Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-04-10
CHATTER XVI Continued.

CHATTER XVI Continued.
The result was, that granny lad
gone off to bed. worn and weary wit !
sympathiZing first on the one side
then on the other-for it must not be
supposed she had no feeling for her
one and only grandson, nor that she
could contemplate the probable family
broil to follow without genuine dis
tresS and vexatiOn, so that she and
Geraldine had nat rally agreed to say
no more to each other about it that
night, but to leave till the morrow all
future considerations. Little did either
think that the day s work was not over
yet.
"You are aloue?" said Bellenden.
glancing round quickly. rs Mrs.
'.Gone upstairs. We've have not
returned long, and She she did not
expect anyone" Here the Speakers
eye tell on the wet handkerchief. and
she stopped to pick it up and hid it in
ler hand.
.'And you-you did not expect me
either" inquired he, his voice sink
ing at once, as he took chair near
her.
No answer: slight retrograde move
ment on her part.
Did you think [ could wait another
same significant tone. mot knowing
where you had been. nor with whom,
nor whether whether you mad e.e,
missed me, nor looked tor me?
''Oh. yes" said Geraldine, suddenly
facing him. Wait? Oh. yes; very
well, l should think well, in
deed. Why not?" she continued. with
a hard little laugh, reminding him on
the instant o. the mocking tieni who
gibed and taunted him that bright
morning in Bond street. "Oh, Sir
Frederick. l think you could ha o
waited. You are a patient man. AoI
can wait much longer than that for
tid1ngs of your friends, we all know"
G. Angry, by Jove! The best sign in
the world.' cried Bellenden, exulting
to himself. Aloud: Are you ''twit.
ting me with my stupidity in not find.
ing you Yesterday? You do not know
how dearly paid for it. Where were
you? Where could you have been? I
give you my word that hunted up and
down, in and out, all over the place,
for hours and hours, and all in vain. |
only gave up when nearly every one
had left the place"
Il did not mean that almost whis
pered Geraldine, for now she was be-
ginning to shake all over. ''I-I-why
=
forth with sudden passion. ''W hat right
have you to say them? How do you
dare to presume that it's anything to
me whether you seek me or not: You
you - l never told you to look for
me; / never gave you leave. You
must not-you shall not do it. Under.
stand, sir. that 1 will not have any
more of this. forbid it-I-l"'
DO you forbid this, Geraldine?"
said he, very gently. taking her hand
In his. ''Do you forbid my asking for
TINS hand, and offering in exchanges
only my poor heart, which is already
yours? / sought you, dear, because I
loved you. | think you know 1 love
you, and 1 think | know that you
THAT l love you?" cried Geraldine,
wildly: sis it that which you would
say? You know that? You would tell
me that? But you-yOu are mistaken,
Sir Frederick Bellenden. [ am not
quite the child, the fool | once was. |
i Oh. how can you-how can
you-?" and, unable to articulate
more, she could only wrench. from his
the hand he still held, and let loose
the brimmlng foods which would nc
.ouger be restrained.
who has done this:' he cried
sghast.
"Who? What do you mean? Who:'
"This Is not your own doing. This
is not Yourself speaking" proceeded
Bellenden. in much agitation. "Some
smooth-tongued whisperer has been"
"Never mind that-neyer mind that.
He did but tell me true, if it has been
80; you have chosen to take IL for
granted that [ care for you"
s'And you do not love -? But no.
YOU would not play me false?"
III / falcaco
Look back upon the past few
weeks" he said. 'What am l to
think? Have you not given me reason
to suppose - Could L think other
wise than that you saw. understood,
and returned my feelings for you? Had
you meant to reject me Geraldine,
you cannot, you cannot mean it," he
continued, with increased emotion
"You cannot have been trifling with
me" but the word awoke a fatal
echo in her heart.
"Trihing?' she cried, scornfully,
"and why not 'trihing,' if it suited me
TO trihe? Why should 1 not have my
turn? You thought little enough once
Of triaing with me-"
'I? With your"
'.You thought was but little girl,
q child to be taken up, and petted, and
petted, and played with, and Dropped.
chose, do what you chose, kiss me II
you chose" and she struck her face
upon the spot his lips had burned,
land then-and then-no more. was
to forget alias you did. | was to
think nothing of it, to laugh at 1t, to
know that others jested about it; was
only child, you know. What have
you to say now, if have, as you call
It, trifled' with you?'
He was silent-too much amazed 70,
words.
Good Heavens, Why, Geraldine"
ne exclaimed at length after mute
pause during which each had involun-
tarily drawn back a pace, and stood
quickly breathing in each others
faces. "Why, Geraldine, what strange
delusion is this? /" he passed his
hand over his brow, 81 cannot yet un-
derstand. OF course, l ought to have
written, to have - Pshaw. that Is
not what you can SO deeply have re-
senteG: there must be more. Is 1t pos
sible, then, that THAT you-tnat any
thing ever passed between you ana me
in the old DAYS which could have oeen
taken in so i'll part thai 1t must needs
rise as barrier between US Tor over
more?"
what did pass between us? STOP
where you are, for he had made
movement towards her. What dlo
pass:.'