match in the country one OF
these days. You know what mean, eli ?''
Y es, Mrs. Beilasys knew what he meant,
but she never made any answer 60 the In
nuendo. She stood a little in awe of her
Ioud-voiced burly brother ana she would
not have liked to tell him that il the
chances OF all Lucia's other admirers might
be represented by zero Arthur Verschoyle's
chances must stand at zero minus consider
able, and even Ii she had ventured to say 1t
her words would have failed 10 carry con-
viction with them, for both the Squire and
Arthur Nerscnoyle would as soon have ex-
peeted the light Of day to fail at summer
noontide as that any young woman ID her
senses should refuse the hand OF the future
owner of Dollington.
Arthur Verschoyle was no longer in his
early manhood, yet he could hardly remen-
Der the days before he had made up his
mind to marry bis Cousin Lucia. He had
fallen in love with her when she was wee
child IF years old and he great awkward
seheolb0y ten years older. AT the time
when, after her fathers death. his widow
had come to Park Lodge in order to be near
Dolington, he had forthwith begun his
eourtship, so that hs certainly could claim
TO have been the first In the field.
Lucia had, how ever, received his advances
at best with indifference, aud since he was
of a persevering natnre-his father often
described him as pigheaded-he had returned
80 the charge with a persistence which
changed her indifference into something not
lar removed from aversion.
A man of the world would have seen how
the land lay, and have altered his tactics !;
hut ha n
world. Roger Cherringt0n had dealt him
no more than justice when he called him
rustic.
Aud so it came TO pass that one gray
afternoon in the November before our story
begins, as he and Lucia were riding home
together from hunting, he seized an unex-
pected opportunity to put his ease plainly
before his queen OF hearts and tell her that
though he might have married several very
eligible young ladies, he had fixed his choice
on her, and
Then words failed him. and he waited
for an answer.
Pm sorry, Cousin Arthur" said Miss
Bellasys, emphasizing the relationship and
increasing the distance between their
horses. I'm sorry TO think | must give
you pain. but really can't be your Wife"
Lulu" exclaimed the heir OF Doliington,
''Gre you serious?"
Certainly. | wouldn't be SO horrid as to
joke on such a subject"
Perhaps You object to cousins marry
ing2"
she replied. IF l cared about you enough
TO marry you it would not matter who or
what you are"
Then she quckened her horses pace
She wanted TO put an end to the situation.
''Lulu," he began again as be came up
with ner, II tell you | have loved you all
your life. | won't, l can't take such an
abrupt answer"
Cousin Arthur" she replied firmly. 81
didn't mean to be abrupt l have known
my own miad on the subject for a long
while. You ought to have understood"
Understood what?" he asked. almost
sayagely. DO you mean there is some one
else? have right to ask that"
81 question the right" she answered
codly. In point of fact there is no one
else; but it is just the same as If there
were"
mo, it is not" he cried obstinately. IF
you care for no one else you may learn TO
care for me. Women have changed their
minds before now"
Il won't argue that" she replied. "Still
l will beg you 10 abide by my presents deci-
sion, and try to forget allthe unpleasantness
of H."
Shortly afterward Miss Bellasys had an
nounced That she was going to spend the
rest of the winter with friends abroad; and
Arthur Verschoyle was left to remember or
forget, according to his wisdom or weak
Dsss. He remembered and forgot to such
excellent purpose that when his cousin re-
turned in May, he was convinced that IL be
tried his luck once moro he should try it
with better success.
well LuluY' cried the old Squire the
evening after Jem had passed into Lucia's
pessession-sbe and her mother were dining
at the hall-"what is the story | hear of
lni,,e I'D 4
of drowning by one of the keepers?
Miss Beilasys laughed.
"You had that from Jane Mattheson, and
one or the other of you has added con sider-
ably to the romance of the story. / was IN
no sort OF danger, though l did ruin new
gown. Pixie was the hero Of the adventure.
and your new keeper came up just ia time.
81 hope ne behaved civilly," said Arthur,
rather pompously. "He is most disagree
able, uppish sort of fellow. BY the way,
Squire" be continued, turning to his father,
II had TO tell him to-day that l wouldn't
have his butte of terrier about the place
any longer, and that if he didn't get rid of
it we would get rid OF him."
ibid you% rejoined the Squire. Don't
you think you'd better wait till you're mas
ter here TO dismiss my men? Cherfingt0n
suits me, and Matthieson reports well of
him."
And as to the terrier" interpolated Miss
DelldSyS, dilUW iic W say ttlal eau nave
any one calling dog of mine bad names.
Jem belongs to me now"
"You don't mean to say" began her
cousls, that Cherrington has had the I'M
pertinence-"
81 msan." she interrupted, that I be-
slowed my affections on the dog from the mo-
ment ] saw him, and l am now his proud
owner"
"lf you can bestow affection so promptly
said Arthur, lowering his voice, "you can
easily find a worthier object for it than q
snappish dog"
81 fear. Cousin Arthur" replied Lucia,
''ihat you don't in the least understand my
tastes"
CHAPTER Ill.
The fresh green Of spring had deepened
into the full, deep tints OF summer, and
Arthur Verschoyle had not found an op-
portunity Of pleading bis cause again. Hope
deferred was not improving his mood, aud a
TRADE from his father one morning at break
fast on the slowness OF his wooing had