Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-07-07

'no VINE Oil us way 10 her lips, so that
the drops ran down over her white
gown like drops of blood
Mr.. Eyre started violently, as he saw
the uifiing occurrence, in that very
chair her mother had sat and he had
gwen her a glass of that same old wine.
ana she had spilled it on her white
so"n' and afterward he had remem-
oered 1t as an omen of evil, though
he mad been in such high spirits as to
be fey that night.
"hy' THIS is Quaker's meeting"
s;nd Mr.. Eyre, rousing himself as the
butler softly closed the door, shaking
nus gray head at the signs of mischief
lie saw In his master. "Madcap, little
maid, will you have some sweetsp. and
he half filled her plate as he smoke
But the sweets lay mtouched: and
when he looked at her, it was to find
her struggling desperately against tears.
her second foolish outburst that day.
why, Madcap," he said; then, with
a sudden revulsion of feeling and all
his old tenderness for her, went to her
side, and put his arms round her.
Dad she said, her voice steady,
though tears rolled down her cheeks.
'Dad-don't so away; trouble will
come of 1t, and we are all SO happy.
Don't co.
This hot day has upset you," said
Mr.. Eyre; but you'll be better by-and-
by" he added, as Gordon, unable to
endure the sight Of her tears, rose and
went to the window Come, We'll
fetch our hat and so out; it will be
cool enough now in the shade" and he
led her out OF the room.
Doune was the first to stir after they
left, and frowned as he went out; he
had long ago mastered his old jealousy,
and that "black drop of original sim
that the angels are said to have
squeezed out of Mohammcd'S heart
when he was an infant, had gradually
withered and died in Il brothers breast.
But he felt that there was something
amiSS, something that he was shut out
from, and with Il boys fierce preiudiccs
regarding the safety of the woman Of
his family, he blamed his father for
/ the careleSsncSS that left the girl un-
guarded for two whole months.
But for those laurclS that he had
worked night and day to win, that he
knew We're now within his grasp, he
would have stayed to watch over her;
and dear as was ambition to the ardent
brilliant lad, he WAS within an ace of
/ throwing up everything to stay at
home and guard his sister.
He went to his father later, and told
him this.
hnt, Il SSai1 n IN<rpA
co!dly; the servants of this house are
all old and tried; i'll the village there
is not one soul that would harm her.
And as for loverS'-he paused, 1.-The
IDEAS horrible-but must be entertain
ed one of these days, and of course
she'll marry Gordon"
You would not oppose it, Sir?" s,id
Dounc, drawing a deep breath, as one
relieved of intense anxiety.
NO." said Mr. Eyre, with an effort;
but not for some ycars-it is like cut
ting off an arm of leg, but neces-
sary l suppose, and better fathers than
l have lived through it."
Later in the day came Gordon, who
said, without prefix of any sort.
Il love your daughter, Sir; when
come home in July, may l ask her II
she will marry me!'
You have not asked her yet-thcre
has been no foolish love-making be
tween you?' said Mr.. Eyre looking ut
him keenly.
NO" said Gordon, looking down
''she is SO young. 1t would be KIND
of sacrilege, and yet''-he raised his
head boldly-'I would have asked her
this morning if she had not laughed at
me so, and / saw that as yet she does
not know what love means"
And do you?" said Mr.. Eyre seeing
his own Madcap's lover over again in
the young man who stood before him.
Did yu wait till you were forty be-
fore you found out what love meant,
SIR" said Gordon, steadily. ''To my
mind, youth is the time in which TO
love and be happy-and a mans first
love is his purest and best"
You have never tried a last one"
said Mr.. Eyre, carelessly, 80 you can't
tell. But if she must marry Though /
see no reason for it, she may as well
marry you as anybody else. l don't
see any rivals ahead" he added, with
sort of grimace. You see she is so
young, and wooers have not yet discov-
cred what treasure Red Hall contains;
but, mind You, there shall be no engage
mnt till she is sixteen, and no mar
rage until q year or two after that.
By-the-way, all this is without her con-
sent, are you sure of it? TO be sure,
she cried today, and perhaps that was
for you-though [ took her tears to my
| self i"
II can do no more than love her, and
tell her so; the rest lies with her,
said Gordon, with true manliness, as he
went away, leaving Mr.. Eyre to that
business which his coming had dis
| turbed.
| On the table before him lay the reply
to the telegram that a servant had that
afternoon ridden ten miles to dispatch,
waiting for the answer, that came more
quickly than was expected, and dating
from the "Saucy Pool" Poplar, an
nounced the sailing of the Arizona at
daybreak ON Tuesday morning, berth
being retained for Mr.. Eyre, according
to his telegram just received.
When the heaviest part of his CORE
spondence and work was done, Mr..
Eyre, catching sight of that open sheet,
felt a sudden conviction of the use
lessness Of this voyage, and for NOM
ent common sense having returned to
him in the monotony Of his work. way
cred in his determination to go.