The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-12-13

aN' 49, o"h
That kiss seemed to revive some
Of tte slumbering passion In Gle
ment's deadened heart, and he awoke
to a sense of how beautiful Lady
Gertrude really was.
"You are too good for me, my
darling" he said with more fervour
than he had as yet shown, show
lovely you are, too angelically lovely
for a mere mortal like myself. The
whole of England will say 1 am the
luckiest dog in the country, to have
won a being so fair as you are"
And the arm round her frightened,
until she felt as if she were in a vice.
"And l the luckiest woman to have
won the love of the popular Clement
Dunraven," she replied, laughing,
and trying to free herself from his
clasp.
He loosed her somewhat, seeing
she was a little distressed.
81 must not frighten my BIRDIE"
he whispered a little apologetically,
"but you should not be so beautiful,
my sweet Gertrude"
She blushed and looked up at him
with shy, sweet eyes.
"Then you do love me, Clement?
Don't talk to me about myself, but
about your love. Is it really true
and fast, will it endure for all our
lives? You will never neglect me or
grow cold to me, as some men do to
their wives?"
A dark expression came over
Clement Dunraven's face like a
cloud. But before he could answer
she went on
"Ah, l have offended you. ! was
wrong; | should not have doubted
your loyalty and good faith. Forgive
me-"
"Sweet one, who could be false to
you? The man who could make you
suffer is a brute"
"You will never cause me suffer
ing, Clement. Yes, I know it full
well; you will shield me from danger
and suffering"
"Ah, will l, dearest, to the fullest
extent of my power. If unhappiness
comes to you through me it will be
through my misfortune and o my
fault.n
She laid her hand in his.
81 believe YOU" she said, 'and
will trust you always because | know
that you love me. Tell me that you
love me-"
81 love you-yes-I love you,n he
repeated, but there was but little
romance in his voice.
That did not trouble her, h~owever;
she was as happy as the birds in
spring. Clement Dunraven, her
girlish ideal, was to be her husband
her own, her very own.
Lord Melbury would be pleased,
Sir Louis would be pleased, but none
of them as pleased as she herself, she
thought as she sat there, close to
Clements side, dreaming rather
than talking of her future happiness.
Hours of the intensest pleasure end
at last, however. Two men inter
ested in a knotty point at whist
began to argue the matter out at the
door of the boudoir, another momen,
and they would probably come in to
exemplify their meaning by the helI
of some cards which lay on the table.
One more hurried fervent kiss an6
the newly betrothed lovers started
to their feet and prepared to join the
tbrong in the larger room.
To do SO they had to pass the
boudoir window, which was open
For a second they stood inhaling the
fresh air and looking out into the
starry night. Neither, however,, saw
a pair of lustrous eyes, which were
shining Through the foliage of ar
adjacent shrub. Had they done sc
what changed issues might not theil
lives have known? But they passed
on to their fate, and the owner Of
those dark splendid orbs passed or
too, into the silent night equally tc
meet her fate, whether a darker OF
lighter M than Lady Gertrude's
who can say?
For the moment Lady Gertrude'i
star seemed to be in the ascendant
for was she not Clement D~unraven't
promised wife"
AS she had predicted, Lord Mel
bury smiled his gratifed assent, ant
Sir Louis was &c delighted, he could
scarcely keep his feelings undel
control.
"You have done well, my boy
splendidly WE'LL" he said, pattini
Clement on the shoulder. ga thous'
and a year and the run of Aboyn'
Court, that is what you shall have a
long as I am above the sod, and afte.
that you will be the master. 1t won
be long, Clement, it won't be long,
1t was in order to be master o
Aboyne Court and it's income tina
Clement had consented to ask Lad,
Gertrude to be his wife, yet it wa
scarcely a feeling of JOY that rose il
his heart when he knew that he hao
won the trick.
yIJI.I. A. a. 1-A .A-x~l..