Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-21
further. and they never met again. I

speech, which was to the effect that so
long as his tenants looked up to him as
| some one superior to themselves they
would find him Ga indulgent landlord,
when the tread of feet was heard out
side and then the music of the waits.
| The Colonel frowned and raised his
voice, but his guests caught themselves
tittering, and read their hosts rage In
his darkening face. Forgetting that the
waits were there by his own invitation
| he signed TO James, the butler, to rush
out and NOW them down. James did
not interpret the message so, but for the
moment it was what lis master meant.
While the Colonel was hesitating
whether to go on Rob saw Nell nod en-
couragingly to Greybrooke. He left
his seat, and before any one knew what
| he was about had flung open one OF the
windows. The room filled at once with
music, and as il by common consent the
table was deserted. Will opened the
remaining windows, and the waits, who
had been singing TO shadows on the
white blinds, all at once found crowd
ed audience. Rob hardly realized what
it meant. for he had never heard the
waits before.
1t was a scene that would have ST.
fenced a schoolgirl. The night was so
clear that beyond the lawn where the
singers were grouped the brittle trees
! showed in every twig. No snow was
| falling and so monotonous was the
break OF the river that the ear would
only have noticed 1t had it stopped.
The moon stood overhead like frozen
round Of snow.
Looking over the heads Of those who
had gathered at one OF the windows,
Rob saw first VIII Abinger and then
the form Of girl cross TO the singers.
Some one followed her with cloak.
From the French windows steps drop
ped to the lawn. A lady beside Rob
shivered and retired to the fresde, but
Nell whispered TO Greybrooke that she
must run after Mary. Several others
followed her down the steps.
Rob, looking round for Walsh, saw
him in conversation with the Colonel.
Probably he was taking down the re-
mainder of the speech. Then lady's
voice said, "Who is that magnificent
young man."
| The sentence ended with the hob
| nailed BOOTS" and the reference was TO
Rob, but he caught only the first words.
| He thought the baronet was spoken OF,
and suddenly remembered that he had
not appeared at the dinner table. AS
! Sir Clement entered the room at that
moment in evening dress, making most
! Of those who surrounded him look mean
by comparison, Rob never learned who
the magnificent young man was.
Sir Clements entrance was something
| OF a sensation, and Rob saw several la
dies raise their eyebrows. All seemed
TO know him by name, and some per-
! soually. The baronet's nervousness
had evidently passed away, for he bowed
| and smiled to everyone, claiming some
burly farmers as old acquaintances,
though he had never seen them before.
| His host and he seemed already on the
most cordial terms, but the Colonel was
one Of the few persons in the room who
were not looking for Miss Abinger. AT
| last Sir Clement asked for her.
~ believe" said some one In answer
to the Colonel's inquiring glance round
the room, that Miss Abinger is speak
ing with the waits"
"Perhaps / shall see her," said Dow
ton, stepping out at one OF the windows.
Col. Abinger followed him TO the
window, but no further, and at that
moment a tall figure on the snowy lawn
crossed his line OF vision. 1t was Rob,
who, not knowing what to do with him
SELF had wandered into the open. His
back was towards the Colonel, and some
thing in his walk recalled TO that chol-
eric officer the angler whom he had en-
countered on the Dome.
This is the mani was sure knew
the face" said Col. Abinger. He spoke
in whisper to himself, but his hanis
closed with snap.
Unconscious of all this, Rob strolled
on till he found path that took him
round the castle Suddenly he caught
sight Of blue dress, and at the same
moment a GRIT voice exclaimed, "0h, |
am afraid 1t is lost"
The speaker bent, as II to look for
something in the snow, and Rob blum
dered up TO her. "If you have lost
anything" he said, perhaps can
find it."
Rob he'd matches in his pocket and
he struck one OF them. Then, TO his
surprise, he noticed that Nell was not
alone. Greybrooke was with her and
was looking foolish.
Thank you, very much" said Nell,
sweetly; sit Is "a bracelet"
Rob went down on his knees to look
for the bracelet. but IT surprised him a
little that Greybrooke did not follow
his example. II he had looked up he
would have seen that the captain was
gazing at Nell in amazement.
II am afraid 1t is lost, Nell repeated;
''or perhaps dropped 1t in the dining
room"
Greybrookes wonder was now lost in
a grin, for Nell had lost nothing, unless
perhaps for a moment her sense OF what
was fit and proper. The captain had
followed her on to the lawn, and per-
suaded her to come and look down upon
the river from the top OF the cliff. She
had done so, she told herself, because
he was boy; but he had wanted her to
do IL because she was woman. On the
very spot where Richard Abinger, bar
rister-at-law, had said something 10 her
that Nell would never forget, the cap
tain had presumptuously kissed her
hand, and Nell had allowed him, be-
cause after all it was soon over. II was
at that very moment that Rob came in
sight, and Nell thought she was iusti-
fed In deceiving him. Rob would hav,
remained long time on the snow II she
had not had heart.
Eyes. l believe did drop IL In the
dining ROOM" said Nell in such tone
of conviction that Rob rose to his feet.
His knees were white in her service,
and Nell felt that she liked this young
man.
81 am sorry to have troubled you,
~ hanan rha unnnn