The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-11-11
All that will have to co." she said
one day to Mrs. Granton, and waved her
hand towards a wood on the hill,

NN
carriage as it passed; and she observed
Aylmers face, too, as he returned their
salute with wave of his whip.
Lady Aylmercaught (perhaps sought)
her eye, and sighed
That evening Mrs. Granton was the
first to come down from dressing, and
she strolled out on the terrace. The sun
setting behind her, shone upon the
doomed woods. Gold stepped them.
The shorn hill would be an eye-sore.
She heard step on the gravel, and
saw Aylmer approaching from the
house.
"The prettiest view in England" she
said.
He came and stood beside her, and
the eyes of each were on the woods.
II am told you are going to spoil it,"
she said then.
For time"
"a lifetime.'
He nodded. The lady's gaze ascended
the hill to the top, where the trees stood
up against the sky.
1T seems pity" she said.
The gong sounded presently, and thev
went in. You could see the shining hill
from the windows Of the dnng-roo N.
Midway through dinner, as the evening
closed in, a servant went to draw the
curtains. Mrs. Granton faced the win
dow.
"Oh," she said, to Lady Aylmer,
might he wait a little? 1t is so beau
tiful from where l sit"
Lady Aylmer turned and looked, and
Aylmer looked too. In truth, the scene
was too fair to shut out.
Leave the curtains as they are,
Charles"
VERY good, my lady"
So Mrs. Granton saw the woods to
the disappearing point of dusk.
Later, when the moon rose, Aylmer
and she found themselves upon the ter
race once more. The night was warm
Mrs. Granton's eyes were on the woods.
Their changed aspect in the moonlight
was excuse in itself for any comment
"Must you?" she asked, suddenly.
He looked for her meaning.
"I!" he said. Il! 1t is not t.
"Who then?-Ah, yes. understand
| They are mortgaged.
Foreclosure was a word she associ-
ated with poor plays. Such things hap
pened then. She remembered the two
men with the business-like air and the
| note books.
She laid her arm on the stone ledge of
the balustrade.
There must be way out" she said.
"1f could find it,
An hour or two later, wien she took
her candle from his hand, she said:
Look for the way out"
She smiled, and he followed her with
his eyes as she mounted the stairs, her
skirts trailing and the candle held high.
She did not look back at the turn in the
staircase. Aylmer, in the smoking
room was ruminant. 1t was impossible
to mistake her.
Nor did he misunderstood. She said
Yes" when he spoke the next day.
Lady Aylmer said: "Diana, Diana,
dear woman, God bless you!"
"Perhaps he WILL" said Diana.
|
saved and his future mortgaged instead
Aylmer took a rapid survey of his life
up to the point it had then reached, and
decided that he had pursued the only
course open to him. Neither did he ir
calmsess repent the step he had taken
Diana Granton had not her money alone
to recommend her. She was of the
world, and admirably fitted for the po
sition he offered her. That she was
comely, has been said; and she took &
sensible view of the situation. He wa:
not in love with her, and she was wise
enough to conceal from him the secre
that her own heart had been revealing
to her gradually for some time past.
At dinner that evening she looked a
him and knew that she loved him. H,
looked at Diana and thought of forgot
ten Audrey. 1t was the fault of thu
roses in the drawing-room.
The scent of them haunted him-fol
lowed him home. Poor little Audrey
what would she think? But near as h.
had come to loving her, he had neve
made love to her, and had nothing t.
reproach himself with; for which nov
he was fervently thankful. Yet he wa
rot quite happy as his hanson tool
him to Charges street. A memory o
something that was wistfnl at time
in Audrey's eyes stirred him. The thin!
was absurd, inconceivable. Her mother
gentle as she was, was woman of tn
world, and had known he had 'meant
nothing. Audrey was child to cares
, and to pet. 1t was he who had suffere
: at the parting. Her tears were th
| frank tears of childhood. and rolle
| down her cheeks unconcealed.
| His misgivings told him he had don
we'll to go. He thought of the restless
. ness that had possessed him during tn
early days of his travel. He had write
/ letter that was never posted, and ha
refrained himself until time and dis
5 tance allowed him to write calmly
! Presently the need 20 write at all ceaset
, and he knew himself cured.
: But tonight Audrey haunted hin
t He could be thankful that he had nc
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