People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-01-17
CHAPTER TX.

fresh plans and fresh designs-every
day she found some new beauty, some
new happiness in the coming Christ
mas-tide. And all this because she
had learned to love Colonel North
without knowing it. At last Christ
mas came; and brought them both
with it.
The snow and the biting frost had
come, the ice was inches thick on the
deep meres and pools round LOTIONS
Cray, and LOTIONS Cray itself was a
scene of merriment and festivity. A
large Christmas party was gathering
under its roof.
Lady Latimer was one of the most
charming of hostesses. Lord Latimer
took very little part in it; he dined,
as usual, with his guests, and then re-
tired. He never came to the drawing
room, but once or twice had made his
way to the billiard-room.
| may have been prejudiced, but to
me he seemed more mOrose and more
stern than ever. 1t may be that it
angered him to see youth and merri-
ment all round him, yet not be able to
share in it.
There was nothing to mar the hap
piness. If Lord Latimer heard the
sounds of music, dancing and song, he
made no comments, and the old walls
rocked again with Christmas fun and
merriment. Our boys shared it. Lady
Latimer never left them out, when it
was practicable to have them there.
They were at most of the skating
parties, and caused unlimited fun.
noticed one thing, and admired their
good sense; they had entirely ceased
to advise me over marrying, and were
content to take things as they were.
The dear boys! l can see them now
on the ice, with great red worsted
comfOrters, and hands perfectly blue
with cold, yet happy as kings. They
saw nothing of the shadow that hung
over LOTIONS Cray, but l did, and
was powcr!ess to prevent it.
l can not tell exactly how l saw il
deepen, but the time came when
could think of nothing else. l placed
my own love story aside to devote my.
self to her. | can not tell either wher
first grew alarmed, and began t.
watch other people, to see if they
were watching her. But no, the
world went on its way rejoicing, ant
no one saw that a soul was in danger
but myself-unconsciOusly so; that
shall always NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
in peril so great that the very angels
in heaven looked on in pity.
The first time that | was alarmed
was one lovely frosty morning whel
the sun shOne on the snow, and thu
hOar-frost had silvered the trees and
hedges, and the icicles hung ike huge
diamonds. A walk through LortOl
woods had been proposed, and whel
we were all ready to start, COlone
North was absent. l shall never for
get Lady Latimer's face - all tn,
brightness died from it, all the ANNA
ton vanished. 1t was plain enough t,
be seen that the walk had lost all it
interest for her.
1T is bitterly cold," she said to me
with a shudder. 81 am not at all sur,
whether we are wise in going"
Quite suddenly he came upon us; h
had been to the stable to give som
direction about his horses. No nee,
to speak. l turned aside with a groan
If all heaven had been suddenl
A.; opened to her, she could not hav
looked more delighted; her very sou
: seemed to shine in her eyes as the
| rested on him.
: 81 thought we had lost you," sh
said.
He took her arm in his, and wit
t laughing gallantry, said:
5 "You may lose your memory, Lad
Latimer, but you will never lose me.
And though he laughed, l knew tn
words were true.
They went off together, fcrgettin
all the world. All me! And l, VIII
= loved her better than loved my life
stood by, powerless to help her. BIZ
the truth was apparent; she ha
learned to love Colonel North-uncor
sciously know-and he loved her.
: was as young as herself, but it SCENE
to me that the entire responsibility {
5 her rested on my shoulders.
What should l do? could not Q
to the old lord and say, Grouse you
self; the beautiful young child whol
you have made your wife is in dead
/ peril. She married you without Low
t and she has learned unconscious
> what love is since then. Save her, fC
Y she is in mortal peril" Heaven onl
knows what would happen; he was NJ
a that kind of man. Some men woul
4 have been noble, tolerant, generous
S would have helped her out of the dal
J. ger; not Lord Latimer; there was vel
9 little nobility of soul about him. If
J. had gone to her and said: "My dea
u you are in deadly danger; you are ma
ried to man older than your fathe
!, whom you do not love, and you hay
: found one whom youdo love, l nigh
by suddenly opening her eyes, do +;
a more harm than good, and she migl
do something desperate in her despai
d The only thing that seemed left for n
to do was to watch over her with d
q voted care and love.
d More than once il occurred to me