Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-12-01

But Philip Durand was poor hand at
matchmaking. While he was thinking
about the business, and wondering which OF
the men he rubbed shoulders with at the
workmen's chamber was worthy to mate
with Rose 0'Hara's sister, Madame Schu-
bert, who was an incOrrigible schemer in
the matrimonial line, had brought Kathleen
face to face with the man whom Fate meant
for her husband.
The fourth guest and only stranger at
Madame Schuberts English tea was CASTOR
Mortemar; and that evening completed
Kathleen's conquest. He was her adorer
and her slave from that hour. 1t seemed to
him as If all life took new colOrs after that
evening. The leopard cannot change his
spots all at once ;but the le0pard's ways and
manners may be considerably influenced;
and although CASTOR was still Voltairian in
his way of thinking, still a levelsr in poll
ties, he worked more earnestly and more
honestly than he had ever done before for
he had assumed the responsibility of win
ring bright future fof Kathleen O'Hara.
The wooing and winning were easily
done, for the girls young heart went out to
him as Gretchen's to Faust. 4 little walk
on the bridge in the summer twilight,
flower or two-bJught in the flower-market,
Dul CltIlNllNu 10 IL ~ WIN ~ bANonbAl VIZ
supernal growth-a chance meeting in the
sunny mornng,wh Kathleen was market
inc, and these two were pledged to each
other for life. But Rose was terribly wise.
She seemed the veyy spirit Of worldiness,
and she refused her consent to an imprudent
marriage. When Castor had saved little
money, and could earn say three naDGleons
a weell-which was less than the cNiiled
cabnet-maker carned-Kathleen should be
his wife; not sooner. CASTOR was earning
on an average two napOeons weekly, and
there was not much margin Tor saving cut
of that.
Hitherto he had found himself just able
TO live, clothe himself like q gentleman, and
keep out of debt. And to do even this he
had been thrifty and self-denying. But
what will not love do? lie became as spar
ing rs Pere Grandet; except when he wanted
TO offer a little pleasure, theatre or cafe
chantant, TO the sisters.
Such offers were but rarely accepted.
Rose watched Kathleen like lynx, and al
lowed few te.e-d-teteS between the lovers,
Never was girlish simplicity guarded more
c.osely from all peril of pollution. But, once
in n way, this severe damsel relented so far
as TO allow the two lovers to organise an
evenings dissipation; and it was on ore of
these occasions, almost Immediately after
Kathlcen's engagement, that Suzon Michel
saw CASTOR and his sweetheart together for
the first time.
1t was a sultry August evening, the Seine
shining in the golden light of the western
sky, the air heavy with heat pmand and
CASTOR had BOUGHT tickets for the side-boXes
at the Ambigu, where new play, by Dumas
l,t, .ligr
| of all Paris-Or, at least, that inferior and
secDnd-ratc Paris which had not migrated 10
! fashionable wateTing-places and mountain
springs. Kathleen and CASTOR walked arm
in-aTm along the quay, so enCrOsSed in each
other as to be quite unconscious Of pasSers-
bv. Faces came and went beside them,
voices sounded; but it was all DIM as the
| sounds and faces in dream. They lived,
they saw, they heard, they byeathed only
! for each other
Close behind them came Rose and her
| faithful swain; and Roe, even in her ten
derest moments, was mindful of her sister.
| She was fond and proud Of her stalwait,
| gOod-looking worlsman-loyer, who was so
/ fine a specimen Of his rank and race, as
much gentleman by nature as Castor
Mortemar was a gentleman by hereditary
llNtlllCt Dul Nltt WIS llOb lllNCu bll lllS uull
earth by her love.
As they walked towards the Pont Neuf,
with their faces to the west and the sun
shining on them, SuZon Michel met them.
She saw them ever so far off; the tall slight
| figure Of the man, whose look and bearing
she knew so well; the golden-haired girl at
his side, radiant and lovely in her plain
alpaca gown, and neat little black lace bon
yKifh plnstapc n ,fin1atc bots
the lace and her sunny hair-thOse violets
which the auburn-haTed Empress loved so
well.
Suzon slackened her pace as they drew
near her. He would recognise her, Of course
the false-haarted one; and speak her fair,
albeit he had broken her heart by his cold
ness and ngratitude. He would stop, the
audacious one, and brazpn out his treachery.
and make light Of his hcaTtl sness.
But CASTOR walked on without seeing her.
He passed her by, unconscious of her pres
ence, his eyes bent with imprisoned love
upon the pure pale face beside him, his lips
breathing softest words. SuZon drew aside,
and stood upon the pavement. looking after
them with diabolical hate in her face. Rose
saw that look, and clutched Philip Durand's
arm.
did you see that woman looking after
my sister-the woman at the cremcrieG' she
asked .'
But Philip had been too much absorbed in
his betrothcd TO have eyes for the divers ex-
pressions Of the passers by. lie was fun
of gladuess, thankfulness for his lot. lie
had been eminently successful as n crafts
man, had won medal for piece of fine
workmanship inthe Exhibition Of &c; he
was looked upon as a leading light in the
syndicate, and the dearest woman in the
world had promised TO be his wife. Now
that Kathleen was engaged there was no
more difficulty. So soon as CASTOR was in
fair way TO maintain a wife, the two
couples would be united.
The evening at the Ambigu was enchant-
ment: but both girls refused the luxury of
ices at Tortonis. How were lovers to be
thrifty If their betrothed were ready TO ac-
cept costly attentions? Besides, as they
passed The famous cOnfectioner's, Rose
caught sight of q couple of carriages setting
down some ladies and their cavaliers at q
side door, and those painted faces and rust
ling silks belonged to a world from which
Rose OHara rec0iled as from pestilence.
c.. t..