The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-04-08

.
heart was too severely wounded for
her to have the courage to a1lude to
her pain. Lola and Nora Treherne
were the two daughters of a small
country squire of limited income.
Their mother had died when the girls
were very young. and they had been
brought up in a rather haphazard fash
ion, with nothing but their own in
stincts to guide them
Lola made q friend of every body,
while Nora, erring in a different di-
rection, made no friends at all; that is,
she never confided the secrets of her
own little inner world.
She was all packed up ready to go to
Clifton-where Aunt Lou lived-e arly
on the morrow. Thus, to her intense
relief, she would avoid a meeting with
her sisters declared lover, whom, in
writing her acceptance OF her suit,
Lola had begged to come over to
luncheon on the following day.
Never before had she felt SO thank
full when the train that was bearing
her from her home glided out of the
station; and since she was alone in her
compartment she could give vent to a
spon taneous burst of tears.
Aunt Lou lived in a pretty house
near the Suspension bridge, and there
listening to the old lady's prattle and
striving to minister to her constant
requirements - Nora strove hard to
think that she liked the work
she was called upon to do, and was
content and at peace. If only she
could get off their wedding: if she could
go back to her home and find Lola
married and installed as mistress in Sir
Reginald's house, she would then be
able to face life bravely.
Meanwhile she had a months re-
prieve.
Poor little Nora had no combative
left the coast absolutely clear, and
when Sir Reggie Breton arrived at the
squire's house to luncheon, it was to
find Lola alone in the drawing-room
awaiting him, and the basket Of roses,
still in the zenith of their beauty,
placed in a most conspicuous position.
He looked round with bewildercd
the situation; but then he was shy,
what else could be expected?
Lola was fully aware that he was
man who must be met halfway, or he
would retire altogether into the she'll
WITHIN which he usually dwelt-so she
gushcd. Gushing to Lola Treherne
not wholly a lost art.
so good of you to send these lovely
roses-thcy are divine. SO like you to
rene IN Der ones pet flowers and put the
tina: accompanied them SO
tenderly and prettily."
ne uO"erS-an, yes, the HO"eTS--l
have seen them all grow, and Simpson
knows how to arrange Them" said Sir
Reggie, still looking about the room
with an uncomforta BILE hesitation of
manner.
'Your sister" he asked, at last, your
sister likes these flowers!''
My sister thought them lovely. She
has gone a visit to Aunt Lou at Cliff
ton; she went Yesterday.
"She the flowers and went?"
Lola nodded her head.
"Ah!' mut:cred shortly by Sir Reg
gle, and then long pause.
Even Lola was non-plnssed and be-
gan to think there must be some mis-
take.
ooh! ! see-yes-shc Thought
What she thought he did not say.
perhaps lie did not quite know; at all
events. he was too shy to express it.
Lola, however, was not afflicted
with tliffidcncc, and, as this big fish
at the end of her line. she
intended to land it, if possible.
''She thought, l suppose" she went
on, still laughing a little restraincdly,
that you and I could settle arrange
ments best without her
"ENactly. Yet I do not quite see
why she should go away. Perhaps it
would be better if l came again
another day
NOV pa expects you
to luncheon, and afterwards you can
have nice long talk with him, and
aftor the talk you can come and sit in
the garden with me-
They went into luncheon. The
squire was agCressiycly hos pitablc in
his c forts to set Sir Reggie at his ease,
for he was we'll aware of the baronet's
proclivities, which he by no means les
sened 10y his IRENE ndous attempts to
W hat he called--''.!raw him ont.
Eventually the two men adjourned
to the smok ing-room, where Lola had
ordered coffee and where She would
certainly have made third but for
the important issue that she hoped
would be the result of their conversa-
ton.
Not that she felt by any means as
assured about the future as she had
been before Sir Reggie arrived that
morning. He was SO strange, so undo
cided, that it would not surprise her if
he did not speak to her father at all.
nd Lola grew white and faint from
a sudden pain which this query seemed
to have brought her.
Could it be possible, after all, that it
was Nora he loved? Had She the in
fallible Lola, made mist AXE" She
-oolS out the note and re I'D it once more.
No. it was addressed and written to
her; there could be no mistake. Vet
why was he SC anxious to have Nora
there? She supposed he wanted the
title sister to back him up.
The Interview in he smoking-room