The advocate., 1895-04-10

porting house with which the elder StilWel Was
connected
Gertrude had never had lover. Perhaps 1t would
be more strictly accurate to say she did not knoN
she had ever had lover; for StllWe had not NJ
advised her that he had kindly selected one FOR he4
Dobbins RakestraW was a thrifty merchant of
Rutland, was a customer Of StilWell's 'house anN
was supposed to be man Of large fortune H
and Stilwel had arranged it between them tha
Gertrude should, in due time, bear the digniAsS
name Of Mrs. Rskestraw, but they had not thought
it necessary as yet to suggest her prospective hap
ness to that young1 lady herself Meantime Dob
bins was an occasional visitor at the StilWell mAl
sion, and during his visits lost no opportunity c
making an impression upon Gertrude's supppa
edly susceptible heart. Dobbins was on Che fgEtha
side of thirty-fVe, possessed hawk nose, and hai
low forehead which, when he batted his CYL
while engaged in what he was pleased 70 call CAN
vergStiOn, rolled up into creases like venetian Blind
or disappeared like the top of modern Office denk
Dobbins form was not heroic. AS an Apollo Belye
dere in living picture he would have been G's'
failure, or, In the opinion of severe critic might
even have been regarded as burlesQue; hut says
discrepancy of foot or more, he was as tau as Ger
trude. There seemed to be some old, unsettled eot.
troVersy between his respective knees which rna1s
them appear to be saying one to the other, az AbHs
ham said to Lot on q certain occasion: 'Is Nt
the whole land before theep Separate thyself pg
thee, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand th
will 90 to the right; or If thou depart 10 th
right hand, then / will 60 to the left" very
forbidding, and, to q woman of fine feeling, very
repulsive mouth and ugly, restless, deep.set Htts
eyes completed his personal attractions. Aside from
these trivial defects, and the circumstances that
was what women call "SNcb fool" Dobhlns Wae
not an undesirable match, considering his supposed
wealth, for handsome girl of eighteen. He eclsinet
excellent ancestry too, and none Of his alleged AM
cestors had ever disputed the claim. Nevertheless
and although she did not know he was her loveE.
Gertrude hated him with hatred SO intense as To
amount to passion; but she was too well bred 20
offend her fathers guest, In which light alone shs
regarded him.
But within week preceding the opening Of our
story Gertrude while horse back riding in Che coun
try recreation she frequently enjoyed, had stopped
at farm house to Quench her thirst; and when
she had dismounted and reached the well manly
young man, not pretty, but handsome, with sun.
Drowned, wonderfully intelligent face, and eyeA
with q suspicion of sadness In them, came out tne
back door Of the house. approached the well, and
with polite "Permit me" drew bucket Of wateE,
and dipping out gourdful handed 1t to her. Then
he escorted her to her horse and with anotheE Per-
NIT me" helped her to remount AS she started
away, she smiled and thanked him, and-their eyes \
met, she blushed, her heart auttered and sll shs
way to where turn in the road took her out OF hs
sight, she felt that he was standing where she haa
left him, and looking after her. She bad not tQe
slightest notion who he was and she was quite Ger
tain he did not know her. but ever since that da
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