Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-10-30
CHAPTER ILL

Morn Dene 'laU Deen HluTrleu UedTly u
Year. So strangely had the marriage
some about that often she herself was
puzzled to account for all the motives
hat had urged her on to such rash and
nnconsdered step.
She had been engaged in the first in
stance to Major the Hon. Barry Larron,
also of the the -th Hussars-a man moro
than double her age, and rendered gloomy
and suspicious by former unlucky in
:ident in his life. 1t had been his strange.
Y urgent, even selfish exacting love that
lad fascinated her. She had thought his
passion the deeper that it had showed
itself in such an uncouth form, contrast
Ing so markedly with the gentle, almost
slavish devotion that WAS offered her by
other lovers. For awhile she flattered
herself that she could tame this savage
Orson, and render him subservient to all
her whims and fancies. But time dis
proved this. and she became impatient
under his jealousy, and rebelled against
the strict supervision he deemed it neces-
sary to keep over her actions. Girlishly
unheeedful of the consequences, she
played upon his fears, thinking to punish
him by giving more cause for his suspic-
lons, and when demonstrated with she
only laughed.
=
ike" she told him, saucily; but moth
ing shall persuade me to be an old mans
slave"
She was SO innocent of evil that she did
not understand the extent of his doubts.
She fiirted with such openness that the
veriest tyro could not have been misled,
more especially as she so artlessly be-
trayed her love for her fiance at every
turn; he was the only one who was blind
enough to doubt her.
At last crisis came. He had forbid.
den her to dance, an exercise of which
she was passionately fond, and she had
not rebelled, for even to herself it seemed
selfish to indulge n taste he could not
share. Now, not content with that, he
told her he objected to her singing before
my one but her own family.
Then the girl grew rebellious. and re.
fused to comply with such an unreason.
able request. That same evening, in de-
fance of his wishes, she sung at q large
party, and when he showed evident dis
pleasure, made no effort TO conciiate him.
The next morning he wrote to her, say
ng that her love of gaiety and craving
for admiration were incompatible with
the life he should wish his wife to lead,
and that he could not trust her with his
happiness and honor.
Only one other officer was with him on
detachment at Hattiabad, and to him he
declared his intention of giving her up
but his confidence had been met with in
lignant warmth.
Genald Dene had known Nora Molnet
all her life, and was furious at what to
him seemed an unwarrantable insult he
wedding day was tiXed-was TO have been
In that same month indeed; and he knew
g.. he
we're Tilted so at the last moment. The
merely friendly feeling he had felt tol
her seemed to develop in a moment TO al
most brotherly affection. Had she been
indeed his sister, he could not have more
teenly resented Major Lorron's behavior.
There appeared only one way to show
ais sense of the cruel injustice of such
conduct, and to silence malicious tongues
He must offer to become her husband ir
Major Larron's stead.
Undeterred by fear of ridicule or re-
suff, he put his chivalrous resolve into ex-
ecution He told the girl of the shame
be felt that one belonging to the regi-
ment should have behaved so badly, and
how utterly he disbelieved in the truth o.
he accusations against herself.
"In proof of which, he added, gravely,
II can only say that if you will marry
me, Nora, will do my best to be worthy
Of your confidence and to win your love"
And she had consented to the strange
proposal, knowing that she was not brave
enough to face the jeers or pity of society
when the fact transpired that she had
been Tilted. And she thought that Gerald
Oene loved her.
Her pleasure was his first thought, hei
wishes his own consideration. He was al
ways Mt hand to do her service, and gave
her no opportunity to discover how he
was getting more necessary to her every
day. Although formerly keen sports
man. he now seldom or never went out
with his rifle or rod for fear she should
begin to think about the past, and find
eisure to repent the step she had taken.
That one short year had changed her
terribly. The shock to her pride had been
90 great that she had seemed to grow
suddenly old, caring for none of those
things which had delighted her before
Her whole being had become chastened
and the laughter quenched upon her lips
She had never danced since her mar.
dage. She sung sometimes, but without
that happy ring which had made her sing
Ing 80 pleasant to the ear. Certainly she
had grown very staid-too staid, thought
her young husband, as he watched he,
,urtively at times.
The young wife had made no women
friends in Alipore. She was in fact rather
difficult to please, but she took Jane to
ber heart directly, liking her the better
that she was so free from young-ladyism
so fresh and unspoled by contact with
the world. Having been SO long in her
convent school, she had contracted nun
like shyness and gentle, winning way that
,dded to her charm.
Colonel Prinsep, too, saw good deal
of his protege, as Mrs. Dene persisted in
calling Jane to herself; he had always
thought her more than ordinari-
ty pretty, and soon discovered
that she had other claims to
his admiration. She was so bright and
unaffected, and above all 50 imbued with
sense of his superiority, than which
nothing goes SO surely to mans heart.
Most people find it difficult to resist fiat.
terry, when delicately administered; and
In this case the homage was quite uncon'
SciOusly rendered, and so of double worth |
Mrs. Dene smiled sometimes at James
enthusiasm, yet on the whole agreed with |
her. She had always liked Colonel Prin' |
sep, though she had never seemed to