Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-01-11

You are sure of it, Dora?-sure
that You wont change your mind?'
IF ] do I'll let you knowv said
Dora, saucily.
She was sorry for it the next
moment, when he had turned away
without a word, and she saw him
disappearing in the distance; sorry
that she had been quite so rude to
him. But then what business had
he to be so conesited as to imply
that she might be in love with him,
after all?
And then she went to her mother,
and helped her plan out the finery
tthey -shoald hassvto easry to sSara-
toga.
And job went to the Black Hills.
Three weeks after, behold the
Spettigue family at Saratoga, pa
very much out of his element, Mrs.
Spettigue good deal awed, and
very much disappointed at the lack
of noblemen, Dora elated by her
fine clothes. and the admiration she
received, yet depressed by the con-
seriousness that there were a good
many people in the hotel not too
wellhred to sneer openly at her
father and mother, who had not
even enjoyed the advantages of
Blairsville Seminary.
But diamonds will hide greater
faults than lack of acquaintance
with Lindley Murray, at Saratoga,
and there were few who outblazed
Mrs. Spettigue and Dora. The lat
ter did not want for beaux. If
there had been a nobleman there,
very likely he would have been at
her feet, but alas! for Mrs. Spetti-
gue's ambition, there was not one
to be found!
But by the end of fortnight she
had almost come to the conclusion
that Mr.. Reginald De Courcy was
as good as a nobleman; he was very
near TO being one, indeed. He was
an Englishman, and own cousin to
a lord. He was most distingue in
appearance, too, and his devotion
made Dora an object of envy among
the young ladies. Altogether Mrs.
Spettigue was satisfied when, at the
end of three weeks, he proposed to
Dora and was accepted. 'Pa,' too,
was delighted with the grandeur
and condescension of his proposed
son-in-law, who devoted himself to
him with almost as great zeal as he
did to Dora.
AS for Dora, she was the most
dazzled, and bewildered, and wretch
ed little moth that ever flew into a
glittering candle.
She couldn't refuse Mr.. De
Courcy, how could she when it was
such splendid match for herr
the very thing that she had been
brought to Saratoga for! He was
very handsome and elegant, and
judging by his conversation, very
rich. 1t was wonderfully good for.
tune for her, as her mother said.
And vet Dora was haunted by Jobs
face, and the Black Hills lay heavy
on her heart!
She was glad when they turned
their backs on Saratoga, though she
had enjoyed the gayety and the ad
miration she received, glad wher
the train whizzed them off, and left
the elegant Mr.. De Courcy making
his final adieux, with a most senti
mentally sad expression on hi
handsome face. But he was to fol
low them to Shamberg, in few
weeks. Mrs. Spettigue had put of
the ardent lover, who wished tofol
low Immediately, in order to max
things at home more presentable
The fastidious Mr.. De Courcy, tn
| cousin of a lord, might be shocked
beyond recovery at the rough styl
, of living that prevailed at Sham
berg.
But Dora gave little heed to tn
overturning and furnishing up, tina
; went vigorously on in the next tire
weeks. She had made up her mine
to marry Mr.. De Courcy, and sh
, would do it, but just now what sh
: wanted was to her some news of Jol
Hodgkins, risking his life at tn
Black Hills!
: Not word could she hear; non
of the young men with whom he ha'
: gone lived in Shamberg, she kne,
J none of their friends; and Job