The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-05-24
CnAPrER !.
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CHATTER ].
skate do you believe that Lord Ro-
land really loves your ~
The Yirl thus addressed flushed rosy
red; then she replied, with q shade Of
annoyance. t
"How can I tell whether he loves
me.or not? He has never brcathed q
word Of love to me-"
perhaps not, although he has look.
cd whole volumes of devotion: but
looks are more deceptive than words.
Shall you accept him IL he proposes to
you?
II will tell your grace. when he has
proposed" was Katc's dignlncti reply;
"and In the meantime you had better
finish dressing. am nearly ready to
receive our guests. How do look :?
And the Hon. Kate Lilburne, as she
asked this question, glanced with com'
placency upon the white satin gown
that hung 30 gracefully upon her.
ooh, you always look we'll" was the
ungracious reply; land no wonder
when you have all your mothers jew
els to wear. Those pearls alone arr
worth q fortune"
| And she pointed with q mixture
Of anger aud envy Mt the costly orna
ments on her sisters neck and arms.
"You know you are always welcome
to wear any of my jewelry." said
Kate, gently; 'can lend you any.
thing now?'
mo, thank you," replied her half.
sister, sharply; II don't choose to
dress In borrowed fnery-plain gold
ornaments are good enough f0r me.
suppose 1t never occurred to you that
Lord Roland Ayre Is much more In
love with your fortune than he Is with
you!'
Certainly not; should be ashamed
Of myself to think 30 meanly Of him."
And Kate Lilburne turneil. to the
glass before which she stood, arranged
some flowers in the bosom OF her dress,
and felt, with very pard0nable pride,
that she was well worth loving for
herself alone.
"It's true, whether you believe 1t or
not" said Grace, spitefully; ''he loves
another woman, but she is poor, and
IL he asks you to marry him it will be
because you are rich. knowing this,
should think you will never accept
him."
She looked at her sister anxionsly as
she uttered these barbetf words. hop
Ing to see Kate shrink, or become pale
with grief, or flushed with indiEna-
ton as she listened to them.
But, unfortunately for the success
of Grace Lilburne's schemes. the
statement she made carried no weight
with 1t.
1t was her nature to plot and to
plan, to be envious of, and ungrateful
to, those who were kindest to her,
and to make mischief and cause pain
whenever she had the chance; and
this Characteristic being wen known
to her half-slster, the latter paid but
little heed to her remarks. though
they did sometimes succeed in wound
ing her. .;s5
Now, therefore, she said lightly:
"My dear Grace. don't trouble your
self about Lord Roland, nor about me-;
he is sufficiently wealthy to be able to
choose wife without considering her
fortune, and I give him credit for
possessing too much good sense, and
far too much regard for his own hap
piness, to believe he would marry u
woman whom he does not love. And
now will talk no more about him,
for 1t is not maidenly for you and me
to be discussing mans intentions
when he has not proposed to either
Of u.s."
So saying, Kate Lilburne cast q last
glnnce at her own reflection in the
mirror, and then turned to leave the
room.
But Grace was not to be put of in
this manner. She had overheard a
conversation between her father and
lord Roland Ayre the previous day,
and had gathered from the words that
fell upon her ears that Lord Roland
had asked for and obtained her faith
er's consent to propose to Kate.
"Stop a minute" exclaimed Grace,
planting herself in the way to the
door; will you promise me that II
Lord Roland proposes to you tonight
you will not accept him?"
II will not discuss the question:
was the answer.
Then, seeing that her sister barred
her way, she suddenly drew up her
slight form with queenly dignity, and
said:
Don't forget yourself, Grace, and
don't make me angry. This is not the
way in which we should spend Christ
mas day. Let ME pass"
Grace looked for o moment at her
lovely sister, and sudden scowl came
over her own pretty face. but she ut
tered no word of justification, and,
turning, sullenly left the room.
No one could have suspected the de-
mon Of rage and jealousy that lurked
in her breast when some time later
she came down to- join her father and
sister and the guests who had arrived.
For Grace looked so sweet and inno-
cent and childlike, that people who
did not know her well could very cas-
lily believe that she was somewhat
oppressed and neglected by her half-
sister and her father, with the latter
Of whom she was evidently no fay
orite.
But guests are arriving in quick
succession; very soon the last has
come. and then Lord Iilburne offers
his arm to the Countess Of Rokfield
and leads the way into the old ban
quoting hall, where, according to Inn
memorial custom, high feasts and
CEristmas gatherings have always
been held In Silverton Castle.
A very handsome man IL Baron ILL
burne Of Silverton, though he is old to
have two daughters SO young aud 50
fair az Kate and Grace.
There had been some romance about
the l'aron's early life, and he was
quite middle aged man when he mar
ried Kate's mother. a wealthy heiress,
whom he had loved from his youth.
His happiness, however, was Of
short duration. He had scarcely been
married year when his wife present
ed him with daughter; thep closed
her eyes in the long endless sleep that
knows no waking.
The motherless infant was left at
the castle to lie nursed by the wife Of
the head gardener, who had just lost
her own baby, and Lord Lilburne went
abroad and tried to forget his grief
aud his short-lived happiness.
lie succeeded 80 well In bis efforts
that when his wife had been dead
little more than year he married q
pretty girl young enough to be his own
daughter, and brought her home to
SiivertOn Castle.
But the girl bride soon wearied OF
her old husband and Of her magnifi
cont surroundings.
She had spent q very wandering life
before she became acquainted will
Lord Lilburne.
Her father had held q commission in
fa~~ - u. n