The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02
on Windermere.

-rs-rt Faint ghosts OF purple noun
-,-- aoated dim on the water. backed up
- che mellow glow of a reflected sunset.
-...snt sounds Of laughter and of sing
.-- voices scarcely broke the tingling still
II was a moment for love making.
--s,- souls thrilled within them.
Ne dropped the oars, and lent forward to-
IDS the seat in the stern where Thora
.s sitting. Say yes" he cried, eagerly.
.rt must be yes, Thora.
~ had never called her Thora TO her
-. tiu that evening. Her name sound
--.ester TO her on Lionel Etheredges
- ,bsn she had ever before thought it.
~, still she held back. Her heart strug-
sled within her.
.>o no. Mr.. Etheredge?" she an
.,.srsd. hehting hard against her own
oysrpow,ring impulse. Never ask me
.rsin l mustn't, I mustn't"
.U-v. Mr.. Etheredge?' " the young
NAN cried. gazing deep into her eyes. Il
s,t5 .Thora.' Why not No, Lionel?
The girls lips framed the words family.
..>-o Lionel" she repeated after him,
4usb,ng 1t was sweet to say Lionel"
.,oud TO him that night, as she had said it
hundred times before to herself-even
enough she said it now with an unwilling
aNo" tackled on to it.
Am Lionel Etheredge laughed a low
,oslodious laugh to himself. Il have
caueht YOU, Thora!' he exclaimed, seizing
- band in his own. My queen, l have
No Lionel in a voice like that, it doesn't
-aesn what it says, 1t means, Yes, Lion
81, II means Yes, Lionel and a great
deal more 1t means, l want you; Tong
for Won. l must be yours; but l won't let
NV heart say what it is bursting to tell
Won love you, l love you Isn't that so
Thora?'
Tbors's face flushed a daintier crimson
s+U In the sunset glow. She clasped her
hands hard He had read her; he had
read her, "Oh, Lionel" she cried, raising
her evelids and CHANGING at him with the
ftmid confidence of a girls first love,
chow YOU see through and through me!'
Then She shrank away terrified. Had she
said TOO much? How could she ever draw
hack now. after so frank a confession?
But the man, like a man, knew what
followed as of course. He seized her in his
arms. regardless of the dangers of lake
NAVIGATION, and kissed her dozen times,
fervd loverlike kisses.
Thora took them without demur. She
was TOO queenly to resist them. 1t was that
indeed that so greatly charmed him in
her-her instructive dignity. People at
Windermere hardly took the Braydales for
gentlefolk they were but statesmen, or
yocmen farmers of a few generations
standing; and Thora was companion 70 a
somewhat richer aunt, who had married
a Manchester merchant of the second or
der But Lionel Etheredge saw in her a
queen Of women, whom any man might be
proud 10 have won on his merits.
After "A moment she disengaged him
gently with that upobtrusive imperious-
ness there is no disobeying. He drew back
and gazed at her. She was flushed but
beautiful. Her statuesque features were
pure Greek in outline: but that delicate
pink glow-no art could equal 1t. Yet it
was not for her stately beauty alone that
he loved her, he said to himself as he look
ed at her. A face like that must harbor
soul beneath it, The light that was in her
lighted her eyes as she gaZed at him.
ut is for the last time, Lionel" she muir
INJURED. with regretful tone, as she drew
back and let her lids drop suddenly.
No no, Thora; the first, the first OF ten
thousand" the young man answered,
eagerly. When once you have said my
name to me like that, you have told me
everything; you are mine forever"
Thora gazed at him earnestly. Il wish
It were So" she answered frankly, with
lingering cadence But it can never be,
dear Lionel l mustn't allow it. For your
sake | must be strong and say no once
for all to you. Your uncle would never
consent to it-and you owe everything to
your uncle"
The young man gave a gesture of i'm
patience, My uncle he cried, halt-con-
tempuously. "Oh, bother my uncle! No,
Thora, know he's been kindness itself TO
me.'-fOr there was reproach in her eye
at the strong word he had checked; but
there are matters where a man must take
no account of uncles. Here, dearest, L
shall row you out little further again,
and well talk this over bit more to-
gether Your aunt? Oh, aunts are in the
same box as uncles. She must wait half
an hour. won't let you go till you've said
yes outright to me-
We all know the end of colloquy that
begins in that way. When woman is
hshting against her own heart she has
powerful antagonist; and when that an
tagonist is aided and abetted by the man
she loves, why the issue of the conflict is
foregone conclusion. Before the boat
came to land again Thora Braydale had
Yielded She would be Lionel Etheredge's
Wife as soon as he had obtained his uncle's
consent to the marriage.
But don't ask Mr.. Ashby," she said,
uemulously, till Aunt Lizzie and l have
got away to Antilles. I shall be afraid to
near what he says to you when you break
me news to him. / know he won't like 1t.
ana II he gives his consent-which he
won t. I'm sure-you must come out there
10 marry me.'' .
II.
MT Ashby wore a fur-lined coat, with
eaoie cuffs and collar Now you know the
man. Fur trimmings to a masculine over
toat stamp a type. And the type is Mr..
he was walking with the earl on the ter
ne n, IN front of his house in Hertfordshire.
ne Virginia creeper on the battlements
@os one blaze of crimson. Mr.. Ashby
tnoua not have forgone those crenellated
,oa Ia, for ten thousand pounds. They
-goHea so baronial! And being a lately
S,HIighed merchant in the Russia trade, Mr..
'59nuy naturally loved to be baronial. He
-oIed the creeper. 1t redeemed the raw
80 OF the brand new coat of arms, carved
g. ~ ana new Bath stone, that stared him
tne lace above the principal doorway
,a-,onel was Mr.. Ashby's favorite nephew.
4-lOnelS mother. Mr.. AshbV's sister