Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-03-10

protracted the more anxious Lola gre
At last the clock struck 4 il she ha |
not feared to be thought unmaidenly
she would have gone into the smoking
room and broken up the conclaye, 81
impatient had she become, when she saw
her father coming toward the house
from a totally opposite direction-and
alone.
"Has Sir Reggie gonci" she asked, as
soon as her father was near enough to
hear.
eyes, have just unlocked the pad.
dock gate for him. 1t is mich short.
er walk that way"
Lola could contain herself no longer.
"You have not refused your consent to
the marriage, papa"
"Not bit of it, not bit Of it, child.
On the contrary, have told him shall
be proud to have him for son-in-law."
"Then why on earth has he gone
awayl"
"Wby should he stayl He is going to
Clifton by the evening train, believed"
"To Cliftonl'
"Weu, isn't Nora theres"
"Noral You mean that Sir Reggie
wants to marry Noral'
The Squire looked at her rather COM
ically, then burst out laughing. His
nature was somewhat coarse.
"By Jove, aud you thought Breton
wanted to marry you! By the stars, but
here is a blessed imbr)glio-luite a
family drama~ Aud the Squire set uP
another discoriant peal
"If he wishes to marry Nora, why did
he write to mel' asked Lola, ansrily,
taking Sir Reggie's letter from her
pocket and handing it to her father.
He read it through frcm end to end,
becoming more serious as he did so.
ga manly, straightforward letter; yes,
as said before, am proud Of him. He
will make little Nora a good husband. .
straightforward, you call it, to write
to me when he means Noral"
"It is all your own fault, Lola, aud
the less you say aboutit the better"
"My fault, indeed"
"Yes, you are always trying to al
vance yourself and thrust Nora into the
shade. 1t all came out during my talk
wit. Breton"
al don't in the least know what you
mean"
"No, of course not, aad the Squire
sneered. "You quite forget that you
told Breton Nora was older than you"
Lola hung her head. She rene n
bered now, how, some weeks ago, in
foolish, thoughtes5 moment, she had
made this false statement to Sir Reggie,
and she skulkel away into the house to
hide her confusion and bitter annoyance.
She sat down to contemplate the un-
pleasant knowledge that Sir Re ;gie was
On his way to Clifton, where in truth he
arrived that evening, but too late to call
at the pretty house opposite the Saspen-
sion Bridge.
He did the next best, however; he put
up at en- hotel close by, and then went
out for stroll.
1t might just be possible that he
would meet the lair object Of his dcyo-
ton.
Nor was he destined again to be dis
appointed; there she was sitting under
tree, reading-dreaming, rather.
She started up in fright when she
saw Sir Reggie aud exclaimed:
"You here-te!l me, what is itl Is
there anything wrong at home!"
"What should be wrong, sweet Nora'
Wny should | not come to sec youl
There is nothing wrong bu. mistake,
he went oD, sitting down beside her.
"My basket of roses was given to your
sister, but they were intended for you.
~ am not Miss Treherne," she said
quietly.
"No-that was tae mistake | made
will you forgive itl'
Sir Reggie Breton was too loyal to in-
plicate Lola, though from his converse.
ton with her father both the men
fully understood how the error had come
about.
"FOrgive it, --but do l look 50
old2'
"No, you look much the younger Of
the two, only -. But feel so ashamed
of what has happened that it is painful
to me to talk of it,"
"Then let US talk of something else.
"Of my love for you and your love for
me; shall it be so, fair onel"
"If you wills" aud she looked down
with blush. New York Advertiser.
c.u, oo,,.t.., J.; Al. u..td