The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-20

the hint Jim had thrown out to her as
to the practical nullity OF their mar
riagc contract, II they simply Kept in
different hemispheres without word.
She had never written to him line;
and he had never written a line to her
He might be dead for all that she
knew; lie possibly was dead. She had
taken no steps to ascertain anything
about him, though she had been aware
for years that he was no longer in the
army list. Dead or alive he was
completely cut off from the country in
which he and she had lived, for his IA
ther had died long time before this,
and his house and properties had been
sold, and not scion of the house of
Durrant remained in that part of Eng
land.
Rosalys had readily imbibed his
ideas of their mutual Independence;
and now, after the lapse Of all these
years, had acted upon them with the
surprising literalncss of herscX when
they act upon advice ut all.
Mrs. Ambrose, who had distinguished
herself in no whit during her fifty
years of life save BY the fact Of having
brought singularly beautiful girl
into the world, had passed quietly out
of it. Rosalys' uncle had succeeded
his sister-in-law in the possession of
the old house with its red tower, and
the broad paths and garden lands; he
had been followed by an unsatisfactory
son of his, last in the entail, and thus
unexpectedly Rosalys Ambrose found
herself sole mistress of the spot Of her
birth.
People marveled somewhat that she
called herself Miss Ambrose still
Though woman now getting on for
thirty she was distinctly attractive both
in face and in figure, and could con-
front the sunlight as well as the moon
beams still. In the manner of women
who are still sure of their charms, she
was fond OF representing herself as
much older than she really was. Per-
haps she would have been disappointed
if her friends had not laughed and con-
tradicted her, and told her that she
was still lovely and looked like girl.
Lord Parllhurst, anyhow, was firmly of
that contradictory opinion; and per-
haps she cared more for his views than
for anyone else's at the present time.
That distinguished sailor had been
but one of many suitors; but he had
stirred her heart as none of the others
could do. 1t was not merely thaU he
was brave and pleasing, and had re-
turned from campaign in Egypt with
hero's reputation; but that his chiv-
alrous feelings towards women, origi-
mating perhaps in the fact that he
knew very little about them, were
sufficient to crafty the most exacting
of the'sex.
His rigid notions OF duty and honor,
both towards them and from them,
made the blood Of Rosalys run cold
when she thought of certain little
episode of her past life, notwithstand
ing, that, or perhaps because, she loved
him dearly.
HE is not the least bit of flirt, like
most sailors" said Miss Ambrose to her
cousin and companion, Miss Jennings,
on particular afternoon in this eighth
year OF Jim Durraut's obliteration
from her life. 1t was an afternoon
with an immense event Immediately
ahead of it; no less an event than
Rosalys' marriage with Lord Park
hurst, which was to take place on the
very next day.
The local newspaper had duly an
nounced the coming wedding in proper
terms as "the approaching nuptials of
the beautiful and wealthy Miss Am
brose, of Ambrose Towers, with a dis
tinguished naval officer, Lord Park
hurst" There followed an ornamental
account of the future bridegroom's
heroic conduct during the late war.
''The handsome face and figure of
Lord Parkhurst," wound up the honest
paragraphist, "are not altogether un-
known to us in this vicinity, as he has
recently been visiting his uncle, Col.
Lacy, high sheriff of the county. We
wish all prosperity to the happy couple,
who have doubtless brilliant and
cloudless future before them"
This was the way in which her ac-
ceptance of Durrant's views had
worked themselves out. lie had said:
"After seven years Of mutual oblivion
we can marry again if we choose"
And she had chosen.
Rosalys almost wished that Lord
Parkhurst had been 1lirt, or at least
had won experience as the victim of
one, or many, of those precious crea-
lures, and had not SO implicitly trusted
her. 1t would have brought things
more nearly to level.
"A,hirti | should think not" said
Jane jennings. "In fact, Rosalys, he
is almost alarmingly strict in his ideas.
1t is a mistake to believe that so many
women are angels, us he does. He is
too simple. He is bound to be disap-
pointed some day"
Miss Ambrose sighed nervously.
"Ycs," she said.
Il don't mean by you tomorrow.
God forbid"
mo"
Miss Ambrose sighed again, and Il
sils2cc followed, during which, while
recalling unuttcrablo things OF the
past, Rosalys gazed absently out OF the
window at the lake, that some men
were dredging, the mud, left bare by
draining down the water, being inn
printed with hundreds of little foot
marks Of plovers feeding there. Eight
or nine hcrons stood further away, one
or two conposodly fishing, their gray
figures reflected with unblurrcd clear
ness in the mirror of the lake. Some
little watcrhens wGddled with fussy
gait across the sodden ground in front
of them, and procession of wild geese
came through the sky, and passed on
till they faded away into row of black
dots,