Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-30
rERMATiONAL PRESS ASSOCIATIONS

10 D. 'lsH b 20
L6maQue's thin lips seemed to close
instlnctively at the qusstloA, as II he
were never going to speak again. He
bowed-Trudaine waited--he only |
bowed again. Prudaine waited a third
time. Lomaque looked at his host with
perfect steadiness for an instant, then
his eyes began to get weak again.
You seem to have. some special inter-
est" he quietly remarked, "if may
say so without Oifensc, in asking me
that question: @-'s'.ai
Il deal frankly, at all hazard, with
every one, returned Trudaine; "and,
stranger as You are, will deal frank
ly with you. l acknowledge that
have an interest in asking that ques-
tion-the dearest, the tenderest Of all
interests At those last words his
voice trembled for moment, but he
went on firmly: From the beginning
of my sisters engagement with Dan
vile, / made il my duty not to conceal
my own feelings; my conscience and
my affection for Rose counseled me to
be candid to the last; even though my,
candOr should distress or offend 9TH
ers. When we first made the acquaint-
ance Of Madame Danyille, and when
| first discovered that her sons atten-
tons to Rose were not unfavorably re-
ceiyed, felt astonished, and though
! it cost me hard effort, l. did notecon-
ceal that astOnishment from my0J Sis
| ter" 49,. .,.-G
Lomaque, who had hitherto been, all
attention, started here, andNthrew up
his hands in amazement. %Astonishl
ed, did l hear you say? Astonished,
Monsieur Trudaine, that the attentions
of young gentleman POSSESSED Of all
the 'graces and accomplishments Of a
highly-bred FrenChman should be far
yorably received by young lady! AS
tOnished that such dancer, such a
singer, such talker, such n notorious
ly fascinating ladies' man as Monsieur
Danville should, by dint Of respectful
assiduity, succeed in making some i'm
| preston on the heart Of Mademoiselle
Rose! Oh! Monsieur Trudaine, veneer
/ ated Monsieur Trudaine, this Is almost
too. much to credit" Lomaque's eyes
Egrew weaker than ever, and winked in
cessantly, as he uttered this apostro-
phe. At the end he threw up his hands
aagain, and blinked inquiringly all
round him, in mute appeal to universal
nature. .......... a. .r.:...,, .a.t. ~.
When, in the course Of timey mat
ters were farther advanced continl
led Trudaine, without paying any at
tention to the. interruption; ''when
the offer of marriage was made, and
| when 1 knew that Rose had in her own
.hear5tacGepted'it, I'oBjected, and did
+not conceal my objections =" 70 d..
Heavens" Interrupted Lomaque
tagain, clasping his hands this time with
La look of bewildeFment;ui' wbat objeo-
tons? what possible objections to a
man, young and well-bred with an i'm
mense fortune and an uncompromised
charaGter?r ] have heard Of these OBJ
jectlons. I know they have made bad
blood; and | ask myself again and
again, what, can they beg ~. ..u I'D.
God knows / have often tried to dis
miss them from my mind, as fanciful
and absurd y said Trudaine, "and have
always failed. 1t is impossible, in your
presence, that l can describe in detail
what my own impressions have been,
from the first. of the master whom you
serve. Let it be enough If confide to
/ you that | cannot, even now, persuade
myself of the sincerity of his attach
ment to my sister, and that I feel-in
spite of myself, in spite Of my earnest
desire to put the most implicit conf
| dence in Roses choiCe-a dlstrust Of his
character and temper, which now, on
the eve Of the marriage, amounts to
positive terror. Long secret suffering,
doubt, and suspense wiring this confess
sion from me, Monsieur Lomaque, al
most unawares, in defiance of caution,
! in defiance Of all the cOnventionalities
of society. You have lived for years
under the same roof with this man; you
| have seen him in his most unguarded
and private moments. l tempt you to
betray no confidence only ask you
il you can make me happy by telling
me that | have been doing your mas
ter grieyous injustice by my opinion
of him? ask you to take my hand and
| tell me If YOU can, in all honor, that my
sister is not rlsklng the happiness Of
riage to DanYille tomorrow r. ne
He held out his hand while he spoke.
BY some strange chance, Lomaque hap
pened just at that moment TO be look
ing away towards those beauties Of ma
ture which he admired so greatly.
Really, Monsieur Trudaine, really
I such an appeal from you, at such a
time, amazes me- Having got so far,
PHe stopped and said no more.
we first sat down together
here, 4 had no thought of making this
appeal, no idea of talking to you as l
have talked. pursued the other. my
words have escaped me, as l told you,
almost unawares-you must make al
lowances for them and for me. can
not eXpect others, Monsieur Lomaque,