Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-02-27
CHAPTER xu.-CoSr1NUED.,

CHAPTER CONTINUED,
Decidedly not; but they should see
more of one another first. 1t is proba-
bly, only a youthful fancy that will not
last"
"Just so. And when young Shore in
formed me he was the nephew of SO
weII-known a man as yourself, I told
him that, if you consented to it, l
would ask him to stay with us at Abb
botsville before I entered further on the
discussion of his attachment to Car
men"
Miss Flower is remarkably hand
some girl, and deserves as good a hus-
band as you can procure her."
sTrue; but there is sad story at
tached to her, which 1 must tell you
by and by, and which renders her for
tune but poor equivalent
'Since you are so Kind as to wish
Hamilton to visit you, I should much
like him to come whilst I am here"
my dear sir, anything that will
please you 1 shall be delighted to do.
I will write and ask the. young man to
come at once"
"Stay, I have a favor to ask.
though. 1t is that he may not be told
that Miss OReilly and I are here.
should like our meeting to be sur
prise to him. Hesmust be informed that
we have spoken together on the sub
ject, as it is necessary I should write
to his tutor to obtain leave for him.
Otherwise he can be kept in the dark.
It is a bargain?''
"Most certainly, Mr.. Ruthven. l an
ticipate his pleasure at seeing
you, and the young people will
enjoy being together. All! 1 envy
you the guardianship of your
ward Such a pure, light-hearted, in
nocent creature! May I ask If there
is any relationship between you?"
None. whatever! She is the orphan
child of friend''-which was theefic-
ton that Ruthyen had determined to
adopt with regard to Margaret. You
seem fond of young people, Sir Fred
eric. It is a misfortune you have no
children of your own"
He was not prepared for the feeling
his words would call forth. The bar
onet turned pale, and quickly averted
his glance from him.
81 had a child once, Mr.. Ruthven,
and I lost it through cruel accident.
The memory and grief of it are painful
to me even to this day, for the shock
killed my poor wife, and l was left
alone.''
Forgive me, Sir Frederick, for hav-
ing inadvertently opened an old wound.
I had no idea of what l was doing"
1T is of little consequence. Do not
distress yourself. Some day, when we
know each other better, I will tell you
the story of my poor Florence, and how
1t was I lost her. Goodnight, Mr..
Ruthven. I shall write to your nephew
by tomorrow's post, and we shall have
him here before the week is over.o
Ruthven did not say anything to
Pearl of the expected visit from Ham
ilton Shore, neither did Sir Frederic to
Carmen. They wished the young mans
presence to come upon both the girls as
a surprise. But Ruthven could not help
observing a difference in Margaret's
behavior. She was not more melan-
choly than before, but she was more
reserved. She had the secret which
Margaret had confided to her burning
in her heart, and she did not know
whether she~ought to repeat it to Ham
ilton' uncle or not; but maiden1y
shame and fear of being accused of jeal-
ousy won the day, and she remained ST.
lent, especially as she fancied that
Ruthven sought the society of Carmen
in preference to her own.
Hamilton had forsaken her, and now
Mr.. Ruthven liked Carmen better than
he did herself. 1t seemed very hard to
poor little Pearl-yery hard indeed.