The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01

settled"
Mrs. Cochrane smiled.
oh, she said you've decided?'
Twenty-four hours later all "the world
knew that Sir Ralph Hamer was engaged
| TO Mrs. Cochrane's cousin-"that pretty
! Yorke girl, you know, people said. Shes
staying with Mrs. Cochrane for the season.
| She has little money, too, they say-not
! that old Ralph wants it. And no people
an orphan; and that kind of thing"
r,idGia m ~ ii,s MAS MAS 10 tane Piaee IN 1ne
| cerned lived in whir of rousseau. house
hunting and furnishing, assisted with an
terIstlc OF ner by Mrs Cochrane, and the
rush OF the London season grew faster and
Before long it began to be said that
Sylvia Yor&e was OVERRIDING it,
she cant stand it, you know" said sage
fagged1quite plain, / thought her, the
Her nerves are all to pieces, too" was
can be. She'll break down if she doesn't
look out or Sir Ralph will break it off"
Sylvia Yorke did not break down, did
or Kalph Hamer appear to contemplate
breaking 1t off" That her temper grew
! those who had most TO do with her. She
had also lost flesh and color to a noticeable
extent. and there was a strained look in
her eyes. But she spared neither herself
nor any one else, and her sharpest speeches
never brought more than a passing cloud
ness.
The day before that fixed for the we'd
ding came in due time, and early in the
| afternoon Sir Ralph Hamer stood on the
steps outside Mrs. Cochranes house. The
sunshine was blazing down upon him, ana
he was dressed in attire little calculated
to Withstand the rays Of the sun-the cor
rect calling costume, of an English gentle
man. But he appeared to be absolutely
obvious of discomfort His face was
good to see. 1t was expressive of such
simple, overlooking contentment. The door
was opened. and he passed into the cool
IF you'll wait here a moment, sir" said
the servant opening the dining room door,
ready in a moment"
It was scarcely moment, indeed. before
Sylvia Yorke came in. She too, was
big picture hats of the season, and it suit
| ed her to perfection. She looked curiously
gentle and quiet, and as she came toward
Sir Ralph there was something in her man
| ner which suggested that the effect pro-
dqGed was not all due to the picture hat.
He stopped to kiss her with a certain
| eager timidity; last time they met she had
| declared that she hated to be kissed But
today she suddenly put up her hands and
Ralph" she said, you do love me, don't
| your
| Sir Ralph's reply need not be chroncled
| 1t was absolutely sincere but a trifle con-
| yentional. But it hardly satisfied Sylvia
Yorke.
'Me-my own self?" she said. "Ah, don't
protest! Say it quietly-L want to believe
| you"
Something in the vibration of her voice
| penetrated to the young mans conscious
| ness. He did not understand her. but in
tuition served, him in place of comprehen-
| sion. He took her two hands in his and
| pressed his lips to them with a steady
! tender touch. Then he said:
Il love you, your, very own self, with all
my heart and soul"
You would love observation-disclosures
| WASP"
Il should love observation-disclosures you
| WERE
He smiled as she spoke and she suddenly
| dropped his hands, clinging to him passion
ately.
oh, Ralph she said. with an odd, suffo-
| Gated tone in her voice. 'Oh, Ralph, | love
| you. | can't help it. 1 love you" Ralph
Hamer held her close, and the room was
| very still.
| It was Hamer who moved first The little
| scene seemed for the moment to have re-
versed their position. He turned her cheek
up with a tender touch and kissed it.
We'll" he said with a long. sigh, 1--WE
must go, suppose, my darling"
| Sylvia did not stir.
| Il WISH she said, in low far away
tone, there were. no one else in the world
| Ralph Hamer laughed lovingly. II wish
| it, too sweetheart he said. When l think
| of tomorrow, l wish il devoutly. But, I'M
fortunately, there are one or two other peo-
| pie, you see-and there is Aunt Ellinor
awaiting our arrival at this moment, worse
| luck"
faint sigh from Sylvia. and then she
drew herself from his hold, and rearranged
her hair and hat.
We'll walk to q hanSom, she said alb
sently. Shall we go?"
They were going together to an aunt of
Ralph Hamer' san old lady who was too
| infirm to go to the wedding on the following
| day. She had already seen Sylvia, and had
! been much attracted by her. and on the
present occasion there was a courteous ten
| derness about her manner to the young
| girl which was very charming. But in some
inde ef way she seemed to jar upon 2,
| drawing room, listening to the feeble, high
bred old voice, the girls expression gradu-
ally changed, and the lines of her face
| grew hard and sharp. She rose at last, rath-
er abruptly to take leave.
Old lady Ellinor put out a blanched and
| wrinkled hand and drew the girl down be-
"Good-by, my dear" she said. May you
be very very happy y tn She rs paused mo
| sive face. Then she added, My child, may
an old woman say to you how much she
| feels for you tomorrow, in that you have
no mother to be with you. r.
But Sylvia Yorke had risen sharply to her
''Thank you, Lady Elinor" she said
hardly you are SO kind to me. Good-by.
| Ralph, are you ready?'
| Ralph was ready, and he was also rather
] annoyed with his aunt for ''upsetting Syl-
| via with sentimental nonsense, and with
himself for feeling that Sylvia had behaved
| with scant courtesy. He took refuge in a
| cheerful flow of words-words about moth
| ing-a flow which he kept up in hopeful OBJ
livion of the fact that Sylvia made him no
|
He was talking himself into his usual
serenity when he was suddenly checked
| Into the middle of CHEEKY sentence broke
| Sylvias voice:
| "Ralph, for goodness sake, stop. 1 don't
| care bit about bearing-reins, or anything
| else, now
| She spoke with so sharp a note of irrita-
| ton that Ralph Hamer looked at her in
startled amazement. Her lips were pale and
| compressed, and her brows were drawn to-
| gether as she looked straight before her.
lin awfully sorry, dearest, he raj
| tered. Il didn't know"
| She stopped him with a gesture.
There DON'T she said. Here we are,
| thank goodness.
| The cab drew up at Mrs. Cochrane's door.
| Ralph Hamer helped her out, and then hes
Am to come IMP" he asked
oh yes, l suppose So" was the almost
fierce answer. Yes. Mrs. Cochrane ex-
| poets you; you can come"
| And the door being opened, she swept i'm
petuously into the house.
| Mrs. Cochrane was in the drawing room,
| and she held out her hand to Sir Ralph
| with an effusiVe but rather forced smile.
| Mrs Cochrane had found il by no means
| unpleasant to have young man deVotedly
| attached to her menage, but at the moment
| it bored her to have to be amiable 10 him.
| Here you are" she said. I'm too dead
| beat to get up to receive you. Take fin
ger and shake it gently. or 1 may fall to
| pieces"
I'm awfully sorry" returned the young
| man. Parties, Mrs. Cochrane?"
PARTIES! she echoed. AS if l should.
| Was tea. No. Sir Ralph, weddings-your
| wedding Such bother about the flowers
| Sylvia, and that wretched woman hasn't
sent my frock."