Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-07-31
CHAPTER X.

"nen tney reacned the motel Mrs. Ruth
zen was out. and Nora prolonged her
walk to Harvey & Nichols. where she
and her attendant spent a delightful hour.
and several pounds.
By the time she reached her temporar,
home, Nora felt refreshed and invigorat-
ed by air and exercise. The shades of
evening had begun to gather, and she
planned to herself that she would read
aloud to Helen after dinner, to atone for
her long absence.
The gas had not been lit, and going up
stairs in semi-darkness, she ran against
someone on the first landing.
II beg your pardon" said Winton
whose voice she instantly recognized, II,
is so dark"
"Yes, the evenings draw In 30 soor
low," she replied, with some confusion.
Il am glad to have an opportunity of
wishing you goodbye. 1 am going out Of
town tomorrow for a few weeks; by the
time come back. l shall have made up
my mind whether l shall return to India
Mt once or stay to the full extent of my
| leave"
HAS the country so little attraction foi
you, Mr.. Winton, that you are ready to
leave itT'
PLENTY of attraction; butt need not
|
for the present. / hope to see you agaii
before long, either here or at Brookdale -
| He held her hand for a moment and
was gone.
Nora ascended slowly, thoughtfully, to
the drawing room, where she found Mrs.
| L'Estrange leaning back in an easy chair,
her handkerchief to her eyes, beside q
bright fire.
why, Helen!' cried Nora, as she ad
vanced toward her. Mrs. LEstrange
started and uncovered her face; the strong
light of the flames showed that she had
been and was weeping. "Dear Helen,
what is the matter?"
do not ask me now. will tell yol
all one day. but not now," said Mrs. LES
| TRANCE. Rising, she came quickly toward
her stepdaughter, pressed her lips for an
instant to Nora's cheek, and left the room
[ "Good heavensr' calculated Nora tc
self, "she has refused him. But why 2"
Overcome with surprise, she sat down, all
| dressed as she was. to ponder this unex
pected outcome Of their pleasant intimacy
with Winton. He. too, seemed depressed
and unlike himself. Why-why had Helen
rejected him? especially as she evidently
felt doing so very keenly.
| Could 1t have been because she knew
that she and her little girl were unpro-
vided for, and that she did not like being
a burden on a husband? Winton was
fairly we'll off. and not likely to let such
an obstacle stand in the way of his or heI
| happiness. Could 1t be any hesitation
about leaving her (Nora) alone, with
some mere hired stranger for a compan.
ion? No; Helen was too sensible for such
an oyerstrained sense Of duty or friend.
ship. Then, as she gazed Into the red
mass which glowed in the CRATE, memory
unrolled her long record of past benefits
and generous acts. The quiet, steady
kindliness, which had won her childish
heart, in spite of her natural prejudice
against a stepmother, the perpetual shield
she interposed between the irritable. ex.
acting, tyrannical father and his daugh.
ter. Now that Nora was a womans
| thoughtful, observant woman-hOw many
instances Of her stepmother's patience,
her care for every ones comfort, her en-
tire self-forgetfulness, came back to her
mind from dim, bygone days. Her own
vague wonder that Helen never wanted
| to go anywhere, never sought release from
the wearying attendance on her Querulous,
suspicious, invalid husband, her undefin-
ed impression that somehow life was
over for her young stepnothe-that she
lad nothing left but endurance and kindly
thought for others. What would she her
self have been had abe been reduced to
single-handed struggle with such diff
culties-as existence would have present.
ed itself without Helen7 How much of
youth would she have enjoyed7 How
much of education, Of pleasure. or free
dom from the stunting effect Of care too
heavy for her years? Yes! She saw 1t
all clearly. Helen had been more than
mother to her. for she had no claim to
such tender, discriminating care. "And II
l can repay her WILL" thought Nora, her
heart glowing warm and strong. Moth
ing shall stand between me and q woman
To whom I owe % much, Thank God