Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1893-03-25


be better il came again another day."
'Certainly not. Papa expects you to
luncheon, and afterward you can have
nice long talk with him, and after the
talk you can come aud SIT 10 the garden
with me-"
They went into luncheon. The Squire
was aggressively hospitable in his efforts
to set Sir Reggie at bis ease, for he was
we'll aware of the Baronet's proclivitics,
which he by no means lesssened By his
tremendous attempts to "draw him out.
Eventually, the two men adjourned to
the smoking room, where Lola had or
dered coffee and where she would GER
tainly have made third party but for
the important issue that she hoped would
be the result Of their conversation.
Not that she felt, by any means, as
assured about the future as she had been
before SIR Reggie arrived that morning.
lie was 80 strange, 80 undecided, that it
would not surprise her il he did not
speak to her father at all, and il he did,
what would he sayl And Lola grew
white and faint from q sudden pain
which this query seemed unexpectedly to
have brought her.
Could it be possible after all that it
was Nora he loved2 Had sne, the infal-
lible Lola, made a mistake' She took
out the note aud read it once more.
No, it was addressed AMI written to
her; there could be no mistake. Yet
why was he so anxious to have Nora
there? She supposed be wantcl the
little sister to back him up.
The interview in the smoking room
was long one, aud the farther it was
protracted the more anxious Lola grew.
At last the clock struck 4; if she hal
not feared to be thought unmatdenly
she would have gone into the smoking
room and broken up the conclave, 50
impatient had she become, when she saw
her father coming toward the house
from totally opposite direction
alone.
"Has Sir Reggie gone7" she asked, as
soon as her father was near enough to
hear.
eyes, have just unlocked the pad.
dock gate for him. It is much short.
er walk that way"
Lola could contain herself no longer.
"You have not refused your consent to
the marriage, papa2'
"Not bit of it, not bit of it, child
On the contrary, have told him shall
be proud to have him for son law"
''Then why on earth has be gone
away1"
"Why should he stay7 He is going to
Clifton by the evening train, beIievea"
"To Clifton7"
>Well, isn't Nora there?"
"Nora You mean that Sir Reggie
wants to marry Nora?"
The Squire looked at her rather COM
ically, then burst out laughing. His
nature was somewhat coarse.
"By Jove, and you thought Breton
wanted to marry you. BY the stars, bat
here is blessed imbr oClio-auite q
family drama!" Aud the Squire set up
another discordant peal.
''If he wishes to marry Nora, Why did
he write to me2" asked Lola, angrily,
taking Sir Reggie's letter from her
pocket and handing it to her father.
He read it through from end to end,
becoming more serious as be did so.
"a manly, straightforward letter; yes,
as said before, am proud of him. He
will make little Nora good husband. .
straightforward, you call it, to writ e
to me when he means Nora?"
''It is all your own fault, Lola, and
the less you say about it the better.
.'My fault, indeed.'
"Yes, you are always trying to ad-
vance yourself aud thrust Nora into the
| shade. 1t all came out during my talk
with Breton"
.'I don't in the least know what yo1
mean"
NO, of course not, "and the Squire
sneered. .'Tou quite forge. tha. 20:
told Breton Nora was older tbaa you. >
Lola hung her head. She RENE n
oered aow, how, some weeks aso, IN I
foolish, shoushsless moment. sae ha'
made .hi. false statement % Sir Reggie
and she skulked away into the house 70
hide her confusion and bitter annoyance.