The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-17


quences," and then he looked up at hes
with laugh and said: Really, Mrs
Jock, beg your pardon. How exceed
ingly rude of me!''
But he was firm, all the same; neither
friends nor nurse nor doctor made thc
smallest impression on his resolution.
He had made up his mind to go down To
the Fish Ponds to put everything right
with the girl he loved, and all their ar
gnncnts were simply as SO many words
uttered to the winds.
Blacltwood alone, who had gathered
n very fair idea of the position of af-
fairs, encouraged him in his purpose
I'll telegraph to the groom to meet us,
sir, lie said, suggcstivcly.
YES; and tell him to say nothing in
the house about it," said Lumlcy,
promptly.
Lumlcy and Blacliwood and the nurse
left in charge of the case should go
down by the twelve o'clock train and
that She and Jock would follow two
hours later; and in due course. feeling
thoroughly shattered and with split
ting headache, Lumley and his attend
ants arrived at the station for tho Fish
Ponds.
To ease his masters mind Blackwell
at once made inQuiries-and through
him Lunley learned that Miss Nugent
had arrived in the early morning, that
she had hired n rough spring cart which
was generally used for conveying lug
gage and parcels about the country,
and had reached the Fish Ponds looking
very pale and weary. Lumlcy knew
that cart, having used it on several oc-
casions himself, and did not wonder at
it. He also gathered however, that
Miss Nugent was very busy packing
her things, with the help of her maid,
and that she had told the groom that
she should want him to drive her down
to Parl<estOwn that evening SO as to be
in time for the Antwerp boat.
And it was wonderful how coolly
Lumley took it, perhaps because his
poor battered head was aching SO badly.
They drove up to the house by the
back way and stopped at the side en-
trance instead of going round to the
front door. "Miss Nugent is at lunch
SIR" the parlor maid said in reply to his
questions.
So Luml:y walked, tottered, ought
more correctly to say, to the dining
room and there distinguished himself
by fainting dead away.
81 was afraid it would be too much
for him." was Blacl1wood's comment,
while in his heart he thought that escape
from Mrs. Hope was worth little suf-
fcring and ovcr-fatigue of body. mo,
don't get Hurried, Miss Nugcnt-a little
brandy and water, not too weak. Yes,
that's it. He'll be all right in minute
or two"
Lumlcy was lying on the sofa in the
tlrawinG-room when he came to himself
again and We're was bending anXiously
over him with all her heart in her eyes.
'sIt':, all right--don't be frightened"
he was able to say
"Oh! but you oughtn't to have &C ne"
she cried reproachfully.
Neither ought YOU" he retorted
weakly.
But he was soon almost himself again.
and that same afternoon as he lay at
her ieet on the turf, they came to dis
tinct and settled understanding.
81 don't know how she could have told
| you that she was engaged TO me he
said, in establishment, when she had told
him all.
We're was silent for n minute. s'Wcll,
| 10 you know, now look back calmly,
i don't believe she did actually say that.
What She did say was: Yes, wish you
to understand thai am engaged to
| him OF course that is not the same as
positively declaring that she was en-
gagged to YOU"
"Therc's not much differcncc---thc lie
Is just the same" said Lumlcy, uncom-
rromisingly. "But,all the same, ] think
it was excessively nasty of you to run
away like that without giving me a
chance of telling my story. IthinlS you
ought. to be thoroughly ashamed OF
yourself; and you know you're not, not
bit"
WELL" said the girl, slipping close
down beside him. ~ am and am not
Don't you understand that II it had heer