The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-20


| cerned. Harry Vinnicombe the elder had
not foreseen a contingency Ike this when
he made his will for the sole use ana p ",T1.,
/ fit of the wife he had idolized and spoiled
| all the years they had been together.
Meantime Harry. with very bitter,
| angry Indignation burning In his breast,
ordered his horse to be saddled, and, impa-
| tent to be off. strobe down to the stables
! Once mounted and cantering along the
| hilly road toward the open downs. he felt
| himself cooling down. The thing had come
on him with such a shock that it had al
| time to think over 1t more calmly, 1t DID
| not seem less dreadful than before, and the
uncertainty and humiliating dependency OF
| his own position rose up before him with
/ startling clearness. He had literally moth
| ing of his own, and his mother need not.
/ unless she wished, bestow on him a single
| penny. These gloomy thoughts We're his
| disagreeable companions as he skirted In
| a Ieisurelv fashion the somewhat steep bril-
| die path in the highest part of the downs.
| Suddenly his face frightened and his pulse
| began to beat more quickly as he caught
| a groom coming swiftly toward him. 1t
| was not the first time. no, nor the second.
| that Harry Ninnlcombe ana Lady anne
| Blunt had met on the breezy Sussex downs.
| and to judge from the expressions on both
| faces as they met. 1T was an experience
| they most thoroughly enjoyed Many peo-
pie admired Lady Anne and many did not.
She a young woman of quite excep-
tionally strong character, and always knew
her own mind exactly. She was the third
daughter of the Earl of Felsham and the
plainest; nevertheless: she was the only
combe. Nor was he alone in his admiration
of her Many a sutton had passed over the
at Lady Annes feet, but, so far, she had
scorn0d them all. or, to put it more cor
rectly. looked them straight in the face
with her honest eyes and given them no
as blunt as her name. Some people called
her positively plain, and certainly there
was scarcely good feature in her face;
and yet it was one of the dearest faces in
the world, and those who loved her would
not have exchanged her dark skin, her
w ma hCr- 10
for all the classic features in the world
She was very tall. and carried her fine fig
looked her very best on horseback, because
She was one of the most daring and fear
ing riders in the county.
They met and exchanged greetings with
frank cordially. and an ordinary observer
would have failed to detect any telltale
signs in the looks of either. There was no
sort of hesitation in Harry Vinnicombes
manner or action After they had made a
few commonplace remarks. he turned his
horses head and walked beside her as a
matter of course, the groom keeping dis
creetly In the background Then Lady
her companions face, and, in her usual
frank manner, desired to know the cause.
I've had some very bad news this morn
Ing, and before / saw you coming thought
life was hardly worth living.
Dear me; that sounds rather awful" she
which the deep light in her saucy eyes
trouble is?''
yet must. Anyhow, everybody will know
it soon. My mother is going to marry
again
Now, Anne Blunt did not like Mrs. vinni-
combe, and had often asked herself how a
shallow, frivolous and insincere person
could have such an honest, good fellow for
a son. But she had never thought that
she would be guilty of a second marriage,
and for the moment she was rather too
shocked to say anything. Her companion
surveyed her anxiously, but could gather
little from the tip. of a. very pink ear, her
an iGta mt Nv IIrY
girl she said at length. 'still, am very
She turned and looked at him as she
SPOKE, and ne saw something In her face
ment, he could have blessed the trouble
that had called forth that swift CLEAN of
who is the gentleman may ask?" was
her next question.
Mr.. Delorme."
Lady Anne gave a slight start and her
lips parted in scorn.
Il am doubly sorry for you was all she
him, they were not without their sting
For such would be the opinion of all his
friends and a man does not like to see
his mother an object of wonder and scorn.
Il don't like the man." he said HE is a
cad of the first water. But the thing that
bothers me most is that it may seriously
How she asked. turning her fine. clear
eyes on him inquiringly.
81 am absolutely dependent on my mother |
for the very clothes 1 wear and the bread |
/ eat" he said with some bitterness. NV
father left everything in her hands. and 1 |
until to-day
much difference. If she becomes Mrs De- |
lorme, she will naturally go and make, her |
may desire. You will still be master of |
High Void"
en- 4 , wish L., felt felt 50 sure Of it." hs said,
speak peak, to Lord T a this week.
She asked the question with delicious |
innocence which made him wish the solemn |
man7servant a thousand miles away.
e Anne sanf y 1e ask wa him to
know it,
But you have not asked me yet
I'm well-regulated families it is custom
airy to ask the consent of the parents
first" he retorted. entering momentariIy
no, Anne"
why do you use the past tense?' she
asked, coquettishly.
Because now | daren't the present
or the future he replied.
She said nothing for moment, but guild
ed rf her t horse e. a: step nearer to him. And
them she stretched out her hand.
1T will make no difference to me, Har-
~, she said, and at the words his face |
hotly flushed: and careless of the keen but
kindly scrutiny of the attendant behind
God bless you. Anne, my own darling
he said, passonately. Then they fell TO |
taking SODerly over the whole matter and |
when they parted the was shining |
through the clouds which had briefly over |
Harry Vinnicombe's heart
Next morning about II o'clock he rode
up the beech avenue to Felsham Abbey |
and asked to see the Earl There was n |
very set, determined look about his mouth
and his face was pale his eyes shadowed'
as if he had passed a restless night and
was even now troubled about many things
The Earl was disengaged. and pleased to
see his young neighbor. for whom he had a
sincere liking and respect
Lord E'elSham was tall. thin, careworn-
looking man, bearing in his face the signs
Of an anxious and troubled life. He had
been harassed for money all his days and
was wont to say that FelSham and an
empty title did not compensate for the loss
IF peace of mind. The upkeep of a bur-
Tened estate on strictly limited means is
indeed a problem which presses hard Yet
ne proud of his name. and passing
proud of his old home: his one regret that
he had not means sufficient to restore and
Keep up the former glory of its traditions
hough his two elder daughters We're very |
they had made poor marriages.
He did not hope much from Anne. who was |
his favorite, though he mad resolved that |
1nless she could marry money, she should |
lot marry at all
Such the man, then, to whom Harry |
Vinnicombe came in his trouble knowing |
before he came how hopelessly it would be |
'egarded.
He did not beat around the BUSH but in
ormed him at once of his mothers CON |
empated marriage, and the change it |
night. nay. had already made in his posi-